Live in the Now

Nexus 4 Live in the now from Jeffrey Da Silva on Vimeo.

Sell your solution to the Click on highlighted word for complete definition. weary generations.

Once again, instilling the belief that most of today’s problems can be solved by a device in hand, Nexus 4 is here.  For the most part, I liked this commercial; Google took a page from Windows Phone’s Playbook.  The overall composition was easy to follow and simplified with believable characters with a sense of location and purpose.  The ad displayed seemingly real life scenarios of how the device is to be used along with the Google Now features.  Still, I noticed the conscious and subconscious cues aimed at persuading me to buy the device.  The personae in the commercial were mere reflections of young, brunette, single/married and metropolitans/hipsters, who would be lost without there phones.

Even so, the constant dependency of staring down at our mini screens still bothers me.  Since most mobile device owners are already in a transient state when it comes to their mobile devices, Nexus 4 tries to act as a utilitarian companion.  Clearly the motive of Google Now is for mobile users to unquestionably, “Live in the Now”. Could this be Google’s response to This will take you to an old article within this site. Windows Phone claims from years ago , that people are captivated to mostly hedonic tasks when it comes to their mobile phone? Since almost all big brands are adapting the “Now” movement, it reminded me of the old Sprint Now Network commercials, when they were the first to have 4G.

iJerk™ Meter: LOW  -False sense of security in a phone; clever use of Personae, light usage of logical fallacies.

I would like to focus on what this commercial has focused on, Click to see full definition. Personae and their interaction with the device.

Mom and Child. (Home/Family Life)

Frame 00:00 – Location and time.

Influence Tip:  Establish a believable setting and environment.


Frame 00:02 – Mother preparing lunch in the kitchen, Phone near by.  A play with colors and background.

Influence Tip:  Have your customer see your product in their environment.


Frame 00:03 – Mother picks up phone and music builds tension and releases as she unlocks phone.

Frame 00:04 – Checking time and traffic before next appointment.

Frame 00:06 – …And the weather.

Influence Tip:  Show them how it can be used, as simplified as possible.

Though unsightly, be sure to ad disclaimers to avoid confusion and dishonest appearances.

Frame 00:08 – The young and still attractive mother shouts, “It’s going to snow today!”.

Frame 00:10 – The imaginative Google Child…this time, its a boy pilot
(Different than the Girl Astronaut in Nexus 7: Curious).
Kid responds, “SNOWWW!!”

Influence Tip:  People respond better to baby faces, mostly on children;

but in some cases adults and products may have the same qualities.

***

Hipster/Musician (Cultural movement)

Frame 00:11 – Another location, 3 hours behind the last (Time Zone difference).  Assuming the weather is also different.

Frame 00:12 – Woman frantically runs in an almost Cinderella urgency as if she may be late for an event.

Frame 00:13 – Hipster/Musician stops to check her phone in the middle of running.

Frame 00:14 – She checks her phone.  She’s about 18 minutes away from her destination.
Current location is displayed.

Frame 00:16 – She checks for the weather too? This is becoming a pattern.

It appears that a train departure is at 1:44 PM, but that is pretty hard to tell.

Frame 00:17 – She then continues her frantic run in high heels. Multi-talented indeed.

Frame 00:18 – She rushes into the train just in time.

She could have made it even if she didn’t stop to check her phone.

Frame 00:18 – She wanted to catch the same train as her hip musician friends?

Cutting it pretty close.  Is this phone for people who have no sense of time?

As an unwritten rule, arrive half hour to an hour early so you won’t be late.

***

Caucasian Male and Asian Woman Couple (Highly marketable variation of Interracial Couples)

What do I mean by Highly Marketable? Well, we know what marketing is really about.

Some stats: Interracial couples in America, according to the Click to see the stats. U.S. Census Bureau and I know, its Wikipedia, just double check the references; nothing to be scared about. Wikipedia (Be sure to cross reference the sources).

Frame 00:22 – Again, this scene is happening simultaneously to the one mentioned before, just different time zone.

