Love it or hate it, a recently released Christmas ad from Sainsbury’s has certainly stirred us up. The ad depicts the 1914 Christmas Truce, where soldiers on both sides stopped fighting for a few hours and celebrated the holiday together in the no man’s land between their trenches.
The ad, brilliantly disguised as a short film, was created to raise money for The Royal British Legion. Whether you believe that the piece tastefully depicts the incredible true story that took place a century ago (as I do), or you believe that to use such a story shows disrespect for the countless lives lost during that horrible conflict, one thing is for sure: this video moved us. This video has stirred something in those that have seen it (11 million and counting) to feel something, and to feel it with a passion.
I was hooked immediately. This 3 minute and 40 second video took me on an emotional journey, the likes of which I haven’t experienced in theaters in a good long while. This, I believe, is something that few other mediums can accomplish: transporting an audience, establishing emotional investment in people that we have never met (or in some cases, aren’t even real), and stirring us up in such short periods of time.
With very little real dialog, it’s the subtle looks between characters, the seeming melding of languages as soldiers from both sides sing together, it’s the quick cuts and fast camera movements as these young men play together, making the viewer almost lose track of who is on which side. It’s the sound effects, the music…it’s all done intentionally and the effect is simply moving.
I know everyone’s response will be different, and I certainly respect that. For me, I found this video inspiring and it moved me to think of things that bring us together, not tear us apart. Whatever you choose to take away from this video, there is no denying: video like this can take us places, make us feel things, and communicate in ways that few other things can.
You can check out Sainbury’s 2014 Christmas ad below!
The post Sainsbury’s 2014 Christmas Ad: A Soul Stirring Four Minutes of Video appeared first on 12 Stars Media.
