This extraordinary bit of film is entertaining. It can grab the attention of a viewer and lead them to become invested in a four minute and three second advertisement. The advertisement factor of this commercial is not even clear until the very end, and it has been created more as a short film with a popular name brand shampoo shown at the very end. After the advertisement was shown my observational notes ended up coming together to highlight certain motifs.
Some of these motifs include the disability of the lead and her overcoming the challenges of being discouraged, the power of music, the importance of “movement” in music, and the butterfly emerging from her cocoon. The presentation of this commercial gave me the impression that the message was going to be about the importance of music and it’s universal strength. Pachelbel’s Canon is a classic choice of song that can be easily recognized, and the protagonist and the supporting characters are loveable. The cinematography of the film is very well done, and the dramatic elements of the protagonist’s struggle and her eventual success shape the four minutes into a complete story.
A work such as this is unique compared to the typical, speedy commercial all about a simple cleaning product or new weight loss smoothie. This commercial is artistic and refreshing, and gives viewers a surprise ending advertisement after the lead’s hair has just been gorgeously displayed in a powerful climactic moment. The product is now linked with music, development, and strength, and the commercial can be recognized as a more artistic piece.
We are now working on an analysis for the metaphor of the butterfly emerging from the cocoon. This ad is promoting a product for hair, and it has been turned into a short film all about a teenage girl overcoming multiple hardships. The use of the butterfly is a bit over the top for a product that cleans your hair. The addition of it was cliché, but it actually links to the story line pretty well. In our group work, Jenna told us that her Grandma loves butterflies because they are silently beautiful. The protagonist in this commercial is def and ends up creating an art of sound and movement. She does get to free herself as a butterfly breaks out of her cocoon and is free to fly. The butterfly also sets up the ending of the commercial as it ties beauty into the story. The director only emphasizes the protagonist's hair after the story starts coming together with all of the flashbacks and additional images.
ReplyDeleteWe have learned that the Pantene symbol is a butterfly, so that helps to make the cocoon less cliché. Knowing that, the commercial seems less ridiculous.
I like that you mentioned that you thought the commercial was going to be about music. I felt the same way. I was really shocked when Pantene appeared on the screen. The commercial was almost too serious to be about hair.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it was incredibly cliché. I saw the whole thing as over-exaggerated, over-dramatic, and highly unlikely. It was an interesting point to tie her excessively blowing hair to a butterfly. I do agree that it does grab your attention, and good points on the motifs.
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