The story behind Nescafé Classic's nostalgic commercial "Home"

MANILA, Philippines - A boat. A lighthouse.

A homecoming.

Very few TV commercials nowadays touch the heart and fill the mind with bittersweet longing as “Home”, the poignant, poetic and nostalgic 60-seconder by Nescafé Classic. 

For a commercial that is rather quiet—no blaring electronic riffs, no RnB backbeats, no yelps or furious dancing—“Home” with its nostalgic silences and compelling imagery stands out powerfully from other TV commercials.

Prodigal son. The prodigal arrives—his modern-day boots crunch on the sand and crushed seashells—and finds himself no stranger at all to the wind-and-rain-swept island that many viewers simply know as Batanes—where it may rain for as long as 21 days a month.

He stands under the wisps of light breaking through the morning haze; as viewers used to monsoons, we are one with him in breathing-in the scent of rain along with the dew and the sea-breeze—for in an island constantly visited by storms, the rain has left its imprint on each grass-leaf; and every smoothened stone. 

He sees his old mother. She serves him a hot cup of coffee—as she has no doubt done countless times in the past, when they were still together. She tells him to get out of his journeyman’s clothes and get dressed properly. He is home. The dawn is breaking. There’s much to do. 

If there’s ever a commercial that encapsulates the maxim “Less is more”, then “Home” by Nescafé Classic is that. Viewers appreciated how “deep” and meaningful the commercial is—Filipinos, who live separately in an archipelago of thousands of islands and who have loved ones working overseas, immediately relate to the commercial’s themes of homecoming and going back to one’s roots. 

Within 60 seconds, the commercial is able to give the message that, yes, it means the world to be able to return to one’s family and hometown and find the basic, reliable things still alive and well. The voice-over tells us that no matter how many storms pass, we can weather them all if we’re firmly rooted in our families, communities and in a shared culture and past. 

Viewer favorite. “Home” also proves that one can be poetic and “deep” without being difficult to understand. (A video clip of the TV commercial is available for viewing on YouTube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRRDIisCuzE)

Comments from viewers who saw the commercial on YouTube all rave about it:

Emergency room nurse Jenn Habana-Abastillas, who now resides in California, USA, became emotional when she saw the “Home” commercial on YouTube. “The commercial brought back memories and feelings of being home. It reminded me of the time I returned to Manila after living for 10 years in the U.S. I could relate to the character in the commercial—I also felt like a stranger in my own country at first when I returned.

“After talking to loved ones, old friends and old neighbors, I began to feel less and less alienated and more at home. The commercial made me realize how important it is to return to my own roots and that I should always treasure where I came from,” said Jenn.

Budding director Joaquin Pedro Valdez, who also saw the “Home” TVC on YouTube, praised the commercial for its “artistry, maturity and restraint”.

One viewer, Ginny Mata, 29, who is an English and Creative writing teacher at a prestigious university, said she found the TV commercial “evocative yet subtle” and even “archetypal”. She also said she loves that the commercial is set in “achingly beautiful Batanes.”

“The commercial resembles more a short film rather than a commercial. It connects two worlds: the modern one, where the son comes from; and the old, represented by the mother in her vakul.”

Another viewer who liked the commercial is Betty Uy-Regala, a poet and TV producer who also manages a marketing firm. “It has drama. And I also noticed that there’s a tourism angle with the choice of Batanes as setting,” said Betty.

Have we already mentioned that this is a Nescafé Classic commercial? Less attentive viewers (they may need to perk up with some coffee) would have missed the iconic red mug that gave us the signal that this is a commercial by Nescafé Classic. 

Hope. More importantly, this commercial is more than just a nostalgia trip. It is also a message of hope and inspiration. We have no idea why the prodigal son returns. What happened in his life beyond Batanes that prompted him to return—perhaps lonely, perhaps tired, perhaps wounded in some hidden way—to his roots? Will he leave Batanes again?

We don’t know. We don’t need to know. But we are assured that, as mother and son face the sunrise, there’s a new day and new challenges to be met. And we will face them with hope. Perhaps, our inspiring journey and homecoming can begin with something as simple as sharing a warm, refreshing and comforting cup of coffee with a friend or a loved one.