Holiday ads debut as early as September, but it\u2019s the week of Black Friday when things start to heat up. With the ever-increasing prevalence of online sales, creating TV ads that grab viewers\u2019 attention and get them to engage across screens has become more important than ever.<\/p>\n
Sony Pictures<\/a>, Amazon<\/a>, Apple<\/a>, Old Navy<\/a>, and Sprite<\/a> launched campaigns that didn\u2019t just appear on TV screens — they went viral — driving the highest numbers of TV-related searches, social engagements, and online views of any ads.<\/p>\n All of these brands were able to dominate the digital space thanks to their commercial airings. Sony snagged the coveted title of most digitally engaging ad with its \u2018Smurfs: The Lost Village\u2019<\/a> movie trailer. Despite the ad airing for only one day and appearing only on Nickelodeon, it proved that strategic placements matter, with a digital wake that outperformed all other ads with a spend that was $2 million below that of second runner-up, Amazon.<\/p>\n Sony Pictures, who came in first, and Sprite, who came in fifth place, were the real victors of the bargain shopping season, snagging spots in the top five on incredibly small budgets.<\/p>\n Sprite served up holiday magic in their ad, \u2018Lil Yachty Is in an Ice Cave Singing a Song About Sprite.\u2019<\/a> In it, LeBron James and rapper Lil Yachty combine forces, becoming the fifth most digitally engaging ad of Black Friday week on an estimated spend of only $28K, the most cost-effective commercial to make this year\u2019s list. This bizarrely funny commercial, boosted by star power and strategic placements within the comedy genre \u2013 The Wayans Brothers, Tower Heist, The Croods, and Clueless \u2013 had an overwhelmingly positive sentiment (96%) and drove over 900K online views.<\/p>\n Apple, coming in third, was by far the biggest spender of all the Black Friday ad winners. In a rather unconventional format, the tech giant introduced an old friend in a lovable new way in \u2018Frankie\u2019s Holiday\u2019 with three different creative variations. The shortest variation was a full 60 seconds and the longest, which received the most airings and spend, was two minutes long and aired exclusively during NFL Football.<\/p>\n Amazon and Old Navy, who placed second and fourth, took a different approach, reeling high digital engagement numbers by employing an airings-heavy strategy. With 251 airings of \u2018Old Friends\u2019<\/a> and 250 airings of \u2018Fight Night,\u2019<\/a> respectively, these spots on average aired 7 times more than the other spots on this year\u2019s list.<\/p>\n Ready for more? Download our Holiday Season: Strategic Media Planning Report<\/a> to uncover the winning media strategies of two of the season\u2019s largest retail giants.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (11\/21\/2016 – 11\/25\/2016)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/small>1. Sony Pictures, \u2018Smurfs: The Lost Village\u2019<\/a><\/b><\/p>\nStretch Your Media Dollars<\/h2>\n
Keeping It Weird<\/h2>\n
Unconventional Ad Formats<\/h2>\n
Playing the Airings Game<\/h2>\n
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The Top 5 Most Engaging Ads of Black Friday<\/h2>\n