The video’s title on the Kroger ad states that “Magic happens when we bring new traditions to the table.” It’s a simple message of acceptance and inclusion that left many viewers in tears. People may fear growing older and losing those magical memories made during previous holiday seasons. However, this ad was a great reminder that family can be built in many different ways, even as we grow older.
Viewers took to the YouTube comment section to praise the Kroger ad, posting things like, “Favorite time of the year seeing these banger commercials,” and “Why am I sobbing[?]” One commenter even shared their own personal experience as a host of foreign exchange students, writing, “These ‘kids’ are all grown with children of their own, but they are still my family. This commercial was written for me. Now, if only they’d all show up on my doorstep…”
Many people related to this commenter’s sentiment, with viewers now feeling the need to reconnect with loved ones and embrace that holiday cheer. On TikTok, users credited Kroger’s marketing team for their tears and people shared their personal connection to the ad’s recognition of fertility struggles. Kroger’s ad not only acknowledged this painful journey but showed that the couple’s welcoming home allowed the foreign exchange students to become like children to them.