• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, November 8, 2024

If you're an advertiser looking to spread cheer this holiday season, pay attention to the underlying message in Amazon's holiday ad released this week. 

The theme of the ad has meaning for many across the United States, just days after U.S. voters sent Donald Trump back to the White House as president of the United States for another four years.

But supporters of Harris and some the news media are still reeling from the outcome, asking what went wrong and why vice president Kamala Harris did not win the election. In addition, Republicans gained the majority in the Senate and are very close to winning the majority in the House. 

The ad tells the story of a theater janitor with a lifelong passion for singing, whose vocal talent is discovered by his fellow workers. The viewer gets a glimpse into his passion through photographs pinned to the inside of his locker door.

He sings his way through a shift working to clean up the theater by polishing mirrors and mopping the stage floor. 

“What the world needs now, is love, sweet love." The janitor sings the 1965 iconic song with lyrics by Hal David and music composed by Burt Bacharach.

After his colleagues hear his remarkable voice, they’re moved to orchestrate a special surprise and come together to transform the Sonnet theater into a performance stage with lighting, staging and, to his wonder, an instrumental backing track.

With help from Amazon, an elegant black tuxedo jacket is delivered. The janitor puts it on in front of his fellow workers and humbly sings.

“‘Midnight Opus’ is a story that celebrates the joy from doing something special for the people in your life,” Jo Shoesmith, global chief creative officer at Amazon, wrote in a post. “I think we all know how wonderful it feels to be the recipient of even the smallest act of kindness — whether that be a thoughtful gift or an encouraging word — and we wanted to bring that ineffable emotion to life.”

Amazon's ad reminded me of all those who work with their hands, perform manual labor or skilled trades, often in industries like construction, manufacturing, transportation and janitorial services. So, here’s a little advice from someone born in New York, who grew up in California, and has lived in Wyoming for the past six years. Pay attention to what consumers want and feel in states other than New York, Connecticut, Maine, and California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and a few others.

The holiday ad titled Midnight Opus sends the message that dreams can come true, despite a difference of opinion even for blue-collar workers because many of them tend to work the hardest to make everyone’s life better.