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Nick Stephenson
Elizabeth Caruso
UWRT 1101
11 June 2014
Turning a oster !nto a Co""ercial
The a#$ertising tea" hire# b% &elbourne &etro create# a poster o' an astronaut(s hea#
e)plo#ing* +ith a cute poe" an# a caption o' ,be sa'e aroun# trains- to be place# in train stations
aroun# &elbourne. !t #oes a great /ob o' re"in#ing people +ho are in close pro)i"it% to trains to be
sa'e* but that e''ect +ears a+a% 'ro" "e"or% shortl% a'ter rea#ing it. This is oka% because a'ter a 'e+
"inutes the% +ill ha$e boar#e# their train an# +ill not nee# to +orr% about 'alling onto tracks until
the% arri$e at their #estination* +here there is probabl% another poster. This short ter" e''ect is per'ect
'or #ispla% insi#e train stations* but getting so"eone to re"e"ber long ter" takes a #i''erent t%pe o'
a#$ertise"ent.
The solution to this proble" is a tele$ision co""ercial that +ill be sho+n to citizens nationall%.
Tele$ision a#$ertise"ents ha$e "ore "eans to capture so"eone(s attention than a poster. T0 a##s
create the possibilit% 'or "otion an# $oice* +hich can be in'initel% "ore e''ecti$e than a si"ple picture
an# te)t +hen use# correctl%. &% a#$ertise"ent utilizes these 'unctions to gi$e the $ie+er "ore
in'or"ation about the #angers o' trains an# also #epicts "an% i"ages o' +hat can happen +hen
so"eone is acting #u"b aroun# trains.
The cute an# ani"ate# st%le o' the poster is e''ecti$e* but so"eti"es people nee# to see
so"ething "ore to re"e"ber #angers. The tele$ision a#$ertise"ent ! pro#uce# starts out +ith the sa"e
st%le o' the poster* +ith a song #escribing a 'e+ #u"b +a%s to #ie aroun# trains. 1bout hal' +a%
through the $i#eo s+itches to pictures o' cars that +ere #estro%e# a'ter getting hit b% a train. 1ll o' the
pictures are si"ilar* but sho+ing "an% pictures instea# o' a 'e+ can help sho+ that cars getting hit b%
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trains are not isolate# inci#ents* an# that the% can happen an%ti"e i' the #ri$er is not pa%ing attention.
&an% o' the crashes #epicte# en#e# +ith the #ri$er #ea#* an# e$en in the ones +here no one #ie#* the
a'ter"ath o' the cars getting #estro%e# shoul# sho+ e$er%one +atching that getting hit b% a train is not
so"ething %ou +ant to happen. These pictures o' carnage an# #eath are $er% #ark +hen co"pare# to
the cartoons sho+n in the 'irst part o' the co""ercial. The% are "eant to help re"in# the $ie+er that
although the beginning o' the co""ercial is 'un* being 'oolish aroun# trains can lea# to $er% real
conse2uences* +ith the "ain one being #eath.
The co""ercial sho+s cars getting hit b% trains instea# o' people getting hit b% trains 'or a 'e+
reasons. 1n ob$ious reason is that sho+ing pictures o' #ea# bo#ies* especiall% i' those bo#ies are real*
is not acceptable 'or nor"al tele$ision. 3ore #oes not sit +ell +ith "ost people* an# coul# possibl%
scar chil#ren e"otionall% i' the% happen to +atch it. utting gore in a co""ercial "ight sell sa'et% to
so"e* but +oul# "ake the "a/orit% o' $ie+ers uneas% an# the co""ercial +oul# likel% create backlash
against the co"pan% 'or being inappropriate. The #estro%e# cars are also suppose# to speak to a
#i''erent au#ience than the original posters #ispla%e# in train stations. The poster re"in#e# pe#estrians
to be sa'e stan#ing near tracks* +hile this co""ercial is "eant to keep #ri$ers alert +hen crossing
railroa# tracks. Sho+ing the #e"olishe# cars is a goo# +a% to re"in# $ie+ers +hat coul# happen to
the" i' the% are not sa'e. 1##itionall%* since "ost #ri$ers are a#ults ha$ing an a#$ertise"ent +ith "ore
"ature i"ages +ill e''ecti$el% co""unicate to "ore o' the inten#e# au#ience.
1'ter the still 'ra"es o' the "angle# cars* there is a short $i#eo o' an e"pt% car getting hit b% a
train. This section is "eant to help $ie+ers un#erstan# /ust ho+ "uch 'orce is behin# a train at 'ull
spee#. The car gets absolutel% #e"olishe#* an# i' an%one +ere insi#e the% +oul# #e'initel% be kille#.
This section also seeks to strike 'ear into an%one +atching* causing the" to be +ar% +hen aroun# train
tracks in the 'uture. Still 'ra"es "ight sho+ a'ter"ath* but there is nothing like seeing it happen in
'ront o' %ou to "ake %ou consi#erate to ho+ #e$astating train +recks can be.
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The co""ercial 'inishes b% sho+ing a si"ple banner that sa%s ,be sa'e aroun# trains*- +ith the
train co"pan%(s logo positione# belo+ it. 5a$ing a $er% si"ple screen 'orces $ie+ers to 'ocus on the
"essage* instea# o' rea#ing a##itional unnecessar% in'or"ation on the screen. !t(s better to ha$e a
si"ple "essage that (s 'ull% un#erstoo# than to ha$e a "essage that(s too co"plicate# 'or an%bo#% to
re"e"ber in the short ti"e it(s on screen. The phrase su""arizes the entire a# in one sentence* letting
$ie+ers lea$e +ith so"ething $er% si"ple to re"e"ber. !n their "e"or% it +ill also be linke# +ith the
#angers sho+n in the rest o' the a#.
6uring the sections o' the a# that sho+ the #estro%e# cars* e$en though the pictures are #ark
an# #epressing* the song keeps the tone o' being light an# cheer%. 5a$ing the "usic an# $isuals
counter each other is a goo# +a% to balance the "essage. !t can also "ake the i"ages see" e$en "ore
serious* si"ilar to ho+ "an% horror "o$ie trailers +ill pair a chil# singing +ith creep% pictures o'
+hate$er "onster is in the "o$ie. When use# this techni2ue o' can "ake the $ie+er 'eel uneas%* +hich
shoul# happen +hen $ie+ing a serious a#$ertise"ent such as this. The hope is that this uneas% 'eeling
is 'elt b% #ri$ers +hen the% are about to #ri$e across tracks* "aking the" look t+ice be'ore the% #o
so"ething that coul# potentiall% en# their li'e.
!t shoul# be re"e"bere# that this tele$ision co""ercial is not "eant to replace the original
poster. The% speak to #i''erent au#iences b% a##ressing #i''erent issues* but keep the o$erall "essage
o' train sa'et%. Working together this a# ca"paign +oul# co$er an e$en greater #e"ographic than
be'ore* hope'ull% acco"plishing the goal that the "etro co"pan% set out to #o* "aking the public sa'er
aroun# trains.
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7riginal 1#$ertise"ent
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&% ne+ a#$ertise"ent is poste# to "oo#le* both in
the peer re$ie+ 'oru" an# the presentation 'oru".