"Higher Love"

8 February 2016

2 mins 15s

Cutting out the middle man

Much as we are loath to describe a chocolate ad as sweet, this commercial for Hershey's keeps the saccharine factor within palatable levels and does something enjoyable with the father-daughter formula to boot.

With a video conference coming between her and quality time with her dad, this resourceful daughter has a plan up her sleeve. First stop is the local copy shop, and after a wait, her secret weapon is brought from behind the counter - a cardboard cutout of her father.

It's a good 'un, as well - good enough to convince Mrs Popovich - but what's the endgame for this 2D doppelgänger? Lovely casting means we're rooting for this quirky youngster.

It turns out all she wants is to enjoy some smores with her dad - and the cardboard cutout placed in front of the computer ensures his colleagues are still graced with his 'presence'.

An ad of this length relies on the audience's investment, but Outsider's Peter Thwaites rewards it with a low-key depiction of family bonding. That the brand makes its understated appearance well after the halfway mark is another show of faith in the film's patient approach, and it's a shrewd way of suggesting Hershey's as the sweet that brings people together.

USA

Chocolate