Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/663385
18 cgw m a r c h . a p r i l 2 0 1 6 or as long as any of us can remember, we have been pitched a plethora of products while watching our favorite TV shows. In the early days of television, companies would go so far as to sponsor shows. Some products were even integrated into the show itself – a practice that continues today albeit with a far more subtle presentation. (A Coke can clearly visible on a table, for instance, compared to yesteryear when the pitch was written into the show's dialog.) Clearly, TV spots have evolved over the decades. Yet, it's difficult to know what type of commercial will be a hit and what will be a miss. Even those million-dollar Super Bowl commercials can fall flat. While there is no special formula for a fantastic spot – whether on TV, the Web, or elsewhere – there are some things that are particularly appealing to audiences. Animals, cute kids, and humor almost always have crowd appeal. In the past (and even now), catchy jingles or catchphrases did the trick. Today, eye-popping computer graphics can likewise grab one's attention. A number of interesting commercials packed with CGI began making a bold statement of late, thanks to the imagination of agencies, the willingness of clients to embrace something different, and the genius of CG artists and animators. Here are some recent favorites. Seeing Spots TELEVISION AND OTHER COMMERCIALS ARE USING COMPLEX VISUAL EFFECTS TO PROMOTE CLIENTS' PRODUCTS BY KAREN MOLTENBREY