I looked at some Sony Walkman adverts from the years 1970 to 1980. I noticed that one advert, ('the WM-10 super walkman'- 1983) showed the cassette player being made, informing the viewer of the complicated internal machinery of the product. This allows the viewer to appreciate the product fully and realize how cutting-edge and innovative it is.
i found the main message in these adverts to be that you have the ability to listen to your music wherever you are. This is shown in the advert below, where a young woman is shown doing aerobics whilst listening to music. the size of the product is often mentioned and shown, with clips such as 0.01 seconds (in the advert for WM-10 super walkman) with a hand holding the device. This gives the viewer something to compare the size of the product with, making it possible to imagine how portable the product is.
I have found these adverts to use a lot longer shots and a variety of shot types, in contrast to that of modern day MP3 player adverts. The length of these shots suggests a calm, relaxed atmosphere, putting the viewer at ease. The music adds to this feeling of relaxation, with classical instruments playing in the background.
The voiceover was heard over the classical music, which is relatively unusual nowadays. it adds to the slow, reassuring vibe of the advert, with a deep, masculine voice in which the viewer is likely to feel safe and secure, making viewing more comfortable. the fact that all of the adverts i have looked at feature a male voice rather than a females is significant, as the feeling of safety may not be as widely received if a women was talking.
Isn't it interesting how advertisements used to follow a pattern, with the products featured, explained by 'voiceover man' and shown being used in fairly unimaginative ways. Now that advertising has become an art form in itself, with pop video directors being used, and awards available, companies are having to come up with more and more inventive and entertaining ways to appeal to their marked.
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