MasterCard: Macgyver

MasterCard: MacGyver
By: Tommy Walsh
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Product:
MasterCard

Visual Description:
The commercial starts off with MacGyver tied to a chair and a bomb counting down. The MasterCard logo is also in the bottom right corner. This scenario represents a stereotypical action movie scene. MacGyver is known for being resourceful and using random objects to get out of tough situations. It flashes to a shot from behind the chair and shows him using an air freshener to escape the rope. The price of the air freshener is displayed. MacGyver then proceeds to use a tube sock which helps him zip line down from the building. The price of the tube sock is displayed. After he gets down from the building he fixes a truck with an assortment of small objects that are displayed and the bottom then drives to safety before the building explodes. After the commercial cuts to a MasterCard logo it shows MacGyver shopping in a grocery store buying all of his gadgets with a MasterCard.

Target Audience:
The target audience would be anyone old enough to have a credit card. It does not target any specific race or sex.

Design and Flow:
This commercial is a play on the MasterCard “Priceless” campaign. In the past MasterCard used more of an emotional and loving tone in its commercials. This one goes in a different direction by using humor. The commercial partly relies on the viewer being familiar with the early 90’s show called “MacGyver.” MacGyver often found himself in terrible situations and always relied on his resourcefulness to alleviate the problem. The commercial flows well and is easily understood because it is narrated and the prices of the objects being used are displayed at the bottom of the screen. This makes the commercial easily understood for all individuals, even those with no prior knowledge of who MacGyver is. At the end of the commercial it ties itself into the “Priceless” campaign by saying “The little things that get you through the day: Priceless.”

Consumer Benefit:
MasterCard allows you to have a more fulfilling and enjoyable life by giving you the ability to purchase what you need at any given moment.

Competition:
The main competition for MasterCard would be other credit card companies. Another competitor would be banks because they offer debit cards that provide the same conveinence as credit cards.