Polish auction site Allegro attracted over 4 million YouTube views in a week with this heart-warming ad that depicts an elderly Polish man learning English. See why it’s our video viral of the week below…
The campaign includes a 3 minute ad on YouTube and a shorter minute long clip on Twitter, both telling the same story.
The ad shows an elderly man using the site to search for “English.” A package soon arrives on the man’s doorstep with learning materials titled, “English for Beginners.”
As we watch him get to grips with the language in a number of humorous ways, we learn he is making a trip to the UK.
The commercial’s final reveal, where we learn why he was so keen to learn English, is likely to melt the hardest of hearts.
Czasami brakuje słów, by wyrazić to, co najważniejsze. W takim przypadku trzeba się ich po prostu nauczyć. #Allegro #CzegoSzukasz #angielski pic.twitter.com/Ns3ztBgUEH
— Allegro (@Allegro_Group) December 1, 2016
It closes with the message (in Polish) “And you? What are you looking for?” A powerful call to action encouraging viewers to search for their own Christmas gifts on the auction site.
The video has also been widely shared on social media, with equally positive reactions.
On Twitter, one user wrote: “Real tears were shed watching this.”
Another one said on YouTube: “My gosh, that was a beautiful ad, I got tears in my eye.”
The grandpa in this #ad from #Polish auction site #Allegro may be the new champion of #Christmas…😌🌲#Poland #advertising #HolidaysAreComing https://t.co/Z9YTIVEZr6
— Barbara Gorska (@BasiaGorska) December 2, 2016
Speaking to BuzzFeed, a spokesperson for Allegro said: “For years, we’ve strived to make both Allegro – the largest e-commerce platform in the CEE region – as well as our communication to customers bring joy, touch the heart and cause a mile.”
“Such is this ad: about a grandfather who overcomes obstacles to reunite with his loved ones living abroad. Many Polish people share the same experience. Nearly one million Poles have decided to leave the country in search for a job, mainly heading the United Kingdom. Despite the relatively close distance between the countries, family ties tend to weaken. Therefore, Christmas for many is a difficult time in which we yearn for more.
“But the story we are telling is all-purpose and can be easily understood by any other nation or community who can easily link the happy ending of a smile and tears of emotion to their daily human experience.”
View the full YouTube ad below:
