Chinese brands are increasingly turning to authentic storytelling to reach their consumers. Creating this original content or finding the best way to convey a brand concept through storytelling is tricky, however. Chinese brands still tend to skew towards a censored or clean version of the story rather than portraying the raw or emotional version that actually resonates with viewers.
中国品牌越来越青睐讲述真实的故事来抓住人心。但是，如何通过讲故事来打造原创内容，找到传达品牌概念的最好方式并不容易。虽然真实且情绪饱满的故事更容易让观众产生共鸣，但是为了过得了审核，中国品牌更愿意刻意雕琢的故事。
Didi’s short film released this July is unique for this reason, it attempts to push the limits of the traditionally beautified storytelling put forth in Chinese advertising. Produced by Mili Films under the direction and cinematography of Taiwanese native He Nan Hong, the nine minute director’s cut poignantly dips into the life of a Xinjiang family as the husband lives out his last hours of life. The couple, based in Chongqing, finds out the husband has fifty hours to live. Refused service by the train station and airport because of the man’s critical condition, it is an earnest and caring Didi driver in the end who stays by the couple’s side and drives over thirty hours so the man can spend his final hours in his hometown of Xinjiang Province.
今年七月滴滴打车发布的最新广告短片独特新颖，打破了中国广告业固有的刻意美化。该片由米立制作打造，由台湾导演何男宏担纲导演兼摄影师，九分钟的广告讲述了一个来自新疆家庭和生命的赛跑。这对生活在重庆的夫妻，发现丈夫还有不到50小时的生命，妻子想把丈夫带回家，但是由于丈夫病危，火车站和机场都拒绝搭载，最后，一位善良又热心的滴滴司机伸出了援手，开了30多个小时，把他们送到了新疆老家，让丈夫得以度过最后的时刻。
This heartwarming film didn’t need any elaborate creative planning or brand strategy, as the whole story is true. Didi did pair with a small creative agency based in Beijing (北京远山文化传播有限公司) for this spot. The content was found through Didi’s annual Top 10 Driver of the Year Awards, where driver’s submit stories to compete for the title of Best Driver of the Year. This initiative cleverly encourages better driving and service while also feeding the brand original and authentic content. This particular story, the only one made into a TVC, was picked out of a series promoting kindness, “择善而行”, in Chinese literally meaning choosing kindness is the way to go.
这部暖心之作不需要精巧的创意，也不需要特别的品牌战略，真实的故事胜过一些雕琢。滴滴跟北京一家小的创意广告公司（北京远山文化传播有限公司）合作，打造了这部作品。故事源于滴滴所征集的年度十佳司机故事 。评选活动不仅能够鼓励司机提供更好的服务，同时也给广告创作带来了原创灵感。本次的故事选自于“择善而行”系列，是其中唯一一个拍成广告的故事。
The director’s cut uses all actors as the talents, but the brand also has a version that includes the original Didi driver recounting the story. Director He was keen to use professional stage actors as he knew a high level of acting skill would be essential to convey the intense level of emotion required. “The woman playing the daughter could cry in three seconds”, Mili Films recalled. The man who plays the dying husband interestingly is actually a person in healthy condition, proving the power of good acting and a really good make up artist.
导演最终呈现的广告中物是精心挑选的演员，而实际上，滴滴打车自己内部还有一个当时司机出演的广告。何男宏导演更倾向于演技纯熟的演员，这样才能更好的通过高超的演技传达出更浓厚的情感。“扮演女儿的演员用不了三分钟说哭就能哭出来”，米立制作人员如是说。而扮演病危丈夫的演员实际上很健康，这也体现了演员的优秀演技和化妆师的化妆技法。
The shoot was done over a rapid four days, with two in Chongqing and two in Xinjiang. Post production by A-post, with color grading by Flip, took three months to accurately craft the emotional story, which was released in July of this year on Didi’s social media platforms and the Didi app. This meant the shoot took place just as winter was setting in on western China, adding the extra challenge of cold weather, with temperatures dipping to -13 C to be precise.
拍摄仅仅用了四天就完成了，两天在重庆，两天在新疆。片子早在七月份就在滴滴打车各大社交媒体平台和滴滴app上放送，实际上后期（由A-post完成）和调色（由Flip打造）花了长达三个月的时间，最终才得以呈现出感人至深的故事。拍摄之初中国西部刚刚入冬，天气寒冷，温度低至零下13度。
Mili Films recounts the most challenging scene to shoot was on a bridge in Xinjiang, where production had to hire out more than 200 cars and subsequent drivers to reenact the scene where the cars peel back to allow the Didi driver through. Fortunate for the team, this bridge was not finished so they were able to block off the entire road with local police’s assistance, capturing the scene in six hours.
米立制作表示，拍摄中最有难度的一段是在新疆的大桥，当时特意找来200多辆车子，又特意找来司机，演绎了交通拥堵的大桥上司机们刻意避让的场景。幸运的是，当时大桥在建，在当地交警的帮助下，得以阻拦其他车辆通行，趁着当地有关部门还没变卦，在六小时之内得以完成拍摄，不至于造成任何混乱。
So engaging is this heart warming story, in the end the audience might forget they are watching a promotional film for Didi. The final subtitles across the screen inform the viewer that the driver took zero compensation for this thirty hour drive. It would be hard to find a brand that wouldn’t want to associate with this generous type of person!
整个故事感人至深，观众看到最后都忘了这其实是滴滴打车的宣传广告。片子最后，我们看到滴滴司机开了三十多个小时，但是却一分钱都没有收。如此善行也是所有品牌都愿意推崇的。
Credits 制作人员
Client 客户: Didi 滴滴
Agency 广告公司: 北京远山文化传播有限公司
Art Director 美术: 彭学林
Production 制片公司: Mili Films 米立制作
Director 导演: He Nan Hong 何男宏
Executive Producer 执行制片: 瓜哥
Producer 制片: 彭贇
Post Production 后期制片: A-cut
Color grading 调色: Flip
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