Advertisement site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MC630QFEM0&feature=related
“The Last Tiger. Worth playing for.” This beer advertisement is one of the few that I particularly enjoy. It shows a fight going on between two men over a last bottle of beer.
It’s a battle alright. However smart or … dirty they play.
No words, just a change in suits and character. Each time the character changes to become one that is more powerful than the previous, viewers see the changes in kinesics (body language) as the characters try to act more menacing. The use of oculesics (eye contact) is important in pulling off the entire video, being that looking into the enemy’s eyes is meant to intimidate the other party. In the end however, apparently, the wiles of a woman still cannot be resisted … even by a robot. This unexpected twist in the end certainly made this advertisement fully entertaining. The first time I was watching it, I was really wondering how it would end as the characters were becoming more bizarre by the second.
Apart from the two main characters in the video, there are bystanders within the casual and social proxemics that observe curiously the happenings going on around them, mainly the eccentric display by the two main characters.
The message in this advertisement that the last bottle of beer is worth every last bit of trouble, is quite well conveyed through nonverbal communication. The characters involved in the arm-wrestling “fight”, were able to put across their “fight” message very easily as they were on the same channel preference. But seriously, a fight isn’t THAT hard to miss, given that our human nature is to be competitive.
Nonverbal cues are not all that simple and are not always that direct. Most of the time, it is easy to misunderstand what message another party is actually conveying. Other than that, this is a fun advertisement showing how people would go to such great lengths in order to win a competition.
Well, it’s not always brawn, but brains that matter too.
* HERE'S A LITTLE SOMETHING I'M ADDING IN, ALL THANKS TO THE WONDERFUL CHENG WHO POINTED IT OUT. (4 Oct 09)
Over-drinking is another story altogether. It is up to an individual to know when they have reached their limit and know not to overdo it because of some peer pressure or other factors. The human body can only take SO much. But the funny thing is, that people would still binge drink even though they know it is not at all good for them. It's the same with smoking. Smokers know the harmful effects, yet they stupidly indulge in it and don't go for medical checkups for the fear of finding something they wouldn't want to find. Hey, ignorance is bliss, but how long can you keep running from truth?
When kids see such ads, they would definitely be curious about this drink which macho "lumpy matresses" (men) fight over. It is up to parents then, to educate their children on alcohol and its effects. There are bound to be times where kids see the need to be the "big kid in the playground" in order to win something. It's all part and parcel of growing up, and as mentioned before, sensible education is needed to let kids see that being the strongest or the best isn't everything.
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Really funny advertisement! Ladies sure know how to finish off the men. Such competition is way too easy. Anyway, nonverbal communication would always be misunderstood even if people were thinking along the same "wavelength". Its inevitable! That is, unless it is as clear as this clip.
ReplyDeleteI love this advertisement too! This is a good example of nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication is sometimes much more effective than verbal ones, like for this case. By showing to the audience the preserverance in wanting to win the competition, it goes to show that the tiger beer is indeed very good and people should actually get it. I believe that the advertisement wants to be more of a attention-seeker through the changing of the costumes more than anything else since images catch people's attention first as compared to the other hidden messages.
ReplyDeleteThis a real cool advertisement! The "fight" (costume changing effects) was pretty awesome =) It surely appeals to the beer consumers and anyone who watches the clip.
ReplyDeleteReally there is no need for words.
Just action.
It says a whole lot more.
gd analysis~ though i'd like to see you raise an actual issue like maybe the possible social effects of the ad. what is it trying to tell the kids? (or even the adults?) that being the baddest most buff guy wins? by assigning value in an alchoholic drink does it encourage kids to want to try and look macho/mature/buff by drinking? something like that. is drinking right? wrong? to begin with?
ReplyDelete-cheng!
I love this ad ! Super cool.
ReplyDeleteCertainly one that is comparable with the Heineken ad where the guys were screaming in the closet filled with beer.
I believe that as long as an Ad manages to capture the attention of the audience, it does really matter how quirky or weird the ad is, and usually humorous or bizarre ads(like the eyebrow moving Cadbury ad) tends to stay in our minds for a longer period.
To Amanda: Thank you for your comment! I do agree with what you said about nonverbal communication being misunderstood most of the time, even when people are talking about the same thing. Sometimes actions do contradict a person's words and it is up to both parties to clarify doubts to avoid any misunderstandings.
ReplyDeleteTo charlenetan: Thank you for your comment! The competition sure pushes people to be curious about tiger beer and also wonder why the two male characters would bother to try so hard to win the last bottle.
ReplyDeleteThe effects are really an eye-catcher here =) It's something new and is likely to be remembered or even followed for other advertisements to come.
To d0t: Thank you for your comment! Surely this advertisement appeals to generally all consumers. It catchy, funny and it brings advertising to a whole new level. I would say that some of the best advertisements now, are mostly beer ads. First, it was Heineken's beer closet-man screaming ad, now this. Competition sure is tight.
ReplyDeleteTo cheng!: Thank you for the comment and suggestion! As you can see, I added one small part to my blog entry in your honour =)
ReplyDeleteTo Christopher: Thank you for your comment! I totally agree with you about how the novelty of an advertisement ultimately allows it to stick in our minds for a longer period of time. The advertisers really did well on this one.
ReplyDeleteLove the ad! I do agree with what you said in the part that you considered the social effects of the ad. People really need to know their limits when drinking. You can hear all sorts of stories coming from friends who drink excessively and do stupid things while drunk. Sure when they relate the incidents, they are funny. But it only means that the person had been so intoxixated with alcohol. These "drunks" don't even remember what happened.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous: Thank you for your comment! It is true that people need to watch how much they drink. The stories that come out of excessive drinking are quite funny. However, when I hear these kind of incidents related, I find one fact that is particularly disturbing. How is that these drunkards can't remember what happened after their bout of excessive drinking?
