How the Viral Videos Stole Christmas

For the last post of 2013 I want to write about what’s caught my eye recently. Over the past week or so I’ve been struck by the creativity of a handful of Christmas-themed videos, including Xmas Jammies and WestJet’s Christmas Miracle. What they have in common is a light touch commercially-speaking and a great, well-executed idea.

In Xmas Jammies the Holderness family delivers their year-end update via a rap set to the beat of Will Smith’s “Miami.” Decked out in matching red-and-green pajamas they dance to their hilarious lyrics – poking fun at themselves and celebrating their year’s successes. Ultimately, the piece is aiming to be more than a Christmas card shared amongst friends and family, since towards the end it promotes the couple’s new video development and marketing business. At 12 million views and counting – plus tons of press coverage – from “Good Morning America” to Mashable, I’d say they’ve achieved their goal and then some.

WestJet’s Christmas Miracle — which now has 32 million views – captures passengers’ surprise and delight in a compelling way. More than 200 passengers on two of the airlines flights got to talk to Santa Claus before boarding. The video shows WestJet elves (employees and volunteers) feverishly fulfilling the customers’ holiday requests at area malls and stores while the planes head to their destinations. When the passengers arrive at baggage claim they’re surprised – and in some cases moved to tears – to find the gifts they’d requested waiting. WestJet said that if the video got over 200,000 views it would donate free flights to a family in need, so the company’s now working with Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada to identify and donate to that family. With a well-coordinated Christmas campaign WestJet manages to transform the potentially harrowing and almost always annoying experience of traveling during the chaotic holiday season into an opportunity to tell their passengers – and the rest of the world – that it’s all about wish fulfillment.

No doubt both of these videos took planning, creativity and a willingness to be authentic. They’re reminders of what a powerful narrative tool video can be. It’s important to what we do and I imagine it will be even more so in 2014 and beyond.