Reverse Engineering Commercials

BUD LIGHT – HACK JOB COMMERCIAL

VIDEO	AUDIO
1. Camera focuses on male host of the made-up show “Hack Job”.	Host says, “Welcome back to Hack Job!
2. Camera follows host as he introduces an excited couple, The Gilberts.	Host says, “Today, we’re with The Gilberts.”
3. Host stands in front of the camera with excited couple.	Host: “Are you ready to see your new kitchen”?
4. Camera focuses solely on the couple as they beyond excited to see their new kitchen.	Couple: Wife screams “Yes” very loudly!

Host: “Me too!!!!”5. The host and couple run past the camera towards the dining room. 6. Camera focuses on the host and the couple as they stand in the dining room facing the kitchen. The Couples eyes are covered by their hands.

Host very excitedly says, “Take a look!”

7. Couple removes their hands as they are motioned and told to do so by the host.

“Magical” music begins to play…

8. Camera pans to the kitchen, and then focuses in on a bucket of Bud Light on the counter in the kitchen.Couple: All excited, the husband yells, ‘Here we Go! It looks amazing!”9. Camera turns back to couple, and follows the husband as he runs towards the bucket of bottles in excitement. Wife is in the background questioning the host.

The wife says to the host, “You didn’t do anything. You just put BL on the counter.” The host responds by saying, ‘exactly.”

10. Camera spans the kitchen while text first reads, “Before”, and then ‘After”. The “After” shot now features the bucket of bottles on the counter.

Host says, “It totally opens it up…We gave it a fun vibe!”

11. Camera spans the kitchen as a party now ensues; featuring the camera crew, couple, and the host of the mock show.

Host then says, “Clearly this is a room everyone wants to hangout in.” Music begins to play.

12. Flash to iconic image of BL bottles.Narrator talks about BL…13. Camera focuses on host as he stands by a window in the home overlooking the backyard; where landscapers are pushing around cases of BL. Camera pans out.

Host yells, “The landscapers are here…Nice!!!!”

MILLER LITE – SKINNY JEANS COMMERCIAL

VIDEO	AUDIO
1. ML delivery truck door opens up.	Sound of truck door opening.
2. Man orders a beer at a bar. Man is in casual clothes within a casual bar setting. Another woman is directly behind him to the right. Some other people are in the background.	Man asks for a light beer, with no bar noise or anything in the background.
3. Camera pans to female bartender who holds up two options in the form of beer bottles, while looking the man directly in the eyes.	Bartender asks if he wants one with more taste or less taste.
4. Camera pans back to man looking at the ground, and then away, while eating bar nuts, uninterested, as the man doesn’t seem to care.	Man responds by saying “I don’t care.” while looking @ everything but the bartender.
5. Camera pans to bartender with sarcastic look on her face as she passes the bottle to the man.	Bartender responds by saying, “Kind of how your girlfriend doesn’t care your borrowing her pants.”
6. With a serious, but humorous look on his face, the man backs away from the bar with camera facing him. Man pauses and take a model-like stance.	Man responds by saying, “They’re skinny jeans…Pause…”They’re kind of in right now.”
7. Camera pans back to bartender, with another woman in view sitting at the bar; both stare down at the man’s pants in disapproval.	Bartender responds by saying, “They’re kind of not…”
8. Female sitting at the bar looks away, as the man awkwardly begins walking away, expressing how tight his pants really are.	Narrator chimes in and says, “Man Up, and choose a light beer with more taste. Grab a triple hops brewed ML.”
9. Flash to ML logo and advertisement	Narrator finishes…
10. Camera focuses on same man who now places a bucket of ML’s on the table at the bar, where a bunch of his buddies are sitting.	Setting is much louder with bar traffic and chatter in the background. The man’s buddies all greet him with “Hey!!!”
11. Man is looking up at the TV screens, while his buddies are staring at his ridiculously tight pants.	In a serious manner, the guy asks if the score is still 21-32. One of his buddies responds buy saying, “Yea, just like your jeans size.”
12. Camera pans out as the buddies poke fun and laugh at his situation.	All the buddies at the table laugh hysterically at the joke. The man sarcastically laughs at the situation, as well.
13. ML delivery truck door closes.	Sound of truck door closing.

