UPS Store Asks: Can You 'Verify You Are Human?' for the Holidays

Director Gia Coppola CAPTCHAs the spirit of the season

In the UPS Store advert below, a young man spends all day online, searching every nook and cranny of the web to find a gift for his mom. Just when it appears he’s finally made a selection, CAPTCHA challenges him to prove his humanity.

After a few moments of thought, he takes the only logical course of action.

It’s a deceptively simple tale, extremely well told, developed by Doner and directed by Gia Coppola.

She’s shown a knack for effective visual storytelling that stirs emotions but doesn’t descend into cheap sentimentality. This spot serves as a prime example. It’s bang on brand yet gently subverts the almighty algo-sphere by stressing the human touch.

“Nothing compares to receiving something that a loved one took the time to shop for and send,” says brand SVP of and sales marketing Michelle Van Slyke, “This branded short film is about inspiring Gen Z to embrace the joy of the holiday season through hand-selecting gifts from local businesses and shipping them with care.”

Launching mainly in cinemas, the spot will also play on network and cable TV.