Thanksgiving’s here and though people are encouraged to stay home, there’s probably no better time to eat tons of comfort food. And advertisers are fully aware of that reality.
As we celebrate Turkey Day, we thought we’d share some of the most creative ads from this holiday season.
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Thanksgiving Ad Creative Highlights
1. Whole Foods and Progressive team up for ‘Turkey Insurance’
Nervous to cook your first turkey by yourself because you aren’t traveling home? Whole Foods and Progressive created a ‘Turkey Protection Plan’ for people who are worried they might scorch their holiday bird. All customers have to do is visit TurkeyProtectionPlan.com and upload a photo and description of the cooking fail and the receipt from Whole Foods. If approved, Whole Foods will send customers a $35 gift card. (They are doing this for the first 1,000 failures).
“As we anticipate more smaller Thanksgiving gatherings and first-time cooks tackling turkey preparation this year, the Thanksgiving Turkey Protection Plan allows customers the freedom of culinary exploration,” explained Theo Weening, vice president of meat and poultry at Whole Foods Market, to Today. “We want to help customers rise to the occasion and take on that turkey with confidence for less-stressed Thanksgiving meal preparation.”
2. Campbell’s is also offering ‘Dinner Insurance’
To combat 2020’s unpredictability, Campbell’s is offering ‘Dinner Insurance’ this Thanksgiving. Unlike Whole Foods and Progressive’s approach, Campbell’s is focusing on the arguably better part of Thanksgiving dinner: the sides.
Campbell’s promised to deliver fresh side replacements to those who live in Manhattan and mess up their side dish between noon and 5 pm on Thanksgiving. Why Manhattan? They found that roughly one-third of the borough’s residents were newbie cooks this Thanksgiving, which is higher than the national average of 1 in 5. Many of these new cooks are nervous they’ll completely ruin their meals.
“Our goal with Dinner Insurance is to remind everyone that even in the toughest of times, Campbell’s is here to make holidays easier and more delicious with our no-fail classic side recipes,” Linda Lee, said CMO of Campbell’s meals and beverages segment. They also shared easy recipes on their new site: dinnerinsurance.com.
3. Pepsi offers comfort pie failures
Major brands are really leaning into Thanksgiving fails this year. Pepsi released apple pie flavored soda, alongside a social campaign encouraging people to share their pie fails. Those who share their mess-ups on Twitter or TikTok are entered into a contest. The first 1,500 people to enter will be eligible to win Pepsi Apple Pie.
“With Pepsi Apple Pie, we’re providing a refreshingly delicious twist on the traditional slice of apple pie, while making sure people have some fun and don’t take themselves too seriously in the process,” said Todd Kaplan, Vice President Marketing of Pepsi.
More than eight months have passed since COVID-19 changed everything, and now as we enter the holiday season, we continue to wish you health, safety, and much to be grateful for.
4. Aldi educates new cooks
Aldi created a Thanksgiving Guide for 2020 featuring 20 pages of Thanksgiving food, drinks, and recipes all designed as a beautiful magazine. Many of the recipes are traditional favorites and some of the items are sold in stores only during the holidays, or even shorter periods of time. These recipes (and photos) have us drooling!
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