A Northern Ireland pub whose viral Christmas advert helped raise more than £20,000 for local charities last year is preparing to launch a sequel.
Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen made headlines across the world in November 2023 when it launched a Christmas video looking at the theme of loneliness during the festive season.
The pub posted the two-minute clip on their social media channels, where it was widely shared and viewed by millions of people around the world, as well as being picked up by media outlets in a number of different countries.
Una Burns, owner of Charlie’s Bar, with a German visitor who brought with him a newspaper containing a copy of an article about last year’s advert
Now the Co Fermanagh bar is preparing to launch its 2024 instalment, alerting its followers on social media ahead of the release on Friday.
Owner Una Burns said last year’s video had attracted visitors to the bar from all around the world.
“We get so many people coming into the pub even now because of the advert, asking about it and sending messages,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.
“We had a phone call last week from a lady in Cork asking were we doing one again this year. We had Italians in at the weekend and they were telling me it was being branded in one of their newspapers as the best Christmas ad ever. The weekend before, on the Saturday night, we had a German man come in. He actually brought with him a newspaper dated December 2023 that reported on the advert.
“It definitely has brought people from all over the world to our doors.”
Watch: Northern Irish pub goes viral with heartwarming Christmas advert
The 2023 video depicted an elderly man initially visiting a graveside with a bunch of flowers, before making his way down the town to the pub, passing a number of disinterested passers-by.
He is passed by a young couple and their dog, who — leadless — makes a beeline for the front door of Charlie’s Bar.
The couple hold the door for the man, who enters the pub and is handed a pint of Guinness by a smiling barman as he takes his seat in front of the fire.
The couple’s dog then walks over to join the man, who is eventually joined by the young couple themselves.
The video ends with a quote from WB Yeats: “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet.”
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Ms Burns said the campaign brought home the impact Christmas can have on those who are missing loved ones, and also helped raise thousands for local charities.
“It was the first time we went down the route of a hard-hitting video; ours are normally quite light-hearted about the pub, music or dancing,” she said.
“The response was phenomenal, nothing like we’d ever experienced before or will experience again.
“The biggest highlight was that we were able to use the viral response to raise £23,000 for Age NI and SWAP (South West Age Partnership).
“That meant local people benefited, so it wasn’t just a message, it was then turned into action. SWAP used the money locally to give hot meals — they are actually still using the money.
“The Dementia Singing Choir had been stopped due to lack of funding in December 2023, but because of the funding we gave to them, they were able to start that again. Even the fact John Lewis had recognised that and sent gifts over; for a small, local, family-run business, I don’t think anybody would have expected that.”
Una Burns, owner of Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen, talks to the Belfast Telegraph last year after the bar’s video went viral with millions of views on social media. Pic: Peter Morrison
Ms Burns has remained tight-lipped about the details of the 2024 instalment, which is due to be aired on the bar’s social media accounts at 7pm on Friday November 29.
She said she had to think long and hard about whether to produce a second video at all.
“I was so torn; part of me felt like I didn’t want to put anything out because it will never compare to last year,” said the owner.
“It got such a positive response that I thought it would be a wasted opportunity not to put something out this year. We knew we had a good platform there and if we could use that for some good, then why wouldn’t we?
“This year’s video takes inspiration from last year’s advert and draws on the experience I’ve had in the bar from customers over the years.
“Christmas can be tainted with sadness and there is again an actionable message in this year’s advert, but in a different light.
“It should be relatable to a lot of people, the message should resonate because it draws on what staff have seen over the years in the bar.
“Like last year, there is no big budget and all the people are local, there is no professional acting experience. It was all filmed on an iPhone.
“Without saying too much, there is continuity regarding some of the cast from last year, but maybe not in the way people will expect.”