The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Meijer vs. TJX Companies
Source: TJX Companies – “Imagine”

The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Meijer vs. TJX Companies

Many retailers running commercials this time of year try to strike a balance between the spirit of giving the season idealizes and the crass commercialism required to keep the lights on at their businesses.

Based on several years running the RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge, winners typically err on the side of keeping with the spirit of the season albeit within the context of a particular retailer’s unique selling proposition.

This week’s challenge matches up Meijer’s “Do You See What I See?” spot featuring a familiar-looking seasonal character against a new commercial from TJX Companies — Marshalls, T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods — that asks viewers to “imagine a world where the holidays are about joy again.”


Meijer’s “Do You See What I See?”


Marshalls, T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods’ “Imagine”

 

BrainTrust

"I’ll leave it up to you to decide which message the world needs more of today. My money is still on Santa."

Ryan Mathews

Founder, CEO, Black Monk Consulting


"No one doubts that TJX is a price leader but Meijer brings out a real sense of the holiday."

Frank Riso

Principal, Frank Riso Associates, LLC


"The TJX commercial was a bit of a turn-off to me. “Hey, we’re not doing anything special for you this holiday season.” "

Lee Kent

Principal, Your Retail Authority, LLC


Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What are your critiques of Meijer’s “Do You See What I See?” and “Imagine” from Marshalls, T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods? Which does a better job of connecting with each’s core customers while reaching out to new ones?

Poll

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Max Goldberg
7 years ago

My vote goes to Meijer for capturing the wonder of the holidays through the eyes of children. I don’t see how not having sales or coupons — the T.J. Maxx spot — relates to holiday magic.

Tom Redd
Tom Redd
7 years ago

Easy peasey — Meijer wins. No verbal promotion of the store brand, just a simple message — believe. That is the true wonder of Christmas: believe.

Ryan Mathews
Trusted Member
7 years ago

These are two fundamentally different ads. The Meijer ad is clearly a Christmas ad, the Marshall’s etc. al. spot targets the more politically correct “holiday” shopper. There is a second difference. The Meijer spot speaks to childhood, mystery and joy. The other spot speaks to not clipping coupons. I guess I’m in the mystery and joy camp. Now, that said, the Marshalls/T.J. Maxx/HomeGoods spot does speak directly to their target market — the discount shopper — where the Meijer spot speaks to humanity in general. I guess I’ll leave it up to you to decide which message the world needs more of today. My money is still on Santa.

Camille P. Schuster, PhD.
Member
7 years ago

The Meijier ad was engaging, clever and cute while showcasing the variety of things sold at the store in an unobtrusive way. Shopping at Meijer was only mentioned at the end making it more about the season which was preferable over the TJX companies’ ad which emphasized the companies over the joy of the season.

Frank Riso
Frank Riso
7 years ago

Hands down the Meijer ad is the better of the two. Christmas is first of all a religious holiday for Christians around the world and second it is a holiday for young children. The Meijer ad brings out the child in all of us and reminds us of the holiday and lastly it reminds us of Meijer. The TJX ad appears to be just that: an ad wrapped around the holiday. No one doubts that TJX is a price leader but Meijer brings out a real sense of the holiday.

Anne Howe
Anne Howe
Member
7 years ago

OK, this is the third or fourth time a Meijer spot has evoked a tear over the past few years. This version has a lot going on in one minute and thirty seconds, but it can be recut many ways and still has the power to evoke true emotion in a minute-long spot, or in thirty seconds. Hands-down winner.

Jerry Gelsomino
Jerry Gelsomino
7 years ago

It’s interesting, after I finished tearing up over the Meijer ad, I found the voice-over on the T.J. Maxx ad distracting and disruptive. I couldn’t focus on the visuals because I was trying to listen to the spoken message. I may have felt different if they weren’t played against one another or in the order they were.

Craig Sundstrom
Craig Sundstrom
Noble Member
7 years ago

This was a tough one, but happily this time it’s about comparing strengths, rather than carping about weaknesses.

The Meijer spot is wonderfully sentimental without being cloying … a feat seldom accomplished. (And weren’t we all asking “is he or isn’t he?”) But — Scrooge steps in — as with all of these “story” ads, it takes a long time to actually get to the brand part; and, paradoxically, the rest of the ad is so good it tends to make us forget who it’s for.

The TJX Companies spot is everything the other isn’t: perfunctory (even to the point that all of the brand names are squished together). But there’s no doubt what the message is or who it is for.

Which is better? Probably depends on who you are: parents of young children will go for the first, shoppers looking to “move up” from Walmart will go for the latter.

Dave Wendland
Active Member
7 years ago

Meijer will touch viewers in very profound ways and I “believe” that they will respond in kind by favoring them during the holidays.

Lee Kent
Lee Kent
Member
7 years ago

The TJX commercial was a bit of a turn-off to me. “Hey, we’re not doing anything special for you this holiday season.” And no sentiment to boot. So, Meijer gets my vote but once again, the ad said nothing about the brand. Since we don’t have Meijer around these parts, I had to look them up to even remind myself what all they sell.

But that’s just my 2 cents.

Larry Negrich
7 years ago

For a singular ad, Meijer’s is creative, engaging and holiday-focused. What a Christmas ad should be. The TJX spot does a good job of delivering a powerful message: no coupons, always savings. Both of these spots are good — I give Meijer’s a slight edge as it delivers the emotion and flavor of the holiday.

W. Frank Dell II
W. Frank Dell II
Member
7 years ago

The Meijer’s “Do You See what I See?” is a great commercial. It does provide a strong seasonal message with a brief tie end to their stores. If you don’t look you might miss the message sponsor. “Imagine” from Marshalls, etc. shows Christmas cheer and giving with a strong retailer tie ending. For selling the goods, Marshalls gets the win. Personally, as a grandfather, I preferred the Meijer’s commercial.

Patricia Vekich Waldron
Active Member
7 years ago

Since we don’t have Miejer here in SoCal, this was my first viewing and I loved it. Much more about the spirit of the season (and individuals) than TJX.

Ed Rosenbaum
Ed Rosenbaum
Member
7 years ago

Meijer gets my vote. In fact, I liked it so much I viewed it twice. Life through the eyes of a child is priceless. The T.J. Maxx spot reminded me of having to do something just to keep up with what others are doing.

Richard J. George, Ph.D.
Active Member
7 years ago

Best: Amazon Prime, Kmart and Meijer. Overall: Meijer. The ad reinforces the store’s position as taking care of you and your family’s needs.