How This Amazing Campaign Succeeded in Changing a Brand's Perception and People's Lives at the Same Time

In our series 'Anatomy of an Ad,' Group Creative Director Tony Jones gives the heartwarming story of how Operation Santa finally took off."I think of this as the highlight of my career," says Tony Jones, Cannes Lions award-winning Group Creative Director. "To not only build a campaign that helped improve a brand's perception but to grant kids' wishes for years to come was a really rewarding part of this experience."Jones is speaking about Operation Santa, a program that allows people to "adopt" real letters written to Santa and send gifts to kids in need. The program started small at a few local post offices, but Jones saw its potential as a nationwide campaign. "We pitched it to USPS three times," he recalls, "And we were so excited when we finally got the word that it was going to be our chance to really make this program what it could be."Watch the resulting ad in the above video, and the incredible results of a program designed to brighten the lives of kids who face homelessness, poverty, and other heartbreaking situations. (And a word of advice: keep some tissues handy because when you hear about kids selflessly writing to Santa to bring gifts to their siblings and parents, the waterworks are going to flow.)