Amazon’s 2023 global holiday campaign shows how joyful holiday moments are made even more special when they’re shared and that having fun doesn’t have to stop at a certain age. The campaign centerpiece this :60 brand film called “Joy Ride,” which stars three older women as main characters in a story about life-long friends reviving the joy at the top of a sledding hill–all thanks to a flash of inspiration (and Amazon’s shopping selection and convenience!).
The spot features an instrumental rendition of The Beatles’ “In My Life” which ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone’s The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The track was chosen as it is one of The Beatles’ most well-loved songs as well as an ode to enduring friendships and shared memories, which marries perfectly with the core theme of the ad.
Against this musical rendition and snowy backdrop, the ad is an ode to friendship–a heart-warming story that unfolds as the three stars gather on a park bench and sip hot drinks, longingly watching on as playful children and teenagers sled down the hill in their local park. There is a sense that this setting is familiar – a daily tradition, now mired by the colder temperatures.
While the world around them whizzes by, the friends stay seated, quiet and still. But not for long. The lead character takes in the scene, noticing that her friends are looking out longingly. With that, we see an idea spark within her and a mischievous smile appears. She opens the Amazon shopping app on her mobile phone and adds padded seat cushions to her shopping cart.
The very next day, the delivery arrives and, back to their special spot, the friends are presented with the Amazon box. When they open it, they are mystified with its contents. But with their interest piqued, the leader of the group encourages her friends to follow her to the hill.
The scene cuts to the friends, now ankle-deep in fresh snow, placing the new seat cushions into their sleds. With a reassuring smile, their excitement and anticipation take hold and they join the (somewhat younger) crowds on the snowy slopes. Laughter, cheers, and an emotional flashback to their youth spent together on the same slope comes flooding back. The vivacious trio are full of joy as they zoom down the hill with their arms waving in the air. The younger generation look on in admiration.
As if the years have fallen away, once the women reach the bottom of the snowy hill, they rise to their feet and, with enthusiasm, begin the walk back up the hill. Their excitement is palpable as they get ready for another exhilarating ride.
“This year’s holiday campaign is inspired by our Amazon customers and their thoughtful ideas and traditions,” said Jo Shoesmith, VP global CCO, Amazon. “The stories we tell serve as a reminder that sometimes the joy you receive from doing something special, for those you love, can uplift us all at this time of year. We also wanted to give these wonderful women the chance to celebrate the different facets of themselves and how they express joy, regardless of their age.”
Produced by Amazon’s internal creative team and production company Hungry Man, and directed by Wayne McClammy, Amazon’s “Joy Ride” has begun running in the U.K. and Europe. It debuts in the U.S. and Canada on November 13. The film will run through December.
CreditsClient & Creative Amazon Jo Shoesmith, VP, global chief creative officer; Tom Pettus, global executive creative director; Philip Griffiths, EU executive creative director; Josh Cassidy, Vincente Feliciano, group creative directors; Kurt Feng, creative director; Jeb Quaid, copywriter; David Connell, global head of creative production; Vanessa MacAdam, Paul Lewis, Juliet Rios, sr. creative producers; Claudine Cheever, VP global brand and fixed marketing; Ed Smith, general manager, EU integrated marketing; Walter Frye, global director of brand marketing; Laura Downey, global head of campaigns; Tessa Pauly, sr. brand campaign manager; Maite Molling, sr. campaign manager; Tiffany Carley, sr. creative program manager; Melissa Somosky, sr. content acquisition manager, music licensing. Production Hungry Man Wayne McClammy, director; Kim Dellara, managing partner; Rick Jarjoura, producer; Jess Hall, DP. Editorial Cabin Chan Hatcher, editor. Color Ricky Gausis, colorist. VFX The Mill Audio Lime Studios Joel Waters, sound engineer
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More