It’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States, where you try to leave work behind, put aside petty squabbles, and be present with the people you care about (at least until the post-meal nap attacks occur).
Of course, not everyone observes the same holiday traditions or shares the same luck. But finding ways to recognize and connect with the authentic experiences of others is the essence of good content marketing.
With that in mind, I’ve rounded up some examples of holiday marketing and content that capture the essence of this day, including some of this year’s winners and finalists. Content Marketing Pricing. As you fill your plate, save room for these delicious treats.
Share a meal
Food is the official language of Thanksgiving love. Whether you’re in charge of cooking or just planning to consume, marketers have plenty of content to prepare you for a rewarding experience.
Nestlé: Libby is on the ground
Turkey may be the star of the Thanksgiving show, but another dish with agricultural origins deserves second place: pumpkin pie. To share the origin story of the unofficial flavor of fall, Nestlé Professional LIBBY’S®️ Pumpkin created Libby is on the ground.
This content-rich microsite offers an immersive virtual reality experience, From our fields to your kitchen. It aims to help the brand’s target audience of partner operators and suppliers better understand its agricultural process, from growing seeds to picking, processing and packaging products for wholesale distribution.
At each stage, clicked hotspots reveal compelling visuals, video interviews with farmers and agricultural experts, and details about the company’s sustainability practices.
This powerful educational tool highlights the brand’s core values of sustainability, land stewardship and farmer relations. Its innovative application of VR technology place the campaign on the Content Marketing Award 2024 shortlist for best use of technology.
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Navigate highways and roads
The Thanksgiving holiday includes some of the busiest travel days of the year. Quality content may not always spare you the stress of arriving at your destination, but it can help you pass the time in transit and remind you of the joyful experiences that await you once you arrive.
Marriott: the power of travel
This Thanksgiving, travel plans usually involve a return to familiar spaces and faces. But trips to unexpected places are often the most memorable — and some can be downright transformational.
In its streaming video series The Power of Travel, Marriott Bonvoy explores the idea of travel as a catalyst for meaningful change. Each short film tells the story of an inspiring person who strives to create a sense of belonging and broaden people’s horizons.
As you would expect from a travel brandthe films feature stunning natural landscapes and highlight the exotic locations where Marriott operates. But its focus on fostering community away from home makes the content series a standout and a finalist for the Content Marketing Award for Best Motivational Video or Video Series.
For example, on their first-ever trip to Puerto Rico, Zi Donnya Piggott shares how they founded the travel platform Pink Coconuts to help connect LGBTQ+ travelers with gay-friendly spaces around the world (video above) . In another movie, The world in a glasssommelier Tahiirah Habibi reflects on a trip to South Africa that led her to create the first international chapter of The Hue Society, an organization that advocates for greater inclusiveness in the wine industry.
Connect with friends and family
Thanksgiving is a time to gather with those you care about and to turn to in times of need. It is also a reminder of the complexity of human relationships, whether they manifest themselves around the table, in front of the television or through the screens of digital devices.
Peloton: find your push, find your power
Many people aspire to maintain healthy habits during the holidays, but those intentions can disappear in the face of a Thanksgiving feast. Likewise, you might vow to keep the conversation civil over dinner, but a triggering topic overwhelms your resolve.
Peloton used the concept of friendly family rivalries for a new campaign aimed at increasing its appeal among male fitness enthusiasts. The video features big NFL stars – and real-life brothers – TJ and JJ Watt. Siblings bring their competitive edge to their personal workouts. Each pushes to outplay the other until the Peloton coach calls a timeout. However, as they settle down on the couch to switch off, a message from their mother urges them to return to their machines for another run.
Give back
Showing gratitude is admirable. Giving back by supporting those in need and contributing to the common good is even better. Stellar content efforts can promote these philanthropic ideals by bringing them to life through storytelling.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Partners in Human Potential
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had a awareness problem. Although the public may have heard of the philanthropic organization, few outside its target list of academics, policymakers, and nonprofit leaders were familiar with its work, its mission and its impact.
To fill this knowledge gap, the foundation partnered with the agency Message Lab to create Partners of Human Potential as part of a large-scale branding initiative. Each of the five full feature articles, accompanied by a sizzle reel and images, profiles an organization supported by the foundation and the people who have benefited from its work.
The stories span the globe, from students in New Orleans empowered to turn their dreams into academic and career success to water-saving sanitation technology in South Africa that increased school attendance.
In addition to illustrating the foundation’s impact on individuals, the series really shines in showing the interconnected nature of its work. For example, in the introductory video above, a narrator describes how a new neonatal care technique inspired by kangaroos has helped significantly reduce infant mortality rates in India and will soon be implemented around the world.
The campaign had an impressive impact on the foundation’s marketing goals, according to Message Lab. It also won the admiration of the 2024 Content Marketing Award judges, who named it winner in three categories: best feature article, best article series and best interview or profile.
Bargain hunting on Black Friday
While some choose to sleep in after the post-dinner carb overload, others prefer to get their holiday shopping started. For those in the latter group, marketers are ready to help them discover the perfect gift for everyone on their list.
Etsy: Waldo’s Anthem
It’s difficult for small retailers to compete with massive marketplaces like Amazon. But Etsy distracts its share of buyers’ attention by highlighting its strength: a community of creators who create custom products that satisfy virtually any niche interest. This expertise in custom gifting is highlighted in Waldo Anthem, Etsy’s first ad for the 2024 holiday season.
If you’re looking to stand out in a crowd, there’s no better star for your ad than Waldo, the easy-to-spot bespectacled guy in his iconic red and white striped outfit. In the video above, Wally (as he calls himself) walks through a holiday market, smiling graciously at shoppers who spot him. Yet, he laments, most are more interested in knowing where Wally is than who he is.
As he arrives at a café, a friend, also dressed in red and white stripes, shows him that she is the exception. She presents him with a custom-made compass with the inscription “I’m glad I found you.” It’s a moving moment that reflects Etsy’s unique value proposition and is a testament to the power of personalized connections – something content marketers can undoubtedly relate to.
Amazon: Holiday Virtual Store
Shopping malls were invented because people valued the convenience of a one-stop shop. However, when their online retailer of choice is the size of Amazon, they can browse for days and still not find what they’re looking for.
To make its gift-buying experience more manageable, Amazon has launched a whimsical virtual reality simulation of a high-end holiday store. The brand Virtual Holiday Store The experience features the familiar pillars of brick-and-mortar Christmas: visually appealing product displays, cheerful background music and festive decorations. But instead of expecting shoppers to do the standard searching and scrolling, Amazon has curated collections of trending products organized into categories like beauty, tech, toys and stocking stuffers.
Visitors can browse the store and zoom in on items that catch their eye. And unlike a physical storefront, buyers don’t need to wait for a salesperson to answer their questions or wait in line during the holidays. Clicking on a product in the virtual display opens a detailed description and the option to add it to the cart.
Find fulfillment, no matter how you define it
From the CMI team to yours, we hope you find time to relax this holiday season so you can come back refreshed and ready to create content experiences your audience can’t wait to discover.
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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
