BBDO Toronto created this emotional short film from stationary store Take Note which reminds us of the power of putting pen to paper. Titled Notes, the four-minute piece tells the life-long story of a relationship between two people from the notes they leave each other.
Released in time for Valentine’s Day, this love story is particularly poignant given the dominance of today’s digital communication. Texts, emails, and posts have largely replaced the role that handwritten letters, cards, and notes once served. In fact, a study by Docmail found that 1 in 3 adults hasn’t had reason to handwrite anything for six months.
Many are quick to point out the downside of this change. Author Philip Hensher, in his Wall Street Journal article, ‘The Lost Art of the Handwritten Note,’ argues, “Email and text exchanges won’t be treasured in the way that my teenage letters, scribbled journals and postcards have been for years.”
Jolanta Petrycka, the owner of Take Note, has seen this shift first hand, but doesn’t believe that handwritten letters and notes are a thing of the past. “Most of our day to day communication now is very utilitarian. But still, there’s nothing like receiving a handwritten letter in the mail or a note from someone you love.”
That’s exactly what BBDO Toronto, set out to capture with this piece. “Leaving a note for someone is so much more personal and thoughtful than a text,” said Chris Booth, an associate creative director behind the work. “We wanted to remind people how meaningful such a simple thing can be.”
The film was released on retailer Take Note’s Facebook page.
