December 30, 2014

The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: The Final Vote

George Anderson

After eight weeks of one-on-one competition, the time has come for the RetailWire community to vote for the one commercial that stood above the rest for 2014 holiday selling season. Which is the best? You decide.

Week One Winner
Target: Alice in Wonderland

[Image: Alice in Marshmallow Land]

Week Two Winner
RadioShack: Toyland

[Image: RadioShack ad]

Week Three Winner
Big Lots: Nailing This

[Image: Big Lots ad]

Week Four Winner
H&M: Magical Holidays

[Image: H&M Magical Holidays]

Week Five Winner
TJX Cos.: Surprising Gifts. Surprising Prices.

[Image: Surprising Gifts]

Week Six Winner
Toys "R" Us: Explosion of Play Magic

[Image: Explosion

Week Seven Winner
Walgreens: Cookies for Santa

[Image: Cookies for Santa]

Week Eight Winner
PetSmart: Thanks

[Image: PetSmart]

Discussion Questions

Which of the eight weekly RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge winners do you think did the best job of connecting with that chain’s core customers during the holiday selling season?

Poll

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Dr. Stephen Needel
Dr. Stephen Needel

PetSmart did the best, I think, with Toys ‘R’ Us a close second.

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Dick Seesel
Dick Seesel

There were several effective ads among the weekly winners, but I still vote for the Target commercial as the overall champ. This spot turned out to be the kickoff of a well-sustained, consistently-themed campaign that ran through Christmas. The focus on category dominance in toys never got lost in the creative execution, while the ads struck a nice balance between emotion and “attitude.” (See the followup commercial with the “naughty boy” getting a lump of coal in the form of an antique cell phone.) Well done, Target, and consistent with the brand position you are trying hard to recapture.

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Mohamed Amer
Mohamed Amer

Target does the best job of connecting with their customers by tapping into the fantasy genre which speaks to child and adult alike. It equates shopping at Target with exploring possibilities, with a surprise around every department. It unleashes the imagination as it communicates its brand color and bullseye trademark. The focus is on the “expect more” of the tagline and heavily immersive and experiential. Hands down the best among these winners.

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Ron Margulis
Ron Margulis

Guess I’m a sucker for cute dogs and Weird Al—I liked the PetSmart and RadioShack ads. Both worked to present each retailer’s messaging in a way that is very appealing to their respective target audiences.

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Richard J. George, Ph.D.
Richard J. George, Ph.D.

Although all of the commercials did a good job of connecting with their chain’s core customers, I selected the Toys “R” Us entry. It connected well with its target market and presented a very entertaining commercial focusing on the interactive toys and games sought by today’s youth. In addition, the ad did not engage in a price war. Instead, it highlighted in-store fun, and breadth and depth of selection in categories that Walmart and Target are hard-pressed to match in this seasonal environment.

Overall, an engaging and impactful commercial for all viewers, especially its core customers.

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Max Goldberg
Max Goldberg

I liked the TJX spot. It stayed true to the brand’s core stories and clearly communicated their message: Lots of gift ideas at the perfect price. My second choice would be the H&M spot for its sheer scope and audacity.

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Matt Schmitt
Matt Schmitt

I really love the creative execution of the Target spot. But taking into consideration for delivering the biggest impact with a core audience message, I’d have to give the honors to PetSmart. It was a simple but emotionally effective spot for prompting audiences to remember those other members of the family.

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Lee Kent
Lee Kent

After seeing where Target went with the ad, it really did a good job of delivering the brand but boy oh boy was I ever tired of it!

Walgreens, on the other hand, I could watch over and over. Loved the message and yes, I would have thought of Walgreens too for that last dash for cookies.

Toys “R” Us just flat-out nailed it! ‘Nuff said for my two cents!

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Kai Clarke
Kai Clarke

Luv PetSmart! Cute, memorable, and “speaks” to their target market. Everything a successful commercial should be….

