Etsy wanted to position itself as the go-to place to find thoughtful, reasonably priced gifts without the usual panic. We were tasked with creating a global campaign for the busiest shopping time of the year—and needed to break through the typically saccharine holiday magic and reframe Etsy (which was known as a haven for crafters and vintage shoppers) for consumers. We dramatized the intensity of finding a thoughtful gift by turning the process into a covert spy mission. We wrote new playful lyrics to the tune of the famous Mission Impossible theme to convey highly resonant and relatable scenarios and challenges–and land the deep joy and relief of discovering a secret gifting weapon in Etsy.

To make these films feel warm and authentic, we shot on location in four distinct London homes. The singing was performed live on set, with lyrics purposefully overstuffed and tumbling awkwardly out of our characters mouths. We cast for believable characters who could convey distress and relief as they sang in a rambling off-the-cuff manner.

We wanted every holiday shopper to see that they are not alone in their impossible gifting missions, so the campaign ran on TV and digital in US and UK markets during the anxiety-inducing weeks leading up to the holidays. Instead of saccharine holiday magic, we created something more authentic to the pressure people feel around gifting and positioned Etsy as a powerful collaborator in gift missions.