GE – Today is a new day
Byhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMGnbXayj2E
GE has been an established and trusted brand for over 100 years. Today, in a time where society is concerned with the economic crisis and war, GE brings us back to one of the most important things: people. GE reminds us how many wonderful things the company does for people around the world. Our most basic and valued essentials, electricity, water, transportation, health, are contributed to by GE. Even further, the commercial focuses on what wonderful contributions that have made to our world today and how they continue to work toward innovations for tomorrow.
I think GE has done a wonderful job taking consumers back to the basic human needs, and showing the vast scale on which GE directly contributes to these efforts. They got these massages across without any voice over or actors, (except when GE really wanted to pull at our heartstrings – while making their reference to saving lives, cue the image of the children running).
Also, after our class discussion about the effects that music can have the effectiveness of an advertisement, it was interesting to read the comments below this youtube post where people are taking about how great the song is in this commercial, and inquiring about the artist. Had this commercial been accompanied by a different song, I wonder if it would have been received differently.
Overall I think that GE did a great job appealing to our vaules and bringing personal relevance into their message. Their use of music and images were just the icing on the cake.
3 Comments
November 30th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Wow, talk about an inspirational commercial. Many consumers don’t realize the range of products and services GE offers: from appliances to aviation and energy to electricity, it’s really amazing. Check out GE’s website for a full list; you’ll be astounded. This commercial is a great way to showcase all of GE’s offerings with a strong emotional appeal.
I love that you mentioned the song, because when I first watched the commercial that was something I noticed as well. The song immediately elicits strong feelings of inspiration, motivation, encouragement, imagination, and innovation, many of which are words GE uses to describe their brand (“Imagination at work,” Innovation Today for America’s Tomorrow,” etc). They did a great job of picking an appropriate song that hopefully fosters positive feelings in their consumers like it did for me. Plus, just think about the great publicity the Goo Goo Dolls got from this ad featuring their song “Better Days.” It’s a win-win situation for both parties. The song plus the beautiful and aesthetically appealing images work together to produce imagery that creates strong emotional appeal.
I love commercials that feature a positive outlook on the future. The future is one thing that no one can predict, but everyone can imagine. This GE spot fosters optimism for the future and creates a positive brand image for consumers. Great example of socially responsible advertising at work!
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I also really liked this commercial. The music works well to create positive affect about the brand and the visuals used really enhance the overall message. As the commercial progressed I was expecting something to be said about eco-friendly efforts GE might be practicing, but this message never came across. In my opinion, GE had the perfect opportunity to insert ways in which the company is helping millions of people AND helping the environment at the end of the commercial right after the words, “Just imagine what’s ahead…”. If the company does in fact practice sustainability, what a perfect way to introduce those through the use of this commercial, or maybe an extension of this commercial.
On the other hand, from another perspective, GE would have to be extremely careful incorporating green efforts with this commercial so that they don’t come off as a greenwashing company to current consumers. GE would really need to use specific examples of how they are utilizing sustainability so that people don’t think they are just trying to come off as a green company. Something to think about…
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 am
This commercial also impacted me, especially with regard to affective involvement. The music, beautiful imagery, and wide range of services offered by GE, as illustrated in the ad, support the positioning of GE as an “innovative” and “imaginative” company that provides services integral to society’s survival, such as energy and transportation.
By illustrating the broad range of services provided and demographics served, from children to doctors, GE is able to make the message personally relevant to multiple groups, while still making it general enough (since everyone needs water, energy, electricity, etc.) for it to be socially relevant. The ad cues elaboration, as the company is not only a service provider for the needs of “Today,” but enables “America’s Tomorrow,” the future of our nation, by harnessing nature’s capabilities (which features prominently in the beautiful landscapes in the ad) with GE’s technology.
The ad is a reminder that large companies like GE are not solely in it for the profits; rather, they also fulfill our physiological needs and work hard to build a better future with the “imagination” necessary to do so. This commercial reminds us of the interconnectedness of our present society, and how capitalism operates ideally with a mutually beneficial exchange system: thanks to employees at companies like GE, we have electricity and clean water, which would not be possible without consumers who drive business for GE.