WWE legend unleashes ‘Giftmania’ on Amazon Prime Canada in new campaign via Akcelo

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

Says Aden Hepburn, CEO of Akcelo: “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.

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

Says Mike Cornwell, leader and head of Amazon Associates Canada (Affiliates and Creators): “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. 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.”

Says Chris Corley, executive creative director at Akcelo North America: “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.

To find out more about the Giftmania campaign, visit amazon.ca/giftmania.

Creative Agency: Akcelo
CEO/CCO: Aden Hepburn
Managing Partner: Jason Carnew
Global ECD: Louise McQuat
ECD: Chris Corley
Associate Creative Director: Ben Shores
Sr. Copywriter: Jon Mandell
Head of Design: Mark Berry
Designer: Selena Debbert
Production Design: Shi Emery
Head of Experience Design: Cam Gage
Experience Designer: Larissa Tang
CSO: Dave Di Veroli
Strategy: Nish Shah, Jackie Lee
Production Director: Natasha Lakhani
Producer: Shea Martin
Client Service Director: Heleena Webber
Account Manager: Jesse Rea

Client: Amazon Prime Canada
Michael Cornwell, Leader & Head of Amazon Associates Canada (Affiliates and Creators)
Michelle Emaelaf, Head of Marketing and Prime
Shaila Sikand, Head of Prime Canada, Senior Manager
Aditi Gupta, Senior Product Manager
Hannah Kay, Senior Product Manager
Laura Hansen, Marketing Manager
Jenny Huang, Marketing Manager
Abhay Singh, Team Manager
Belicia Chung, Marketing Manager

Production: Therapy Studios
Exec Producer: John Ramsay
Director: Ramesh Iyer
Director of Photography: Tom Lembcke
Editor: Doobie White
Edit Assistant: Leo Ortega
Colorist: Omar Inguanzo
Sound Designer/Mixer: Dori Holly
Flame Artist: Fabrizzio Zumaran

Talent:
Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
Lilly Singh