Director Sune Sorensen of production company Hey Baby teamed with The Wonderful Agency on this lovely story to ring in the holiday spirit for floral delivery service Teleflora.
The spot introduces us to Matty who’s hospitalized during the holiday season when a magical encounter with a snowman ensures. There’s something unusual–and familiar–about this snowman. And thanks to Make-A Wish, Matty sees the person whom the snowman represents–his father who’s away on naval duty.
The production was shot in Vancouver, Canada, and includes local talent and crew. Sorensen related, “It’s hard enough to find strong, believable, child actors let alone one who has to not only carry the story but also deliver complex emotions on cue.” Clearly, he found one. “When Aaron Stansberry auditioned, the entire room starting crying. I don’t remember the last time that has happened. It was clear that he understood what it meant to his character in a very profound way. His tears felt genuine.”
The commercial is part of the “Power of Wishes” campaign which empowers Americans to help Teleflora donate $250,000 to the nonprofit organization Make-A-Wish. More than 4,000 children will receive a devastating diagnosis this holiday season and through this partnership, Teleflora will help Make-A-Wish grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. Donations are triggered when consumers order qualifying seasonal bouquets on Teleflora’s website, like the Teleflora and Make-A- Wish collaboration posts on Instagram or Facebook, or through an in-person activation at Rockefeller Center in New York City, where passersby can build a snowman on December 11. Teleflora will donate $10 to Make-A-Wish for every snowman built during the activation.
“This is the second year in a row that Teleflora and I have partnered with Make-A-Wish,” said Sorensen, “so I wanted to add a personal touch to the story, having been hospitalized myself as a child. I felt strongly about maintaining a level of authenticity–despite the nature of such an enchanted rendezvous–because at the core of the story it’s about a boy, who’s alone in a hospital and just wants to be with his Dad.”
