The commercials in this post include animated characters as motion graphics animation to promote breakfast cereals. Most of them include image and text graphics, audio voice-overs, and music. As you watch these ads, try to remember the last time you saw each of them and think about whether or not you have purchased and eaten them at home.
Cheerios
This Cheerios commercial is a live-action/animated hybrid commercial meaning it includes a real actor in a real environment along with an animated character. In this particular commercial, the Cheerios honeybee is a computer-generated image (CGI). However, in most other Cheerios commercials, the honeybee is traditionally animated. The ad only includes the actor talking to the honeybee as audio along with the short jingle that is whistled at the end. Other than the CGI animated honeybee character, the only other graphics include the text at the bottom of one of the frames and the slogan at the end that appears and says Have a Change of Heart. Therefore, in this commercial, the only example of motion graphics is the honeybee character because the text does not move.
Froot Loops
This Froot Loops commercial should have been included in my group of fully animated commercials. It includes traditionally animated individuals enjoying the cereal that is transformed from the words that Toucan Sam sings as they fall like rain into their cereal bowls. There is actually lots of movement on the animated screen and the white background makes the color of the cereal pieces more dramatic. The motion text graphics at the end on the red background also appear just as dramatic as the color in the other portion of the ad. Even though it looks and sounds like it is a simple ad, there must have been a lot of work put into creating it. It looks good.
Frosted Flakes
In this live action/animated hybrid commercial, Tony the Tiger is traditionally animated. It is comical in that the identities of the individuals are supposedly being protected to keep their comments about liking the cereal a secret. Since the cereal is evidently known to be a favorite of many children, the commercial is marketed to appeal to adults. There is a minimal amount of motion graphics as the ad features videos including one that zooms in on the product, text, a short audio voice-over, and the movement of the animated character.
Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles
This fully animated cereal commercial features two characters from The Flintstones cartoon series – Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. This is a traditionally animated cereal ad in which it even includes drawings of the cereal boxes. There is some music. However, there is no text, and with the exception of Fred’s narration, there is no additional voice-over. This ad probably took a long time to complete in comparison to other cereal ads.
Lucky Charms
In this live-action/animated hybrid commercial, only the two children appear to be real. Both settings appear to be traditionally animated, and Lucky the Leprechaun is animated. We notice the motion graphics of the cereal pieces in the “Charm World” and the children come out along with the motion graphics traditionally animated rainbow to real bowls of cereal and a real cereal box. Also, the grass around the cereal looks real. So, it looks like this may have been completed with the use of a green screen for the backgrounds. Nicely done.
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran
This live-action/animated hybrid traditionally animated commercial features a talking Sun. The Sun is the narrator and provides the viewer with information about the product. The honey-covered cluster of oats is an example of motion graphics as it is shown spinning in mid-air. Then, the raisins look like they are flying toward the camera as they fall from the two scoops into the cereal in the bowl. There are videos that show the cereal being lifted out of the bowl by a spoon with milk ready to be enjoyed. The commercial also has music and at the end, the text flies in with the description that says, “two scoops of delicious.” Mmmm. Those are good.
Post Raisin Bran
This is an old commercial and celebrates the pop culture of an earlier time. It is an example of traditional and claymation animation. It has music, videos, and a voice-over. The only text shown is on the animated signs in the ad.
Your Assignment
Watch each of these commercials and answer the following questions:
1. What is the product that is being promoted?
2. Does the commercial show how the product should be used?
3. Who is expected to purchase this product?
4. Why are you supposed to want to buy this product?
The answers to these questions will be posted by this Friday on the CARE Now website. Note that there are definite right and wrong answers. Not all answers will vary. I urge you to talk to family members and friends about this assignment and get their feedback, too.