These Meaningful, Festive Ads May Make You Cry A Little

Ads are supposed to sell you products. But they also tell us stories and are a reflection of the times we live in. Ads can make us laugh and even cry. When I was a little girl, there was a VIP suitcase ad that always, always made me cry. It was effective. Next when we needed to buy a suitcase for the family I insisted that my parents buy a VIP and not some other brand. Some of these emotional festive themed ads are exactly that – stories of our times:

Socks are a hard thing to sell even if they are a pretty pair. This ad manages to create an emotional connect to socks; boring though they are and probably the least imaginative of Christmas presents. It is about a thoughtful child and a hardworking dad who looks after the many needs of his family.

This is an ad from the Disney family to yours. It is about how “beloved family traditions make lifelong memories that cross generations and hold us together,” even as times change and people grow. The story is about the loving relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter, about fading family traditions and about Mickey Mouse. Watch and try to hold back that tear.

This ad for the well-known American consumer electronics company is fairly straightforward but topical as well. 2020 being a pandemic year when the world saw unprecedented lockdowns, most of us got to know our families rather better than before. And we like it like that, don’t we?

This is a Dutch pharmacy ad that asks people to take care of themselves. It takes a while for the ad to gather steam and for much of the time we wonder what is going on. However in the end it all becomes clear why the old mad had been working on his fitness and for whom.

This ad echoes what we have all seen happen during the lockdown; when human beings found such innovative ways to remain connected to each other even as they were forced to be apart. The story of a dancer and her ultimate her performance is made all the more poignant as an instrumental version of Queen’s timeless song, Show Must Go On gently plays in the background.

A rather emotional ad from Coca Cola features a father who is trying to deliver his daughter’s letter to Santa and encounters all sorts of adventures in the bargain. It is the story of how we humans wander the world and come home to find what we are looking for. There is a Coke truck in there and a nice little surprise in the end – an emotional and festive ad all at the same time.

And finally, this one is about how doggies make the world a better place, a happier, less lonely place. The ad isn't clever or surprising, but is heartwarming nonetheless --- and that dog!