Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without mince pies, roast turkey, crackers … and a tear-jerking advert from John Lewis.
The department store has long made it its mission to convert even the most avowed Scrooges, and this year is no exception. The £7million Disney-inspired advert, which makes its TV debut tomorrow, tells the story of a selfless hare who is determined to make sure his best friend, a bear, doesn’t miss Christmas for once.
However, it has a lot to live up to, for its predecessors have become a social media phenomenon with millions of YouTube hits and huge soundtrack sales. The commercial features the tale of two good friends, a bear and a hare, who are sad at the thought of being separated for Christmas.
聖誕節如果少了餡餅、烤火雞、餅乾以及John Lewis賺人淚水的廣告，就不是聖誕節了！Christmas對於歐美零售業來說，絕對是銷售年度一大盛事。John Lewis 是英國倫敦最大的百貨商店，從1864年在倫敦牛津街開辦第一家店鋪算起，已有139年的歷史，主做時裝、化妝品、童裝和家具等生意。近幾年也針對聖誕節，推出主打的電視廣告，並配合行銷活動，來帶動聖誕買氣，而今年也不例外。
長期以來John Lewis認為要求一般民眾掏腰包不是一項困難的問題，但想要那些「守錢奴」也甘願從口袋拿出白花花的金子買單，可就是一大任務了！
今年的聖誕廣告主題為＂Hare and Bear（野兔與熊）＂，花費700萬英鎊製作充滿迪士尼風格的動畫廣告，內容是敘述無私的野兔如何讓牠最好的熊麻吉，能擺脫年年冬眠的困擾，體驗聖誕節的溫暖與快樂。
- Sob (v.) 嗚咽； 啜泣
She broke down and sobbed aloud.
她禁不住大聲哭了起來。
- Tear-jerking (adj.) 催人淚下的；煽情的
- Hare (n.) 野兔
- Mince Pies 餡餅(通常在聖誕節食用)
- Crackers (n.) 【美】餅乾
I'm not really hungry - - I ' ll just have some crackers.
我真的不餓--我就吃幾塊餅乾吧。
- Avow (v.) 自稱；自認；坦率承認；公開聲明
He avowed himself a patriot. 他自稱自己是愛國者。
- Scrooge (n.) 吝嗇鬼；守財奴
- Debut (n.) 首次露面；初次登台
The actress made her debut in the new comedy.
這位演員在那齣新喜劇中首次登臺演出。
- Debut (n.) 首次露面；初次登台
- Selfless (adj.) 無私的
- Live up to 不辜負；實踐；遵守
Everyone ought to live up to what he knows to be right .
自己認為對的, 就應該在生活中去實踐。
- Predecessor (n.) 前輩；原有事物
- Phenomenon (n.) 現象
The employment problem tends to be a city phenomenon. 就業問題常常是一個城市現象。
The store has used hand drawn animation to tell the story with the result the commercial looks very much like a classic Disney film from the 1940s, such as Bambi, which has been watched by generations of children.
The technique taps in to feelings of nostalgia, while it also tells a heart-warming story which, based on past experience, will have many in tears.
The tale opens as winter is starting to draw in and the fun and excitement of preparing for Christmas begins. As the first snowflake falls and lands on the bear’s nose, the hare starts to feel sad because he realises his friend will soon go off to hibernate, so – as usual - missing Christmas.
While the bear is keen to join in, eventually he finds he cannot hold off his winter sleep any longer and disappears into his cave. Viewers see the bear fast asleep while all the other woodland creatures become excited about the big day to come.
