Food is so heavily embedded into the culture of a country, that local people rarely notice how wonderful–and sometimes weird–their own food is. That is, until someone from a different place arrives…

This insight sets the scene for J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam’s new TV commercial for Dutch supermarket PLUS. The film follows the story of Ismail, a Syrian boy from a refugee family. At his new school he befriends Lucas, who introduces him to Dutch food in all its glory.

True Dutch delicacies are presented–and tasted with varied success–including familiar favorites like pickled herring with raw onions, toasted cheese and ham sandwiches (sans ham for Ismael), and the classic deep-fried meat snack, the “bitterbal.”

Ismael ten Heuvel via production house Pink Rabbit directed this spot. He was so moved by the narrative that he named the protagonist after himself. The same director worked on JWT Amsterdam and PLUS supermarket’s rather controversial Christmas TV commercial which featured a co-parenting family and showed how they celebrated Christmas. This spot was one of the Netherlands’ most lauded Christmas ads of 2017.

Credits

Client PLUS Supermarkets Agency J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam Bas Korsten, creative partner; Chris Sant, Dieuwer Bulthuis, creative leads; Budi Gonzalez de Chaves, business lead; Daan de Raaf, strategy lead; Charlene Thomas, concept producer; Marloes van den Berg, Kirsten van den Berg, screen producers. Production Pink Rabbit Ismael ten Heuvel, director; Monique van Beckhoven, producer. Music Amp.amsterdam, featuring Andrew Simple, Diederik van Middelkoop, creative director; Bart van Liemt, producer. Sound Studio Alfred Klaassen Jacco Lenstra, Hans van de Loo, producers.

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