GIFTMANIA

Amazon Prime is getting Canadians back in the gift-giving spirit this holiday season, enlisting WWE Hall of Famer Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart and TV personality Lilly Singh in its new ‘Giftmania’ campaign, via brand experience agency Akcelo.

The campaign, which launched nationwide November 1, cleverly gamifies Amazon Prime’s Gift List feature, encouraging Prime customers to add products to their Gift List for a chance to win one of the items worth up to $300. A lucky few will even have their gifts delivered to their doorstep by Bret ‘The Giftman’ Hart in December.

In a hilarious long-form video, we see pro-wrestling legend and Calgary-born hero Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart transformed into ‘The Giftman’, a modern-day take on Santa Claus. The spot opens with Hart’s original WWE walk-on music, and sees him deliver a typically enthusiastic piece to camera before being interrupted by social media sensation Lilly Singh, playing the role of the director. She corrects Hart, reminding him of his new alter ego as ‘The Giftman’, and then continues to feed him lines as he struggles to let go of his wrestling past.

“Giftmania is not just a campaign; it’s about kicking off the holiday season with excitement, humour, and festive cheer to Amazon Prime members across Canada,” says Aden Hepburn, CEO of Akcelo.

“The opportunity to work with Amazon on such an outrageous and fun campaign is a real endorsement for Akcelo’s creative reputation,” he adds.

“I am thrilled to see 'Giftmania' come to life and showcase the spirit of giving during the holiday season. The campaign is a fun, nostalgic way to get people thinking about what gifts are on their list as we move into the busy shopping period," says Mike Cornwell, Leader & Head of Amazon Associates Canada (Affiliates and Creators). "The collaboration with Akcelo and the remarkable creativity they brought to this campaign will undoubtedly elevate our customers' shopping experience. Together, we're spreading joy and making gifting on Amazon even more exciting."

Chris Corley, Executive Creative Director at Akcelo North America says: "Bret Hart and Lilly Singh are the tag team Canada never knew it needed. Bret’s iconic wrestling persona packs a punch when it comes to emphasising the joy of gifting, which mixed with Lilly’s enthusiasm is a recipe for pure entertainment. Kudos to the creative team for their brilliant casting choices.”

The campaign and contest runs through November 24 (excluding Quebec), with the full length video featured prominently on the Amazon website and shorter ads running across Amazon-owned channels and paid social.