Comcast Xfinity's Christmas ad stars Steve Carrell as Santa, presenting a quirky seasonal campaign which references the strange year 2020 has been.
In the ad, Steve Carrell plays a stressed out Santa Claus who uses Zoom to connect with his working elves. The three-minute clip begins with Carrell challenging the elves to make this year better than the others, claiming "regular gifts won't cut it." The humorous clip shows plenty of relatable references, like Santa taking a video call without proper pants on, or talking while still on mute.
A montage soon follows of elves attempting to come up with extraordinary holiday gifts that will lease Santa Claus, eventually settling on the gift of 'togetherness."
Year-Referencing Holiday Ads
Steve Carrell Stars in Xfinity's Christmas Ad
Trend Themes
1. Year-referencing Ads - Using references to current events in advertising movies and TV shows.
2. Videoconferencing in Ad Campaigns - Using videoconferencing platforms or tools in ads to showcase their convenience and relevance in the pandemic era.
3. Humorous Holiday Advertising - Creating humorous, lighthearted ads focused on the holiday season and associated challenges and observations.
Industry Implications
1. Advertising - Ad agencies can incorporate these three trends to make compelling campaigns that create tangible connections between current events and their brands.
2. Entertainment - TV shows and movies can use year events in their plotline to create more relatable content that will engage viewers more.
3. Videoconferencing Platforms - Videoconferencing companies can take advantage of the trend by creating ads, perhaps based on humor or the convenience of their service.