Three older women watch children slide down a snowy slope on their sleds. One of them decides that she also wants to have fun and opens the Amazon application on her mobile phone to buy some sled cushions. The order arrives on time and the next day the friends can enjoy the snow.
That’s the scene the e-commerce giant has chosen for its Christmas ad, and if it sounds familiar, that’s because it is.
Amazon has chosen to relaunch its 2023 Christmas ad to congratulate this year’s holidays. The spot was dreamed up by Amazon’s in-house creative team and was produced by Hungry Man and directed by Wayne McClammy. With an orchestral version of “In my life”, a Beatles song, as a soundtrack, the spot conveys the importance of having fun regardless of your age and the ties of friendship; while highlighting Amazon’s capabilities to satisfy consumer needs at all times.
With this, Amazon brings back its highest-rated Christmas ad. According to the research firm System1, at the time the spot was not only Amazon’s most effective to date, but it also obtained very positive results in terms of emotional resonance and brand building.
With its return, the company is committed to the long-term advertising journey and its ability to generate memory and positioning.
“5-Star Theater” with Benedict Cumberbatch
However, Amazon has also launched another series of advertising initiatives for this Christmas. One of them is a new version of its “5-Star Theater” campaign, with which the company aims to inspire consumers to find the perfect gift in celebration of events such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
The campaign features actor Benedict Cumberbatch performing real Amazon customer reviews as stage monologues. The actor brings to life more than 15 reviews of different popular Christmas gifts, including a cleaning machine, pajama pants or a chair. All pieces include both the product visualization and the original comment posted by the user.
The campaign is a sequel to the one launched last year, which featured actor Adam Driver as the protagonist and which was awarded at the last edition of Cannes Lions. Among the comments that those campaigns received. There were some who requested Cumberbatch’s presence, which has now become a reality.
This year, in addition, the campaign includes activations in different media and platforms, including a presence in podcasts, such as “Not Gonna Lie” with Kylie Kelce and “A Very Merry Iconic Podcast” with Danny Pellegrino. Also participation in television shows, such as Jimmy Fallon, or performances on TikTok and Snapchat.
The campaign is based on the idea that most customers usually read, or always read, a review of a product before purchasing it on Amazon. The company, which claims to have more than one billion reviews on its platform, seeks with “5-Star Theater” to reflect its wide selection of products and give prominence to consumers to generate emotional connection, while working on credibility.