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John Hyman
John Hyman

PetSmart was easily the best brand-to-customer connector. They have cute dogs which make people smile, and the competing ads lacked any babies which might have topped that.

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Lee Peterson
Lee Peterson

Target’s got it, IMO. Best creative, best way to show product, most fun/eye catching, also, lowest in terms of overall “cheese” factor, which is big. Their stores are catching up to the overall umph of these great ads too, so I vote red.

I do have to say though, that Walmart’s ads were pretty good too…didn’t make the cut here, but they did a good job of highlighting specific product deals with a little humor and a couple of only mildly annoying talent factors. To me, those ads were better than many of the “winners” in weeks to follow.

Happy New Year, all!

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Gene Hoffman
Gene Hoffman

All eight commercials did well. So you pick the one that best tinkles your fingerprints. I just hope pet owners didn’t cut down on spending for poochie, those well-loved little creatures who watched what PetSmart had to say.

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Li McClelland
Li McClelland

The two that really stuck out for me were PetSmart and Walgreens cookies for Santa. And I think I know why. They were sweet and relaxed and a little goofy. Both focused on acknowledgment and respect for others’ good deeds and the importance of the larger spirit of the holidays. They were subtle commercialism but definitely hit their target markets—without the blatant in your face marketing of several of the others which were clearly quite well produced and original. I think both the Walgreens and PetSmart ads will also have a residual effect far beyond Christmas. And, I never got tired of watching them.

Very hard to narrow it down. But in the end I guess it’s PetSmart by a hair.

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RIchard Hernandez
RIchard Hernandez

I am going to have to go with the H&M ad. It was spectacular, loud, colorful and really communicated the spirit of the holiday.

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Naomi K. Shapiro
Naomi K. Shapiro

1. Target did the best job. Fantasy, toys, atmosphere. A brilliant schematic, thematic commercial, consistent and colorful, full of Target imagery.

2. TJX reminded nicely the surprising array of their gifts that you can find and give, presented in a pleasant way.

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Larry Negrich
Larry Negrich

Alice in Wonderland set up a strong holiday theme for Target. It’s my choice for best campaign of this holiday season.

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Brian Numainville
Brian Numainville

I think Target had the most creative ad while PetSmart did the best job of appealing to core customers. The one ad that didn’t make sense to me is how sugar cookies put Walgreens at the corner of happy and healthy….

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Christina Ellwood
Christina Ellwood

RadioShack Toyland – it perfectly captured the “for geeks” brand. Whether you are a geek, are buying for a geek, or have one as a family member, they spoke to you. PetSmart also did a good job of connecting to their pet lover target but didn’t connect to shoppers buying for a pet lover.

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William Passodelis
William Passodelis

Walgreens gets my vote as BEST! Target is second. PetSmart also great.

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December 30, 2013

The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: The Final Vote

George Anderson

After nine weeks of one-on-one competitions, the time has come for the RetailWire community to vote on the one commercial that stood above the rest for 2013 holiday selling season. Which is the best? You decide.

Week one winner:
Toys "R" Us – Wishes Come True

[Image: TRU Holiday]

Week two winner:
Best Buy – Judy
[Image: Best Buy Holiday]

Week three winner:
Kmart – Kid Talk
[Image: Kmart Kid Talk]

Week four winner:
Kohl’s – Holiday Surprise
[Image: Kohl's]

Week five winner:
Sports Authority – Unplug
[Image: Unplug]

Week six winner:
Overstock.com – Coach Ditka Santa
[Image: Overstock.com Christmas]

Week seven winner:
L.L.Bean – Guaranteed to Please
[Image: L.L.Bean Christmas]

Week eight winner:
Party City – A Little Bit of Christmas in My Life
[Image: Party City Christmas]

Week nine winner:
TJX Cos. – The Gifter: Mission 5
[Image: TJX Cos. ad]

Discussion Questions

Which of the nine commercials reaching the finals of the RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge do you think did the best job of reinforcing the individual retailer’s brand?

