Prepare to have your heartstrings pulled. This ad spot for the Starship Foundation by DDB New Zealand and director Steve Ayson pulls out all the stops. Everything from the music to the acting are perfect for making you cry like a worker in an onion plant. Have a quick watch before reading the rest of this article:
Starship Foundation: Father and Son
The spot is based on this phrase you’ve probably heard or used before, “I would trade places with you if I could.” And boy is it effective as a concept!
It starts off with a very somber feel. The father looks sad and isn’t saying a word, which makes the music even more effective. When the family walks into the hospital, I noticed the young girl taking information from adult patients, which made me think something was up. After the hug-switch and the line, “You can’t trade places, but you can help,” I needed a minute to recover.
The ad concluded with information on how to donate. You can call a number to donate $20, or send a text to a short code to donate $3. How handy!
It’s interesting how short codes keep popping up all over the place. This is an excellent example of one effective use in a TV spot. Right at the end when you are about to weep, instead of whipping out your checkbook or making a phone call with a runny nose, you can simply send a text and donate a few bucks to that super cute child.
According to Susan Marshall of Online Media Daily, 
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