Parents Everywhere Are Ugly Crying Thanks To This Gut-Punch Of An Ad

The ad drives home the joy and heartache of watching our kids grow up

Who would have thought an ad for glass cleaner would have us reaching for the tissues? Well, prepare yourselves, parents everywhere. Because Windex just released a new ad as part of its “Give Life A Sparkle” campaign that focuses on the relationship between a father and his daughter as he watches her grow up.

Be warned, because it’s an emotional gut-punch.

Even those with the strongest grasps on their emotions are probably blubbering right now, right? You betcha.

The video opens with a father and his newborn daughter as he looks at her for the first time and keeps an eye on her in the car on the way home.

Then we watch as she grows, clinging to a glass coffee table as she gears up to take her first steps.

Throughout the entire spot, they cut to scenes where the dad is out to sea (presumably for work), missing his little girl. Whether you’re a parent who works out of the home, in the home, or away for periods of time — you can probably relate.

When he’s home, he and his daughter share a love of astronomy and spend quality time together looking at the stars. We’re probably supposed to assume he’s teaching her about this because it’s an important part of his job.

As she grows up, we see ol’ dad having a hard time watching his teen put on makeup. (Is it just us, or is she exceptionally talented with it for her age? Someone get this girl a YouTube tutorial channel, STAT.)

We catch a glimpse of the daughter graduating high school, attending college, and falling in love. *feels eyes sting and well up*

Eventually we see father and daughter through the windshield of a fancy car, ready to whisk them off to her wedding. *dabs at overflowing eyeballs*

And of course it all comes full circle, with Dad-turned-Grandpa rushing to the hospital to meet his daughter’s firstborn. Windex’s message becomes clear.

The moment we see his hand reach up to touch the glass is designed to have parents everywhere bawling and gasping for air as we realize how quickly it all really goes. It’s constantly pounded into our heads to “cherish every moment, it goes so fast.” While that can be trying at times, and while it’s impossible to cherish every single moment, this ad really hits home for parents everywhere. Watching our kids grow up is both the best and worst thing ever.

Did you notice during each scene, we watch the moments unfold through a window, a pane of glass, or a mirror? Windex knows what it’s doing, guys. Also the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack is provided by 13-year-old Grace VanderWaal of America’s Got Talent fame. That’s right, those amazing vocals are courtesy of an 8th grader.

Now when we reach for our favorite glass cleaner, we’ll be reminded we can never look at our smudgy, slobbery windows in the same way again. Well done, Windex. Well done.