Frame 00:24 – We see the attractive, yet distraught looking couple, immersed in their phone for directions.

Frame 00:25 – This is why the were distraught, they were actually very hungry. Possible reservation.

Still…didn’t they Google map this before they left the house?  Another pattern is presenting itself.

 

Frame 00:28 – They make it to their destination, Blue Ribbon.

Which appears to be an actual restaurant on 97 Sullivan street in New York.

***

American Girls in a Foreign land (Travel/Translator)

How many times have seen or been in this position.  You are far away from home or in another country and cannot speak the language.  This is not a scene from the move, Taken, its another situation where you may be helpless without a translator on your phone.

Frame 00:29 – The same time, but in another county, Paris.

Frame 00:31 – Two American Girls at a marketplace at night.
Their body language almost screams, “I’m a tourist”.

Frame 00:32 – The two girls, see something they think is a vegetable.

Frame 00:32-2 – Whoa!  I haven’t seen that animal since the early sea life books from childhood.
Of course the American girls have no idea what that is, right?

Frame 00:36 – They ask their phone to translate for them, the word “vegetable”.

Frame 00:39 – The handsome man tells them that it is a fish, not a vegetable.

Frame 00:41 – They decide that they really aren’t in the mood
to digest something that looks like that, so late at night.

Father and child (Travel/Family Life)

Then, to wrap up the story and bring it all home or to close, we see a busy American father.

Frame 00:42 – Another white screen that gives our mind a rest

and notification of another story.

Frame 00:43 – An early to mid 30’s male gets into the back of a Japanese taxi cab

and checks his phone.

Frame 00:45 – He checks his phone and it appears that he is supposed

to “Hangout with Ben”.  Soon he will need to catch his flight number 18.

Frame 00:47 – A closer shot, more focused on, “Hangout with Ben”.
So the question is, who is Ben?

Frame 00:48 – Now we see a familiar Chicago color pallet, and the face of the guy

who was in the back seat of a taxi in Japan.

“Dad, guess what!”

Frame 00:49 – This must be Ben.  He tells his father…
“It’s snowing!!!”

Frame 00:53 – …Finally, we are left with a lasting statement meant to inspire faith in the product.
Once this claim, as vague as it is, is made; consumers may have high expectations.

Frame 00:54 – Influence Tip: Establishing the Nexus 4 (device) and the magic (the how).

Frame 00:56 – Influence Tip: Also subconsciously remind the consumer of the solutions you provide.

The dark and colorful products on a white background,

subtle animations help to facilitates complete attention.

Frame 00:59 – Influence Tip: But draw there attention to the main product you want them to be fully aware of.

Hopefully leaving them with a feeling of assurance and the urge to try and buy.

Frame 00:59-2 – Even though they may have seen your brand throughout the whole ad,

remind them once again who you are and where to find the product(s).

If those claims can be spun to become a fact in the mind of the consumer, this ad was a success.

***

Take Away:

The use of Personae in ads are at least twofold.  Companies seek to use them as a general and sometimes very descriptive reflections of those they know are being exposed to the ad.  The second is to convey an ideal image, “this is the type of consumer we want to use our product”. Often seen as smarter and well-rounded. Brunette , Metropolitans and Hipsters, are the focus of this ad for various reasons. Instead of portraying their users as app crazy drones, Google chose to display the utilitarian and less hedonic uses of Google Now.  Of course, Google has to insert the cute and imaginative child in the sales pitch; because some busy parents already feel a bit disconnected from their families due to their hectic work schedule. Lost generations craving to hear a feel-good spiritual message, now paired with a tech device, to emphasize a holistic approach. With former Apple iPhone users slowly switching to Google’s phones for their image of being the “Good Guys”, Google seeks to also catch those that are heading towards Windows 8 Phones.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

About Joseph

I'm a consumer...but I'd rather create.

Joseph has written 20 awesome articles for us at The iJerk

What do you think?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *