THANKS A LOT
Brands that are bringing the fun to Thanksgiving Day
This year, inflation has ousted COVID-19 as many shoppers’ biggest concern when it comes to Thanksgiving, with turkey prices jumping 24%. Still, data suggests that Americans are planning to go all-out for the holiday, especially as millennials and Gen Z take over hosting duties. (According to IRI’s Thanksgiving Tracker, the average Thanksgiving celebration involves around 7.4 people, but for Gen Z and millennials, that number has jumped to 9.8.) As brands compete for market share ahead of the holidays, we’re spotlighting a few clever Thanksgiving campaigns that aim to build customer affinity, specifically among young consumers.
MACY’S IN THE METAVERSE
This year, in addition to being able to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade IRL and on broadcast, fans can also tune into an immersive metaverse version of the festivities. The virtual parade kicks off at 9 am EST, the same time as the in-person event, and can be experienced on the Macy’s website – no fancy AR/VR tech gear required. Macy’s tapped five creators to design NFTs for the campaign, and visitors can vote on one design that will be turned into a balloon for next year’s parade. Delving further into the web3 realm, Macy’s will also sell virtual gallery pass NFTs for $50 each, with proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
OATLY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT HOTLINE
“So, you’re vegan? What does that mean again…? People with dietary restrictions often dread holiday meals, not only because it’s a lot to navigate in terms of food, but also conversation-wise. That’s why alt milk brand Oatly is launching the “Oatly Emotional Support Hotline For Plant-Based Eaters” this Thanksgiving season. Running now through Nov. 24, anyone who needs help navigating annoying dietary conversations can dial the hotline number (866) OAT-LINE for on-demand conversational tools, positive affirmations, or, depending on how things are going, a blank audio void in which to scream. Even better, on Thanksgiving Day between 3-10 pm EST, there will be live plant-based experts operating the hotline to offer support to anyone who needs it.
UBER OFFERS A CLEAN GETAWAY
Picture this: Thanksgiving dinner was hours ago, and you’ve now spent the better part of Turkey Day listening to your great-uncle Frank scream at football players on the TV. Enter: Uber. To hype “Get Your Ride Right,” Uber’s newly launched platform that lets users schedule rides up to 30 days in advance, Uber unveiled a Thanksgiving campaign called “The Getaway,” a humorous short film that plays off the need to make a quick exit from family events during the holidays. As part of the campaign, Uber also rolled out an “excuse generator” feature on Instagram, should you need help making an elegant exit. Uber is also offering $10 vouchers to ensure safe travel (and discourage drinking and driving) in select cities, including Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as part of their “Decide to Ride” partnership with Anheuser-Busch and MADD.
The Cassandra Daily team is off for the rest of the holiday week! We want to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving and we’ll be back on Monday!