4.1.0 Commercial Advertising “Code-Book”

 

 
Panoramic Images/National Geographic Stock

 


Although advertisements can be complicated in content, they are surprisingly formulaic or predictable in form. View examples of common "formulas" below, and think of others you have observed!

   The Demonstration
These commercials show the product directly in action, demonstrating how it performs and all its advantages. Examples of demonstration commercials are most car or truck commercials, or laundry detergent  and cleaner commercials (e.g. the CLR commercial where the cleaner descales dishes). 
 

  The Fixer
These commercials often show a character struggling with a problem that is fixed instantly and easily by the product featured in the advertisement. Examples of this are common in insurance commercials (i.e. Fix Auto insurance advertisements) where an incident is shown and the product is promoted to fix the situation.
  Use of a symbol, analogy, or exaggerated graphic
These commercials often present a common problem and use animation or distorted graphics to illustrate the benefits of the product in an unrealistic or exaggerated way. Sometimes, the ads do not feature a conflict, but details are presented using a symbol, analogy, or exaggerated effects. A good example of this is an Old Spice commercial (Old Spice Whale #smellegendary) a man stands on a whale swimming at sea, hitting tennis balls with his racquet "being legendary" due to the "effects" of the Old Spice soap.

   A Comparison
These commercials show the advertised product being compared in a superior fashion to a similar product or product competitor. Examples of comparisons are commercials like the "Mac vs. PC" commercials, where the two characters (embodying each brand) stand next to each other and compare product attributes. 

   An Exemplary Story
Here, a story (including character, plot, and conflict) is created around the product to describe benefits of the product. Examples of exemplary story ads are ads like the Extra Gum stories (Extra Gum: the Story of Sarah and Juan).

   A Benefit-Cause Story
These commercials show an imagined sequence of events to describe a product's positive effect in the life of consumers. An exaggerated example of this kind of ad is the Old Spice "Man Your Man Could Smell Like", that appeals to a stereotypical idea of what "wives expect from husbands". The product alludes that Old Spice will make an "average" husband perfect.

   Testimonial Advertisement
These ads usually involve one character informing another about the qualities and benefits of the featured product. A good example of this is the "Crain Company: Tim's Testimonial Commercial", where loyal customers describe the qualities of the product they like.

   Characters and Celebrities
These commercials may have one character acting consistently as a spokesperson for a product, or they may use celebrity endorsements to make the products seem more renowned. There are many examples of this, as celebrity endorsement is very common in advertising. For example, Jean Claude Van Damme has done commercials endorsing Volvo trucks, and William Shatner has endorsed World of Warcraft, the video game.
   Associated User Imagery
These ads include people whom producers hope consumers associate with their product. Examples include good-looking, funny, successful, or hardworking people, depending on the targeted demographic of the product. Examples of this are the iPod Silhouette advertisements that highlight a demographic that is hip, well-dressed and passionate about music. This makes the product appear trendy to the demographic it's aimed at.  Another example would be a farming advertisement that shows farmers or ranch hands specifically using the product.

  Unique Personality Property
These commercials show details behind the products (not necessarily about the product) to make them more attractive. Sometimes, this includes unique footage about the origin of the product, unique marketing strategies, or footage from the production of the product. Reality-TV based commercials employ this technique frequently. An example of a company frequently employing this type of advertisement is Volkswagen, with their "fun theory" ads that set up interesting social experiences for ad viewers.

Parody
These commercials are rare, but they use and "re-tool" elements mimicked from movies or other commercials and commercial concepts. For example, Energizer parodied Duracell .