John Lewis決定採用手工繪製的動畫來敘述這個故事，讓這部商業廣告看起來非常像1940年代經典的迪士尼電影，如 Bambi (小鹿斑比)。運用懷舊的感覺，帶出溫馨的故事，根據以往的廣告驚艷，我們可以肯定今年一定也會需要很多的衛生紙！
故事的開頭以動物們因為聖誕節的到來而感到興奮，但當第一片雪花落在熊的鼻頭上時，兔子馬上就意識到牠的朋友很快就會進入冬眠，像往常一樣，缺席聖誕節。
雖然熊也想踴躍地加入，但最終仍不敵睡意…看到其他動物正忙碌地為聖誕節做準備，可是只有熊自己一人孤伶伶的躺在洞穴裡，強烈的對比強化熊的孤寂，讓人忍不住鼻酸。
- Nostalgia (n.) 懷舊之情
He thought with nostalgia of his carefree childhood . 他懷念地想起那無憂無慮的童年。
- Hibernate (v.) 冬眠、過冬
Squirrels and hedgehogs hibernate. 松鼠和刺蝟是冬眠動物。
- Keen (adj.) 熱心的、熱衷的；渴望的
Mrs . Miller is very keen on art.
Miller 太太對藝術很感興趣。
(﹡keen on 熱衷於…；喜愛…)
- Hold off 抵擋；拖延
- Woodland (n.) 林地
However, the hare is missing his friend and finds it increasingly difficult to join in the preparations until the moment he has a great idea for a very special present. He disappears off in to the wilderness to return with the gift – an alarm clock – which wakes the bear just in time to gather around a beautifully decorated tree to celebrate with all his friends.
The commercial, which carries the strapline ‘Give someone a Christmas they’ll never forget’, is the first for the chain to use hand drawn animation. A spokesman said: ‘The story evokes the excitement of a first Christmas and the importance of friendship and thoughtfulness.’
The songs linked to John Lewis commercials, which generally involve a new take on much loved hits from the past, have been central to the success of its campaigns. This year, Lily Allen is performing a version of the Keane’s 2004 hit ‘Somewhere Only We Know’.
今年廣告傳達的理念是「帶給別人一個永生難忘的聖誕節」。John Lewis的發言人表示，『野兔與熊』喚起觀看者對第一次聖誕節的興奮感及友誼和體貼的重要性。今年歌曲則採用英國女歌手 Lily Allen 翻唱英國 Keane 基音合唱團的 Somewhere only we know。
- Wilderness (n.) 荒野、不毛之地
- Strapline (n.) 品牌標語
- Evoke (v.) 喚起…
That old movie evoked memories of my childhood.那部老電影喚起了我童年的記憶。
- Thoughtfulness (n.) 體貼；深思熟慮
John Lewis has outperformed the rest of the high street since the emotive advertising series was first launched at Christmas 2009. Last year, the commercial featured a snowman’s determined trek to find his loved one a perfect gift to a version of The Power of Love by young English singer, Gabrielle Aplin.
自從2009年推出感人的聖誕廣告後，John Lewis的表現始終優於其他業者。去年的聖誕節廣告標題訂為「雪人的旅行 The Journey」，是雪人哥哥頂著寒風長途跋涉、歷經千辛萬苦，只為了替雪人妹妹買一份完美的禮物。歌曲是 Gabrielle Aplin 所演唱的 The Power of Love，沉靜在音樂和廣告中，你會感受到 “ Give a little more love this Christmas給你所珍愛的人再多一點的愛，就能讓感恩的季節更為珍貴 ”。
- High street (n.) 【英】主要街道；商圈
- Emotive (adj.) 感情的；情緒的
Child abuse is an emotive subject. 虐待兒童是一個易引發強烈感情的問題。
- Trek (n./v.) 艱苦跋涉
I'm afraid it's a bit of a trek to the station. 到車站怕有一大段路程吧。
2011年的廣告「漫長的等待 The Long Wait」，是從小孩子的角度切入，總盼望著聖誕節快點到來，每天都認為時間過得不夠快。當12/25的鬧鐘一響，他急著打開的不是床邊爸媽準備的禮物，而是到自己衣櫃，拿出一個包裝有些不精緻的箱子，到爸媽房間。原來，小男孩是想在聖誕節時給父母一份驚喜，而不是自己想要一份禮物。－For gifts you can’t wait to give.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2491761/John-Lewis-Christmas-advert-tells-hare-making-sure-bear-best-friend-doesnt-miss-out.html#ixzz2kP3epmtr
