Try to keep a dry eye during Etsy’s holiday ads. We dare you.
Just kidding. It’s not possible, so don’t even try. So why are tear-jerking ads a win with consumers?
Well, first of all, they’re making us cry tears of emotional connection in a year when it’s what we’re missing most.
Second, they’re resonating with a message of equality — something this country needs now more than ever.
Need to catch up on this year’s Etsy holiday ads? Ad Age shares all three spots here.
Finding Emotional Connection in Etsy’s Holiday Ads
59% of Etsy shoppers (defined as those who have shopped with Etsy in the past year) anticipate spending the holidays with immediate family only. Seeing a family represented as they exchange gifts virtually will strike a chord with those missing their long-distance grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
As the grandmother opens an Etsy-made doll, clearly based on a child’s illustration, on FaceTime, her grandson holds up a crayon-drawn self portrait and says, “Look, the present’s me! You’re supposed to hug it when you can’t see me.”
Okay, grab a tissue. Has there been a more relevant ad this year?
Focusing on Equality this Holiday Season
Another Etsy spot features two men going home as a couple for the first time. One half of the couple assures the other, “They’ll love you,” but the newcomer seems unsure and a bit awkward in the hustle and bustle of a large, joy-filled family. His partner’s father hands a present to him, “Welcome to the family!” and he unwraps an ornament commemorating their first holiday together.
A third Etsy spot shows a young girl named Shiori in multiple situations, frustrated by repeatedly having to sound her name out or unable to find her name ready-made on personalized items while shopping. Then, her mother gifts her a customized necklace with her name on it — something that’s made possible through Etsy.
For a consumer base who is 24% more likely than the average American to value equality, fairness, and the pursuit of social justice, seeing this representation is a home run. Equally meaningful is that we see a gay couple at the center of an ad that is simply about a first Christmas together and the nerves that come with it — this is a move towards equality that won’t be lost on Etsy consumers.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform™
Additionally, Etsy consumers are 21% more likely to value tradition. Seeing these family-oriented classic holiday celebrations and timeless traditions will strike a chord with Etsy shoppers.
“Gift Like You Mean It” Tugs at Consumer Heartstrings
Great advertising stirs an emotional connection. Etsy’s holiday ads are a win because not only did they tap into the current events and issues that are top of consumer mind right now, but they connect with the values and motivations that are driving shoppers in 2020. “Gift like you mean it” is a tug at the heartstrings that doesn’t just lead to a sale, it leads to loyalty — and brand love.
