• One of the most often cited most beloved brand campaigns is from John Lewis & Partners, a chain of department stores in the UK. With over 81,000 likes and 28,000 retweets, this sentimental video from Christmas 2018 touched many people. Though this is not a CPG brand, and instead is a retail brand, the fact that it emphasized the spirit of giving with a memorable video made including it a must. By underlining the joy of receiving a gift that changes a life, John Lewis & Partners masterfully left a lasting impression on their audience.
• Watching a man quietly drink whiskey next to a fireplace for 45 minutes might not sound very appealing at first. However, if that man is actor and comedian Nick Offerman, you’ve got a viral marketing sensation on your hands. That’s what Lagavulin did when it hired Offerman to create a parody of the classic yule log videos that were popular in 2015 (and still are). Since then, the original video has been watched over 3 million times. Thanks to popular demand, Lagavulin has even put out an extended 10-hour version. It’s a perfect fit with Offerman’s existing public persona, and ties into his most famous role as Ron Swanson on TV show Parks & Recreation, a character who famously loved Lagavulin.
• Whether it’s spending time with family and loved ones or remembering past holidays, the festive season is surrounded in sentimentality. Many businesses take advantage of this in their campaigns, and perhaps the best example is Apple’s short film ‘Misunderstood.’ The clip shows a young boy appearing to avoid spending time with his family during the holidays. However, at the end, it’s revealed that he was actually busy creating a heartwarming montage of family moments the whole time. The clip was positively received by many viewers and even went on to win an Emmy. With this clip, Apple managed to insert its product into the sentimentality of the season in two clever ways. The film flips upside down the idea that phones are only used to avoid time with your family, while also demonstrating the actual capabilities of the latest iPhone at the same time.
• Coca-Cola has been crucial in defining how Christmas marketing looks, to the point where there are claims that the company invented the modern image of Santa Claus. Even if that’s not true, Coca Cola’s recurring ‘Holidays Are Coming’ campaign is still legendary. Even though it’s been a staple for over two decades, Coca-Cola has continued to expand and innovate its holiday marketing, while still keeping the core of its message clear and consistent.
• In addition to this public search, we scanned our proprietary research database of over 1 million sources and were unable to find any specific research reports that address the stated goals.

Summary Of Our Early Findings Relevant To The Goals

• Our first hour of research provided four examples of past advertising for brands. Not all of them were for CPG brands, but that can be more fully explored in our proposed next steps.
• As "best" was not defined for us, we went with what we thought accurately represented the term. If a more precise metric is preferred for "best", that must be clearly communicated in any reply.
• We assumed a global focus. If a more targeted approach is desired, for example, the United States, this would have to be clearly communicated to us in any reply.
• Please select one or more of the options provided in the proposed scoping section below.