An unexpectedly good ad

The ad above is for Spark, one of New Zealand’s telcos, and is currently in heavy rotation on TV because Father’s Day in New Zealand is this Sunday, September 3. Because these ads are so specific, they may not be left online after Sunday, so best to share them early. Besides, it’s really good.

The ad is part of the company’s “Little Can Be Huge” series of ads. Most of them are longer than normal TV ads (the one above is 1:30), and quite frankly, I often turn my attention to other things when ads are on, especially if they’re long. So I didn’t pay all that much attention teh first time or two the ad came on when I was watching TV, until one time I caught the end and wanted to know what the story was.

The first time I watched with attention, I thought the ad was one thing. When it got to the end, and found it was about something very different, I was surprised—and surprisingly moved. It tells a very different story than I thought it was going to.

The 2 minute version—which I’ve certainly never seen on TV—arranges the story differently, makes it seem even more like what I thought I was seeing at first, and also provides deeper context for some of the mother’s actions and reactions. That version of the ad is next, below. Below that is the 60 second verison, which is a different edit again.

I have no idea why these ads are edited so differently, and I personally think the 1:30 version works the best for telling the story. I’m also not sure, exactly, how this sells the company’s products, apart from some incidental use of technology—even less than in an ad for a different company that I shared last montt (http://amerinz.blogspot.com/2017/08/selling-technology.html).

Still, the best ads tell a story of some sort, with compelling visuals and sound. The music in the background is “Imagining My Man” by Aldous Harding [WATCH/LISTEN]. I think the choice really works (and the ad skips the somewhat annoying jarring parts of the song). This ad is good because it has good visuals, a good story, a good choice of backing music, and a good ending. I don’t know if it will help sell the company’s products, but it got me to pay attention despite the clutter of TV advertising. That’s a good first step.

And, Happy Father’s Day—to anyone who is a father, whether an actual father or not.