ReplyDeleteThe alcohol concentration in their bloodstreams must really be at an alarming level.
Love this ad!!! I'd like to quote passion card here"the men don't get it."
ReplyDeleteBut back on point. The advertisment effectively captures the audiences attention and the non verbal cues are clear and direct.
To A spark of randomness: Thank you for your comment! Yes, for here it is quite obvious that the men don't get it. The advertisement did a good job in bringing across the message that tiger beer is certainly "worth fighting for". This particular ad would be remebered fondly for some time.
ReplyDeleteNot so fondly as i see in some of my guy friends as they feel it amplifies the power of women over men and do not savour such a stereotype that any man(or robot) is silly putty in the hands of a hot chick
ReplyDeleteTo A spark of Randomness: Thank you for your comment! Yes. I think this advertisement puts men down in a way. Hot girl and they blow a fuse. Girls hold some power over men more than we know.
ReplyDeleteMen deny it.
Well, they don't get it either do they? =P
Yeah we do do really dumb things when we're drunk. I would'nt go so far as to say my mum didn't do her duty in warning me because she still is able to say:"i told you so" when i wake up hung over asking her how i got home
ReplyDeleteTo *Hic*: Thank you for your comment! Well then, in this case like I said, it's all up to the individual to know his or her limit. Moderation is essential, but when people are having fun, we do get carried away.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good analysis. I think that surely nonverbal communication has proven itself to be a great entity in the world of advertising. Less said is the new "more".
ReplyDeleteDrinking on the other hand, along with other worldly vices, such as smoking, are things that parents, schools and society constantly frown upon. I'm sure that most of us are educated in schools with the new holistic education system, that smoking, drinking, premarital sex are not encouraged. They are, however, not fully considered social taboos today. When the individual makes the rebellious decision to engage in such activities, he or she should know, it does not only hurt their family to see them do it. It also hurts their friends and eventually, their future families.
To =): Thank you for your comment! Indeed, saying less is "more". It makes people think creatively and gives room for more alternative viewpoints. I also do agree with what you said, that for people who indulge in worldly vices, they hurt both themselves, their loved ones and their future. I would say that it is quite a selfish act. I know it hurts for me to know that some of my close friends do these things. But the only thing I can do is show that I don't approve, and hope and pray that they will change for the better.
ReplyDeleteI think beer is over-rated. Alcohol on the whole is over-rated. You can get very drunk with only momentary joy, and a sense of high, and you wake up with a hangover. Along with a big hole in your pocket. If that's fun to a person, that is really sad.
ReplyDeleteTo ...: Thank you for your comment! Well, not everyone would agree with you. Its all up to a person to define joy. If that's their idea of fun, it might so be, and some of them could eventually get tired of being the constant party animal.
ReplyDeleteGood analysis. I really like this advertisment (= probably one of the best from tiger beer. This ad says a lot about how women have an interesting control over men. It's not hard to guess what men think about when they see a hot woman. Drinking is a social activity most people would indulge in, at least once in their life. Its a step into adulthood, and in today's culture it is even more recognised and "IN" to do it.
ReplyDeleteTo Yee: Thank you for your comment! Well I guess you can say that drinking in today's society is a "rite of passage"? We drink or try drinking to symbolise adulthood when we reach the age of eighteen. It is however, not an "in" thing for everybody.
ReplyDeleteStrange ad... when the first guy pulled off his first suit i thought he was going to hurl... Anyway I think this ad captures the idea that all's fair in love and the non verbal cues are direct in indicating that the last beer is very much worth fighting for.
ReplyDeletetiger beer, another fav among people here. wonderful ad by the way. the fact that they used a women again to win a battle is one of the characteristics that make adverts attractive. who wants a product that chases away the opposite sex anyway? in the end, it is not what you win, but how u play the game.
ReplyDeleteThe fight's on. It's clear how Tiger Beer came up with such an advertisement in order to put across the message that the last bottle of beer is worth battling for. The most important thing about an advertisement, is that it is well remembered by the people who watch it, and it influences their thinking in such a way that they think the product is in fact, fantastic. This ad was really something new.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that they used a woman as the last contender brings to light what men often think about. What a male would actually "blow a fuse" for.
To Ariel mei: Thank you for your comment! All's fair in love and war. This advertisement surely shows that very clearly. We know that the nonverbal cues used are explicit and extreme. But the strange and creative way in which this advertisement was filmed serves to make the public remember it, and patronise it.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous (1st Nov, 8.39am): Thank you for your comment! Many people certainly like the fact that the last person standing was a woman. Women are now shown to hold a sort of power in the media. Unfortunately, most of the time they are portrayed as objects for sex in most commercials, such as this one. It is however very subtly put across in this advertisement. Indeed, most of the time, advertisements must be able to appeal to members of the opposite sex. Like you said, we don't exactly want to chase them away.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTo rach: Thank you for your comment! The novelty of this advertisement definitely was able to appeal to the masses. Once again, the idea that sex sells is put across in this particular advertisement very subtly compared to other beer commercials that have been produced by Tiger beer before. When they had spokeperson Jessica Alba, they made a print advertisement of her with no clothes on - Just barely wrapped bed linen and a bottle of tiger. Its obvious there that tiger was not only selling beer. This is what appeals most to men as we can all imagine.
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