Etsy has consistently focused on the small businesses and craftsmen present on their platform. This has helped them connect with buyers who want to support small brands. Just like any other e-commerce brand, the platform sees high traffic during the festive season when people search for hand-crafted gifts.
This time Etsy brings back a well known character from a puzzle book that got famous in the 1990s. Their extensive ‘finding Waldo’ campaign had a series of ads clubbed together. In one of the ads, we see Waldo, travelling through the streets of New York and passersby stop to say ‘hi’ to Waldo, or say ‘Where’s Wally’. To which Waldo responds, they never ask ‘Who’s Wally?’
In the next scene, Waldo is surprised by a loved one with a gift that truly resonates with his personality, followed by the tagline, ‘Gifts that say I get you, by Etsy.’
Our Take
It’s the holiday season when emotions are running high, and spare time is running low. From balancing work with decorating homes and buying gifts, people are struggling to hold space for themselves.
Etsy created a chain of Waldo theme ads to stay memorable during the holiday season. Perhaps bringing back ‘Waldo’ in the ads was an attempt to cater to the nostalgia factor.
In the next chain of ads, Waldo is the one selecting gifts for his loved ones, showing us how easy it is to find something with a personal touch on Etsy. Additionally, ‘Chief Gifting Officer’ Drew Barrymore and tennis star Naomi Osaka posted videos of them opening their favorite gifts from Etsy to keep the brand in festive season competitions.
