0:00-0:06 As the ad begins the screen fades from black to an all white screen as two hands on either end of the screen raised together facing one another each holding a glass of wine. As video begins to play it can be seen that the entire video is being played in slow motion. You can tell this due to how slowly the hands hold each glass of wine are moving towards one another. Which is done purposely to show every detail of what is occurring as theses glasses come closer to one another. All that is in the picture are the two hands forcing all focus to be on the two set of hands. The background being white as to not draw attention thereby the viewer can focus on what is happening. It is not specified as to whether or not the hands belong to a male or female. But visually they do look to be like the hands of men. It isn’t written in stone as to what gender seeing how the faces of the individuals are never presented for the viewers which I think was done purposely because that is not what is important in regard to the message the ad is portraying.
0:07-0:13 As the ad continues the glasses are raised towards one another in an attempt to make a toast and clink their glasses. The hands then begin to move across the screen towards one another in an attempt to make contact. As soon as the glasses make contact with one another they completely shatter in the hands of the two individuals. As the glasses being to break in front of the us, the viewer we can see the glass begins to shatter first then as it continues to break you see the wine toss-up and begin to fall creating a huge mess. The hands then begin to separate as the glass and wine is still falling upon them all that’s left is the bottom handle of the wine glass showing the damage that was done. The two hands then retreat to either end of the screen from where they came.
0:14-0:22 Now that the two hands holding the wine have gone away but now are returning with two mugs of beer attempting to raise their glasses together once again. As the video continues the hands brought into screen in the same fashion from either end of the screen moving towards each other in slow motion. This time as the mugs are brought into view you can clearly see a reference to college life and college drinking. The mugs clearly have a logo of a college “U STATE” written across both mugs. The mugs of beer make contact with one another once again they shatter. As the damage is done in slow motion you can see the shards of glass going in different directions and the beer following. The only thing left as the hands separate are the handles to the mugs leaving just as much of a mess if not more then the glasses of wine from the previous shot. As the hands separate they leave the screen by returning to side of the screen they once entered.
0:23-0:31 The hands holding the mugs of beer have left the frame now having two hands replaced them moving in from either end of the screen one again. They are now holding a glass cup of some sort of liquor and ice. The glasses again are moved towards one another in slow motion but just before the two glasses collide like they had once done before a third hand interrupts entering from the bottom right of the screen and interject the collision of the cups saving the two from breaking just as the glasses of wine or mugs of beer. Just as the remnants of the glass settle in the glass cup a sign appears centered horizontally and roughly an inch or two from the top of the screen reads “FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS DRIVE DRUNK” and across the bottom reads “Ad Council U.S. Department of Transportation” which was also centered horizontally and roughly an inch from the bottom of the screen. The video then fades to a black screen.
This video was able to speak volumes even without the ability to hear what was being said. Each of the different shots were able to address a certain demographic in my opinion. When I think of wine what comes to mind is someone who is older or mature. When the ad used the reference of the beer mugs with the college logo that was able to portray the young adult or teen. And having them both have the same outcome of destruction shows that no matter the age or the type of alcohol it can be dangerous causing horrific events to occur. In each of the collisions it was important to show that some part of the glass or mug was left in the hands when they left the screen. It showed that even after the horrific event had occurred each of them were left with a piece they would have to deal with. Its known amongst young adults that the common quote is “That will never happen to me” but this ad shows it actually can and will if your not careful. Its advises everyone to take the right precautions when drinking and showing like in the last frame stopping that final glass could be the difference of saving a friend from a horrible accident. Stopping the final glass isn’t only to be taken literally but I think it is symbolism for all the different ways of aiding a friend who has had to much to drink. Whether that be taking their keys, finding them a safer ride home, allowing them to sleep over, or taking the drink from their hands.
Rowan Counterintuitive 