This Whisky Ad From South Africa Is More Heartwarming Than Most of the Super Bowl Commercials

Scotch whisky brand Bell's and ad agency King James might just lift your spirits with this South African ad with an elderly man struggling to overcome his illiteracy so he can celebrate a family milestone.

Director Greg Gray of Velocity Films employs a restrained cinematic style to show "The Reader" diligently practicing his A-B-Cs at every opportunity. There are some deft details: Our hero initially misspells "Kat" while playing Scrabble but gets it right later on, and he places cards reading "Kettle," "Oven" and "Taps" on corresponding objects around his home.

The literacy angle might sound like a stretch, but the idea of celebrating personal triumphs by toasting with Bell's feels on target, and the heartfelt acting and storytelling are strong enough to yield a potent emotional payoff.

Indeed, good scotch should leave you with a warm feeling inside.

Via Design Taxi.


    

Cape Argus newspaper: AIDS stats

Cape Argus newspaper: AIDS stats

Advertising Agency: KING JAMES, Cape Town, South Africa
Executive Creative Director: Alistair King
Creative Directors: Paige Nick, Karin Barry
Copywriter: Jabulani Sigege
Art Director: Rachel Brown
Account Supervisor: Lesley Wright
Advertiser’s Supervisor: Michael Vale

Cape Union Mart store card: Snake

Cape Union Mart store card: Snake

55 days to pay. Or maybe never at all.

Advertising Agency: King James, Johannesburg, South Africa
Creative Directors: Matthew Brink, Adam Livesey
Copywriter: Matthew Brink
Art Director / Typographer: Adam Livesey
Photographer: Clive Stewart
Art Buyers: Andrea Davies, Adam Livesey, Matthew Brink
Account Supervisor: Lesley Wright
Retoucher: Rob Frew

Cape Union Mart store card: Crocodile

Cape Union Mart store card: Crocodile

55 days to pay. Or maybe never at all.

Advertising Agency: King James, Johannesburg, South Africa
Creative Directors: Matthew Brink, Adam Livesey
Copywriter: Matthew Brink
Art Director / Typographer: Adam Livesey
Photographer: Clive Stewart
Art Buyers: Andrea Davies, Adam Livesey, Matthew Brink
Account Supervisor: Lesley Wright
Retoucher: Rob Frew

Cape Union Mart store card: Shark

Cape Union Mart store card: Shark

55 days to pay. Or maybe never at all.

Advertising Agency: King James, Johannesburg, South Africa
Creative Directors: Matthew Brink, Adam Livesey
Copywriter: Matthew Brink
Art Director / Typographer: Adam Livesey
Photographer: Clive Stewart
Art Buyers: Andrea Davies, Adam Livesey, Matthew Brink
Account Supervisor: Lesley Wright
Retoucher: Rob Frew

Cape Union Mart store card: Lioness

Cape Union Mart store card: Lioness

55 days to pay. Or maybe never at all.

Advertising Agency: King James, Johannesburg, South Africa
Creative Directors: Matthew Brink, Adam Livesey
Copywriter: Matthew Brink
Art Director / Typographer: Adam Livesey
Photographer: Clive Stewart
Art Buyers: Andrea Davies, Adam Livesey, Matthew Brink
Account Supervisor: Lesley Wright
Retoucher: Rob Frew

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 4

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 4

Change what you’re known for.

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
Creative Directors: Alistair King, Devin Kennedy
Art Director: Christiaan Conradie
Copywriter: Bianca Brandi
Photographer: Mischa Taylor
Published: April 2008

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 3

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 3

Change what you’re known for.

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
Creative Directors: Alistair King, Devin Kennedy
Art Director: Christiaan Conradie
Copywriter: Bianca Brandi
Photographer: Mischa Taylor
Published: April 2008

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 2

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 2

Change what you’re known for.

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
Creative Directors: Alistair King, Devin Kennedy
Art Director: Christiaan Conradie
Copywriter: Bianca Brandi
Photographer: Mischa Taylor
Published: April 2008

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 1

South African Young Lions 2008: Change, 1

Change what you’re known for.

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
Creative Directors: Alistair King, Devin Kennedy
Art Director: Christiaan Conradie
Copywriter: Bianca Brandi
Photographer: Mischa Taylor
Published: April 2008

Kulula South African Tourism: Swede

Kulula South African Tourism: Swede

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
E.C.D: Alistair King
Art director: Greg Cameron
Copywriter/Creative Head: Paige Nick
Agency Producer: Sam Kelly
Account executives: Melanie de Winnaar, Lisa Roux
Production Company: Velocity Films, Johannesburg
Director: Anton Visser
Producer: Prenneven Govender
D.O.P: Michael Cleary
Post production co: Left Post Production
Editor: James Hosking
Facility co: The Refinery
Visual Effects/animation co: Depth VFX
Audio Facility: Produce
Audio Engineer: Louis Enslin

Kulula South African Tourism: American

Kulula South African Tourism: American

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
E.C.D: Alistair King
Art director: Greg Cameron
Copywriter/Creative Head: Paige Nick
Agency Producer: Sam Kelly
Account executives: Melanie de Winnaar, Lisa Roux
Production Company: Velocity Films, Johannesburg
Director: Anton Visser
Producer: Prenneven Govender
D.O.P: Michael Cleary
Post production co: Left Post Production
Editor: James Hosking
Facility co: The Refinery
Visual Effects/animation co: Depth VFX
Audio Facility: Produce
Audio Engineer: Louis Enslin

Kulula South African Tourism: Japanese

Kulula South African Tourism: Japanese

Advertising Agency: King James, Cape Town, South Africa
E.C.D: Alistair King
Art director: Greg Cameron
Copywriter/Creative Head: Paige Nick
Agency Producer: Sam Kelly
Account executives: Melanie de Winnaar, Lisa Roux
Production Company: Velocity Films, Johannesburg
Director: Anton Visser
Producer: Prenneven Govender
D.O.P: Michael Cleary
Post production co: Left Post Production
Editor: James Hosking
Facility co: The Refinery
Visual Effects/animation co: Depth VFX
Audio Facility: Produce
Audio Engineer: Louis Enslin