With Christmas right around the corner, the spirit of giving fills the air. Corporations are taking full advantage of the holiday cheer; they are launching commercials that encourage customers to show their loved ones they care by purchasing them various gifts. This John Lewis commercial similarly tugs on your heartstrings. It will be hard to get through this video without tearing up.
The advertisement begins with an image of a young girl walking up to her telescope late at night. The music that plays is “Half the World Away,” originally written by Oasis, but performed by Aurora here. The young girl, Lily, scans the stars with her telescope when, suddenly, she spots something surprising.
As Lily zooms in, she discovers a red-roofed house. An old man emerges from the it and looks up at the sky. Lily gasps and waves excitedly, but of course the man on the moon cannot see her. From this moment on the little girl is determined to get a message to her new friend – that he is loved.
Lily is whisked away by the responsibilities of daily life, but the moon man remains on her mind. As she watches him perform his daily chores, the girl tries repeatedly to reach out to him. Her first attempt is to shoot an arrow with a letter attached toward the moon, but it falls short. Next, Lily throws paper airplanes. Again, she is unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the moon man gazes up at the stars, completely isolated.
Finally, on Christmas day, Lily receives a present that will help her share her love with her new friend. She wraps up the new telescope, ties balloons all around it, and sends it up to the sky. As the man sits alone on his bench, the Christmas gift floats into his hands. As the man peers through the telescope, he zeroes in on Lily, who is waving cheerfully at him. A tear rolls down the man’s cheek. It is obvious that Lily’s friendship means a lot to him. A final message appears on the screen: “Show someone they’re loved this Christmas.”
This sweet video emphasizes the value of friendships, even across long distances. According to John Lewis, an online and in-person store that sells everything from furniture to clothing, the commercial was made to raise awareness for the elderly people who go a month or longer without speaking to anyone. Just as the man in the video is isolated on the moon, many people are completely alone and in need of companionship.
This video demonstrates the power of connecting with someone new. Take some time this Christmas season to remind a lonely person that they are loved.
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