The commercialization of the holidays seems to be the only thing that hasn’t changed in 2020. Even before Santa first chugged a Coca-Cola, companies everywhere have loved to capitalize on the good cheer and nostalgia of the season. Comcast is no different, as shown by their new holiday ad which is honestly a pretty enjoyable watch.
The media conglomerate enlisted the help of The Office star Steve Carell this year in an undeniably charming commercial. Carell plays an exasperated Santa, ordering his elves to think up some special new presents to deliver this year because “the usual gifts are just not going to cut it.” He does this over a video call rather than in person, of course, to help drive home the fact that this is definitely 2020, and the elves all set out to figure out this new conundrum.
The elves are shown socially distancing in their homes, which further drives home the very specific time frame this commercial will be traced back to when viewed years down the line. In fact, this ad, like most others aired this year, features such a specific set of circumstances that viewers even a couple years later (hopefully) will quickly identify it as a holiday 2020 ad just from the vibe.
Sweeping shopping channels (oddly archaic considering the rest of the commercial) and utilizing other Comcast services in this commercial that is still very much a commercial, the elves aimlessly search for the hot new gift, not even knowing what they’re looking for. Then one of them has an idea to package memories, which viewers shouldn’t think too hard about. They fill boxes with concepts like “the smell of grandma’s cooking” and “family snowball fight” just in time for the holidays, prompting a heartfelt thank you video call from Santa in which he forgets to unmute himself.
It’s got that same cozy vibe people have come to expect from holiday commercials, with a touch of good humor. Carell and the elves play their parts well, and the message comes across: treasure your precious memories but also please buy Comcast stuff. It’s best to just take these ads at face value, because otherwise questions arise about logistics, time frames, and why everyone loves this jolly old man who sits back doing nothing while taking the credit for all the effort his labor force puts in. Yeah. It becomes a little more poignant each year, doesn’t it? (That’s not even to mention the implications behind turning happy life moments into commodities.)
But of course, that’s just the kind of world it is, and just because something seems cynical out of context doesn’t mean it has to be seen that way. Just like the millions who love watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, the commercialism behind it shouldn’t discount any genuine enjoyment felt by viewers. It’s a fine little ad for what it does, and maybe it can help some to think about what really matters to them during the holiday season.
Source: Xfinity/YouTube
