User:Tigerpaw28/Sandbox:Commercials
| This article is about TV advertisements. For the bits between the show and the ads, see Commercial bumper. |
Despite the existence of comics, cartoons, and other media intended to advertise Transformers toys, Hasbro has routinely commissioned standard television commercials to promote their current toy lines. These commercials typically use a combination of animation and live-action film featuring the characters/toys in question.
During the Generation 1 days, animation used in the commercials consisted largely of newly commissioned pieces that told a story. Since then, nearly all animation featured in Transformers commercials can be classified as either re-used excerpts from the current cartoon or short animations used to merely introduce the ad. Live-action toy segments have stayed mostly the same, with most US and international ads showing kids (or a pair of hands) transforming the toys. Japanese ads, by contrast, have shown a much larger preference for stop-motion toy segments.
As the goal of any advertising is to influence the viewer into buying the advertised product,Transformers commercials have naturally played a large part in the perception of the Transformers brand. The narration of Victor Caroli, along with the animation, enabled Generation 1 commercials to create the idea of a Transformers world with many stories to be told. The Beast Wars ad campaign created a similar feel of a whole world waiting to be explored but this time with organic beasts. This recurring theme of a huge world of stories has captivated many a Transformers fan and is largely responsible for the brand's rabid fandom. More recently, the massive ad campaigns for the live-action film series and associated merchandise has kept the Transformers brand in the eye of the public, and made the films feel like the blockbuster events they were intended to be.
Generation 1
Generation 2
Beast Wars
Animorphs
Animorphs represented a brief throw back to the narration approach of the later Generation 1 ads by having the characters of Jake and Tobias provide narration. Unlike the earlier ads, which had Optimus Prime, Megatron or Galvatron sharing time with Victor Caroli and The Other Guy, Jake and Tobias are the sole narrators.
1999
Toys
- Narration: Unknown (possibly Shawn Ashmore).
- Notes: A brief explanation of the Animorphs story, with one of the characters saying "Animorphs, Transformers!" Features Jake, Tobias, Mega class Ax, Mega class Visser Three and Rachel. Some footage from the Animorphs TV series is seen, and an instrumental version of the series' theme plays underneath. The synthesized "Transformers!" digital voice (as with the concurrent Beast Wars ads, apparently taken from older Generation 1 ads) plays at the end.
- The alien invasion has begun. Animorphs, Transformers!
Beast Machines
For Beast Machines, Hasbro took a very minimalist approach to it's marketing by producing only three ads over it's two years of availability. This may have been impacted by also needing to spend on ads for Beast Wars and Animorphs in 1999. The toy ads marked a return to using children in the ads, as opposed to the "pair of hands" manipulating the toys from off-screen approach of Beast Wars and Animorphs. The children were featured in school settings, engaging in rivalries over whose toy was more "powerful". These debates also provided the narration for the ads, with traditional narration (if any) relegated to the static end frame. This began the current trend of having the toy segments take place in non-outdoor locations. The move from syndication to network television resulted in new forms of advertising for the cartoon. The Fox Kids network would run short 10 second ads during the credits of their various shows to promote shows coming up later that morning. Occasionally, they'd even run the 10 second ads during normal commercial breaks. The changeover also resulted in "Network" versions of commercials with station agnostic narration. The same ads could have station specific versions as well. The end of the ad would just show a graphic for the show and the time, leaving it to the station to add narration and graphics.
1999
Toys
- Animation: Cartoon excerpts showing Jetstorm firing at Optimus Primal and Optimus Primal jumping down from somewhere.
- Narration: SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!
- Toy segment: Two boys at school fight in the only honorable way — by badly transforming Optimus Primal and Jetstorm.
- "Three o'clock at the flag pole." "I'll BE there!"
Cartoon
- Evolution Revolution sneak peek - 30 sec
- Animation: Cheetor and Rattrap emerging from the light of the Oracle.
- Narration: Jess Harnell
- Coming this fall...to Fox Kids...Beast Machines. Don't miss an exclusive first look. Today during the premiere of Digimon.
- Animation: Excerpts from The Reformatting and Master of the House.
- Narration: Coming this fall to Fox Kids! at the very end by Jess Harnell
- It's a transformation revelation! It's Beast Machines.
- Series premiere promo - 30 sec
- Animation: Excerpts from The Reformatting and Master of the House.
