Etsy's Holiday 2024 Ads Focus On Gifts That Make People Feel Seen

Liz Morton
Liz Morton


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Etsy has launched their holiday 2024 advertising campaign with a twist on the classic Where's Waldo books promoting unique gifts that make the recipient feel truly seen and understood amidst a sea of more generic consumer goods.

Chief Brand Officer Brad Minor dubbed these items "I get you" gifts, debuting the Where's Waldo spots and broader ad campaign in a company blog post this week.

In our anthem spot, we’re sharing the story of an iconic global character who is often spotted but rarely truly seen: Waldo, of the classic “Where’s Waldo?” series.

In the ad, Waldo travels the world, being spotted everywhere he goes. But only when he returns home and receives the perfectly personalized Etsy gift from his best friend, does he finally feel seen.

We’re also flipping the script and showing how Waldo himself turns to Etsy to make finding the perfect gift for everyone on his list feel easy and inspired.

While Waldo plays in a world of fictional holiday magic, a foundational element of our campaign will be to highlight the deeply human role our very real sellers play in making the holidays special for shoppers.

Minor went on to describe another spot featuring an actual Etsy seller, in line with other market efforts launched earlier this year to put more of a focus on the people behind the products sold on the site.

In another spot, we’re featuring the touching story of Alexis—a seller who handpaints an ornament for a family spending their first Christmas without their beloved golden retriever. It's a heartwarming reminder that on Etsy, our sellers are making more than just items—they’re making meaningful memories that make the holiday season truly special.

The holiday campaign will extend across channels, from TV and out-of-home (billboards) to social media, influencer and experiential events like the recent holiday pop up shop in New York.

Etsy Kicks Off Holidays With Pop-Up Shop, In Store Gift Cards, Extended Purchase Protection & More!
Etsy gears up for holiday rush with in person pop-up shop, brick & mortar gift card sales push, marketing campaigns, extended purchase protection & more!

What do you think of Etsy's holiday ads? Let us know in the comments below!

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Liz Morton is a 17 year ecommerce pro turned indie investigative journalist providing ad-free deep dives on eBay, Amazon, Etsy & more, championing sellers & advocating for corporate accountability.

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Vickie Johnson
I love the “ Where’s Waldo” commercial. My grandson dressed as Waldo for story boo character this year.(4th grade). He has mentioned he would like a pocket watch. Will there be a Waldo watch available? Vickie Johnson

Recent Comments
Avatar Placeholderterry55Yesterday
Sales down 40% from last year, this is gonna be a small business killer
Avatar PlaceholderJaeLynn2 days ago
I've had this happen a few times, and it confused me. One seller alleged that they had to use Amazon's services to make sure I got my item in time. I recently bought something simple, and the seller made a mistake. They'd sent me 3 different messages, one of them too early, telling me they hoped my item arrived in perfect condition. The next day, the item was marked as shipped, and I got an official Ebay shipping email. The seller was using direct messages to give me item updates. If I wanted Amazon, I'd have used them myself! lol
Avatar Placeholderlessthanthreerecords3 days ago
Happening to me too. On my active listings page (with the full list) it looks fine, but when I click on them, many have the random characters. I reported it, and that's when one glitch led to another! As I was typing the message after clicking the "?", letters were repeatedly not coming up (usually one or two at the end of a word). I was finally able to get the message entered, but how tedious!