Amazon.com Reprises Holiday Spots

E-commerce giant Amazon.com rolled out a new television ad campaign for the holiday season, recycling the kitschy, sweater-clad caroling men's chorus it used last year.

Emulating 1960's-era television's poor broadcast quality and chintzy (by today's standards) staging, the five, 30-second Amazon.com spots are visually reminiscent of a television special of years gone by.

"We love the Sweatermen because they harken back to a simple era when things were less complicated," said the company's global brand marketing director Becky Roberts. "They're earnest, approachable and welcoming, like Amazon.com, even for the most tentative new online shopper."

As they did last year, the carolers interject a bit of the Internet age's wry humor while extolling the virtues of shopping online at Amazon.com.

In one execution, the Sweatermen struggle to spell out the word, "EMAHTSKCBVDT," which represents the first letter of all the different categories of products at the online store. Amazon.com's product breadth is suggested in "You'll Never Guess What I Got You," when Sweatermen exchange none-too-cleverly disguised wrapped gifts. In "Feel Like A Kid" the Sweatermen sing about Amazon.com's toy selection, while trading juvenile insults.

The spots, which will be aired nationwide, were created and produced by agency of record FCB San Francisco, a division of FCB Worldwide, a True North company.

"Last year was the Sweatermen's big debut, so this is the year they've come into their own, allowing us to put them in funnier situations and push their role as singing salesmen without ever winking or losing authenticity," said FCB creative director Tom O'Keefe.

Amazon will also be tying its site into the television spots, streaming the commercials and selling Sweatermen "memorabilia" online. Sweatermen e-cards are also available on Amazon.com's free e-card service.

Spending on the campaign was not disclosed.