Research Blog: Commercial Conventions

    For my commercial, I chose to advertise the classic Coca-Cola! In my research of past commercials, I noticed many common techniques used across them all.

Camera Shots, Angles, and Movements

Coca-cola likes to put a lot of emphasis on the bottle itself. Their commercials feature many close up, detailed shots of the bottle, to make it look more attractive. They close in on the condensation on the bottle, the label, the liquid moving, all to look more intricate and appealing. Pan shots are also frequent.

Logos and branding play a large part in their commercials. Zooms and extreme close ups are constant. You will never see a shot without the logo or signature red bottle. The "Coca-Cola" logo is always the focus of the shots, to keep the brand memorable and recognizable. 

Themes

Its also important to note that the bottle isn't always shown alone, but in the hands of a person. Not only does the brand like to display the product itself, but they also tend to include people and stories in their commercials! "Share a Coke" is a common saying and premise of their ads. People are shown sharing the beverage and bonding over it with a smiling face. With these advertisement techniques, Coca-Cola wants to associate their product with positivity and togetherness.

Coca-cola commercials usually tell somewhat of a story, and are often like short films. Therefore, film techniques like tracking shots, 2/3-shots, and transitions are numerous.

CLAMPS

The lighting of these commercials are generally warm toned and friendly, to likely complement the red packaging and color associated with coke.

Sound is also a very significant in Coca-Cola commercials. Shots are always accompanied with a non-diagetic sound, usually an upbeat song. Additionally, there is the inclusion of sounds effects, such as bubbles, liquid pouring, and pops of the lid opening to make the product more appetizing. 

Like previously mentioned, these commercials tell stories. Acting is used to convey heartwarming scenes, which incorporate the Coca-cola product in some way. Actors usually have minimal lines to keep the commercials simple and digestible to consumers.

With all these common conventions in mind, I can make a great commercial true to Coca-cola's brand!