Trends

The beauty of the 2023 Publix “step dad” commercial

Posted by

You can recognize immediately when a commercial is destined to mark people’s memories forever. Whoever saw the new Publix commercial released in August 2023 surely had that sensation: the story of a girl growing up with her mom and Chris, the step dad who sees her becoming a young woman. All leading to the moving ending: let’s discover the beauty of this ad.

You can watch the 2023 Publix “step dad” commercial at the end of this article.

The beauty of the 2023 Publix “step dad” commercial

So, the new Public commercial released in 2023 starts with the step dad Chris giving a present to Grace for her birthday: Grace is a little girl, and when she receives the gift, someone explains that “this one is from your step dad.” But for Grace, it’s still too early to consider Chris in that light. So she thanks him, calling him by his first name. Thank you, Chris.

This dynamic comes up repeatedly while Grace grows up. Chris helps her study; he’s there when she graduates, and he’s always there when Grace introduces her new boyfriend at home. Although many years have passed, Chris is always just “Chris” to her.

This is a sensitive aspect of mixed families: even though you develop a strong connection with your step-parent, considering them a natural parent will always be hard. It’s a normal resistance that represents how important the parental figure is for us: so much that we protect it very carefully whenever someone is ready to enter it. Chris stays beside Grace and her mom for years, acting as the best dad he can be. And still, for years, Grace feels more comfortable calling him by his first name.

However, this changes in the last scene of the 2023 Publix commercial, where Grace finally calls her step dad differently. She’s getting married, Chris is amazed by her beauty, and she is ready to make this crucial step. When he says, “You look beautiful,” she finally answers, “Thanks, Dad.” The emotion is visible in both of them, and many of us were moved, too.

As you can see in the comment section under the Youtube video, everybody loved this commercial. It’s a great idea, not strictly connected to Publix markets and products but showing how close the brand can be to everyone’s real life. There is no doubt: we just saw one of the best ads of the year.

Publix: Celebrate milestones.
Watch this video on YouTube.

Discover other curiosities about popular commercials on Auralcrave

Published by Carlo Affatigato

Carlo has been a web content creator for over 10 years. He founded Auralcrave in 2015, envisioning it as a new space capable of offering different perspectives on topics that passionate all of us. With a scientific background, Carlo developed an interest in music, cinema, literature, and art at a young age, transforming it into a complementary dimension to his professional growth. For years, he was a music journalist specializing in electronic and dance music, writing for the most important Italian magazines (both online and print). Movies and TV series have been a true obsession in many phases of his life: during university, it was not uncommon for him to set the alarm in the middle of the night to watch classic films airing on TV. With the advent of the Internet, Carlo became a keen observer of web and social phenomena, addressing light topics such as advertising, trends, fashion, and general themes. He is the main author of Auralcrave and personally manages its social media, editorial line, book publication, resource management, and business expansion. A former engineer, life coach, husband, and father, he believes that every area of knowledge has interesting stories that deserve to be told and is convinced that doing so makes the world a better place.