By: Lilliana Mick
We all know that the holiday season is the Super Bowl of branding and advertising. Brands compete all season long for whose campaign will live rent-free in our minds; from Starbucks’ red cups, Coca-Cola Santa commercials, and everything in between.
With so many brands vying for the best ads, it can be easy for campaigns to get lost in the mix. This got me thinking: what would I do differently if I had the chance? What brand partnerships or celebrity collabs would last past New Year’s?
Here is my (Christmas) list of dream brand collabs I would love to see this holiday season as strategic communication major.
1: Bath & Body Works x Starbucks: “When Scent Meets Sip”
Ever wanted to bottle up the smell of your favorite holiday drinks to have at
home? Imagine a collection of holiday self-care products and candles based off
classic Starbucks holiday flavors—peppermint mocha, gingerbread chai, and
more!
2: Coca-Cola x the Grinch: “How the Grinch Stole Coke & Christmas Cheer”
A new spin on a classic winter Coca-Cola campaign. It is the traditional Coca-
Cola Santa and winter wonderland aesthetic mixed with everyone’s favorite
characters from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. We see the Grinch steal Santa’s
Coca-Cola supply, ultimately resolving with Santa bringing the drink to all of
Whoville. A perfect campaign for the season!
3: Spotify Wrapped x Netflix: “Spotify Unwraps Your Next Watch”
The holidays are a time for social media and streaming apps to recap your activity
from the year, so what better way to promote Netflix shows and movies than by
integrating them into a Spotify Wrapped-style campaign? Imagine a Netflix or
Spotify Wrapped section titled “Spotify Unwraps Your Next Watch”, giving you
individualized recommendations for shows and movies they think you would love
based on your top Spotify songs and artists from the previous year. It is the best
mix of resolution and new beginnings!
4: Elf on the Shelf x Ring: “’Tis the Season for Better Home Safety”
Imagine a commercial for Ring home cameras with a cameo from a timeless
holiday character! The commercial would showcase the capabilities of Ring video
doorbells and security cameras by catching the Elf as he moves around the house,
playing tricks on the family. It is nostalgic, funny, and relatable for the whole
family!
Dyson x Mariah Carey: “All You Want for Christmas is Great Hair”
One of the most popular Christmas songs and Internet memes meets one of the
most-wanted beauty tools of the season—the Dyson Airwrap. Picture a
commercial or social media campaign that opens with Mariah Carey’s voice
saying “It’s tiiimmmeee” followed by her hit “All I Want for Christmas is You”,
panning to Mariah using the Airwrap and highlighting her beautiful, bouncy
blowout. I can picture the TikTok reactions already!
These brand collabs combine the best parts of successful PR campaigns: relatability, emotional storytelling, capability of virality, comedy, and notability. I for one would love to see brands take more risks with their holiday advertising, tapping into current trends and producing fresh ideas that still retain the nostalgic iconography we know and love. Let’s remember to stay creative and festive this holiday season!