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We've become accustomed to seeing lottery commercials from around the world popping up at Christmas time with tales of emotional weight that often outshine everything made in the UK. adam&eveDDB have obviously decided there's no reason why they shouldn't create their own contribution to this canon of work... and they've absolutely smashed the assignment. Director Tom Hooper was given a generous canvas to tell this story, with a full three-and-a-half minute runtime giving the film room to breathe. It's a measure of the success of both script and direction that the viewer's interest doesn't flag for one second. One of the most difficult tricks to pull off is to create a sense of uncertainty when literally everyone knows there will be a happy ending. This film pulls it off with aplomb. Not only does this success guarantee a burst of serotonin when it's watched the first time, it ensures that subsequent viewings will be enjoyed too. The casting and the performances are perfect... and the script handles the initial interaction between the two protagonists with great responsibility. We can see that he's anxious to create an opportunity to speak to her, but the film avoids tripping over the 'girl wearing headphones' trope by making sure he's not seen to be overly forward. Instead, it's her who initiates the conversation by laughing at his ring tone. By the same token, it was wise to make her the persistent pursuer, as – despite his appealing mild-manneredness – it would have felt stalky if he'd done something similar. It's also rather lovely that the lottery win is incidental... something that must have required the client to be fully on board. This is unquestionably one of the best films of this year's collection of seasonal ads, and demonstrates that – with John Lewis, Waitrose and now this film – adam&eveDDB are still the kings and queens of Christmas.
Product Category: Lotteries / Pools
Territory: UK
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