I was watching Monday Night Football off the U.S. ESPN/ABC feed when I happened upon this seasonal ad from Amazon. Amid all the hype for the new Beatles’ single, “Now and Then,” comes a commercial with an unmistakable, yet subtle, John Lennon melody from 58 years ago.
Notes from “In My Life” are gently played on a piano while a winter scene unfolds. Three elderly ladies on a bench in a park watch children playing with toboggans in the snow. The dialogue-free, 60-second story is titled, “Joy Ride.”
One of the ladies uses the Amazon app to order gel seat cushions for all of three them. Next they are shown fitting them onto plastic sleds and, before you know it, they are back on the slopes.
In a Muse by Clio article, one of the actresses in the spot, Annie O’Donnell, notes how “at our age, it’s not uncommon to be typecast.” In making this ad, she embraced this “opportunity to shake off preconceptions and show we are not just young at heart, but still throwing ourselves into life.”
Crafted by Amazon’s internal advertising team and directed by Wayne McClammy, the ad opened across North America Monday, so is playing on Canadian stations as well. Perfectly cast, in both its young and old faces. It is, in my opinion, the best use of a classic Beatles’ song in an ad setting I have ever seen.
Call me a sentimental old fluff, but this one got to me. This is an Amazon delivery I will remember. Spread a little joy and pass it on.
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2 Comments
Wasn’t it gel pillows she ordered for the sleds? I think that’s what I saw…anyway, it’s a sweet commercial, I agree.
You are right DM2. Item corrected.