Taking an Off-Centered Approach: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Within the scope of this project, I have selected Dogfish Head Craft Brewery as my brand of focus. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is a brewing company based in Milton, Delaware founded by Sam Calagione. The brewery was featured prominently in the documentary Beer Wars., and is the subject of the currently-airing Discovery Channel series Brew Masters, which premiered in November of 2010. The brewery takes its name from Dogfish Head, Maine where founder Sam Calagione spent summers as a child.

Dogfish Craft Brewery opened in 1995 and produces 75,000 barrels of beer annually. Dogfish Head has been a rapidly growing brewery; as it grew nearly 400% in between 2003 and 2006. Over the last five years, demand for Dogfish Head brands has made them the fastest growing brewery in America. That being said, Dogfish Head has recently pulled itself from a number of states in an attempt to grow at a slow and steady pace, rather than expanding at the rate of apparent demand. As some question their move, to many this is smart business. What are your thoughts? Below you will find an explanation as tweeted by owner, Sam Calagione.

“So it is bittersweet for us to announce that we are pulling out of, or limiting some of our core beers from, a number of states. Yes this sucks. The glass-half-full view is that we (and a handful of other U.S. craft breweries making similar moves) have to do this because your numbers the number of U.S. drinkers buying and enjoying craft beer – are growing so quickly! We sincerely apologize for any frustrations this may cause distributors, retailers, and beer lovers who are affected by our decision. This decision will allow us to still get many different, exotic, Dogfish specialty and seasonal beers into our slightly smaller footprint. It will also ensure that more cases and kegs of our core, year-round beers will be available closer to home.”

In regards to products, Dogfish Head’s output tends toward experimental or “extreme” beers. However, their signature product is its line of India Pale Ales (IPAs), which are offered in three varieties: 60 Minute, 90 Minute, and 120 Minute IPA. “Their names refer to the length of the boil time of the wort in which the hops are continuously added. The longer hops are boiled, the more hop isomerization takes place, and the more bitterness is imparted to the beer.”

In addition to the brewery, Dogfish Head also operates a microdistillery at the Rehoboth Beach brewpub. Spirits are hand-distilled in a small pot still and often, like their beers, tend toward unique and non-traditional formulations. The distillery is very small; Dogfish Head spirits are distributed only in Delaware and a handful of other states.

Select brews (including many of the brewery’s seasonal and one-off selections) can be found in 27 states across the country. Dogfish Head also licenses “Dogfish Head Alehouse” with three locations in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Falls Church, Virginia, and Fairfax, Virginia. Beer-paired food and vintage bottles of Dogfish’s seasonal beers are available at their alehouses, as well as kegged offerings of their staple beers.

For more information in regards to Dogfish Head Craft Brewery visit their website at, http://www.dogfish.com/.

As a secondary option, I have selected “The Continental” Restaurant and Martini Bar, created by Stephen Starr, now located in 2 areas of Philadelphia, as well as, The Pier in Atlantic City. Identified as offering “global tapas”, and exotic martinis, The Continental presents Stephen Starr with an opportunity to expand upon one brand, as part of an already growing brand of restaurants; if that makes an sense?!?

Founded in 1995 by Stephen Starr, STARR Restaurants is one of the fastest growing multi-concept restaurant companies in the country. With an emphasis in the Philadelphia area, STARR Restaurants include Alma de Cuba, Barclay Prime, Buddakan, Butcher & Singer, Continental, El Rey, El Vez, Jones, Morimoto, Parc, Pizzeria Stella, Pod, The Dandelion, and Square Burger. Continuing, Morimoto and Buddakan are two highly popular restaurants located in the Meatpacking District in New York City, as well.

STARR Restaurants has also expanded to Atlantic City, NJ, with Buddakan and Continental, while also opening Steak 954, and Makoto in Ft. Lauderdale within the last two years. In addition to STARR Restaurants, owner Stephen Starr operates STARR Events, as well. STARR Events is the group’s full-service catering and special events division, managing projects like Granite Hill @ The Philadelphia Art Museum, and Rat’s Restaurant @ The Grounds for Sculpture.

“With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industry, Starr likens the experience of dining out to that of attending a theater production where the players, props, backdrops, lighting, and rapport are integral components of an overall dramatic effect.”

Over the years, STARR Restaurants has become a stellar brand within the food and entertainment industry. While their roots can be found all across the city of Brotherly Love, STARR Restaurants have begun to show the love in other parts of the United States. With successes in NYC, Philadelphia, and Ft. Lauderdale, one can’t help but think that Starr’s concepts would be a hit anywhere in the U.S. today.

