Some commercials you just can’t ignore. Recently I’ve found myself captivated by a 30 second commercial for Holiday Inn that pulls at my heartstrings. Maybe it’s because one day I’ll have a child of my own, or maybe it’s because I’m studying advertising, but either way it’s got my attention.
The commercial compiles the moments leading up to when a couple adopts a baby. You see them arriving at their hotel, laying awake with excitement, packing up some baby clothes, and then leaving the hotel. Then, bam! When they return to their hotel room there is a crib and teddy bear waiting for their child with a note from the hotel’s general manager saying “congratulations on your adoption!”
The chances of this actually happening in real life are slim to none. In fact, I would be a little freaked out to know that someone at the hotel was observing me enough to piece together exactly what I was doing! Putting your feelings about Holiday Inn aside, this commercial will warm even the coldest heart because of the story line and sweet ending.
The ending tag line of the commercial is “together lets make your next journey extraordinary”, and while I don’t think the hotel manager in this commercial has surpassed the baby as the best part of their trip, the gesture is extremely kind. Whether you’re adopting a baby or not, this commercial goes to show that employees at their hotels care about each of their guests and want to make their stay a memorable one. This commercial stands out in my mind above all other hotel commercials I’ve seen lately. Also, whoever came up with the concept of appealing to people’s emotions rather than humor was definitely on to something. Personally, I don’t know how many more chubby kids playing in the hotel pool commercials I can take.
I always have and always will associate the Holiday Inn with Chingy and Snoop Dog’s 2003 hit “Holidae In”, but this commercial is a close second to things that come to my mind while thinking about the hotel. Other companies that are seeking fresh ideas should look to this commercial as an example of other ways to appeal to your audience besides using humor.