Podcast An old issue: EPISODE 7 - THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS ADVERTISEMENTS
Hello, my name is Ricardo Crispim, and welcome to the 7th episode of the podcast "An Old Issue”! This is the last episode of 2023.
The fight for the recognition older adults’ dignity is halfway there, but progress is not guaranteed. When it's not guaranteed, it's always worth creating podcasts like this to discuss issues that concern some and, sooner or later, will concern everyone. It seems that few people want to die young, so eventually, they will grow old, and by then, everyone will want to be respected.
In an attempt to highlight the current challenges related to older adults, television, particularly the work of the media, has sought to bring some important reflections to the forefront of the social agenda. On the one hand, to highlight the atrocities committed against older adults. Let’s remember, for example, some news stories that brought to public discussion how poorly some people living in nursing homes were treated. In these cases, because in fact, they are the majority, the image that remains in our minds is that all nursing homes are places of survival, the end of the line for many, rather than places of life and positive experiences. On the other hand, there are some TV moments, few, very few, that highlight the brilliance of certain caregiving practices for older people. I don't know about you, but I believe the media is stuck in a very negative place. Perhaps it's a cultural issue. We find it easier to think negatively, to see the glass as half empty. Anyway...
Some credit must be given to the media for uncovering both the good and the not-so-good aspects of what is being done for and to older people. And yes, credit! Firstly, because it makes us uneasy about what we see and hear. Do we forget after a few moments? Perhaps! But the stimuli and demands are so numerous that in a scale of priorities, thinking about aging and old age still falls below what should be our reasons for concern. The post-industrial society is thirsty for youth, and in that scope, the elderly are losing importance. That's a known fact!
But, let’s keep our chin up and move onto emotional advertising. Television, particularly the marketing strategies of products shown on the magical screen, has managed to hit the nerve. More and more brands are investing in campaigns that are perfect for reflection, and Christmas is a suitable time for that, confronting us with our present and future. Christmas advertisements bring surprises that are not surprising because they tell us about what's happening right now.
Where do advertisers get their ideas from? I would say: from reality! We are still in the childhood stage when it comes to guaranteeing dignity, freedom, rights, and social justice for older people, and these advertisements manage to occupy a privileged place in changing perspectives and breaking prejudices.
I don't know if you are aware, but there's a group of people that, although growing significantly, remains invisible. The world is hybrid. It's not just young anymore; it's also old.
In this field, brands want to take a stand in the market. Is that bad? I don't think so. It's strategic and to be honest, it always helps to change stereotypes.
Brands like Amazon, Boticário, VODAFONE, NOS, and MEO, among others, have produced high-quality advertising campaigns that place old age in the centre of attentions. I surfed the internet briefly and found some beautiful advertisements. Let me start with the one that touched me the most, from EDEKA. EDEKA (I'm not sure if that's how it's pronounced) is the largest supermarket company in Germany and in 2015 it presented us with a heartwarming advertisement to remind us that one of the most important things about Christmas is spending time with family. If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it, but I highly recommended that you do. You might be overwhelmed for a few moments after you realize what the father/grandfather was capable of doing to bring the whole family together for Christmas after many years without seeing each other.
The following year, in 2016, the Polish auction website Allegro wanted to wish its followers a Merry Christmas with an equally touching video featuring an elderly gentleman who lives alone with his dog and dedicates all his time and effort to learning basic English concepts to speak with his granddaughter who lives in another country where the native language is precisely English.
Four years later, Made Possible Personal Training, a company selling personalized coaching services in the United States, launched an advertising campaign showing us how small steps lead a grandfather to his goal: lifting his granddaughter to the top of the Christmas tree so she can place the star on the tip. Along the way, he faces the shame of mocking looks from those who don't believe an old man can still exercise, alone, and against all odds. Even his daughter! He stays focused, and when he finally achieves his goal, he is filled with pride for what he has just accomplished.
This year, we were gifted with two masterful advertisements. One from MEO and another from NOS. The ad by MEO, with the slogan "When one door opens, the heart opens," shows the beauty of discovering the unknown. A young university student goes to live with an older lady. With a storyline that can make even the most insensitive person cry, this young woman helps the elderly lady to fulfill her wish: to skate. With so many university students looking for housing and so many lonely elderly people, the solution lies in partilhacasa.pt (the name of the platform where information about this empathy-promoting strategy can be found).
About the NOS advertisement… Well, with the title "The Present," the main character is an elderly lady, the matriarch of the family, who lives alone. Her house is the setting for Christmas Eve. The family gives her a mobile phone as a gift, which she realizes she doesn't need. Indeed, the presence of her family is enough for her. Watch it!
I want to finish this journey through the most beautiful Christmas advertisements with VODAFONE. This year, we were treated to a story about the power of memories, respect, empathy, ultimately, about Christmas. This advertising campaign tells the story of a boy who brings his boyfriend to spend Christmas Eve with his family and his aunt. In a mix of shock and pride, the aunt opens her own Pandora's box and experiences the wonder of love with a woman. It's worth seeing and feeling.
Other advertisements were left unmentioned, but I'll leave the links in the description so that you can experience your own Christmas stories.
That's all for today. In fact, that's all for me in 2023. Thank you for being on the other side and for helping me think. 2023 was a really good year, and for that, I want to thank you for accompanying me on this journey that has been as laborious as it has been exciting.
I deeply wish you a Merry Christmas with your family and friends and a 2024 filled with challenges and achievements.
Oh, before I finish, I can only thank InEnglish - Centro de Línguas e Tradução (located in Leiria, Portugal) for their unconditional support in this project that stopped being mine to become ours!
I’m counting on you in 2024. Until then.
I am Ricardo Crispim. Take care.
ADVERTISEMENTS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:
EDEKA: https://bit.ly/3NuPijE
Polish auction website Allegro: https://bit.ly/41pt4oO
Made Possible Personal Training: https://bit.ly/4asyXWH
VODAFONE: https://bit.ly/48ICMW7
OTHER EQUALLY BEAUTIFUL ADVERTISEMENTS WORTH SEEING:
