SWA #6: Mac Advertisements

I chose to compare the 1984 commercial to the 1994 advertisement.  Although the two were only made ten years apart from one another, they are entirely different in practically every way possible.  The 1984 ad firstly is trying to sell the Macintosh to a group of people who have probably never heard the word Macintosh.  This commercial signals the very first outbreak of Mac into the world, so the video had to be exceptionally effective in order to find a new, innovative way to attract people to this new and innovative concept.  This first commercial portrays the computer as a brand-new, extraordinary piece of technological equipment.  It is unlike anything that anyone at this time had ever seen before, so the video had to match this.  The commercial was futuristic and had a sci-fi tone to it.  It would most likely appeal to a younger generation of people who were trying to keep up with the most recent trends and fads.  It appealed to anyone wanting to be ahead of the times and unlike the "1984" they knew.  It would most likely not be effective in a contemporary setting because the theme would be outdated today. 

The 1994 commercial was entirely different in its nature, because at this point, the Mac had already been around for years.  People already knew of the brand, thus, this ad was not made in order to attract people or hook them on the name.  Instead, the commercial set out with the goal of informing people.  It was more of an "info-mercial," and it was simply filled with endless facts and details about the Persona computer.  It's audience was probably a group of business people, entrepreneurs, or possibly families looking to invest in a personal computer for their home.  This ad portrayed the Mac as reliable, trustworthy, and prudent.  In contrast to the message in 1984 which was loud, upbeat, and catchy, the 1994 ad was dull, slow, and droning.