Capital One is proving that a great creative formula doesn’t get old—it gets better. For its third consecutive holiday campaign with John Travolta, the brand returns to his iconic film catalog, this time reimagining Grease with a festive twist. Following the success of last year’s Saturday Night Fever spot, GSD&M and director Bryan Buckley leaned into nostalgia once more, transforming Santa’s workshop into a 1950s garage where Travolta channels Danny Zuko in full Santa gear for Greased Sleigh-Ridin’.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform uncovered about Capital One’s newest “Greased Sleigh-Ridin’” campaign.
The Details:
- The :15 cut of the “Greased Sleigh-Ridin'” campaign is a highly efficient, action-driving asset. While the :30 and :60 excelled at storytelling and brand cementing, this shorter execution uniquely and successfully distilled the creative’s Nostalgic and Funny energy into a potent driver of immediate purchase intent, significantly outperforming card category one-year norms:
- The campaign did not convey new offers or features to viewers so the moderate Information scores are not unexpected.
- Change and Relevance was very high (as was breakthrough) across each of the spots, signaling the goal of establishing new territory within the annual tradition was achieved.
- The campaign did not convey new offers or features to viewers so the moderate Information scores are not unexpected.
- The :15 “Greased Sleigh-Ridin'” achieved an Ace Score placing it in the 96th percentile in overall response. It outperformed the credit card category norm across nearly every component measure and in fact ranked in the top decile in most, proving that the creative concept remained potent even in a condensed format:
- The characters (23%) and music (16%) were the primary hooks, selected as the Single Best Thing at rates nearly double and triple the norm, respectively, with the visuals (17%) also impressing. The specific nostalgia of the John Travolta/Santa mashup communicated the Funny holiday vibe instantly (earning excellent breakthrough that outpaced the category by triple digits) without needing a long setup.
- Despite its predominant entertainment value, this :15 spot drove the highest purchase intent of the entire campaign (53% Top 2 Box), outperforming both the :30 (46%) and :60 (42%) cuts, as well as the cards category one-year norm by + 10 pts. This confirms that the spot acted as a highly effective “closer” that could successfully convert entertainment into consideration efficiently.
- The appeal was both widespread across age/gender and very, very strong – as such, this asset is ideally suited for broad reach and given its lower media cost and stronger persuasive power, increased budget.
- The characters (23%) and music (16%) were the primary hooks, selected as the Single Best Thing at rates nearly double and triple the norm, respectively, with the visuals (17%) also impressing. The specific nostalgia of the John Travolta/Santa mashup communicated the Funny holiday vibe instantly (earning excellent breakthrough that outpaced the category by triple digits) without needing a long setup.
- iSpot Media Measurement reports very little linear/streaming support behind the campaign in general, with the :15 seeing less than 1% of brand Impressions (below, on linear) since launch on 12/3/25 through 12/14/25 with twenty other brand creatives seeing more support:
- Viewer sentiment on the :15 “Greased Sleigh-Ridin'” confirms how powerfully the Grease/John Travolta connection resonated, with the high entertainment value keeping viewers engaged. The holiday tie in only amplified positive emotional response.
- Although the Capital One brand reminder was successfully executed, some wondered if there was another message or offer that they might have missed in the short form spot.
- The second table below lists a sampling of Capital One creatives on air (by Impressions delivered) over the past two weeks (ending 12/14/25), and shows the level of creative wear measured in market, identifying where there might be opportunity to shift budget from.
- Viewer sentiment on the :15 “Greased Sleigh-Ridin'” confirms how powerfully the Grease/John Travolta connection resonated, with the high entertainment value keeping viewers engaged. The holiday tie in only amplified positive emotional response.
Sample comments on the “Greased Sleigh-Ridin'” :15
“I like not only that it has John Travolta, but that John Travolta as Santa Claus is singing the ‘Grease Lightning’ song from the movie Grease. It was clever, and it really grabbed my attention and stayed with me long after the ad ended.”
Male 36-49
“The ad is attention grabbing more than just your typical ads about credit cards. This would more be able to capture someone’s attention rather than ignoring it. It’s great they offer cash back because that really does help.”
Female 21-35
“I really enjoyed this ad because one of my favorite actors was in it, John Travolta, and he did the song ‘Grease Lightning’ from the movie Grease and it was for a credit card for Capital One. I thought it was very good.”
Female 36-49
“The advertisement was great and I loved John Travolta in the video. It was awesome as well. That was cool to see.”
Male 21-35
“I mean, you eventually get that it’s a Capital One card ad, but there was no substance to it. They just showed the card, no explanation.”
Male 50+
“Capital One has great ads and this one tops. Iconic music and a classic movie is used for a holiday ad. Very catchy and great music.”
Female 50+
“I think I’d like to learn more about the Capital One Quicksilver card and what it has to offer besides cash back rewards.”
Female 36-49
“I like this ad. It’s very funny and I have the Quicksilver card and enjoy the cash back all the time.”
Male 21-35
“Playing off of Grease with John Travolta dressed up as Santa & dancing to the tune that’s been tweaked to fit the credit card company Capital One is certainly original that’s for sure! It’s cute too! Love it!”
Female 36-49
- All three Capital One holiday ads made the top five in overall consumer response among card ads over the past 90 days, with the :30 leading on the strength of its creative reception:
- Chime’s :30 holiday spot featuring Jason Momoa that highlighted three benefits (cash back, no bank fees, building credit) led in persuasiveness (59% Top 2 Box), followed by Capital One’s :15 “Greased Sleigh-Ridin.'”
- While Chime focused on celebrity and product benefits, Discover leaned into the “Stranger Things” phenomenon (and cash back) to connect with viewers:
Advertisers need to identify the creative that will drive business outcomes and ensure that in-market execution aligns against the highest potential ads.
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Creative Agency: GSD&M