How To Create a Memorable TV Commercial

3 examples of great TV commercials

Commercials are a huge part of our society. Not only are they trendsetters and good fodder for water cooler talk, but they reflect culture and what is going on at that given time period.  

Not all commercials achieve this kind of impact though. It takes a really creative and memorable commercial to truly achieve success.  Every minute of every day, millions of people are inundated with ads in many different forms: online, radio, print and television. Yet nothing seems to have the same impact as the TV commercial.

Here’s a look at three of the best creative and memorable commercials in recent years and why they are successful.

Dr. T’s Slug and Snail Killer

A great commercial doesn’t have to be extravagant. This awesome spot for slug and snail killer is just a monologue. But it is extremely well written and the acting is brilliant. If this isn’t a perfect human rendition of a slug then I don’t know what is! Viewers aren’t soon to forget about this slug.

Nike

On the other hand, brands with gigantic budgets can still produce breathtaking commercials.  Again, it isn’t so much the special effects or CGI that makes this great --- the concept is simple. What defines this Nike spot is the music and fast-changing images that strike an emotional cord with a variety of audiences. Just putting in a quick shot of famous runner Steve Prefontaine, for example, creates an emotional connection with all runners even if the commercial has a broader target.

Google

Sometimes commercials don’t have to say anything at all. This awesome Super Bowl spot from Google – their first ever – puts the viewer in the drivers seat and tells an entire story through the use of their product. This is a common tactic in TV advertising. Much like the Nike ad, an emotional connection is created through the use of a product.

The real answer, as cliché as it seems, is that there is not one right way to make a great advertisement. People have tried many different strategies. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. Strive to tell great stories in your commercials. Create emotional bonds that are hard to forget. Regardless of format or style, if you do these things the ad will be a hit.

It doesn’t take a huge budget or a powerhouse brand to create a great TV spot either. Simplicity rules. Just look at the examples above! Regardless of budget, if the ad is created properly you have nothing to worry about.

Trevin is a freelance writer and TV fanatic.

Defining Graphic Design

I was reading [[Wikipedia]] on graphic design topics. Most of the articles aren't in great shape without basic information on the topics we all use everyday in our profession. The web is big enough that any of the missing information can be found pretty quickly just by a Google search. I don't think that many of us in the profession would turn there for these definitions anyway. We find more focused sites about design that are secluded from the public. Anyway, it's not so great to see the weak points in Wikipedia as a resource and not great that it's where we graphic designers sit.

It's not really a complete encyclopedia, so its probably a mistake that they've defined themselves that way. It's a collection of projects and its graphic design project is underdeveloped. The [[wiki]] concept seems to work great on the small scale. Take a look at the Battlestar Wiki for example.

I gave it a shot and dove in and did a small restructuring of the [[graphic design]] article. Like many graphic designers, I'd rather focus on my own projects than edit over there but I did my part. So here we are back on my site... Like I said, it's as easy as a Google search, but lets make it just a little easier. I've compiled a few resources and articles that give a nice overview of graphic design for further reading. What else should we see when we're giving an overview of graphic design past and present.

The Design from a German stamp. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Definitions

What is graphic design from Design Talkboard. Here's five definitions of graphic design to start with.

What is graphic Design? from Veerle's Blog. Commenters from around the web weigh in to create their own definitions of graphic design.

Trying to explain graphic design to a hall full of ten year olds from Johnson Banks, a London design consultant agency. Michael Johnson talks about his experience with kids and design.

History

A Brief History of Type by Thomas W. Phinney. Type is summed up through four major eras: Gutenberg, the Industrial Revolution, Photocomposition and the Digital era.

A Historical Timeline of Computer Graphics and Animation by Wayne E. Carlson.

THe History of Graphic Design and Its Audiences from the AIGA. Michael J. Golec talks about the lack of educational programs that focus on graphic design history. Most education in the field is career or studio driven.

History of Graphic Design by Nancy Stock-Allen. This is an educational site produced to assist in lectures, but it's very visually compelling and touches upon more points than I've seen on other sites I've looked at.

XIXth century advertising poster for the hydrotherapic baths of Bagnoles de l'Orne (France). Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Design of Battlestar Galactica

I had seen episodes here and there over the last few years, but I've really gotten into Battlestar Galactica for the fourth and final season. The show is really well done in every way. As an artist and designer, I can't help but to draw inspiration from it. You can learn a lot by looking at works from other mediums and bringing it into whatever you do. Chances are your next project won't be a sci-fi television series, you can still see what was done here and what it represents. From there, you might find certain elements or concepts applicable for your next project.

Galactica has a carefully chosen palette for even the frames of video to give a certain hardened feel to the show. The show has a very consistent set of colors representing the fleet, the twelve colonies and various atmospheres. A scene taking place in the Galactica has a distinct visual look compared to a scene in the enemy Cylon basestars.

Comparing the newly re-imagined series logo to the old one, there are a lot about the forms which are very close. The new logo has the aged metallic look of the ships within the show which have been battered by war. It really makes you see how complete the package of the show is. When creating, do you strive for this strong sense of unity and purposefully derived elements?

Not Enough Technology Coverage

The average cable station has less than one minute of science and technology coverage in five hours of coverage according to this report. I listen to probably 50% or more science and tech coverage in the form of audio and video podcasts. It's probably true that the people with the most interest in tech will be able to seek out this information on their own, but general news sources really need inform people of at least some of the goings on of the industry. With so much repetition on 24 hour news stations, you would think they would be scrambling for content