Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- June-November 1995 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Part of 2 VHS and 2 mp4 (82.6 MB & 35.2 MB) & Part of 1 VHS, 1 DVD and 1 mp4 (47.6 MB)
Context area
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Four copies of an advert advertising the business, life (magazine) and sport sections of the Observer in turn. Each section has its own background music:
a. This is an advert in four parts:
The first part shows a man in a suit locking his car in an office car park, and then peering into the Mercedes parked next to it, with the commentary: "That man in your office - the successful one - did he waste his Sunday reading the sports section? The Business: the section that justifies the cover price". It ends with a shot of the business section on the dashboard of the Mercedes and the (unspoken) tagline: "Every week with the Observer."
The second part shows a "hidden camera" view of a bathtub, with a man sitting on the toilet at the edge of the shot. He opens Life Magazine and begins to read it. Commentary: "This bathroom belongs to Mike Chadwick, a business journalist for the Observer. Let's see which section he reads at home: Life Magazine - everyone's favourite section."
The third part shows a female journalist inspecting the grass at the foot of a showjumping hedge and saying, "Hi! In this week's Life Magazine you'll find tips on removing moss and..." She is then (replaced with a similarly dressed mannequin and) trampled by the horses coming over the jump. The part-advert ends on a shot of the sports section superimposed on the screen and the tagline:"Sportsweek: No competition".
The advert is finished off with an animated spread of the paper and all its supplements and the commentary: " The Observer, set your alarm this Sunday." This version has a long end-frame and no sound for last few seconds.
The advert starts at 01.52 on the mp4 file. Duration: 50 seconds.
b. Duplicate of version (a), but with a shorter end frame, on a different VHS and mp4 file. The advert starts at 01.21 on the mp4. Duration: 40 seconds.
c. Duplicate of version (b), but with a different voiceover artist and slightly altered commentary for the first part: "Your colleague - the successful one - did he spend his Sunday reading the sports section? The Business: the section that justifies the cover price". The advert starts at 0.48 on a different mp4. Duration: 40 seconds.
d. Duplicate of version (c), on the same VHS and mp4 file. The advert starts at 02.10 on the mp4. Duration: 40 seconds.
Creator: The Observer Limited, 1917-1993
Creator: Chiat/Day, 1968-1995
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access via GNM Digital Repository.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Access Status
Open
Closed until
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
a. Also included on the VHS, DVD and mp4 file are Observer adverts Observer adverts OBS/9/1/1/71/1a; OBS/9/1/71/6a; OBS/9/1/1/72c; OBS/9/1/1/73 and OBS/9/1/1/74a.
b. Also included on the VHS and mp4 file are Observer adverts OBS/9/1/1/71/1b; OBS/9/1/1/71/6d; OBS/9/1/1/72d; OBS/9/1/1/74b; OBS/9/1/1/78e; OBS/9/1/1/79b-c; OBS/9/1/1/80c; OBS/9/1/1/81b; OBS/9/1/1/83; OBS/9/1/1/84a; OBS/9/1/1/85b and OBS/9/1/1/86a.
c-d. Also included on the VHS and mp4 file is Observer advert OBS/9/1/1/71/5.