A Motion Graphics Animation lesson that includes commercials that focus on food and drinks might seem like a break from the hard work of learning but sadly, it is not. Advertising executives work to design and develop commercials that creatively and effectively promote these items, as well. I urge you again as you look at these ads to notice the common elements that we are learning about in these lessons – voice-over narrations, audio as music, animated characters, and the image and text graphics. We are not just looking for movement or for the illusion of life that is animation, but we want to learn about how to use colors, images, and the transitions between frames to guide us in making commercials ourselves. We want to notice and find out how these things are all used to convey clear messages that result in viewers being interested in using these items. Remember, the goal of an ad is to get potential customers to buy the products.
Most of the commercials in this lesson are live-action/animated hybrid ads, and just about all of them feature an animated character. As you watch them, notice the type of animation used for the animated characters and see if you can figure it out.
Cheetos
This commercial checks all of the boxes for our common elements. It is a live-action/animated hybrid ad. It includes videos, audio as music, an animated character, and image and text graphics. At the end, we even hear Chester Cheetah, the animated character, as he does the voice-over narration. Chester Cheetah is the current Cheetos brand mascot. He is an anthropomorphic sly, smooth-voiced cartoon cheetah who is known to use one of two slogans in Cheetos commercials - "The cheese that goes crunch!" and "It ain't easy bein' cheesy". However, you will notice that he says neither in this commercial. Chester most likely began as a traditionally animated character but in this ad, he appears to be CGI-animated.
Coca-Cola
This Coca-Cola ad is reminiscent of the old silent films. Even though it can be classified as a fully animated commercial, you will notice that there is no talking. The animated Coca-Cola polar bears have been used as mascots by the Coca-Cola Company since 1993. When you visit the company’s headquarters at the World of Coca-Cola building in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, you even see someone in a polar bear suit as the mascot on the property. You can take pictures with him! The animated characters in this ad make noises but the full story is told silently in that the polar bears help the bird enjoy a refreshing bottle of Coke. As was stated previously, it is fully animated with CGI-animated characters and background. It has music and there is additional audio of the noises that the characters make as they interact with each other, and in the last frame, there is image and text graphics.
Coors Light
Welp! This Coors Light commercial might not advertise a product that can be used by youngsters, but it includes animation. It is actually a live-action/animation hybrid ad that features country western singer Lainey Wilson and hip hop rapper-turned-actor LL Cool J. Based in Golden, Colorado, the Coors Brewing Company brought back its Coors Light Chill Train that hasn’t been in use since 2005 to introduce it to the next generation of beer drinkers. This extended version of the ad, which was shown during Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024, includes image and text graphics, videos, music, and a CGI-animated “Chill Train.” The commercial ends as we hear The O'Jays' classic, "Love Train" playing, which was also featured in the original commercial for Coors Light. It just goes to show you that ads for alcoholic beverages also need to be creative and interesting. And everyone is encouraged to drink responsibly.
Ensure Nutritional Supplements
This commercial also checks off all the boxes for common elements of motion graphics animation ads. It is a live-action/animated hybrid ad. The animated characters are anthropomorphic food items and bottles of the product shown inside a CGI-animated background of a refrigerator. There is music, videos, and a voice-over narration towards the end of the ad. There are also image and text graphics throughout the ad. Ensure is an American brand of nutritional supplements and meal replacements manufactured by Abbott Laboratories and in this humorous commercial, the Ensure bottle that is in charge relieve all of the unhealthy foods of their responsibilities and gets rid of them.
Keebler Club Crackers
The Keebler Elves in this traditionally animated live-action/animated hybrid ad can be seen working in their tree factory while encouraging you to join the club and eat the Keebler Club Crackers that they bake. The Keebler Company is an American cookie and former cracker manufacturer that was founded in 1853. The animated Keebler Elves, led by "Ernest J. 'Ernie' Keebler", were created in 1969 when they were featured in a classroom film titled “Show and Sell” about how animated commercials are made. Since then, the Keebler Elves have become very popular and well-known animated characters. They even have a Fandom page! The white-haired, head elf Ernie wears a green jacket, a white shirt with a yellow tie, a red vest, and floppy shoes. Below is an image you can use in a Keebler Elf coloring page.
Even though the elves in this ad appear to be traditionally animated, the cookies and the other food items look real to me. The real food and what also looks to be a real background would make this a live-action/animated hybrid ad because I KNOW the elves are animated. This commercial also includes a song specific to this product, so there is audio as music. There are image and text graphics. There is a voice-over narration. And although Ernie Keebler speaks towards the camera, there is no dialogue.
M&M’s Candy
M&M’s Candy was created by Forrest Mars, Sr. in 1941. The name may represent members of the Mars family in the company. The name is also apparent in the company slogan: "the milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand." Each piece of the sugar-coated chocolate consists of a candy shell surrounding a filling which determines its specific type. They all also each have the letter "m" printed in lower case in white on one side. This Christmas-themed ad from 2001 only shows two pieces of the candy as talking, anthropomorphic CGI-animated characters. According to Wikipedia.org, this is a popular live-action/animated hybrid commercial that has aired every year since it was first created in 1996. The commercial has audio as music, image and text graphics, CGI-animated characters, and videos.
Pillsbury Crescents – Pillsbury doughboy
This live-action/animation hybrid commercial features a family enjoying Pillsbury Crescents at dinner time. I can remember when I first watched one of these ads, I thought it was interesting how they made it so that you would want to eat crescent rolls or Croissants at dinner. To me, they were always considered breakfast items. The Pillsbury Doughboy, as most people call him, is actually officially named Poppin’ Fresh. He is the advertising mascot for the Pillsbury Company. Created in 1965, he wears a scarf, a chef's hat, and has two big blue eyes to distinguish him from the rolls. The ad includes videos, a voice-over narration, a CGI-animated character, image and text graphics, and a small bit of audio as music at the end.
Your Assignment
Review the vocabulary words from a previous Motion Graphics Animaton lesson. Answer the following questions about the ads in this group of Food and Drink commercials.
1. Which commercial features popular audio as music?
2. Which commercial has a fully CGI-animated background?
3. Which commercials are examples of live-action/animation hybrid ads?
4. Which commercials clearly appear to be traditionally animated?
5. Which commercials include dialogue between real people and the featured animated characters?
6. Which commercials include dialogue?
7. Which commercial features different scenes in the videos?
8. Which commercials most likely have scripts for the actors?
9. Which commercials include slow motion filming?
10. Which commercial has more sound effects than the others instead of a lot of talking by the characters?