I’m an awkward person. If you were to ask me to look into my mother’s eyes for four straight minutes, I’ll cheat and look at her nose bridge to get through it, instead.
Like me, you probably had seen this ad floating around YouTube, but chose to skip it. The next time you see it popping up, consider watching it — it’ll make you reach for a box of Kleenex. If you’re out of the loop, here’s what went down.
Life insurance company Prudential recently conducted a social experiment where six pairs of people were invited to look into each other’s eyes for four minutes. The result? It’s awkward, playful, sentimental, and nothing short of amazing.
The video starts off innocently enough — a bunch of grins and bashful gesture. A Chinese woman tells her husband not to look at her hair, while a Malay man says the long duration of the social experiment is going to cause all of his teeth to fall out.
By the middle of the experiment, the people start tearing up. One sister talks about her painful memory when her kid brother became sick. Another sister thanks her older sibling for taking care of their father. A couple hug it out, a gesture the husband proclaimed they haven’t done in a long time.
When Prudential asked what the experience was like, all of the participants described it as emotional. A father shared a sentiment that will, no doubt, have the rest of the participants nod in agreement.
“Very rarely do we have the opportunity to stand side by side. It’s quite an emotional moment, because it’s something you want to treasure.”
The aim of the campaign is to inspire everyone to take a step back from their hectic lives and focus on the things that matter the most, namely reconnecting with their loved ones. Captivating and profound, this is going to be a powerful memory that’s bound to stay with them (and us) for a long time.
Damn these onions.
Featured image credit: Prudential video YouTube screengrab
