In the commercial Extra Gum: the Story of Sarah and Juan, they basically condense an entire Nicholas Sparks movie into two minutes and one pack of gum. Just with the title, they personalize the characters. It's not the story of two random people. It's Sarah. And it's Juan. Already, you feel a connection.
In the start of the commercial, they are just two high school students who make eye contact. It's specifically a scene that anyone can relate to. The actors have been carefully crafted to look youthful and slightly awkward, in an endearing sort of way. The girl has a braid. The boy has unruly hair. The eye contact was do to chance.
Later, Sarah drops her book at the locker, and Juan helps her pick them up. Obviously, this cutesy cliche is dripping with pathos. Another chance meeting! This is the moment. The moment when their fates hang in the balance. Will they continue to talk, or will they walk away, never to see each other again?
At this moment, the girl gives the guy a piece of gum. This is the moment they become friends. This is the first point in the commercial where something happened not due to chance. This pathosimplies that without the gum, they never would have talked.
Several scenes unfold next. A kiss in the car. A walk in the park. A picnic. Prom. A fight, they makeup. The girl travels away. She comes back.
All throughout these emotional scenes, little glimpses of gum are shown. The guy takes out a pen. Draws a line. The viewer does not pay much attention.
The girl comes back from a long trip, to see little drawings of the scenes on gum wrappers and ta-da! The last picture is of the guy proposing. She turns around, and there he is, down on one knee. Obviously, they get married and live happily ever after.
One minute and fifty seven seconds of pathos all tied up in a little bow made out of a gum wrapper and stick figures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLpDiIVX0Wo
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