RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: The Finals
Sources: Cost Plus World Market; T.J.Maxx; Target; Best Buy

After seven weeks of head-to-head competition, it’s time to pick the champion of the 2018 RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge.

Some of the spots making it to the finals have generated massive attention on YouTube. Petco’s “Saving Up” spot now has over 7.7 million views, while Cost Plus World Market’s “Santa’s Favorite Cookie” and Dick’s Sporting Goods’ “Table” have racked up more than 3.5 million each. Macy’s “Space Station” topped 1.6 million.

RetailWire readers typically produced a clear winner every week with the exception of last week when voters gave equal weight to spots from Cost Plus World Market and Meijer. Now, it’s up to you decide. May the best commercial win.


Follow one boy’s quest to find Santa’s favorite cookie – Cost Plus World Market/YouTube

3.5 million views


Lily – Meijer/YouTube

Nearly 14K views


Saving Up – Petco/YouTube

7.7 million views


Toys – TJX Companies/YouTube

552K Views


All The Ways – Target/YouTube


One-stop shopping: now with lots more fun! – Best Buy/YouTube


The Table – Dick’s Sporting Goods/YouTube

3.6 million views


Space Station – Macy’s/YouTube

BrainTrust

“There are a lot of advertisements focusing on sentimentality. “

Neil Saunders

Managing Director, GlobalData


“…we all have something in our lives that’s a family touchstone; something that if it could talk could tell all of our family stories. Dick’s wins.”

Georganne Bender

Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking


“The Petco commercial taps best into the sacrifice and giving that is part of the season. Amazingly done in stop motion, no less.”

Ananda Chakravarty

Vice President, Research at IDC

Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Which retailer commercials do you think were worthy of note for the holiday season? Who would you pick to be the winner of the 2018 RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge?

Poll

Which retailer’s spot do you think deserves to win the 2018 RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge?

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6 responses to “RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: The Finals”

  1. Neil Saunders Avatar
    Neil Saunders

    There are a lot of advertisements focusing on sentimentality. Among these, I particularly like Dick’s which nostalgically highlights the passage of time. Petco’s is also cute and embodies the spirit of giving.

    However, I do like Target’s upbeat number, mainly because it is toe-tapping and highlights “all the ways” that people can shop, which was an important win this holiday season.

  2. Georganne Bender Avatar
    Georganne Bender

    Three of these commercials stand out for me: Meijer because it’s heartwarming, Target because it reminds us of all the ways it loves us through gifting options, and the Dick’s Sporting Goods ad because it touches a nerve.

    This family has a ping pong table, but we all have something in our lives that’s a family touchstone; something that if it could talk could tell all of our family stories. Dick’s wins.

  3. Ed Rosenbaum Avatar
    Ed Rosenbaum

    I am torn between Dick’s Sporting Goods and Petco. Petco definitely tugs at your heart as we watch the young boy work for the bicycle then find a better use for it by helping his dog lead a better life. Dick’s does a good job telling the story of a gift for the generations and its multiple uses. As much as I liked Petco, my choice here is Dick’s.

  4. Ananda Chakravarty Avatar
    Ananda Chakravarty

    Most of these commercials tap into the spirit of Xmas — love and the hearth. Many of them are well done. Multimillion views for so many of these. The Petco commercial taps best into the sacrifice and giving that is part of the Xmas season. Amazingly done in stop motion, no less.

  5. Craig Sundstrom Avatar
    Craig Sundstrom

    I don’t think it was even a contest: Petco. Quality animation, and endorsing several worthy causes without being maudlin … what could be better? (Well I guess what could be better would be shorter — methinks this is really too long for repeat showing — but in this case I’ll gladly make an exception to my “quicker is better” rule.)

  6. Steve Montgomery Avatar
    Steve Montgomery

    All deserved to be in the finals, but my vote(s) are for Petco and Dick’s for message they bring. Petco for its message of a little boy willing to sacrifice what he wanted to create a gift for something that was needed. Dick’s for its message for the story it told about the many ways the gift could be used and by different generations. Forced to pick one, I would go with Petco.

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Neil Saunders
Neil Saunders
Noble Member
4 years ago

There are a lot of advertisements focusing on sentimentality. Among these, I particularly like Dick’s which nostalgically highlights the passage of time. Petco’s is also cute and embodies the spirit of giving.

However, I do like Target’s upbeat number, mainly because it is toe-tapping and highlights “all the ways” that people can shop, which was an important win this holiday season.

1
Georganne Bender
Georganne Bender
Active Member
4 years ago

Three of these commercials stand out for me: Meijer because it’s heartwarming, Target because it reminds us of all the ways it loves us through gifting options, and the Dick’s Sporting Goods ad because it touches a nerve.

This family has a ping pong table, but we all have something in our lives that’s a family touchstone; something that if it could talk could tell all of our family stories. Dick’s wins.

3
Ed Rosenbaum
Ed Rosenbaum
Member
4 years ago

I am torn between Dick’s Sporting Goods and Petco. Petco definitely tugs at your heart as we watch the young boy work for the bicycle then find a better use for it by helping his dog lead a better life. Dick’s does a good job telling the story of a gift for the generations and its multiple uses. As much as I liked Petco, my choice here is Dick’s.

3
Ananda Chakravarty
Ananda Chakravarty
Member
4 years ago

Most of these commercials tap into the spirit of Xmas — love and the hearth. Many of them are well done. Multimillion views for so many of these. The Petco commercial taps best into the sacrifice and giving that is part of the Xmas season. Amazingly done in stop motion, no less.

2
Craig Sundstrom
Craig Sundstrom
Active Member
4 years ago

I don’t think it was even a contest: Petco. Quality animation, and endorsing several worthy causes without being maudlin … what could be better? (Well I guess what could be better would be shorter — methinks this is really too long for repeat showing — but in this case I’ll gladly make an exception to my “quicker is better” rule.)

1
Steve Montgomery
Steve Montgomery
Member
4 years ago

All deserved to be in the finals, but my vote(s) are for Petco and Dick’s for message they bring. Petco for its message of a little boy willing to sacrifice what he wanted to create a gift for something that was needed. Dick’s for its message for the story it told about the many ways the gift could be used and by different generations. Forced to pick one, I would go with Petco.

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