Emotional Ads resonate with shoppers this Holiday Season.

Well-known celebrities, “True Story” campaigns, children’s holiday pageants, and discounted toys were some of the components of retailer’s holiday commercials this year, touching both on the emotional side of holiday shopping and highlighting shoppers’ focus on price.

When asked which retailer has the best holiday TV commercial, consumers ranked Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Macy’s and Kohl’s as favorites, according to a survey conducted for the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association by BIGresearch. Other retailers on the top ten list include Sears, Kmart, JCPenney, Old Navy, and Toys “R” Us.

“Retailers went out of their way this holiday season to connect with shoppers,” said RAMA Executive Director Mike Gatti. “The advertisements that ultimately won out reached beyond television sets with messages that found their way into shoppers’ hearts and minds.”

According to the survey, nearly one in five consumers (17.5%) were motivated to shop with a retailer once they saw the company’s ad, while 39.0 percent said they already shopped there. Young adults were more inclined to shop with a retailer after viewing their ad (29.6%), while adults 65 and over were the hardest to sway with only 8.7 percent saying they were influenced by a retailer’s commercial. Women (19.2%) were more likely to be persuaded by holiday ads than men (15.7%).

While television advertisements caught shoppers’ attention, other tried-and-true marketing tactics also influenced shoppers. According to the survey, 44.6 percent of consumers said coupons were a factor in determining where to shop this year, up from 35.2 percent last year. Consumers said they were also swayed by advertising inserts (30.1%), newspaper ads (24.5%), direct mail (18.5%) and email advertisements (15.8%).

“Budget-conscious shoppers are taking full advantage of coupons and special promotions this holiday season, “ said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch. “Consumers will continue to comb through newspaper ads and print out email offers as they head into the final hours of the holiday shopping season.”

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