Amazon’s 2023 global holiday campaign shows how joyful holiday moments are made even more special when they’re shared and that having fun doesn’t have to stop at a certain age. The campaign centerpiece this :60 brand film called “Joy Ride,” which stars three older women as main characters in a story about life-long friends reviving the joy at the top of a sledding hill–all thanks to a flash of inspiration (and Amazon’s shopping selection and convenience!).
The spot features an instrumental rendition of The Beatles’ “In My Life” which ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone’s The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The track was chosen as it is one of The Beatles’ most well-loved songs as well as an ode to enduring friendships and shared memories, which marries perfectly with the core theme of the ad.
Against this musical rendition and snowy backdrop, the ad is an ode to friendship–a heart-warming story that unfolds as the three stars gather on a park bench and sip hot drinks, longingly watching on as playful children and teenagers sled down the hill in their local park. There is a sense that this setting is familiar – a daily tradition, now mired by the colder temperatures.
While the world around them whizzes by, the friends stay seated, quiet and still. But not for long. The lead character takes in the scene, noticing that her friends are looking out longingly. With that, we see an idea spark within her and a mischievous smile appears. She opens the Amazon shopping app on her mobile phone and adds padded seat cushions to her shopping cart.
The very next day, the delivery arrives and, back to their special spot, the friends are presented with the Amazon box. When they open it, they are mystified with its contents. But with their interest piqued, the leader of the group encourages her friends to follow her to the hill.
The scene cuts to the friends, now ankle-deep in fresh snow, placing the new seat cushions into their sleds. With a reassuring smile, their excitement and anticipation take hold and they join the (somewhat younger) crowds on the snowy slopes. Laughter, cheers, and an emotional flashback to their youth spent together on the same slope comes flooding back. The vivacious trio are full of joy as they zoom down the hill with their arms waving in the air. The younger generation look on in admiration.
As if the years have fallen away, once the women reach the bottom of the snowy hill, they rise to their feet and, with enthusiasm, begin the walk back up the hill. Their excitement is palpable as they get ready for another exhilarating ride.
“This year’s holiday campaign is inspired by our Amazon customers and their thoughtful ideas and traditions,” said Jo Shoesmith, VP global CCO, Amazon. “The stories we tell serve as a reminder that sometimes the joy you receive from doing something special, for those you love, can uplift us all at this time of year. We also wanted to give these wonderful women the chance to celebrate the different facets of themselves and how they express joy, regardless of their age.”
Produced by Amazon’s internal creative team and production company Hungry Man, and directed by Wayne McClammy, Amazon’s “Joy Ride” has begun running in the U.K. and Europe. It debuts in the U.S. and Canada on November 13. The film will run through December.
