Analyzing Television Commercials Chapter 9

Mini-Video or Film Dramas TV commercials are much more complex than print advertisements They can have many more elements in them Such as narrative, dialogue, music, various shots and editing techniques TV “spots” or “CXs” store much more information than do print ads with photographs Each frame or image in a TV spot is, in a sense, similar to a print ad

15 Questions to Ask about TV Commercials Plot of the narrative? Characters are in the CX? Describe their faces What do they say to each other? Where does the CX take place? Are props used? How is color used? Describe the lighting How is sound used? Is there music? What kind? What kinds of shots? Editing techniques? Are there intertextual references? References to other works? Parodies, well-known characters? Does the CX rely on background knowledge? What role does the product have in society?

Apple’s “1984” Commercial Aired once and only once during the 1984 Super Bowl, this 60 second CX is considered one of the best and most complex ever Apple founder/CEO Steve Jobs unveils never-before- seen commercial prior to the Super Bowl (here) (here) Ridley Scott discusses directing this commercial (here) (here) Apple’s iconic 1984 ad- 25 years later (CNET article) (CNET article)

The Text and its Imagery Orwell’s “1984” book Repression Storm troopers Heavy boots Prisoners/Inmates Uniforms Brainwashing “Marching Zombies” Blond woman in white Sledgehammer Broken television screen “Big Brother” figure Heroine as mythic figure battling a monolithic monster “Big Blue” IBM as the enemy A big explosion A short, simple message at the end: On January 24 th, Apple Computers will introduce Macintosh and you will see why 1984 won’t be like “1984.” Implies this new computer has enormous political and social implications It has the power to save us from ending up like prisoners, victims of a totalitarian state

Clever Marketing Strategy Apple and the Chiat/Day ad agency that designed “1984” took an unusual approach It focused not so much on the benefits derived from using a Macintosh but instead on the dangers inherent in not using one The ending implied in the “1984” commercial focused on the avoidance of something hateful rather than gaining something desirable Not a huge success in sales- 17,000 sold first day– well below expectations, but a brilliant brand launch which put Apple and its Macintosh more in the home computer conversation in a unique and positive way for the company And the rest is….history!