Chevy's Holiday Ride Restoring Emotion

Eager to see the new Spider Man movie on the big screen, I arrived at AMC Movie Theater early and settled into my seat in the large auditorium. Random ads were running across the big screen. I was busily munching popcorn and patiently waiting, not paying much attention until one ad in particular completely grabbed my focus. It continued to keep my full attention and had me in tears by the end. The ad I am speaking of is Chevrolet’s new ad for the Christmas season, “Holiday Ride.” What a tear jerker. If you feel like having a little cry session, here is the short version on youtube: https://youtu.be/GKycI9PaqgI

There has been a lot of positive feedback about Chevrolet’s emotional campaign. Click on Detroit’s Rod Meloni writes, “Auto Extremist Peter Delorenzo believes the ad agency for Chevy has connected the brand with relatable emotion.” He continues by further quoting Delorenzo, “‘it also goes to re-establish Chevrolet as America’s mainstream brand.” Fortune’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld says, “it could become a patriotic Christmas classic.” He also states, “This has already been a terrific year for General Motors, commercially, financially, and technologically… and GM’s stock is up 34% in 2021.” Now, here they are with one of the most popular ads of the season.

Chevrolet has always been America’s family brand. Chevy Marketing Vice President Steve Majoras says, “We felt that this was an appropriate time to kind of make a statement about what Chevrolet really means, and so many folks and I think we’ve obviously touched on the right sentiment.” When you think about Chevrolet, you think about family and what family means to you. Their value proposition to me is that they value family values, love and connection, and community coming together for a meaningful cause. Steve Majoras states, “This holiday ad captures the type of poignant stories that only Chevrolet can tell. This is a love story—for a car, a family and the spirit of a community that brings it all together.” This is what Chevy is really all about, the love for making great vehicles and the families and community they serve.

Chevrolet’s ad is about more than just brand advertisement, although it does that well. But, rather it connects the brand with consumers on a deeper level. Showing that if you own a Chevy, it’s really a part of your family; a means of making memories with that family. And even if family is lost, the memory is still lives on in that vehicle. “So many customers have a Chevy story and we’re proud that our vehicles have helped create memorable moments that span and connect generations,” says Steve Majoros.

The Impala in the ad is more than just one of Chevrolet’s most popular vehicles during it’s time, but rather it is a vessel of memories, a way to stay connected to the loved one that was lost. It has great sentimental value to those who own it. You see it as more than just a car. Chevrolet set out to appeal to the emotions with this ad, to remind people of the connection they can have with a car and with other people. I think for a lot of people, this ad can be very relatable. Most people have dealt with loss one way or another. I lost a parent at a young age and I think that contributes to just how much this ad affected me. It has left a lasting impression.

I wouldn’t say that marketing to the emotions of person is a particularly new marketing approach, but I would say that it is effective and that Chevrolet did a really wonderful job of touching hearts. With that being said, they marketed from the inside out; really showed the “why” rather than the “what” of their brand. I also feel like they did the unexpected in the sense that when you think of what a Christmas themed ad would be like you imagine laughter, bright lights, decorations, being surrounded by family, Santa, snow… the list goes on. But, the ad is more so the opposite of what you expect.

It’s sad, sort of gloomy, shot in California so it’s sunny and no snow, it feels empty in a way, and there’s even a stack of dead wreaths. I think this was effective marketing. It holds your interest because you’re not sure what the ad is about and where it’s headed. The acting and music also has a strong impact. You can’t help the tears that build up and pour over by the end of “Holiday Ride.” I feel like the ad probably appeals to a lot of different buyer personas, but maybe more so to those who have more of a sentimental side or that can relate on a personal level.

I think if I were part of the Chevrolet brand, I would feel proud to be a part of the message that they are conveying with this ad campaign. Chevrolet collaborated with the agency Commonwealth//McCann and had the help of director Tom Hopper, cinematographer Claudio Miranda and composer Rachel Portman. Matt Canzano, chief creative officer of global markets at Commonwealth//McCann, told Adweek, “A special script like this deserved to have the best people possible to bring it to life.” I think Chevrolet was right to show the other side of the holidays, the side that can be sad or lonely; the side where people are dealing with grief and loss because it’s real life. The holidays aren’t always bright and cheerful, definitely not for all people. Those dealing with the sadness brought by the loss of a loved one could even be considered the under served or the “long tail end.”

I’ve learned that stepping out and taking a risk, like Chevrolet did in presenting “Holiday Ride,” can be very rewarding. According to Automotive News, “The four-minute version of the ad received 5.6 million page views on YouTube as of Monday, Dec. 27^th.” They thought outside of the box, they spoke of “why” rather than the “what” (which is surprising for a huge car company that usually focuses on getting the “what” out to the “masses”). This campaign has gotten Chevrolet a lot of positive publicity and served as a means of restoring emotion in marketing. Now, that’s remarkable.