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November 19, 2014

Moving Memorial or Emotional Exploitation?

Last week, U.K. supermarket chain Sainsbury unveiled an emotional holiday ad to many tears and a few jeers.

The stunning long-form spot above depicts World War I’s famed Christmas Truce, during which British and German troops left their trenches for a day of battlefield singing, soccer, and sharing.

Appropriately titled “Christmas Is for Sharing,” the ad tugs at the heartstrings, emphasizing the true meaning of the holidays and imparting a remarkable history lesson of human connection in an unlikely setting. The epic tearjerker is also masterfully produced, transporting us 100 years back in time for three minutes and 20 seconds of Spielberg-quality cinema.

The epic tearjerker has received widespread praise and will likely drive healthy holiday sales, but if you’re feeling skeptical, you’re not alone. As Sainsbury’s ad spread across social media last week, many questioned the brand’s ethics in selling goods by dramatizing large-scale destruction and death.

Is “Christmas Is for Sharing” a moving memorial or emotional exploitation? See it for yourself and be sure to let us know what you think. And either way, try not to tear up.