The late Maya Angelou was an iconic poet and activist and it is her voice reciting a poem that is front and center of this new Olympics ad for the iPhone.
While the Olympics are a time of patriotism and national pride, they are also a way of people from all over the world coming together to celebrate sport and find that they are more similar than they are different. The famous poem 'The Human Family' by Maya Angelou is recited by the woman herself in this commercial, while photos and videos of people shot with iPhones from all over the world are featured in the commercial. The result is poignant and in perfect harmony with what the Olympics are supposed to be about.
In a time where divisiveness and conflict appear to be drawing rifts between people and nations, it is crucial that people recognize the humanity in those they believe to be different than them -- a fact that is emphasized in this poignant commercial.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Multicultural Advertising
- Using a diverse range of cultures in advertising to connect with a broad and international audience presents a disruptive innovation opportunity.
- Social Activism
- Using advertising to promote social activism promotes societal change and presents a disruptive innovation opportunity.
- Using Poetry in Advertising
- Using poetry or literature from iconic people in advertising creates a powerful emotional impact and presents a disruptive innovation opportunity.
Where This Applies
- Telecommunications Industry
- Telecommunications companies can use multicultural advertising to reach a global audience and differentiate themselves in a crowded market.
- Creative Industry
- Creative agencies can use social activism in advertising to position themselves as socially responsible and create campaigns with a meaningful impact.
- Entertainment Industry
- The use of poetry in advertising can appeal to a wider audience, encourage emotional engagement and make a message or a product more memorable.
