Being with your family during the holidays can be awkward, and it can be especially awkward if you're a teenager who's transitioning from male to female. Elkjøp, an electronics chain in Norway, has created this heartwarming Christmas ad about understanding and acceptance between a father and his daughter.
The spot, titled "The Teen," starts out with a pan into the living room of an ordinary family home during the holidays. Mom is bringing out a punch bowl, gifts are being exchanged, the family is playing games and laughing—when we suddenly shift focus to dad, who is turning a gift over and over in his hands.
He looks up from the gift and across to where his transgender daughter is sitting and pulling uncomfortably at the sleeves of her sweater.
Dad gets up his courage and walks over, handing the gift to his daughter and still trying to sort through his own feelings. The daughter unwraps it to discover a 2-in-1 hair straighter and curling iron—a gift that clearly shows Dad's acceptance of her as she is.
They both smile, but don't say a word. That's because the slogan for the campaign is, "A gift can say it all."
In case you don't read Norwegian, the YouTube description under the video translates to, "It can be difficult to tell someone what you really think and feel. This year, one can say a lot with a gift from Elkjøp. Add a little extra thought into this year's gift, and maybe you'll finally say something you've thought about for a long time but never said. Merry Christmas!"
In a time when many of us are looking ahead to an awkward holiday, ads like these remind us to show compassion and love, no matter what divides us.
Check out two more spots from series below, from DDB Stockholm and director Martin Werner.
CREDITS
Client: Elkjøp
Agency: DDB Stockholm
Director: Martin Werner, Bacon
