This Touching Holiday Ad Reminds Us There's More That Unites Than Divides

Post-midterm America is undoubtedly a divisive place, and it appears that things aren’t so different over in Europe. Between Brexit negotiations and the rise of far-right, anti-immigration parties in Germany, Italy and Sweden, many Europeans are feeling as though their countries are as divided as ever. With Christmas just around the corner, online European fashion retailer Zalando has released a holiday ad that pushes a message of inclusion and acceptance during these tense times. [kickout id="1"] The ad features a pan-European choir singing the words to ‘Silent Night’ in five different languages. What’s more, the chorus is made up of everyone from one-year-olds to centenarians, most of whom the agency said were found via street casting, community choirs, singing groups and even retirement homes. In the ad, each choir member’s age is expressed in the form of how many Christmases they’ve experienced (i.e., 44th Christmas). While their ages and languages vary, the one-minute spot hopes to remind people that Christmas is a time of year that brings people together despite their differences. “We spent a lot of time with our consumers, and they told us there’s more that unites us than divides us,” said Jonny Ng, Zalando’s director of marketing strategy and campaigns. “Christmas and the festive season is a time of year where we all truly come together; different generations, different backgrounds, and different styles. Festive fashion makes us feel special, sparks conversations and adds to the magic.” Created by Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, the ad rings similar to Coca-Cola’s 2014 ‘It’s Beautiful’ spot, which aired again before last year’s Super Bowl. In the Coca-Cola ad, a diverse group people sing the lyrics to ‘America the Beautiful’ in languages including English, Spanish, Hindi, Tagalog and Hebrew. According to Zalando, this is the first campaign the company’s executed in partnership with Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam. The effort, titled “Never Out Of Fashion,” spans TV, digital, print and out-of-home in 17 European countries. CREDITS: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam Executive Creative Directors: Eric Quennoy, Mark Bernath Creative Directors: Daniel Schaefer, Szymon Rose, Irene Kugelmann Art Director: Güney Soykan, Cassandre Gouraud Copywriter: Mohamed Diaa, Tim Coleman, Ben Harris Head of Broadcast Production: Joe Togneri Broadcast Producer: Endy Hedman Assistant Producer: Eline de Roo Group Account Director: Kirk Johnsen Account Directors: Aimée Betancourt, Louise Rahman Account Manager: Isabelle Udall Account Executives: Madison Inman, Abderrahim El Khouani Head of Planning: Martin Weigel Senior Planner: Nusara Chinnaphasaen Head of Comms & Digital Strategy: Danielle Pak Comms Strategist: Jocelyn Reist Art Buyer: Kate Barrett Head of Design: Joe Burrin Studio Director: Lizzie Murray Studio Artist: Noa Redero Project Manager: Eline de Roo Business Affairs: Michael Graves Production Company: Cherry Director: Jake Nava Director of Photography: Mathieu Plainfosse Executive Producer: Benedict Cooper Editorial: Work Editorial Editor: Julia Knight Executive Producer: Julian Marshall Music Supervision and Production: MassiveMusic Audio Mixing: Factory Mixer: Anthony Moore Executive Producer: Lou Allen Post Production: MPC Lead Flame Artist: Mat Elin Flame Artist: Ricky Weissman Colourists: Jean-Clement Soret, Matthieu Toullet Producer: Thomas Cole Executive Producer: Lauren Loftus Design Supervisor: Donal O’Keefe Motion Designer: Daena Lorne, Ingrid Tsy Print Production Company: Rosco Production Executive Producer: Laura Oughton Photographer: Hill & Aubrey Retouching: Deeptone