Six Brands That Killed It This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for true marketers to ‘consume media’ once again—whether it’s binge watching, catching live sports (like hockey/ football), and just getting out and about. In no particular order, here’s a few brands that caught our eyes.

Nova Scotia Nurses Union

Timely, and topical, this slow to develop storyline always brings a smile, when you see the family wait up for the nurse (hero) to finish her duties, before the family starts their holiday celebrations. Heart warming, and a subtle reminder that healthcare workers actually care—it’s an integral part of the profession.

Subway/ 'Bowlway'

I mean, it’s a simple proposition—Subway now has rice bowls! In keeping with the trend, more and more Canadians are looking for meal options that contain tasty, fresh ingredients and nutrients, in a convenient format. Toronto Raptor Power Forward, Scotty Barnes, plays the comedic ‘straight man’ perfectly, and the Bowlway jacket is just the icing on the cake.

#ExploreNB

These guys did a great job leveraging their 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship sponsorship. It was hard to miss, and to be honest, their tourism “product” looked good! Selling winter experiences in a town that still looks like spring was opportune, especially for the true outdoor adventurers. The ‘sell’ was very well-complimented by their FanZone experience at the Halifax Convention Centre which celebrated the outdoors (indoors) along with some unique tastes.

PetValu

I don’t even like pets [Mike Hayes], but found it hard not to like this rendition, which showed the joys, smiles and moments that pets can bring—especially with the family at Christmas. The music choice is just perfect, and will continue the debate as to whether Magic Moments is a Christmas song or not.

United Way

There was a lot of press on this ad before Christmas, from Halifax agency, Wunder, and it was well-deserved. The use of the Ring Doorbell point-of-view was not only effective, but likely cost effective. It certainly helped one to focus on the power of the idea, vs. the execution. Not to mention the goosebumps you get when the message is revealed at the end.

Duggers Men's Wear

This one gets kudos, simply for the execution. We caught this ad at the Scotiabank Centre while watching the World Junior Hockey Championship. They could have just run the video on screen, but no. They took over the entire jumbotron with complimentary images and offers from Duggers, while running an arena contest for the ‘best dressed at the game’, where the winner received a gift card.

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