- Narration: Neil Ross
- It's an all new show for a renegade group of Beast Machines.
| Version | Length | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Premiering Sat. Sept. 18th 10:00am | 0:30 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=10m35s |
| Premiering Sat. Sept. 18th 11:00am | 0:30 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=11m09s |
| Station | 0:30 STA | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=11m41s |
| Premiering Sat. Sept. 18th 10:00am | 0:20 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=12m11s |
| Premiering Sat. Sept. 18th 11:00am | 0:20 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=12m36s |
| Station | 0:20 STA | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=12m55s |
| Premiering Sat. Sept. 18th 10:00am | 0:10 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=13m18s |
| Premiering Sat. Sept. 18th 11:00am | 0:10 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=13m30s |
| Station | 0:10 STA | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=13m42s |
- Season One promo - 30 sec
- Animation: Various cartoon excerpts.
- Narration: Tom Kane
- An ape, a cat, a spider, a bat and a rat. Go wild with Beast Machines.
- Master the Beast Sweepstakes - 30 sec
- Animation: Excerpts of Blackarachnia transforming, Optimus Primal turning his head, Optimus Primal landing in beast mode, Megatron glaring, the Maximals together, Optimus Primal at the Oracle, Cheetor turning his head, Blackarachnia opening her eyes, Optimus Primal transforming, Rattrap in beast mode.
- Narration: Unknown
- Notes: This was an ad for the Master the Beast sweepstakes contest.
- Does changing into Beast Machines sound cool to you?
- End of the Line promo - 30 sec
- Animation: Excerpts from End of the Line.
- Narration: Jonathan David Cook
- Notes: This spot aired several times throughout the morning of End of the Line's initial airing.
- This morning, all sides have the key to... "Worldwide armageddon!" "Doomsday." But who will be the first to turn it?
- YTV promo - 30 sec
- Animation: Excerpts of the Optimal/Transmetal 2 and Beast Machines versions of Optimus Primal, Blackarachnia and Megatron from the respective series.
- Narration: Edward Glen
- Notes: Each characters' Beast Wars Season 3 form is followed by their Beast Machines form accompanied by the narrator describing the changes as though he's narrating a fashion show.
2000
Toys
- Supreme Cheetor - 30 sec
- Animation: Two excerpts featuring Cheetor transforming.
- Narration: None, apart from "New Beast Machines Electronic Cheetor Supreme sold separately" by the Cheetor Kid.
- Toy segment: Two kids face off in a gymnasium, surrounded by cheering friends. Megatron Kid makes threats to the other kid, who whips out Supreme Cheetor. Megatron Kid congratulates Cheetor Kid after losing their match.
- The challenge is in the change!
- Nightscream and Ultra Jetstorm - 30 sec
- Animation: Excerpts of Jetstorm and Nightscream transforming.
- Narration: None, apart from "New Beast Machines Electronic Jetstorm and Electronic Nightscream sold separately" by Jetstorm Kid.
- Toy segment: Two kids ordering food are informed by the lady behind the counter that there is only one order of fries left, so they decide to fight it out with their Transformers. The "bad" kid grabs Ultra Jetstorm and shows it off for viewers' benefit, while the "good" kid transforms his Ultra Nightscream and shoots Jetty with his disk launcher. Nightscream Kid wins and tells Jetstorm Kid that "Nightscream likes EXTRA ketchup on his fries!" Jetstorm Kid warns him not to push it.
- "You're grounded Jetlag!"
Cartoon
- Season Two promo - 30 sec
- Animation: Various cartoon excerpts.
- Narration: Maurice LaMarche (?) and various local announcers.
- Maximize your mornings for an all new season of Beast Machines!
- YTV promo 2 - 30 sec
- Animation: An excerpt from Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future as normal, then reversed in a loop.
- Narration: Edward Glen (as Optimus Primal) in an intentionally doofy voice dub featuring any other voice removed and the original sound effects replaced with more comedic ones.
- A bewildered Optimus Primal finds himself falling and then grabs onto some molding on the side of a building. The molding gives way and he falls down the side of the building. He mistakes the sparks created by his scraping fingernails as something shooting from his fingers. He finally catches another piece of molding as Megatron (in his Optimal Optimus body) strafes him. As he tries to explain that he's not King Kong, the scene reverses itself and he finds himself stuck in some sort of time loop.
- Notes: This ad doesn't mention anything about the series finale from which the animation is taken. In fact, this seems to be just a regular old promo for the show. Assuming this aired before Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall, anyone eagle-eyed enough to spot Optimal Optimus' jetmode would've caught a hefty spoiler.
Robots in Disguise (2001)
Robots in Disguise's toy ads represent the
2001
Toys
- Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus - 30 sec
- Animation: Megatron transforms, and Optimus Prime finds himself surrounded by the Predacons.
- Narration: Steve Blum
- Toy segment: Two kids who live next door to each other grab their respective Autobot Super figures and run into each other at full speed; as soon as they touch, they combine!
