Pereira & O’Dell San Francisco Bids on the Holidays for eBay

By Erik Oster 

In more upbeat news, Pereira & O’Dell San Francisco has launched a holiday campaign for eBay with the 30-second spot “The Giver.”

This ad celebrates the excitement one takes from giving the perfect gift. It depicts a woman receiving a variety of packages representing the perfect gifts for different recipients. “This is the one” she says, with each package, describing something about what the gift means to the intended recipient.

“The gift they’re waiting for is waiting on eBay,” the spot concludes.

Strategically, it’s not a bad approach for the brand, emphasizing the variety of items available on the site while getting the attention of viewers who may not have considered turning to eBay for holiday gift shopping. The less than memorable execution fails to really drive the point home, though. “The Giver” makes its broadcast debut today, kicking off the agency’s “The Gift They’re Waiting For Is Waiting on eBay” holiday campaign for the brand.

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“While the convenience of holiday shopping has increased, the thoughtfulness of gifting has decreased,” Pereira & O’Dell co-founder and CCO P.J. Pereira, said in a statement. “The holidays are about spending quality time with family and friends, and the gifts we exchange should reflect these special relationships. eBay is uniquely positioned to help people find perfect gifts for the ones they love, and the new campaign brings this idea to life.”

The approach also capitalizes on the lack of a single must-have gift this year. ““In the lead up to this holiday, no single standout gift has emerged, which represents a significant departure from past seasons,” explained Hal Lawton, senior vice president of eBay North America. “Since shoppers aren’t clamoring for a specific must have item there’s actually more pressure to find perfect gifts. With more than 1 billion listings, only eBay promises unique items and exclusive deals, combined with a cutting edge shopping experience, fast and free delivery, and great service.”

eBay sat out the holidays last year, but in the months before the 2015 holiday season, the brand worked with GS&P on its online music-video style “Shop a Song” campaign.

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