I am surprised no one has posted this commercial. It is probably the most famous commercial targeted towards promoting a cleaner, less-polluted environment. This commercial definitely works as great visual science communication to spread a message.
I wonder how effective it actually was though? The commercial was made in the 70s when the Green Movement was still big, but towards the 80s, when green awareness was dissipating, did it still stand as a strong model for the world to stop polluting?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
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6 comments:
here's actually a more recent commercial about pollution too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iwHO7WONk0
I had never seen this commercial before, thanks for posting :-) I think that, although it is a little dated, it definitely does have a powerful statement to make about what humans are doing to their own environment. I liked this commercial a lot because it really makes you think about how some of the places we live in today, like all the big cities and suburban towns have completely changed and in many ways not for the better. The fact that so much natural beauty that had once existed is now completely gone is such an upsetting thought All the shots of people carelessly tossing trash out of their car windows and onto the ground were disturbing as well, because it is so truthful to what happens everyday. This commercial is also helpful because, by showing how polluted the environment can become by each person thinking that their small piece of litter won’t make a difference, the same attitude can be applied to small, positive steps we can take that will make a difference.
Interesting. I will admit that the Native American culture does have a great deal of respect for nature, and are quite in tune with the environment. Many other cultures are as well, but the use of the Native American in a US commercial is more relevant. I agree with the previous post. The images really do show that your little bit of waste x everyone's waste = a big mess. I really wish something else was flashed during or after the commercial, more than the logo. Something kind of catchy but solemn.
The Native American attracted my attention really well as he looked directly at me at the end of the commercial. In Comm 130 (Visual Communication), we have learned about a visual device known as direct eye gaze. Dr. Paul Messaris is the mastermind behind this idea. The concept basically just uses the basic real world attention-getting device of looking into the eyes of another person who is looking directly at you at the visual image level (in this case a short film segment).
The close-up camera angle used to show the Native American crying due to the environmental pollution makes us feel a an intimate psychological connection with the Native American. (This is another basic technique that Messaris has identified called the paraproxemic principle.)
The intimate connection with the Native American more deeply connects us with the issue of environmental pollution. Although this commercial is dated, it really hits home the issue of environmental pollution. Most viewers could not help but feel sympathy toward the attractive, yet so unnecessarily troubled Native American man.
This commercial sheds light on the growing media attention pays to the “green movement”. I was just sitting in my living room watching TV when the Green Light campaign sponsored by HDTV came on. It seems like every TV network is coming up with a new environmental campaign to advertise on television. It’s great to see the non-typical commercial provided by a network that is interested in simply educating the public. Each network, however, seems to choose different environmental issues to focus on. NBC required all of its shows to focus on an environmental aspect in their episode for one week in March, which was fairly provocative. In comparison, MTV’s campaign focuses on daily activities that will save energy. I wonder what the incentives are for networks to forego advertising profits by providing these network-funded infomercials. I assume that PR and simple CSR has something to do with it. However, all-in-all, these environmental television campaigns are a step-forward toward greater education and thus greater action!
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