Pandemic takes center stage in holiday shopping ad campaigns
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[November 09, 2020]
By Sheila Dang
(Reuters) - After spending the summer convincing consumers to take
socially distanced breaks from grim reality, advertisers are now
returning to the pandemic as the central focus in holiday shopping
campaigns launching this month.
U.S. companies from carmakers to retailers are under pressure to make
the shopping season a success after retail sales crashed 21% earlier
this year as millions of Americans lost jobs and cut their budgets. They
face the challenge of convincing consumers to open their wallets for the
holidays even as the coronavirus pandemic rages anew across the United
States and Europe.
As new campaigns roll out, brands feel it is their responsibility to
inspire optimism for the coming year, but also empathize with "the hurt
that people have," said Jason Schragger, chief creative officer at ad
agency Saatchi & Saatchi.
Carmaker Lexus' iconic "December to Remember" campaign, which features
cars wrapped in giant red bows on picturesque snowy driveways, will
focus on the different role that driveways have played this year, as
people sought ways to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other
milestones despite stay-at-home orders.
New TV commercials launching on Monday feature family and friends doing
a drive-by graduation party in their Lexus vehicles as a student in a
cap and gown waves from her driveway. In another, a man greets his
children and grandkids from a distance as they drive by, waving a
homemade "Happy Birthday, Grandpa" sign.
"We wanted to make sure we weren't showing large gatherings of people,"
said Lisa Materazzo, vice president of marketing at Lexus, owned by
Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T>. "But it's nice to have a live interaction,
and that can happen when you're safe in the car and waving from the
driveway."
Staying connected during the pandemic is the message behind ads for the
department store Macy's, whose window displays and Santaland attraction
have been hallmarks of the holidays since the late 19th century.
At a time when flying home or hosting big family gatherings can be
dangerous, Macy's Inc <M.N> is focusing on how finding and giving the
perfect gift plays an even bigger role in connecting with people you can
not see in person this year, according to Macy's chief customer officer
Rich Lennox.
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A young woman in a cap and gown waves from her driveway as a Lexus
vehicle drives by, in an undated handout screengrab provided by
Lexus. Lexus/via REUTERS
A similar theme underpins Etsy's <ETSY.O> commercial, in which a woman who longs
to see her grandson opens a gift of a handmade doll that matches a picture he
had drawn.
"You're supposed to hug it when you can't see us," her grandson said over a
video call while holding up the drawing.
PANDEMIC ADJUSTMENTS
Apparel retailer H&M has taken the pandemic-themed ad campaign a step further by
changing how commercials are produced in keeping with the times.
The company will lean on influencers working from home to create content, and
plans to provide them with outfits and holiday prop kits so they can take
festive photos on their own, said Mario Moreno, H&M USA's head of marketing.
Toy maker Mattel <MAT.O>, which has targeted young fans directly on kids' TV
shows, is directing some marketing messages to parents this season.
The owner of the Barbie and Fisher-Price brands will craft digital and social
media ads that address the struggle parents have with keeping their kids
entertained and engaged after months of schooling from home, said Jason
Horowitz, senior vice president of U.S. marketing at Mattel.
The ads will focus on gifts that can offer hours of playtime and mental
stimulation while cooped up inside, such as a Thomas & Friends toy that lets
kids make-believe that they are taking a trip from their living room, he said.
Expect optimism with a dose of reality at this dark time, ad executives said.
"There's a lot of 2020 we want to leave behind," Materazzo said. "But there are
nuggets worth celebrating."
(Reporting by Sheila Dang; Editing by Kenneth Li and Daniel Wallis)
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