At Christmas time the excessive amount of food, drink, parties, and expensive presents often distracts us from what the season really is all about – spending time with and cherishing the people we love.
While many people might think that flashing the cash on a big gift is the perfect way to show appreciation, drinks manufacturer Minute Maid feels the complete opposite. It recently highlighted this in an incredibly emotive experiential campaign.
Minute Maid opened a pop up store in Chicago called ‘The Holiday Store with Nothing to Sell’. And it did exactly what the name suggests. Instead, it offered customers a bottle of its famous orange juice, and the chance to write a special thank you letter to their parents to remind them that they’re doing ‘better than they think’.
People of all ages were seen scribbling down fond memories and meaningful messages, before placing the note inside a nice gift box and giving it to their mums or dads.
The stunt resulted in extremely moving video content that has generated a lot of buzz and conversation on social media – gaining over 1 million YouTube views in just a few weeks.
This isn’t the first brand to turn away from the commercialism of Christmas and remind consumers of the true meaning behind the holidays: Microsoft created a stunt to highlight the importance of peace and harmony towards one another at this special time of year. The tech giant sent employees from its New York City branch to pay a visit to the local store of rivals Apple and sing Christmas hymns.
Connecting with consumers’ emotions is a great way to build brand love. We certainly feel warm and fuzzy inside thanks to these wonderful festive activations and we will not be forgetting them any time soon.