Dick’s Puts a Spin on Holiday Giving with ‘The Table’

It’s easy to be skeptical about the commercialization of Christmas. Many see the holiday season as being about one thing and one thing alone: buying stuff. There is data to back this up. The National Retail Federation forecasts Americans will spend over $700 billion this holiday season. But what if that “stuff” is more than just stuff?

That’s the premise behind “The Table”, a new holiday ad from Dick’s Sporting Goods. In a brisk, tight and moving minute, the ad shows a couple giving their kids a ping-pong table one Christmas and the life of that table over the next several decades—from table tennis action to poster making to party accessory to storage unit, and back again.

Rather than tell us how great a specific product or brand is, Dick’s instead shows us the meaning that holiday gifts can hold in our lives. It’s a reminder that all those toys, games, bats and balls that can sometimes just seem like “stuff” are also important relics of a family’s history. These are the things that pepper our lives and our memories. It’s a strong message and a powerful piece of marketing. 

If you haven’t seen this ad yet, watch it below. But be forewarned, there’s a good chance your phone or keyboard might be soaked in tears in one minute flat…