Commercials tend to be annoying as a rule, but every once in a while a company finds a way to tell a story with heart while still getting across what their company's mission and product. For me, the most effective ads function as short stories--they have a hook, a tiny plot, and occasionally an unexpected ending. They engage the viewer and stir something in them, whether it's a memory or a feeling. And, like short stories, creating an effective one is much easier said than done. The latest Google commercials have been tugging at my heartstrings, but I recently discovered British company John Lewis' genius ads and they gave me so many warm and fuzzies that I have to share:
Their Christmas 2011 advert:
P.S. Speaking of touching British advertising, if you can make it through this T-mobile bit without tearing up even just a tiny bit at the end, you're made of stronger stuff than I am!