I decided to analyze the subservient chicken advertisement because I found it to be the most interesting and the most interactive. I say this because, while the other advertisements were interactive, I found this advertisement to boast the most ability to control it. The name of the advertisement itself (subservient chicken) promises the potential user that they will be given some sort of power when viewing the ad. The advertisement is very interactive because you have the ability to actually “influence” it. I use quotation marks because, knowing the back-story of the advertisement’s making, you have no direct effect on the chicken. However, unlike most advertisements, you are free to tell the chicken to do almost anything you can think of and he will most likely do it. Now, when getting technical, the ad is not interactive in the purest possible form, in my opinion. Manovich however, would say that the advertisement is interactive because he claims that human interaction would not be an interactive advertisement. I, on the other hand, disagree because of the simple fact that interactivity requires the ability to influence. You, as an advertisement consumer, cannot influence a program but you could influence a human being. The limits of the advertisement are that when you type in a word or phrase that has not been pre-recorded and archived, the chicken will not and cannot comply. If you tell the chicken to do something sexually provocative, he will approach the screen and shake his finger at you.
In this was, the advertisement cannot be totally interactive due to these limits. The interactivity highlights the Burger King corporation in almost a subliminal way. Burger King’s slogan is “Have it your way.” This claim is supported by the advertisement’s ability to make anyone feel that they can have the chicken entertain them, “their way.” This advertisement is highly alluring because of the entertainment factor as well as that of control. I feel that no argument is necessary in stating that the majority of people in this world enjoy control. Some people enjoy controlling small things, while others crave absolute power. This advertisement allows the user to use their imagination to find a command, be somewhat astounded when the command is carried out, and feel a sense of pride in their control. The audience is anyone. The advertisement made me feel somewhat empowered and make me think about a crispy chicken sandwich from Burger King.
Recently, subservient chicken celebrated its fifth birthday. Barbarian group blogged about it. http://www.barbariangroup.com/portfolio/burger_king_subservient_chicken
2 responses so far ↓
trevorsjg // October 29, 2009 at 7:25 am |
Am I correct in saying that you believe the ad would be more interactive with a human being directly following your commands? If so, this goes against the very ideals of the company that made it. The Barbarian Group says that interactive ads aren’t people. That would be a sales person. I would agree that at the heart of interactive ads is simply advertisement.
shhecc // October 29, 2009 at 8:53 am |
Scott, I disagree that this advertisement is the most interactive and that it boasts the most ability to control it. Something can not be “more interactive” than something else. It is either interactive or not because “interactivity” means that the viewer engages with the advertisement.
I analyzed the M&M ad, and one would agree that it boasts the most ability to manipulate it. Unlike the Subservient Chicken, the M&M ad is less limiting. The Subservient Chicken can only accomplish a handful of commands because the Chicken is a man who had taped himself doing countless, common acts. There is more opportunity to alter the name, birth date, shape, size, color, hair, face, legs and arms of an M&M. Also, the choices are given to the viewer for the M&M ad. There are endless possibilities of different M&Ms.