Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

CHAPTER 18
WHAT MAKES GOOD
COMMERCIALS
Since the only purpose of the sponsor in presenting his program,
commercial, or spot is to gain sponsor identification,
it follows
that he demands and tries to obtain the type of advertising an-
nouncement which does that most successfully. The type of article
to be advertised plays a large part in determining the form that
the commercial will take.
Most readers know the attraction that the animated cartoon
has for children, and for adults, also. In fact, it might be said
that many adults like cartoons better than living characters. The
sheer mechanical ingenuity of the animated figures has a tremendous
appeal to the average viewer whether it is seen on tele-
vision or a movie theatre screen. Psychologists say that this is due
to the desire in all of us to get out and perform the dream actions
which these little figures do so easily. The stroke of the artist's
pen enables them (the viewers) to perform feats such as flying
through the air or overcoming the bully by identification with the
dancing figures on the screen. Incidentally, the secret of success
for any production is self-identification. If the production is a love
story it will succeed if it is possible for the men to feel themselves
in the place of the hero as he takes the beautiful Joan Bennett in
his arms. Similarly, if the heroine is just an ordinary girl with
whom the tired housewife can identify herself as Victor Mature
sweeps her up, the boxoffice will reflect its success. For a commer-
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