TV Viewers Are Tired of Amazon’s Singing Janitor Commercial

The holiday season may be winding to a close, but the discourse surrounding Amazon’s 2024 holiday ad isn’t dying down anytime soon. Titled “Midnight Opus” and featuring a performance of the beloved 1965 classic “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” the touching story of a theater janitor whose hidden vocal talent is discovered by his colleagues sparked plenty of comments online, with many viewers quickly growing tired of Amazon’s singing janitor commercial.

The commercial, spanning over a minute in length, opens with a theater janitor going about his daily tasks in the theater, all while quietly singing to himself. An usher who overhears his singing opens the Amazon app and purchases a tuxedo jacket for the janitor, while other colleagues join in to transform the Sonnet theater into a performance stage, complete with lighting, staging and an instrumental backing track to bring his singing dreams to life. With his co-workers taking their places in the theater seats, the janitor steps onto the stage and up to the microphone to perform a rendition of “What the World Needs Now Is Love.”

Although Amazon said the ad “captures the spirit of workplace camaraderie and the joy of supporting others’ dreams,” TV viewers weren’t sold, dubbing it “crazy,” “annoying,” and “absolutely mental.”

“I wish enough people still watched live tv so I could discuss this absolutely mental Amazon ad with the singing janitor,” one person wrote on X, sparking a flurry of replies.

Responding to the comment, one person wrote, “I hate it! It actually makes me sad each time I see it,” with another person adding, “I saw it at the movies and ijboled. LIKE the ad is that an Amazon listed suit got delivered so the janitor could do a free afterhours performance at the theatre that he works at for the fellow underpaid staff.”

The ad was dubbed “crazy” by another viewer, who wrote, “the amazon commercial where the theatre employees make the janitor sing for them in a shitty suit they bought off amazon is crazy.” Another person added, “That Amazon Janitor advert is annoying, especially as we know it wouldn’t happen in the real world. And what does Amazon know about treating workers with kindness?” A third noted, “after the camera stops, the janitor in that amazon ad gets fired for performing instead of working.”

According to Amazon, the commercial “reflects how seemingly small gestures can create grand meaningful moments and celebrates the courage it takes to share one’s talents.” The ad was produced by Amazon’s internal creative team in partnership with production company Hungry Man, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Wayne McClammy. Unfortunately, those who “HATE THE AMAZON JANITOR COMMERCIAL” will have to suffer for a few more days, as it is set to run through the end of the year.