In collaboration with Publicis Toronto, Rogers has launched its first-ever long-format Christmas ad to show customers can stay connected even when they’re physically apart.

Titled “Wish You Were Here,” the nearly three-minute film tells the story of a couple separated by distance during the holidays, but brought together through Rogers’ services. The spot begins with a young woman saying goodbye to her partner as he leaves on a trip. When they separate, they decide to start making video calls every day. The ad ends on Christmas Eve, when the couple meets in person.

Vini Dalvi, CCO of Publicis Toronto, tells strategy that emotion is still the most compelling driver of creative effectiveness, impact and recall.

“We looked at the best Holiday advertising in the U.K. where leading brands lean into emotional stories over the holidays, often with long form formats,” Dalvi explains. “We recognised that we had a compelling story to tell, and deliberately explored a long-form film to complement the shorter lengths we are so used to.”

The commercial is an extension of the Rogers “We Got You” platform. According to Terrie Tweddle, chief brand and communications officer at Rogers, the brand positioning revolves around how the company’s services are there for its customers, wherever they are.

“We wanted to share a heartfelt story that shows how our technology helps bring people together even when they’re apart,” Tweddle says. “During the holidays, there’s no better way to bring to life our new brand platform, ‘We Got You,’ then through a story of love and connection.”

The brand created various formats and lengths for different platforms, including social media, YouTube and traditional TV. It is also working closely with Google to elevate the longer format versions and allow customers to engage with the ad story. Mindshare is in charge of media buying and Soft Citizen is the production company.