Have I been remiss in my posting schedule? Absolutely, so much. Do I have concrete, strategic plans for fixing this going forward? You’re damned right I do. Have I missed a Weepies since their inception in 2015? I have effing not, and I’m not about to start now. Let’s do this thing.
In case you’ve somehow missed it: The Weepies are Caperton Gillett Creative’s annual celebration of holiday ads that make you ugly-cry in front of people. Clever ads are great, cute ads are great, and I could write another post entirely about those, but the winter holidays are when many brands are inspired to set aside that lightheartedness and gut-punch you with the kind of sweet sentimentality that has the most cynical of viewers reaching for the tissues.
These are the best of those.
Honorable Mention: Toyota, “Like No One’s Watching” (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
This is one of those car ads that quietly relegates the cars themselves to the background and lets the story be the star. It’s the story of a cashier who works over the holidays, gives selflessly of herself to her neighbors, and expects to spend Christmas by herself was directed by Oscar nominee Theodore Melfi, he of Hidden Figures fame, so of course the simple premise is going to have weepy results. Watching Clara’s neighbors show their appreciation for her kindness by giving her the Christmas of togetherness she hadn’t thought she was going to get? Sniff.
Bronze: Chevrolet, “Mrs. Hayes” (Commonwealth/McCann)
Is it low-hanging fruit? I mean, yeah, technically, it kinda is, if you think about it — it’s straight-up sympathy and sentiment from the moment Mrs. Hayes turns the key. But there’s nothing wrong with fruit that’s easy to get to, which is why Chevy earns a bronze Weepy with this one. Mrs. Hayes looks back on bittersweet, and sometimes not even sweet, memories of love and loss and newfound family from the driver’s seat of her malfunctioning ’57 Bel Air, and it’s a guaranteed sniffler. (You might remember Chevy’s 2021 holiday ad, featuring a sad widower and a loving daughter and a dog and a ’66 Impala, and… stop messing with my emotions, Chevy.)
Silver: John Lewis, “The Beginner” (Adam&Eve/DDB)
John Lewis is a reliable Weepies contender every year, even when they don’t make the medals — Adam&Eve/DDB has holiday tearjerking down to a science. Their past offerings have always always had a bit of a cute, fanciful edge to them, so it’s kind of a step away from their standard to present one with this level of accessible realism. And it totally works. One thing I particularly love about this ad is that it doesn’t immediately drown you in sentiment from the beginning. We start with an image of a middle-aged guy struggling to learn to skateboard. There’s a slight air of “trying to reclaim lost youth,” accompanied by a pleasant acoustic cover of Blink 182’s “All the Small Things,” and then BAM, there’s the foster child with her own skateboard, and he’d been working on a way to bond with her, and the tears start to flow. Well done, John Lewis.
Gold: J&B, “She” (El Ruso de Rocky)
This weepy holiday dark horse came out of nowhere (I mean, it came out of Spain, obviously, but you get it) to take the winner’s spot in the 2022 Weepies. In a fairly strong field, it was the clear, tearjerking, emotionally wreching winner. The ad starts with an elderly man — a fixture of weepy holiday ads — experimenting with makeup in secret, clumsily at first, then more skillfully, possibly leading one to speculate about what kind of turn we’re going to see at the end of the ad. And then he’s helping his newly transitioning granddaughter put on her makeup and then standing with her as she presents herself to her loving, supportive family, and I’m sobbing. Choked up, tears falling. Welcome to the top of the list, and enjoy your gold Weepy, El Ruso de Rocky. You’ve earned it.
The Technical Weepies
That’s right — for 2022, we’re introducing a new Weepy category to recognize outstanding achievement in those little details that have a big emotional impact — the ones that might seem tiny, but if you really think about it, the ad wouldn’t be the same without them. Here are some of the best of those.
Best Performance by a Little Kid: McDonald’s, “Christmas List” (Leo Burnett London)
This one gets an honorable mention because the ad is sweet and stuff or whatever, but the child actor’s look of devastation as his Christmas list blows away is heartbreaking. Well done, kid.
Best Original Score: Amazon, “Joy Is Made” (Lucky Generals)
You’d think the directorial turn by Taika Waititi would be the standout of this ad, but honestly, I’ve got to give credit to the music. The score is absolutely gorgeous, and it brings a sweetly nostalgic air that takes this ad from sentimental to sniffle-inducing.
Best Weepy Turn in an Otherwise Lighthearted Ad: Coca-Cola, “Real Holiday Magic” (Wieden+Kennedy)
A son fumbling his way through his mom’s beloved pie recipe under her amused/bemused eye? It’s cute. The moment we realize it’s simply the memory of his mom who’s no longer with us but lives on in his heart? God help me.
Best Ad That’s Weepy Despite No Pants: Dutch State Lottery, “Husky Frida” (TWBA/Neboko)
Melancholy elderly dudes are a fixture of weepy holiday ads, and to be sure, a sad granddad being made glad is a tearjerker whether you saw it coming or not. This ad, with a man taking his father out of his retirement home to go on an epic vacation thanks to (ostensibly) the Dutch State Lottery is a sweet one, despite brief pantslessness. (Also, PUPPEH.)
Weepy Holidays
And non-Weepy holidays, too — all kinds. If I’ve missed any of your favorite weepy holiday ads, feel free to drop them in comments, or if all you want to do is gripe at me ‘cause I ruined your mascara and you’re around other people, I’ll take that, too. Either way, I actually wish you the happiest of holidays, and the best of New Years, too.