An analysis of corporate commercials, as research for HAE Stack fake commercial video production.
Elements of a Corporate Commercial
  1. Vague, almost poetic script.
  2. Lots of cuts between stock footage/images.
  3. Most cuts are jump cuts, but occasionally there's a fade.
  4. Most cuts come in clusters of similar subject/footage/topic from different angles.
  5. Lots of pauses in the voiceover that don't follow normal sentence or punctuation conventions.
  6. They're selling the idea of the company, not a specific product. The commercial is for investors, not the general population.
  7. Occasional hyper-fast cuts of like 3-10 different scenes in a second.
  8. Inspirational backing music track.
  9. Event static shots have some movement, usually slow zoom in/out.
  10. Ends with corporate logo, either overlaid on footage or on own screen.
Cisco - Tomorrow Starts Here
Narrator Feminine, young-ish adult
Length 60 seconds
Clips ~80-90 depending on how you count
Year 2012
Transcript
What if the next big thing isn't a thing at all it's lots of things all waking up. Becoming part of the global phenomenon- we call the internet of everything. Trees will talk to networks will talk to scientists about climate change. Cars will talk to road sensors will talk to stop lights about traffic efficiency. The ambulance will talk to patient records will talk to doctors about saving lives. It's going to be amazing and exciting and maybe most remarkably not / that / far /away. The next big thing. We're going to wake the world up. And watch with eyes wide as it gets to work. Cisco Tomorrow starts here.
Cisco - The Human Network
Narrator Feminine, child
Length 90 seconds
Clips ~80
Year 2014
Transcript
Welcome. Welcome to a brand new day. a new way of getting things done Welcome to a place where maps are rewritten and remote villages are included. a place where body language is business language where people subscribe to people, not magazines. and the team you follow, now follows you Welcome to a place where books rewrite themselves. where you can drag and drop people wherever they want to go and a phone doubles as a train ticket, plane ticket, or lift ticket. Welcome to a place where a wedding is captured, and recaptured, again and again Where a home video is experienced everywhere at once. Where a library travels across the world. Where businesses are born. Countries are transformed and we're more powerful together that we ever could be apart Welcome to the human network.
Cisco - The Bridge to Possible
Narrator Masculine, adult
Length 64 seconds
Clips 24
Year 2020
Transcript
Between what is hoped for and what can be there's a bridge Between the asiprations of a ball club, and the greatest sports venue in America there's a bridge. Between chaos and wonder. Endangered and protected. There's a bridge. Built on technology that can solve create heal inspire and secure a bridge. There from the beginning, to where we stand today and where we will go from here. One company one promise If you can imagine it, we will build the bridge to get you there. Cisco The bridge to possible.
Cisco - Inclusive Future Anthem
Narrator Feminine, adult, British?
Length 75 seconds
Clips ~68
Year 2023
Transcript
Where will you be in 5 years? Where will we be in 5 years? In 25? In 50? Lets be here and here with her and him and they lets connect them lets connect everyone lets deliver technology that gives them access. to power opportunity lets set a new standard for data security and personal privacy lets change the system promote equality and fairness in the workplace lets tear down the barriers to social justice for a more inclusive world. Lets clean house zero carbon, zero waste Because the health of our family is tied to the future of our home. Lets gather resources and partners, steer towards our greatest challenges and accelerate. For the benefit for all. Cisco has made it it's purpose to empower an inclusive future for all. Where will we be in 50 years? Lets go see Cisco The bridge to possible.
Raytheon - We Are RTX
Narrator Masculine, adult
Length 60 seconds
Clips 47
Year 2024
Transcript
We are defined by the questions we ask and the challenges we take on. When will sustainable be the standard? Will data be the difference? Can materials be lighter? Can they handle 5000 degrees? How can travel be transformed? How will we make the world safer? Decisions faster? [text still says "how will we make", but they don't say it] Are seamless communications the key? Can what's up there Help us down here? Is human ingenuity limitless? Is our true potential endless? At rtx We take on the big challenges. We ask the big questions and we find answers We are RTX.
Lockheed Martin - Build What's Next
Narrator Masculine, adult, very deep
Length 30 seconds
Clips ~56
Year 2026
Transcript
Behind every great leap are the people who make it possible. For more than a century, Lockheed Martin has built [,] what comes next From first sketch to first flight to deep space. Our proof isn't a prototype. It's what works in the field Science advanced through action. Ideas made real. The past is proven. The future is built.