Play

It is not often that awareness campaigns hit the sweet spot, but Love Story, a short video on the pitfalls of unsuspecting networking, is on the money.

The video has been created by the Mexico unit of global advertising firm Young and Rubicam for Spanish telecommunications brand Movistar, and opens with a cherubic boy receiving a “friend request” from a beautiful young girl. Wasting little time, they start texting each other furiously, exchanging notes about themselves and even the occasional adventurous picture. We root for them.

After all this is a mobile phone company’s advertisement on Young Love, a time when every ping of the phone opens up a world of joy. How better to show off a phone than by showing its indispensability in helping along a love story.

The pace builds up to a crucial meeting in the park. The girl says she will wear pink and the boy puts on his best black jacket for that all-important Friday date. We help them dress up, we travel with them to the park. We wait with bated breath as they look around for each other. Do they meet? Yes. Is it good? Alas, no.