2020 has been rough. But amidst stay-at-home orders, business closings, and Zoom meetings (so many Zoom meetings), some brands have made the season a little bit brighter with holiday campaigns that warm our hearts and remind us of what's important.
Check out our five favorite holiday campaigns from this year.
Jada Windows: Magic of Movement
Jada Windows crafts artisan, luxury steel windows and doors in Northern California. For the 2020 holiday season, Jada celebrated the Magic of Movement with a campaign that invoked a classic Christmas card, complete with hand-drawn sketches, an inspiring tale, and a visually stunning video celebrating artisan craftsmanship.
What we loved about it: Jada transformed windows and doors into a magical Christmas story that evoked memories of our favorite holiday moments.
Lowes: Letters to Home
Lowes sought to turn "stuck at home" into "grateful at home" with their Letters to Home campaign, which launched in November 2020. Lowes encouraged DIYers nationwide to write a letter to their homes to share on social media.
"For me, as a single foster and adoptive dad, my goal was to be the best I could be, but without a proper home that would have been impossible. You're the place we share our meals, have conversations, do schoolwork, I've learned about the kids and their day-to-day ups and downs -- it all happens here," wrote Instagrammer @FosterDadFlipper
What we loved about it: Lowes helped us find gratitude for the little things in the midst of a pandemic, flipping the script of having to be home to happy to be home.
Coca-Cola: Letter to Santa
Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi directs this heartwarming story of a father who goes to extreme lengths to deliver his daughter's letter to Santa. You may want to have a tissue handy to watch this epic adventure unfold.
What we loved about it: a reminder of what's really important during the holiday season: being there for our loved ones.
Amazon: The Show Must Go On
2020 canceled everything, and our kids were the ones hurt the most as they lost time in school, sporting events, and other extracurricular activities. Amazon's The Show Must Go On campaign reminds us of the sacrifices our children are making in this story of a young girl, played by 17-year-old French ballet dancer Tais Vinolo, whose dance performance gets canceled due to COVID and the community that rallies to support her talent and dream.
What we loved about it: Vinolo's character experiences what feels like an entire year's worth of emotions in 2 short minutes, and we feel all of the feels right alongside her. From excitement to determination, crushing defeat, and triumph over adversity, this campaign reminds all of us that the show must indeed go on.
Match.com: Satan Meets 2020
If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that sometimes a little laugh can pay off in a big way. Match.com took the misery of the pandemic and turned it into a hilarious spoof of dating by helping Satan meet his perfect match: 2020.
"I just don't want this year to end," Satan says.
"Who would?" 2020 agrees.
It may not be a holiday-themed campaign per se, but it does feature a big red guy, so we're including it.
What we loved about it: Written by the always-funny Ryan Reynolds and set to Taylor Swift's "Love Story," this ad campaign brings some much-needed humor to a dumpster fire of a year. And that's something we all need to wrap up 2020.