- Notes: One of the kids had a poster for the 1986 animated movie in his room. The whole commercial has a dubbed over feel, as Megatron and Optimus Prime sound nothing like the voices used for the show (presumably because casting had not yet been done) and the sound quality of the narration seems below that of the rest of the commercial.
- Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus [1] - Same as previous commercial, but Neil Kaplan voices Optimus Prime and the narration is the actor used for the rest of the Robots in Disguise commercials. The blank panels in the first kid's comic book have been filled in with an appropriate screenshot and quote, though it's still surrounded by panels from "Prime Time!". Also, the background music doesn't stop while the kids shout to each other from their windows.
- Megatron, Sky-Byte and Deluxe Cars - 30 sec
- Animation: CGI Optimus Prime transforms from truck to super-mode; Cartoon excerpts of Megatron (with correct voice) talking, Optimus transforming, and Sky-Byte taking a chunk out of the rear of a moving vehicle.
- Narration: Steve Blum
- Toy segment: Kids yell the names of the toys while showing them off or transforming them. They do this in what appears to be a poorly lit basement of some sort.
- Notes: "Prowl" just does not sound fearsome or impressive no matter how much you growl when you yell it.
- Animation: Cartoon excerpts - Team Bullet Train finishes forming Rail Racer; Galvatron says "Foolish Autobots! Bring it on!".
- Narration: Steve Blum
- Toy segment: Two kids play with the bullet trains aboard a subway car.
- Animation:
- Narration:
- Toy segment:
Cartoon
- Series premiere promo - 30 sec
- Animation: Various cartoon excerpts.
- Narration: Koji Onishi (Jason Spisak), Optimus Prime (Neil Kaplan) and various other Autobots as a group, "ONLY on Fox Kids".
- Strap in, because this ride's about to... "Transform." "Transform!" Transform!
- Series premiere promo #2 - 30 sec
- Animation: Excerpts from Battle Protocol!
- Narration: ONLY on Fox Kids
- They came to destroy earth. NOW, the only ones strong enough to take them on, are hiding right, under, your...HOOD!
- Shift, Shape, & Save - 30 sec
- Animation: Various cartoon excerpts.
- Narration: Koji Onishi (Jason Spisak), Optimus Prime (Neil Kaplan), various other Autobots as a group, and John Garry.
- Notes: This commercial was aired in various lengths with various end tags. Version names below are confirmed, except where noted.
| Version | Length | Link |
|---|---|---|
| All New Saturday 8E/7C&P | 0:30 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=1m35s |
| Mon-Fri Afternoons & Saturday Mornings | 0:30 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=2m09s |
| Station | 0:30 STA | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=2m41s |
| All New Saturday 8E/7C&P | 0:20 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=3m14s |
| Mon-Fri Afternoons & Saturday Mornings | 0:20 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=3m36s |
| Station | 0:20 STA | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=4m00s |
| Coming Up (unconfirmed) | 0:20 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN4yssbZv5A |
| All New Saturday 8E/7C&P | 0:10 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=4m23s |
| Mon-Fri Afternoons & Saturday Mornings | 0:10 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=4m35s |
| Station | 0:10 STA | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkfT81hOA&t=4m49s |
| Coming Up (unconfirmed) | 0:10 NET | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWnayVCMUC0 |
- Animation: Excerpts of Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Scourge, Galvatron and the Commandos.
- Narration: Koji Onishi (Jason Spisak).
- Sit down, hold on and hush up, because in the battle for Earth, you're either gonna lead, follow, or get out of the way! "Tremble with fear, I AM GALVATRON!" "You're goin' down, down, down, down." "Transform!" Catch an all-new episode of Transformers: Robots in Disguise, next Saturday morning only on Fox Kids!
- Cartoon promo 2 - 30 sec
- Animation: Many of the same excerpts used in "Shift, Shape, & Save".
- Narration: Don LaFontaine
- This summer, Fox Kids will transform your TV into a blockbuster action machine. Transformers. Today after Digimon, on Fox Kids.
- Cartoon promo 3 - 30 sec
- Animation: Many of the same excerpts used in "Shift, Shape, & Save" along with excerpts of Fortress Maximus and "Super" Side Burn.
- Narration: Alternating unknown male and female announcers.
- [Weight:] Male: "Fifteen tons." Female:"All muscle." [A.I.:] "Artificial intelligence." "It's real." [Engine:] "One hundred thousand horse power." "Real dominance." [Fuel:] "The Matrix powers." "High octane." [Speed:] "From zero to action." "In a flash." [Mission:] "To save Earth." "No surrender."
