A charming pub in Northern Ireland touches hearts worldwide with its heartfelt holiday advertisement
A small Northern Irish bar has touched the world's hearts with its incredible holiday commercial, surpassing larger competitors This touching ad has taken the internet by storm, spreading warmth and joy
During the holiday season, Christmas commercials have become a tradition for retail giants like Disney and British department store John Lewis, often featuring morals and mini-stories. However, this year, Charlies Bar, a small establishment in Northern Ireland, has outshone them all with a heartwarming commercial that has gone viral. Social media users have praised its "beautiful message" and "poignant" storyline.
The video, shared on social media platforms last Friday, shows an elderly man placing flowers on his wife's grave before walking through the streets of Enniskillen, trying to greet passersby who ignore him.
He walks into a bar and takes a seat by himself. Soon after, a small and amicable dog comes up to him, accompanied by its young owners. They all end up sharing a joyful drink together. The video, clocking in at just over two minutes, ends with a famous quote often linked to the poet W.B. Yeats: "There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't yet met."
"The holiday season can bring about a sense of loneliness for many, which is why the focus of the story was on the importance of kindness," explained Aoife Teague, the content creator responsible for filming and editing the commercial, in an interview with CNN.
"The message behind the commercial is to spread love and to recognize that there are individuals who experience loneliness and do not find Christmas to be a joyful time of year. It's about reaching out and being a friend, just like the dog in the commercial symbolizes approaching someone and the positive impact it can have on their day."
Charlies Bar, a family-owned establishment in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, has been serving the local community since 1944.
Manager Una Burns collaborated closely with Teague to create the commercial. According to Teague, Burns and a friend developed the storyline after meeting lonely customers at the bar looking for companionship. The three of them then quickly sketched out a storyboard on a piece of paper and Teague filmed the commercial in just three hours.
The winners of the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photo Award have been announced. According to Teague, the four main characters in the ad are all from the local area. He explained that the couple are friends of Una who happened to have a delightful dog named Missy. Additionally, Martin McManus, who plays the role of the old man, is involved in the local community theater scene.
By Thursday, the video had garnered 1.2 million views on TikTok since being posted on Friday evening, along with over 147,000 likes on Facebook. Teague admitted that the overwhelming response "hasn't really sunk in."
Furthermore, the impact extended beyond social media, with individuals from Canada, the United States, and Germany reaching out to express how much the video resonated with them or how meaningful it was.
"Strangers, and even people who have never been to the bar, have called to donate money for someone who may be spending Christmas alone. The goal is to buy them a drink or simply offer some conversation," she explained.
"I believe this video has made a significant impact, even beyond what we had anticipated."