For more information in regards to STARR Restaurants and The Continental, visit http://www.starr-restaurant.com/.

I’m a Mac…and I’m a PC

The “Get a Mac” campaign is a television advertising campaign created for Apple, which ran from 2006 to 2010. Shown in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan, the advertisements are very distinguishable as each advertisement follows a standard template created for the campaign. “Against a minimalist all-white background, a man dressed in casual clothes introduces himself as a Mac (“Hello, I’m a Mac.”), while a man in a more formal suit-and-tie combination introduces himself as a Windows personal computer (“And I’m a PC.”).”

Within the context of the advertising campaign, the two use a forum in which they compare the capabilities and attributes of Mac and PC; ”with PC—characterized as formal and somewhat polite, though stuffy and overly concerned with work—often being frustrated by the more laid-back Mac’s abilities.”

American advertisements for the campaign feature actor Justin Long, playing the part of, “Hello, I’m a Mac”. These American advertisements were also aired on Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand television.  “The British campaign stars comedic duo Robert Webb as Mac and David Mitchell as PC while the Japanese campaign features the comedic duo Rahmens. Although several of the British and Japanese ads originated in the American campaign, they are generally slightly altered to suit local sensibilities.”

In regards to the “songbird”, one can easily identify with the idea that Mac provides a simpler, much easier way in comparison to that of the PC. For example, in one of the advertisements deemed “Better Results”, Mac utilizes super model Gisele Bundchen when comparing their home movies with those created by PC; see below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn5SG3hfew0

In another advertisement called “Elimination”, PC attempts to find Megan, a new laptop hunter, the perfect PC. However, Megan is looking for a computer that is essentially immune to viruses. In the end, PC leaves her with Mac; see below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTjKWf0aevY

What is a brand?

So what is a brand? As stated in our lesson, “a brand is not a trademark. It’s not a name, a font, a picture, a logo or a music lick in an ad campaign. It’s a cluster of ideas which – if the brand is successful – is evoked by any or all of the above.” In the end, “a brand is not a product, service, political candidate or a cause – it’s the mental packaging.” When discussing movies we come to understand the presence of brands, and their importance to the storyline as a whole. That being said, we are not talking about product placement which is everywhere these days. For example, and also stated in the lesson, the Corleone family can been seen as a brand within the movie, The Godfather. Essentially, the family, the brand “lives in the mind of Michael Corleone and changes as he changes.” From this, we come to understand that in stories, brands change just as characters do.

For this week’s assignment, we were asked to identify brands found within three different movies from last week’s list of greatest-of-all-time. Continuing, we were then asked to discuss their cluster of ideas, and the transformation these brands undergo during each movie. From there, we were to present three marketable brands and their cluster of ideas, as well as, the creation myths behind them; if applicable. Let’s discuss…

For this week’s assignment, focused on brands and clusters of ideas, I selected the following movies:

1. American Beauty (1999, Sam Mendes)

2. Schindler’s List (1993, Steven Spielberg)

3. Rocky (1976, John G. Avildsen)

In addition to the movies,  I chose to analyze the following three brands:

1. Polo Ralph Lauren

2. Adidas

3. BMW

Let’s first take a look at the movies mentioned above…

Schindler’s List (1993, Steven Spielberg)

As we have come to understand from previous lessons, characters transform over the course of a story, movie. That being said, brands offer the same transformation within the context of a story / movie, as well. In Schindler’s List, Oskar Schindler can be identified as one of these brands. “Oskar Schindler is a vainglorious and greedy German businessman who becomes unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews.” Over the course of the movie, we see the brand (Schindler) transform from bad to good, selfish to compassionate, etc.

Rocky (1976, John G. Avildsen)

In this movie, the main character Rocky Balboa stands alone as a brand. The Rocky brand features a  “rags to riches” story. Essentially, Rocky wants to move on from being a club boxer to that of a prize fighter; and heavyweight champion of the world. Rocky Balboa is in fact a, or should I say the main character, and brand within the movie. As stated before, Rocky is first introduced to the audience as a small-time, uneducated, and kind-hearted boxer / debt collector, living in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. As the story goes, when the opponent of the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed, is injured, a new replacement must be found. As a result, Creed comes up with an idea to fight a local underdog in the form of Rocky Balboa, “The Italian Stallion”. We are then presented with the ultimate “Rocky Moment”; the point in the movie when Rocky has finally realized he wants to be a champion, and what it’s going to take to get there and most importantly, he finally believes he can really do it. From there, the transformation comes alive.

