The Drink Cart: Holiday Mode

You made it. To reward you for making it to the final advertising push of the year, we've got lots of ad history and more of what's happening right now, best served chilled.

Dear Drink Carters

It’s here. The briefs are in, the decks are done — it’s time to wrap the year with style. For many agencies, today is the penultimate day of advertising productivity. If you haven’s sent or received the classic, “lets circle back in the New Year email” yet, are you really in this business? Hang in there, or in the immortal words of Billy Mack, Christmas is All Around.

And yet, this next two days can be a mad scramble to the finish line as you navigate deadlines, rage quitting, last minute briefs, full calendars and people already checking out. It will leave you feeling more like this.

Don Draper would handle this week and situation with two Martinis (three if we’re being completely honest) and possibly ignoring any email that ends with “happy holidays.”

So grab yourself a martini from the cart, ask for your job number for drinking it and jump into:

• Ad histories of Hersey’s, EA NHL 1995 and outboard engine

• NBA ad remakes, Apple pick up trucks and protein nogs

• Squid Game marketing, Air Canada and gambling holiday ads and hats

1. Ad History: Christmas Bells 30th Anniversary

35 years ago, in December of 1989, Hershey’s released their famous Christmas Bells ad. This original stop motion version was replaced in 2012 for CGI. And while that ad continues to run each year, they keep tweaking.

The logic of running it every year, even after just 5 years, was told to the New York Timesby by Leah Longan, former marketing director for Hershey. They continued to run the advertisement because they "don't wear out like normal commercials," since they are only shown every 12 months.

Via Readful Things

That makes total sense. It’s like saying you don’t want to hear David Bowie and Bing Crosby sing every Christmas. Madness. PS: They should stop changing it just run the original.

2. See how the NBA continues to devalue their brand

This was the NBA’s Christmas Day game promo from 2013. Very fun. No notes.

This is what they are doing in 2024 to remake the ad. It’s annoying. It’s too much. Everyone hates it. Maybe not as much as their new All-Star Game format, but you can’t replace real players for real feelings.

3. When in doubt, add a truck to your brand book

I don’t know about you, but I really think Apple is missing out without a fleet of rad old pick up trucks and vans. This is a delightful brand find from @RichBaird and yet another reminder to include a vehicle in your brand books whether you need them or not.

4. Get real Air Canada

Let me get this straight. The airline that can barely operate on time, grants wishes, does pond to North Pole direct service and delivers magic freezing potions that are coded for global warming solutons? Can anyone explain who this ad is supposed to make feel something?

5. Ad History: NHL 1995

This little treasure trove of late December 30 years ago gives you the amazing vibes and graphics of EA’s NHL 1995. My research (two clicks) tells me that this one you can’t fight but you can make players heads bleed - at least if this classic Swingers scene is to be believed.

6. Everything doesn’t need to be protein maxing

Does it? Here’s a sure fire way to make the holidays extra - just slap “protein” in things you should be having as a treat. You need panettone, maybe one time. You need egg nog a few times, with rum. The last thing you need in either is to crank up the protein. Bulking on Egg nog is wild.

7. It’s not easy being a fan

This one is for any of subscribers who may or may not be in the gamblin’ biz - you know who you are. These super cheeky OOH and a new spot from Paddy Power are a beautiful showcase of the many highs and lows of being a football fan and gambler. See more of the OOH here.

And while I have you on gambling content, this post cracked me up this week.

8. Ad History: 2017 Outboard Engine Ads

Came across these ads for Mercury Marine on Linkedin earlier this week and couldn’t stop thinking about them. Outboard engine ads? All in. I learned from the post that the agency is Markham Yard in Miami and that, get this, there are something called the Nepture Awards that celebrates marketing in the marine industry. Of course there is.

And the campaign was awarded four Neptunes. Enjoy the headlines and beautiful photography. I want to head out on the water now.

9. Marketers really are the thirstiest of all

It’s full on collab-season right now on the verge of Netflix’s Squid Game 2 coming out. We haven’t seen this much action since Barbie. Netflix has a real life experience in New York and game this week on the platform. In Romania they hid 454 bloodied tracksuits as a new form of merch drop meets scavenger hunt.

Puma has created the tracksuits in velvet and new sneakers. Call of Duty is launching a Squid Game event in January. There’s a Domino’s ad where a pizza saves the Red Light, Green Light game. Duolingo is helping people learn Korean, or else. There’s a wild promotion between Squid Games x Jonnie Walker x Uber Eats (Triple Play Collab?) where there are 436 unique bottles. There is Scandanavian Kokeshi dolls, and Mattel Little people dolls. A McDonalds Squid Game Meal in Australia. And of course there are Squid Game Crocs. Which as will become clear later this week (no spoilers), all cool brands are doing “collabs” with.

10. Hat of the week: Festivus Hat Tree

I loved this hat Christmas Tree from Hat Club. So for this very festive pre-holiday newsletter, let’s throw a few more Christmas hats out for your consideration.

• The A Tatum Christmas x Boston Celtics 9FIFTY Snapback features an embroidered Jayson

• The New Era Cap Seasonal Staples Christmas Lights Golfer

• New Era x Snipes USA Toronto Blue Jays Poinsettia 59FIFTY Fitted Hat

• Reindeer Revolt - by Clinker Rafael

• New Era Elf's Workshop Christmas 59FIFTY Fitted Hat

Last call: The Drink Cart Classic Martini

The Classic Vodka Martini is the ultimate last-day-of-work cocktail for any ad agency — smooth, bold and ready to pitch whatever, just like Don Draper. As you sip its icy brilliance, imagine presenting that big campaign while some cool jazz plays in the background.

“Not to get too deep before the cocktail hour, but do I need to remind you of the finite nature of life?”

The martini is not just a drink — it’s a toast to crushing deadlines, ideas sold and a year of highest highs and lowest lows. You’ve earned it. As Don would say, “Prepare to swim the English Channel and then drown in champagne.”

Cheeky random last week of agency work before the big day, classic martini

• 2 1/2 oz vodka (chilled)

• 1/2 oz dry vermouth

• Lemon twist or green olive (for garnish)

• Stir (you’re not James Bond) about 50 times in ice, strain and pour.

• Serve in a chilled coupe.

This is exactly how it will feel at 5:00 on Friday. If all goes well. You’ll deserve it after after long days of yelling at umps timesheets and throwing bases around the field every last idea including the kitchen sink into the deck.

The question you may be asking is, will there be a Drink Cart next week? Yes, there will be - but I’ll be pulling out my favourite things from our 40 issues to make you the most humble of Christmas stocking offerings - what I like to call a newsletter “clip show”.

I can feel the new subscribers pouring in already. As Roger Stirling would also say, “Have a drink. It’ll make me look younger.”

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Drop me a comment below, ask me a question or give me a reco. Or just tell me how your martini turned out.

The Drink Cart is a weekly newsletter of advertising, pop culture, baseball and cocktails from Jackson Murphy.