What Makes a Great Commercial? AT&T Wireless' Sweet Pea Commercial

On paper, the commercial sounds hokey. A little girl sneaks her stuffed animal into her father's briefcase when he goes on a trip. He sends back pictures of the animal from the places he visits until the final picture shows he's come back home to her. She runs to his arms, giving him a hug.

That's it, but it creates one of the best ads I've seen in a long time. AT&T's Sweet Pea commercial is an effective piece of advertising. Breaking it down, here are the reasons I think it works.

STORYLINE

As a father who has had to be away on business trips, I can attest to how difficult it is to be away from your young daughter. I imagine that's why the commercial hits home for so many parents. Those of us who do travel rely on the phone to keep that line back to our loved ones, and to share where you are with them. The happy ending of the commercial, with the little girl jumping into the arms of her daddy, melts me everytime I see it. Whether it is after an absence of several days, or simply coming home from work, those little arms wrapped around your neck make a bad day seem magical.

SONG

The lyrics and jaunty tune of Amos Lee's "Sweet Pea" capture the mood and storyline perfectly.

Sweet pea
Apple of my eye
Don't know when and I don't know why
You're the only reason I keep on coming home

CLEVER REPRESENTATIONS OF COMPANY SLOGAN

The ad has numerous representations of the "more bars in more places" theme, with the ascending signal strength meter being represented by bread, playground equipment, buildings, and other items found within the scene. While these are not necessarily obvious in the first viewing, their clever incorporation into the commercial helps drive home AT&T Wireless' message that their signal is strong in more places.

SHOWING HOW THE PRODUCT CAN BE USED

Most of us adults know we have cameras on our cell phones, and we use them in a pinch when nothing else is available, but how many of us think of using them as another method to keep in touch with our loved ones? AT&T has shown a practical use for a feature that many adults don't use, picture messaging.

IT'S CUTE AND SWEET

The commercial's gentle humor shines through in the different situations the man places the monkey in. Whether it is sitting at a boardroom table, or climbing the Empire State Building, the commercial brings a smile to your face. And that adorable litle girl running up to her daddy and throwing her arms around him makes it a 10 on the "Awwwwwwww!" scale.

IT DOESN'T WEAR OUT

Unlike commercials that rely on an element of suprise, cheap humor, or catchphrases, this one doesn't wear out. No matter how many times I've seen it, I watch it again, simply because that little girl hugging her daddy gets me every single time.