American Beauty (1999, Sam Mendes)

In this movie, the brand expressed is “middle-class, suburban America”. That being said, the main character, Lester Burnham can be seen as a brand, as well. Within the context of the movie, we first identify middle-class, suburban America as being nothing short of perfect. However, in the end, we come to understand that it can be everything but perfect. Essentially, Lester Burnham is a pawn trapped inside of middle-class suburban America. He has the nice house, family, cars, etc. Yet, he is not happy, and nothing is perfect. His wife is cheating on him, his daughter and him do not see eye to eye, he hates his job, blackmails his boss, becomes obsessed with his daughter’s friend, and the rest is history. Over the course of the movie, we witness the transformation from how most perceive “middle-class, suburban America” to what is actually happening.

Let’s now take a look at three marketable brands…

Polo Ralph Lauren

American designer Ralph Lauren first began selling creatively designed ties in 1967. As popularity over the ties grew, the label was introduced at Bloomingdales. Today, Polo Ralph Lauren sells its products to department stores, specialty retail stores, and golf and pro shops throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia; full-price and factory retail stores in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia; and online through RalphLauren.com. For more than 30 years, Polo’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. Directed by Lauren, the company believes it has influenced the manner in which people dress and live in contemporary society, reflecting an American perspective and lifestyle uniquely associated with Polo and Ralph Lauren. In the end, Polo Ralph Lauren, and its logo stand as one of the most recognizable brands in the world today.

Adidas

For over 80 years, Adidas has been part of the world of sports on every level, delivering state-of-the art sports footwear, apparel and accessories. Adidas has strived to be the global leader within the industry, built on a passion for sports and an active lifestyle. The history of the brand begins in Germany. In 1948, cobbler Adolf Dassler decided upon a name for his newly created company. Dassler created the name by combining his nickname “adi” with that of the first three letters of his surname, “Dassler”. Furthermore, Dassler offered the lower case ‘a’ in an effort to further distinguish his company from the rest. While Adidas was created in 1948, its history extends much further. The story of both Adidas and Puma begin in the same town, same country. In 1924, two brothers (Adi & Rudi) created a company registered as Dassler Brothers Ltd. The sons of a successful cobbler, the two boys began creating their own sports shoes out of their own necessity and love for sports. In 1948, a dispute broke out between the two, and the two companies were separately founded. In the end, both companies would develop into global brands. In 1949, Adidas added the now legendary stripes to their athletic shoes. Today, the three stripes, and the Adidas “trefoil” logo stand as two of the most recognizable logos in the world today; the same can be said for the Adidas brand.

BMW

“Twenty years ago, BMW expressed its core identity in the US and UK in the slogan ‘BMW – the ultimate driving machine’. This is exactly how drivers of the brand sum up their automotive experience to researchers. Globally, the brand now positions itself with the pay-off: ‘The Joy of Driving‘.” Today, BMW stands as one of the most, if not the most admired car brand in the world.

BMW entered existence as a business entity following a restructuring of the Rapp Motorenwerke aircraft engine manufacturing firm in 1917. After the end of World War I in 1918, BMW was forced to cease aircraft engine production by the terms of the Versailles Armistice Treaty. The company consequently shifted to motorcycle production in 1923 once the restrictions of the treaty started to be lifted, followed by automobiles in 1928–29. “The circular blue and white BMW logo or roundel is portrayed by BMW as the movement of an aircraft propeller, to signify the white blades cutting through the blue sky — an interpretation that BMW adopted for convenience in 1929, twelve years after the roundel was created.” That being said, “the origin of the logo being based on the movement of a propeller is in dispute, according to an article posted in 2010 by the New York Times, quoting “At the BMW Museum in Munich, Anne Schmidt-Possiwal, explained that the blue-and-white company logo did not represent a spinning propeller, but was meant to show the colors of the Free State of Bavaria.”

Elements of Storytelling

We all love movies for many different reasons. That being said, many of us do not realize the importance of storytelling, and the elements that are involved when making a movie come to life. As stated in our lesson, we have come to learn that within the context of a movie, story that something is always at stake; that there is some form of a personal journey; that there is some form of transformation; that something complex, and or dynamic about its main character transfers their energy to the story; and the character involved always has a good reason not to act, but tends to act anyway. Therefore, let’s take a look at three examples to gain a better understanding of such…

Rocky (1976, John G. Avildsen)

Within the movie Rocky (1976, John G. Avildsen), what is at stake is that Rocky Balboa wants to write his own “rags to riches” story. Essentially, Rocky wants to move on from being a club boxer to that of a prize fighter; and heavyweight champion of the world. Rocky Balboa is in fact the central character within the movie, as we follow him on his journey.

