They have come a long way since the advent of TV. The high-tech, fast-style imagery of today's virtual age is a whole new game compared to the spots of the 50's or even the 80's. But some rules have not changed and they never will. The basic traits that make a commercial successful are still the same. Each of these 30 or 45 second films, interrupting people while they are enjoying their favorite show, all have to be a complete story, condensed to a few seconds, showing how a product can make their life better. Some of the most effective ones are those that present an extreme image or situation, either dramatic, humorous or sensual/beautiful. For example the ad for a coffee, where a Persian Rug dealer spills some coffee on an exquisite carpet, rushes urgently to wring the coffee out from the carpet into a cup so that it's not wasted, then throws away the rug and sips from the cup with pleasure. This ad makes the point by putting a smile on your face. A commercial we made for a beauty soap showed a woman in a bathtub, sensuously covered with silk instead of foam, to underscore the point that the product felt as smooth as silk on the body. The agency created the copy, but we had to ensure that the imagery, rhythm, music, special effects, and style worked to make the viewer buy the idea. A few months after the launch of that commercial, the same client came back to us with more soap commercials for their other products and markets.   Long story short - our lengthy experience with film advertising has given us a hands-on and gut-level feel for what makes a commercial work.
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