Come Together has been defined as a short fashion movie that is both sentimental and innovative. The commercial was directed by Wes Anderson, who has been praised on numerous occasions for his unique narrative style. Come Together is a Christmas-themed advert revolving around a typically art-deco train, the H&M express, and its passengers who are not going to be home for Christmas due to heavy snow. Conductor Ralph (Adrien Brody) informs passengers that as a result of challenging weather conditions and mechanical difficulties, it will an extra eleven and a half hours for the train to reach its destination. The H&M express carries a number of peculiar passengers who are all looking forward to getting home for Christmas. Each passenger has a little picture of a dear one, which for a young woman is a dog, meaning that they are all being expected by their loved ones.
The short movie features a distant choir singing The Little Drummer Boy, a nostalgic Christmas song that tells the story of a young boy who finds himself witnessing Jesus’ birth and starts playing his drum as well as he can to make up for the fact that unlike the Magi, he hasn’t brought him a gift. Anderson’s musical choice is not casual. Similarly to the young boy in The Little Drummer Boy, Conductor Ralph has to make up for the fact that his passengers will not be home for Christmas by offering them a complementary brunch that is as Christmassy and joyful as possible. At some point, the train passes through a tunnel and the corridor grows unexpectedly dark; as it lightens again, all the passengers leave their respective compartments to attend the brunch. Unlike H&M’s previous adverts, Come Together does not promote any specific outfits in a direct manner, emphasizing how incredibly affordable and trendy they are – even though every single passenger is seen wearing unmistakably H&M outfits. Instead, Anderson produced a short movie that reflects the brand’s philosophy and spirit. Several references to war are found throughout the commercial: the old train, the conductor’s moustache, the dark corridor and the overall narrative style are clearly meant to build an association between World War II and today’s turbulent political and economic environment, thus appealing to consumers’ fear, hopelessness and sadness.

The last scene of the movie shows the passengers having a good time in the dining car, celebrating Christmas around a Christmas tree that was clearly decorated at the last minute. This is when Happy Xmas by John Lennon starts playing, thus suggesting that the war is finally over. It is important to keep in mind that Happy Xmas is a protest song that John Lennon and Yoko On wrote and composed to criticize the Vietnam War. It follows that H&M is much more than a clothing-retail company: it is also a lifestyle brand that is close to consumers and aims to keep serving and pleasing them through good and bad times. Unlike its competitors, H&M understands what is going on in the world and is not afraid to take a stance on contentious issues. A previous advert, for example, showed two women kissing in the swimming pool, thus suggesting that H&M supports LGTB rights. Similarly, the ad being analyzed seeks to convey a simple and yet important message: we can easily overcome any difficulties as long as we cooperate with strangers rather than being afraid of them. Anderson relies on a series of emotional appeal to ensure that the message behind “Come Together” reaches the company’s target audience. The link to the H&M online store that appears at the end of the video is intended to remind consumers that they can buy H&M clothes even while traveling.