Rocky is first introduced to the audience as a small-time, uneducated, and kind-hearted boxer / debt collector, living in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. As the story goes, when the opponent of the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed, is injured, a new replacement must be found. As a result, Creed comes up with an idea to fight a local underdog in the form of Rocky Balboa, “The Italian Stallion”.

Between Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa, we see two contrasting worlds; one is on the top of his game, living the American Dream, while the other is struggling to do the same. These contrasting worlds are very much apparent in how the two are portrayed during their training regimens. For example, in preparation for the fight we see Apollo training in the best of conditions with the best that money can buy, while Rocky trains with a 1920’s era ex-fighter / gym owner, while getting in extra punches at a local meatpacking plant where he pounds hanging carcasses with his fists.

As Rocky moves from small-time boxer to heavyweight contender, his transformation is more than apparent. Within the scope of the movie, we see Rocky become stronger, more opinionated, and confident. In the end, the audience has no choice but to root for him as he prepares to take on the heavyweight champion of the world. Simply, Rocky won’t stop until he has the title; until he has achieved this goal for himself, and those who believe him. He won’t quit, he won’t back down, because his hopes and dreams are stake.

American Beauty (1999, Sam Mendes)

Within the movie American Beauty (1999, Sam Mendes), what is at stake is Lester Burnham’s marriage, family, and his life all-together as struggles with a mid-life crisis. The film has been described by academics and critics alike, as a “satire of American middle class notions of beauty and personal satisfaction,” as the film explores romantic and paternal love, sexuality, beauty, materialism, self-liberation and redemption.

Within the scope American Beauty, Lester Burnham is the central character, and narrator. Looking for something more in the midst of a mid-life crisis, we witness Burnham smoking pot, quitting his job, fantasizing about his daughter’s friend and more. Burnham’s transformation is more than apparent in this film, as well. We see a 40-something year old man, who is obviously unhappy, and unaware of his direction in the midst of a mid-life crisis. Through his eyes, the audience witnesses the dismantling of his own marriage, his relationship with his daughter, and his life in general. That being said, in the midst of all of this chaos, we see Burnham transform into what appears to be a much happier person, even if only for a short period of time in the end.

When asked what complex and dynamic aspect of the Burnham’s character transfers its energy to the story, one can point out his ability to ruin everything in his life (his marriage, his family, etc) in search of happiness. While many viewers question his actions, motives, many can come to understand the need for happiness and content when it is so often hard to please anyone and everyone; including your self. In the end, he wanted to be happy; whether it hurt others, or even himself in the end.

The Graduate (1967, Mike Nichols)

Within the film, The Graduate (1967, Mike Nichols), we are presented with a story in regards to Ben Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman. Braddock is a recent graduate with no real direction, who has just returned home. While at home, Braddock is seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson. Giving into temptation, Ben ends up getting with Mrs. Robinson, while talking to her about where his life might lead, etc. Coincidentally, Ben ends up falling in love with her daughter, and looks to break things off with her without anyone really knowing what happened.

What’s at stake? Ben is both looking for direction, and then love after returning home from college. He is told to experience life, yet finds himself falling in love; all while having an affair of with an older woman who is both the mother of the girl he is in love with, and the one who provided him the advice in the first place.

While Ben struggles with his decision, the girl’s mother threatens to reveal their affair to destroy any chance Ben has with Elaine. Ben rashly decides to tell Elaine before her mother does. Very upset, Elaine returns to her university at Berkeley, and refuses to speak with Benjamin. Their relationship continues to fall apart, or weaken as the Robinson’s get more involved. Mrs. Robinson tells a different story from that of Ben’s, while Mr. Robinson won’t let Ben anywhere near Elaine. In the end, Ben is genuinely a good guy. He is looking for his place in the world, and has made brash, stupid decisions as many young folks have. But, Ben is driven by love. Within the scope of the film, we see Ben grow up, as a result of his actions and sometimes poor decisions. However, we see him “win” in the end, as he is able to connect with Elaine, who was on the cusp of saying “I Do” at the wedding alter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!