TASK
Now that Christmas is coming the school has asked students to write a contribution for the school blog. On one of your Whatsapp groups some members are sharing Christmas adverts. After watching the two adverts below (Hafod Hardware & John Lewis), you decide to write a review for the school blog describing and comparing them. You can also recommend readers to watch them or not.
Write a blog entry using about 200 words.
Useful vocabulary here:
Descriptive language:
Positive descriptions
It has a catchy slogan
The advert offers alluring images of
It’s fairly entertaining
I found it very absorbing.
The ad is completely engrossing from start to finish.
I found the storyline so intriguing – I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.
The advert has a gripping storyline. It is gripping to the very end and also brilliantly acted.
You’ll love the ad – it’s riveting stuff. The boy gives a riveting performance.
I find adverts like these compulsive viewing.
I found the advert very compelling.
It is hands down (easily and without any doubt) the best ad this year.
The kid gives a compelling/ memorable/ stunning performance.
Her performance is mesmerizing.
The acting is very convincing.
The advert is intense and exciting from beginning to end.
The acting is excellent and it is beautifully filmed with close-ups of...
It is both entertaining and educational.
It is highly enlightening/inspiring/
Nevertheless, it's an original, thought-provoking advert and certainly worth seeing.
It is food for thought.
The advert provides a fascinating insight (understanding,vision) into the lifestyle in small villages.
No wonder the film has captured the imagination of audiences all over the world.
It's a deeply moving advert.
I admire the outstanding performance of the kid.
The ad conveys a powerful message
It's an innovative ad.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in human values.
One particular strength of the advert is...
The design/production/ performance/ advert is second to none (the best).
I would strongly advise you to see it.
Do not be put off (to make sb lose interest in or enthusiasm for sth.
Sp. Desanimar)by the topic/critics/song.
It will have you roaring with laughter (laugh very loudly).
Hats off to the kid who gives a stunning performance. He is remarkably convincing
For me, The strength of this ad lies in its powerful acting
and mundane (ordinary) realism.
This ad is a definite must-see.
You won't be disappointed.
I would urge you to watch it.
Don't miss it!
As a Christmas fan...
Being a mad Christmas enthusiast...
I am especially pleased with...
The highlight for me is...
What catches my attention in particular is...
It is certainly worth seeing.
It's well worth a watch.
It certainly made me look at Christmas in a different way!
Negative descriptions
The only drawback is...
I feel less happy about...
It doesn't live up to expectations
It probably won't appeal to...
I found the advert rather underwhelming
It's a clichéd /ˈkliːʃeɪd/ Christmas ad.
There are
two versions of this excruciating /ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/ ad.
The ad is
excruciatingly boring.
Implausible: Not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince;
not believable. Sp. Inverosímil. E.g. A rather implausible story.
Overhyped: promoted or publicized to excess exaggerating its good
qualities, in order to get a lot of public attention for it: Influencers
overhyped the ad.
Sentimental: producing emotions such as pity, romantic love or sadness,
which may be too strong or not appropriate; feeling these emotions too much.
Sp. Sensiblero: a slushy, sentimental story
Slushy: stories, films / movies or feelings that are considered to be
silly and without value because they are too emotional and romantic. Corny. Sp. Sensiblero: e.g. a slushy Christmas ad
cheesy:
1. not very good or original, and without style, in a way that is embarrassing but amusing. E.g. a cheesy ad. That’s the cheesiest storyline I’ve ever seen.
2. too emotional or romantic, in a way that is embarrassing. E.g. a cheesy love song. a cheesy ad.
drippy: boring, stupid and weak or sentimental. E.g. her drippy boyfriend. A drippy advert.
Tedious: lasting or taking too long and not interesting. Boring. E.g. A
very long and tedious advert.
Unconvincing: not seeming true or real; not making you believe that sth
is true: e.g.
I find the characters in the ad very unconvincing.
However, I found the plot rather predictable/disappointing.
I felt dissatisfied and slightly depressed by the advert's message.
I found the plot a little too simple.
The girl's character is too over-the-top to be convincing.
The advert has an unusual and rather old-fashioned message.
One particular weakness of the film is...
The music is not its best feature
I would strongly advise you not to see it.
I would definitely give it a miss (decide not to do sth.)
Don't waste your time!
Conclusion:
Finally,... Lastly,…To sum up,... All things considered,... All in all,…(with everything considered) In conclusion,... In general,… On
the whole…
Expressing personal opinion:
For my part,... In
my view… As I saw it,... To my mind,...
Here you will find more Useful language.
Watch the Hafod Hardware advert:
Sample sentences to describe it:
Here’s what happens. A little boy wakes up. He brushes his teeth, eats his breakfast and goes to work. He opens the shop, fixes a broom; he cleans the counter and restocks the shelves. He serves a customer, does a bit of accounting, serves another customer. At the end of the day he switches off the light, bends down to pick up a Christmas tree and – PLOT TWIST! – he’s actually a 30-year-old man. The message comes up: ‘Be a kid this Christmas’. The end
Read more about it:
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/04/the-100-christmas-ad-that-blows-john-lewis-out-of-the-water
Watch the John Lewis advert:
Sample sentences to describe it:
This advert
features a young girl, Ava, and a dragon who cannot stop himself
spurting fire, disrupting Christmas fun by melting a snowman and
burning down a Christmas tree. The story has a happy ending when Edgar uses his fiery breath to light the Christmas pudding for the village feast.
Read more about it here:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/nov/14/john-lewis-christmas-ad-excitable-dragon-edgar-waitrose
Aldi Christmas ad
Sample sentences to review this advert:
We see Kevin’s wife Katie and kids Jasper, Chantenay and Baby preparing for Christmas at home, with little carrot Baby announcing: ‘It’s not Christmas until my daddy gets home.’
Kevin is helped out by a hedgehog
Santa comes to save the day
Kevin meets a hedgehog, Harry, who attempts to help him by giving him a piggy back (to the theme of Pirates Of The Caribbean), but their madcap race is thwarted by ice and a big fall. But do not worry, as Santa is here to come to the rescue. Father Christmas finds Kevin and his hedgehog pal in the snow, and instead of taking them home in his sleigh, he hops onto his bicycle and flies through the air, ET style, with Kevin’s kids seeing the silhouette across the full moon. Kevin is reunited with his family in time for dinner, with Santa reading: ‘The magical moment was finally here, Christmas together with those you hold dear.
The ad is littered with cinematic references
While the ad steers clear of any mentions of Covid-19 and lockdown, the ‘getting home for Christmas’ message is sure to resonate at a time when the usual family festivities are up in the air. The ad instead opts for plenty of references to classic films – and you may notice another starry cameo in the form of the man in the big red suit.
Allegro Christmas advert
Read more about it here
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