Grab a Tissue. This Lovely Ad About a Son’s Loyalty Is a Powerful Homage to Gratitude

One of Thailand’s largest companies, a conglomerate called Charoen Pokphand Group (C.P. Group), has released a moving ad about a son who regularly goes the extra mile to take care of his ailing mom.

The 6-minute film tells the emotional story of a teacher who takes his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, to school every day with him so he can look after her. As one can imagine, his decision to bring his ailing mom to school provokes some curious looks from his students–and causes parents to worry that their children are becoming distracted by her presence. One dad even becomes so concerned that he considers transferring his child to a different school.

As parents increasingly begin to grumble and gossip about the situation, the principal decides to have a talk with the teacher to let him know he’s willing to help him find a caretaker for his mother during school hours. While their conversation unfolds, his mother wanders out of the classroom and becomes lost, leading to a tense search aided by the students.

As the principal explains to parents: “He only has one mother, and she only has him.” Once the parents realize how much the teacher has sacrificed to care for her, they begin to ease up and empathize with him.

Created by Ogilvy Thailand, the ad is part of a campaign recently launched by C.P. Group called “Gratitude,” celebrating what the company describes as a key part of Thailand’s cultural identity. As the YouTube summary of the video notes about the ad’s storyline, “Gratitude will be the seed that grows in the minds of the children.”

“Gratitude has always been an integral part of Thai culture,” says chief executive Supachai Chearavanont. “This campaign is all about the gratitude we have for all of our consumers, suppliers, and stakeholders that have each played a role in our success.”

Minda Smiley

@Minda_Smiley

Minda Smiley is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer focused on creativity