We're a cruel bunch here at AdNews.
While you're busy at your jobs, we thought we'd take it upon ourselves to turn you into quivering heaps of emotion with a list of tearjerking ads.
Get the tissue box ready.
BMF's creative director Justin Ruben
Sadness is a very powerful emotion when used in the right and sometimes unexpected way. Obviously the use of small children or fluffy animals makes this job a little easier. The ads below all manage to use this emotion in an interesting way across a broad range of different subject matter.
1.NSPCC 'Full Stop'
Incredibly powerful use of live action and animation that is still able to create empathy.
2.IKEA 'Lamp'
Ads with inanimate objects can be sad too. A beautifully told story about the plight of a lamp.
3.Nursing Recruitment ‘Face’
Incredibly sad and powerful spot. Click here to view the video.
4.Epuron 'Mr W'
The very sad story of an outcast trying to fit in.
5. Quit Victoria 'Boy'
Great performance and the realness of this spot makes it a tear jerker.
Ogilvy's group creative director and head of digital, Shaun Branagan
1. OTC ‘The Way we Were’ George Patterson
For those with long enough memories this is still a gold class tearjerker. Expat Greek family calls home as Babs (ok, Colleen Hewitt) warbles away in the background. Guaranteed to get anyone who’s lived apart from family for any length of time blubbing. ****Kleenex
2. P&G Olympics ‘Thank You Mom’ Wieden & Kennedy.
A film from this millennium as opposed to the last, this spot is real weepy. How can you not say thanks to your mum for all those pre-dawn training sessions? After all, they are the real heroes behind every champion athlete. ****Kleenex
3. TAC. ‘20th Anniversary Montage’ Grey Melbourne
Despite the technical wizardry of recent commercials, you can’t beat the raw emotion of the originals such as ‘Girlfriend’ & ‘Never’ - both of which showed how accidents affect others, especially parents. But when all the best footage is cobbled together into a montage and set to REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ there’s grief and tears all round. ****Kleenex
4. Thai Life Insurance
No laughs or wackiness in this Thai sob story as a woman has her baby delivered before the due date so her dying husband can hold him just once. Parental advisory warning. *** Kleenex
5. Bridgestone Tyres. BBDO Thailand
On the other hand, this Thai commercial is both sad and hilarious at same time. Catching the love of his canine life in flagrante delicto, a cuckolded labrador attempts suicide by running onto the road. But, thanks to the tyres, the car stops in time. And the lab is condemned to, er, a dog’s life. For anyone who’s lost in love, this one will have you sniveling. **Kleenex
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