Amazon Christmas ad recruits acclaimed director Taika Waititi

Amazon has unveiled its 2022 Christmas ad ‘Joy is made’, directed by Academy Award-winning director Taika Waititi.

Produced by creative agency Lucky Generals, the commercial depicts the relationship between a father and daughter, the latter of which is obsessed with playing with her snow globe.

Feeling as if he is losing touch with his daughter, the father decides to take matters into his own hands by building his own life-size snow globe. Borrowing materials from neighbours and ordering parcels on Amazon’s marketplace, the dad manages to emulate the setting of the snow globe in his greenhouse by setting up lights and blowing shredded paper around the inside.

Set to ‘You Hold Me Up’ by Jonathon Linaberry, the heart-warming ad ends when the father surprises his daughter with his creation.

Waititi, the director behind Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Love and Thunder and the recently produced Daniel Craig Belvedere commercial, directed the film through Hungry Man studios.

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“We were inspired by collaborating with Taika Waititi on this year’s TV ad,” Amazon head of global creative, Jo Shoesmith, said.

“The passion he had for telling the story of a relationship between father and child, with his trademark charm, and the casting choices he knew would deliver that story, was paramount.”

Three 150, 60 and 30-second versions of the ad will be broadcast on TV ad-breaks and available to watch online in the build-up to Christmas.

Amazon EU general manager for marketing, Ed Smith, added: “We’re constantly inspired by the inventive spirit of Amazon customers and we wanted to tell a story with a different view of generosity and giving at Christmas, and the joy from doing something special for someone you love.

“We’re happy to play a small part in the creation of that joy, but the hero of the story is a father’s love for his child.”