• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, November 8, 2021

The power of kindness should never be underestimated, and people should take every opportunity to treat someone with compassion. That’s the theme of Amazon’s 2021 global holiday campaign spotlighting the power of kindness, unveiled Sunday.

The campaign tells the story of a young woman, played by Karene Peter, who receives a small but impactful gesture from a neighbor who notices the young woman's shyness and reluctance to seek out others.

Feeling overwhelmed in a big city, she is too timid to reach out to others, but her neighbor reaches out to her, forming a new friendship. The woman buys her a gift, which arrives in an Amazon box. Not just any gift, but a bird feeder to nourish and feed nearby birds.

Peter, a big believer in “it’s nice to be nice,” says "simple acts of kindness can have an influence on someone’s wellbeing.” 

The ad shows how this happens as the young woman resumes activities that bring her closer to her normal life following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, such as attending classes and seeing friends.

The campaign, created by the creative agency Lucky Generals, was shot by award-winning director Trey Edward Shults, whose directing credits include critically acclaimed film “Waves,” as well as “Krisha” and “It Comes at Night.” 

Making its U.S. premieres on November 14, the campaign also will soon become available in the U.K., Canada, Australia and other countries. The integrated global brand campaign will extend to online video and digital, and the 30-second ad will run on national TV and on digital channels throughout the holiday season. 

“This holiday season will be shaped by what we've experienced during the pandemic,” Ed Smith, general manager of Integrated Marketing at Amazon EU, wrote in a post. “The past 18 months have been challenging for people across the globe, including many young adults. Our time together cannot be taken for granted. So this year, while the world will not be totally back to normal, opportunities for kindness and connection will take on a newfound importance.”