Poll

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Joan Treistman
Joan Treistman

L.L.Bean still does it for me. The commercial is engaging and memorable, while reinforcing the brand name and conveying the breadth of its products.

Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to my RetailWire friends!

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Dr. Paul Helman
Dr. Paul Helman

My vote is for the Sports Authority ad. It is pleasant to watch, using good-taste humor to make its point, without shouting at me. The commercial’s content also has a strong connection to the product, and does a great job of reinforcing the retailer’s brand and image. It reminds us that some of the best things in today’s world are real, rather than virtual.

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Gene Hoffman
Gene Hoffman

All nine were good but Best Buy is reinventing itself. Week #2 winner, Best Buy – Judy, aids and clarifies Best Buy’s new brand.

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Max Goldberg
Max Goldberg

Sports Authority reinforced its core story with a spot that appeals to all family members. The spot uses humor to remind us that participating in sports is good for us, and that Sports Authority can meet all of your sporting goods needs.

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David Biernbaum
David Biernbaum

Keep in mind that the cutest, or most funny ads, are seldom the ones that do the best job selling the product. The most effective was Best Buy because it was clear and obvious to the consumer during the entire commercial that the actors were standing inside a Best Buy store.

Those of us in the retail CPG business pay close attention to which retailer is doing the advertising but most consumers, while they might enjoy the gag, are unable to tell you 5 minutes later which retailer put on the ad. For that reason, I like Best Buy. Oh, and I hope Michael Bolton is finished singing now … and no I don’t remember which car he was advertising! 🙂

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Dave Wendland
Dave Wendland

Selecting the “best of the best” is never easy. Each of the nine have characteristics that stand out. Some focused on specific products they carried, struck emotional chords, or effectively used humor. However, I felt the most compelling ad that reinforced a retail brand was the Sports Authority spot. Therefore they get my vote.

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Al McClain
Al McClain

I’d say Kohl’s wins, just for being a nice spirit of giving piece and not hard selling the way several of the others do. Ditka ties with the Kmart kid for most annoying.

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Steve Montgomery
Steve Montgomery

Sports Authority gets my vote. Links brand/products to the season and has a great message about personal interaction in the real world.

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Lee Kent
Lee Kent

Hands down, Sports Authority!

Not only did it tell the brand’s story, it reminded people that there are other/better things to do with one’s time than electronics. Great inspiration to get folks up and into the nearest Sports Authority for a gift!

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Karen S. Herman
Karen S. Herman

I definitely find that Kohl’s “Holiday Surprise” commercial draws on the holiday heartstrings more so for me than the Sports Authority “Unplug” commercial.

Still favor Party City’s “A Little Bit of Christmas in my Life” for its quick and colorful review of Christmas products. Instead of playing to the heartstrings, this commercial shows how to celebrate Christmas in a cost effective way and get a lot of bang for your buck. It is fun and memorable and does the best job of reinforcing the retailers brand, IMHO.

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Michele Miller
Michele Miller

I’d have to say Kohl’s. There is some strong emotion tied into that ad. I thought they did a great job in pulling at the heart strings – it was less about the products and more about how the products made someone feel. Toys “R” Us was a close second for me, but with that ad, it was definitely about the products. But the kids’ reactions were priceless.

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Ed Rosenbaum
Ed Rosenbaum

Some were good, others were better. But my choice was between L.L.Bean and Sports Authority. I gave L.L.Bean the final nod even though Sports Authority promoting outdoors and exercise is most important.

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James Tenser
James Tenser

Best Buy and L.L.Bean were most successful for me, each for different reasons.

Maya Rudolph’s delivery of Best Buy’s holiday rhyme is right on target, and the “Your ultimate holiday showroom” tagline is a brilliant stroke.

L.L.Bean’s visual gag communicates its range of products in a memorable way, and the reminder of its no-hassle return policy provides assurance of a good gifting experience.

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Li McClelland
Li McClelland

L.L.Bean by a nose. Sports Authority a close second. Party City a surprising third. All three know who they are trying to reach and they did!

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