• by Sarah Mahoney , December 17, 2010

After several years of yanking on holiday heartstrings, the best retailing ads this season played it for laughs instead, with comical spots topping the National Retail Federation's list of favorite ads.

"You can really feel the change of tone," Mike Gatti, executive director of the NRF's Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, tells Marketing Daily. "Last year was a difficult year, and so the ads were very nostalgic. This year, they are all a little more cheery. The stores are looking for a different way to tap into the consumer psyche."

The trade association's survey, conducted by BIGresearch, included more than 9,100 adults, and found that comedy made the biggest impression, with the light-hearted Target spots bumping Walmart out of first place, and Macy's celebrity-filled comic ads jumping into third place. Other companies in the top 10: Best Buy (#4), Kmart (#5), Sears (#6), Old Navy (#7), Kohl's (#8), JCPenney (#9) and Toys R Us (#10).