The creative team behind the advertisement were the executive producers sitting in the next room. I know this because I was there (they did not let me sit down in the same room). The commercial was the kind of advertisement that was supposed to resonate within the ordinary man with a family. It also included a Hispanic family and me, the Asian American boy. This is a casting technique to target other ethnicities to buy into the advertisement and feel more connected to the product since similar people of their own race use it. It has a bit of snob-appeal since the family seems quite well off and the set was designed to look like a very expensive and beautiful home (the place was a mansion in Long Island, NY).
During the summer of 2012, the commercial was broadcasted on television and I have had some instances where the commercial was seen on the internet as an advertisement on certain websites such as Youtube.
The visual language being used in the commercial was that the entire family could use the product easily without having any problems. It showed the family each happily using the product the way they wanted and it seemed to make their lives easier. It was shot in one take to convey the imagery that Optimum Link is quick and easy to use. It even showed them happily together (without me) using the product as a loving family. The verbal language used was each family member (except me) was to say something about the product and how they personally use it in their own unique way. This is to make it seem that the product is versatile and it also conveys how content the family is with the product the way their voices inflect upon their words.
The target audience are those who already have the Ultimate Triple Play or those who did not yet sign up with Cablevision. The target audience are really all races since this commercial did not just have one ethnic group (I met a quota) and so anyone who watches the commercial will feel a connection to the advertisement.
The advertisement promises us that Optimum Link will make our lives easier now that we can connect our laptops to the television set without any hassle. It also promises that our family will become closer knit after buying the product. It references everyday things like Youtube, social networking, and plain old home videos. This is supposed to spark the viewer's interest because it creates a type of nostalgia or familiarity with the product.
Optimum Link's usage of family was the key element is selling the product. Even though their fake family excluded me from their fake camping trip in the final scene.
- Kevin Nguyen
