The following television commercial by Tencent on popular Chinese video sharing website Youku was uploaded within the past 2 days and has already been viewed over 450k times. Tencent is best known for its popular instant messaging and “social networking” service QQ. Last year, it was also recently involved in a very public public relations battle against another Chinese internet company Qihoo, makers of popular anti-virus and privacy protection software, known as “360 vs QQ“.
In addition to coinciding with the current Chinese New Year (aka Spring Festival) holiday period, this commercial captures many other common themes such as the love of a parent, generation gaps, aspiring children studying abroad (in America), and loneliness being separated from family.
Transcript & Translation: (Note: Place your mouse cursor over the English to see the original Chinese)
Home:
She,
is the person closest to me,
but perhaps of being too close,
there is a distance [between us].
(In front of the TV)
Son: Press this here.
Airport:
At that time,
I really wanted to get away.
i finally realized this wish.
(Mother learning how to use computer)
Man: This is your son’s account number.
Library:
One day,
she suddenly appeared on QQ.
Subway:
It was only when I was separated from her on opposite ends of the Earth,
that I gradually came to understand life,
understand her.
Sitting in the cold on a bench:
My missing her,
because of the distance, continuously grew.
My prejudice against her,
because of the distance, disappeared completely.
(Chinese New Year home gathering)
Mom: Hey, son, they’ve all come. The weather is cold, you take care of yourself.
Dad: Son! Your dad made dumplings by himself!)
Mom: Next year you must come back!
Son: Okay.
Though the distance is far,
our hearts are close.
Love suddenly became a pleasant surprise
nagging became beautiful music.
Son now working in office building:
No matter how far my mother is from me,
With a snap of the fingers,
I feel,
she is right by my side.
12 years of accompanying you.
Tencent
A copy on YouTube:
Comments from Youku:
dophinblue:
Sofa, I like, requesting information about the male actor.
爵迹荣光 : (responding to above)
Li Boxiang.
This advertisement is so touching.
87留歌:
It is touching because it is based on life. The director is very observant.
lawlighto:
Skype wishes to express that QQ’s video is not gei li.
FeliceMA:
I’ve always used Skype, NND, those who have been abroad all known that TX’s [Tencent’s] video is both unclear and slow and yet TX has the gall to make this video [advertisement]. And what more, what TMD year is it now and they still don’t support Mac and Linux video and audio.
NovakDong: (responding to above)
Exactly!!! I too wanted to bring up this issue! However, it was still very moving!
王什么超:
I must admit that this is the first time I have shed tears in front of a video on Youku.
StanleyPark:
[I] miss Dad and Mom, want to go home!
diudiupaopao:
I spent this Spring Festival just like in this video. This is already my third Spring Festival [spent away from home/family]. I really miss my family.
zoobirde:
Fuck, family reunion. It is already vexing enough for those of us here who can’t go home, and they insist on making such this video to make people feel worse.
lara777:
QQ’s video quality has improved, [though] the speed is still not as gei li as Skype~ However, I still use QQ more to contact my family! It’s been 2 years since I’ve spent Spring Festival with my family, 555 [“wu wu wu“, a crying sound], though I’ve been back to China during summer vacation.
napyang:
I really cried watching this. This is the first time I’ve spent Spring Festival overseas, and I miss my parents. I wish my parents good health~~~
chouben525:
My eyes are wet, those who have never spent Chinese New Year’s away from home wouldn’t understand.
marina861010:
It’s the [Chinese] new year…and Tencent posts such a huge tearjerker…
lalalolala:
Going to Columbia [University], and still working for a Chinese restaurant…
lianglqufo:
I’m also in NY…after watching this, my face was covered in tears…
MichaelFly23:
Can’t help crying, Damn it. I miss my parents~~
gujunjun:
After watching, tears were already rolling down my face. It really is true. Many things, only when you’ve lost them will you truly go understand, go cherish, go care for, and go reflect upon!
未夏易冷:
I didn’t imagine that there would be so many overseas students leaving comments here, I feel a lot of pressure [feel intimidated, inadequate].
颖。wu:
The moment he was leaving at the airport I started crying. Really, only if you’ve gone abroad would you understand.
fbwkimi:
This is the second Spring Festival I am spending alone in Italy. Seeing this video today on Spring Festival Eve, I immediately cried. After all these years, this is the first time I have cried from watching a commercial. Truly it is only overseas students who can understand this feeling, especially that part in the subway which is exactly just like my life every day. Every detail, every line is something we have experienced and felt. May everything be well at home for the new year.
nonanmer:
I’ve been in Melbourne for three years without going home, [I] miss my parents and family, thank you Tencent.
不食人间湮火:
I really cried from being so moved. Truly a good advertisement.
脸谱ab:
Really missing my son in Melbourne.
bbsking1:
This advertisement isn’t bad, but this brand…
纷岚诺:
Completely and utterly feel the same…
吓死猫的耗子:
If this advertisement was changed to MSN, it would still make you cry~
motly:
…Studying abroad is like making a pornographic film…those who watch it enjoy it, yet don’t know how tragic the actors are…
yelcoo:
Tencent previously threw away its users, now it is using money to buy its users. Using this, it can completely kill off 360.
飞扬的孤单:
Never studied abroad, never left the country, but still moved to tears. This video is not about Tencent or 360, but about the advertisement’s content, okay? This is about a child’s guilt, and a parent’s tolerance.
elsashisai:
Better than the CCTV Chinese New Year’s Eve Gala.
[Note: Although the CCTV Spring Festival Gala has been declining in popularity, videos of the show are still currently the most watched videos on Youku in recent days.]
给这玩呢:
It is the mother who is great, not Tencent!
上戏儿童合作园:
The Tencent that appeals to the affection between family members and the Tencent that wages war with 360 appears to be run by different bosses.
We recently posted a TV commercial Thailand telecommunications company DTAC called “Disconnect to Connect” and asked if there were any Chinese commercials that were as “good” and “touching”. What do you think of this commercial by Tencent? Is it good? Was it moving?
More reports and translations of videos and Chinese netizen comments from Youku here.
