The Man, the Dog, and the Box of Tissues

Background

Break out the tissues! This one's a tear jerker and it's based on a true story...

Hachikō statue at Sibuya, Japan

"The man and the dog" was created by DDB and directed by Rodrigo Garcia Saiz for Funcion Argentina De Transplante Hepatico, which translates to Argentine Foundation of Hepatic Transplantation. This ad was created to encourage people to be organ transplants. The director clearly had a vision for this ad. The story is based on the Japanese tale of Hachikō. Hachikō was a dog that was so loyal that he waited for his owner at the train station at the same time every day even after his owner died. The people of Japan were so moved by Hachikō's loyalty that many statues have been erected in his honor.After the release of the video in 2015, it went viral. "The man and the dog" has been nominated for multiple awards and over 2 million people have viewed it. People fell in love and were bawling by the end of the story Saiz told. See if you agree!

The Story

This story is about a man whose loyal dog follows him everywhere, even to the hospital when he is suddenly ill, where the dog is forced to wait outside until a woman who benefited from his owner’s organ donation emerges. In the beginning, the dog and the man are just beginning there day like any other and enjoy each others company. Towards the middle of the story, the man is rushed to the hospital and the dog must remain outside. But in the end, the dog recognizes his owner's organs in the woman who is wheeled out of the hospital. While there isn't a clear antagonist in the story, the dog was the protagonist! Who wouldn't be able to root for those big eyes? The conflict in the story, man vs. society, is present throughout the story. In the beginning, the rules make it impossible for the dog to follow the man everywhere, but this conflict is heightened when the dog is forced to wait outside the hospital for his owner. The story is character driven because we get to see what the dog is like with his owner, what he is like without him, and how he responds when he meets the woman who has his owner's organs. The story is so emotional that it keeps the audience glued to the screen to find out what will happen next to this poor pup. The director used the universal experiences of love and loss to tug at the audience's heart strings. He emphasizes the overall loving theme of the ad by showing us little mundane moments of a man and his best friend's life together. But the dog's grief over his owner is clear too due to the dark scenery. The emotion of love was particularly strong at the end when it becomes clear that the owner and dog's bond continues to exist even after death. These are emotions just about everyone can relate too. Who hasn't lost someone they loved before? Perhaps my favorite part of the advertisement was the twist ending. As someone who already knew Hachikō's story, I thought I had it all figured out. However, the story was different enough to keep me interested; I was really invested in what would happen to this dog. I was so surprised when the dog joyful leaped into the woman's lap! It was a sweeter ending than what actually happened in reality.

Principles of Visual Storytelling

How is it relevant?

For anyone who's ever been a dog owner this story is relevant. It plays with the universal bond man has with dogs. They're not called man's best friend for nothing.

How is it sensory?

Although there were no overwhelming instances of sensory in this ad, there were some moments that stood out to me. For example, it felt like you were really with the dog whenever real world sounds played over the music. This happens twice during the ad: when the ambulance takes off to the hospital and when rain pours while the dog waits outside. I think these choices really help to bring the story to life and evoke more emotion into the scene.

How was it authentic?

This ad was basically a retelling of a true story! Not only a true story, but the story's protagonist is still beloved and celebrated today by the Japanese people. You can't get much more authentic than that.

How did it use archetypes?

The faithful dog archetype has been around for ages. It can even be dated back to the Iliad! This archetype features a dog who is unquestionably loyal to its owner and would do anything for him or her.

Elements of Media

The audio for "The man and his dog" was what stood out to me the most. Before I watched this ad, I had no idea it was for a non-profit in Argentina. This ad is universal and the choice to leave dialogue out of the audio contributes to that fact. Even when music is played, there are no lyrics––the story is supported by music but the music doesn't lead the story, visuals do. The shots in the beginning of the video tend to have a high saturation, which helps to convey a warm, fuzzy tone. However, when the man suddenly suffers a heart attack, the colors become much darker, most notably when the dog is stuck in the rain. This is meant to convey the dog's sadness without his owner. Once the woman arrives, however, suddenly the sun is shining and everything is much brighter to emphasize the dog's joy. I think the end text in the ad is very important. Without the end text, you don't really understand why the dog is so happy to see the woman. But by placing text at the end of the ad as well, viewers are drawn in, and looking for a solution to the story. Seeing the text at the end helps bring the story full circle.