Abstract
This chapter starts with an analysis of differences between the indexes attached to still images in the image database and cognitive elements of still images extracted from the cognitive experiment. It then analyzes the relationship between cognitive elements of each video shot generated based on still images and cognition of the video commercial produced by combining them. Lastly, it discusses how to index the video shot and production methods of video commercials based on the analyses. The image database tends to attach the records of the timing and place of shooting and features of the persons as indexes. In order to produce an attractive video commercial, it is necessary that video shots convey rich cognitive elements that are not too simple. This ensures that when combining several video shots, their cognitive elements have some consistency and consistent cognitive elements are woven into the video commercial to constitute a rich semantic network.
TopIntroduction
The Need to Produce Customized Video Commercials for Individuals
Conventionally, in producing video commercials using mass media, the advertising planner sets/creates the advertising concept and storyboard drawing from the overall story and atmosphere of the video. Then, based on these elements, the advertising director shoots/edits video shots (concrete screen components) to produce video commercials (the expression). What is being strived for is advertising communication in which the advertising planner and director create a video commercial with a high degree of aesthetic impact and creativity that in turn delivers an impact on many people via mass media, who will then recognize it. In this instance, the overall story and atmosphere of the video commercial and concrete expressive elements tend to be implicitly processed and agreed upon between the advertising planner and director through their personal communication; however, this has rarely been examined explicitly. In addition, production methods for video commercials with a high degree of aesthetic impact and creativity are largely seen as an area of implicit knowledge that is difficult to capture explicitly.
However, as media that target individuals have started to spread in recent years, the production of video commercials customized for individuals has become a challenge. It is impossible for the advertising planner and director to produce a video commercial that speaks to all viewers individually. Systematizing production methods of video commercials to automatically produce a video commercial that is customized for each individual has become an urgent issue. While it may be difficult to automate the production of video commercials with a high degree of aesthetic impact and creativity immediately, for the medium and long term, the systematization of knowledge the advertising planner and director have about producing such videos by means of artificial intelligence and other means is necessary.
The Video Shot/Video Commercial and Index
The author has been engaged with the development of an interactive video commercial production system that generates video commercials in accordance with information input by the consumer (or user) to realize advertising communication that is effectively customized to each consumer. Kawamura (2019) has attempted to develop a system that generates video commercials adjusted to the consumer based on the information input by him/her by creating a video database of video shots from existing video commercials (TV commercial videos) (Figure 1). The system edits/generates video commercials by attaching indexes (constitutive elements such as people, things, space, and meaning/atmosphere of the video shot) to video shots as text information and by searching/combining text information.
Figure 1. Interactive Video Commercial Production System Plan (Kawamura, 2003)
In this case, the generated video commercial changes depending on what kind of index is attached to the video image shot. The key to an effective customization is accurate indexing.
The components (the overall story and atmosphere of the video commercial and concrete expressive elements) that were implicitly processed and agreed upon between the advertising planner and director through their personal communication need to be examined as explicit indexes. However, as the video shot is a complex body of information, its interpretation differs from viewer to viewer. The challenge here is it is difficult to have uniform specifications for what kind of framework should be used to capture the content of the video image shot and the kind of index that is to be attached.
Furthermore, most video commercials are produced by combining multiple video shots. The effect of a series of different video shots also differs from viewer to viewer. When indexing the video shot, the video commercial made up of multiple video shots can be seen as a combination of indexes. The combination then constitutes the overall story and atmosphere of the video commercial. A rule for accurate combination of indexes is the key to achieving an effective customization.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Mise-en-Scène Technique: Advertising directors set and shoot the visual elements that make up the video shot. The mise-en-scène technique is the rule of which visual elements are used to compose the screen. For example, visual elements include people (product providers, consumers), objects (products), information (products), backgrounds (space, time), and shooting method (camera position, movement).
AIDMA Model: A model that consumers' psychological/behavioral stages consist of Attention, Interest, Desire, Memory, Action.
Editing Technique: Advertising directors set the duration and connection of the video shots and rearranges the order. The editing technique is the rule of determining which editing elements make up the time sequence. For example, as editing elements, the duration of a video shot (up tempo: short time, slow tempo: long time, constant tempo: constant time, unstable tempo: random time), connection of scenes (time series type, manipulation type), and so on. The editing of video commercial in this chapter was time series type (consumption situation->product function->product acceptance->consumption effect->effect to company).
DAGMAR Model: A model that consumers' psychological/behavioral stages consist of Unawareness, Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action. DAGMAR is an abbreviation for Defining Adverting Goals for Measured Advertising Results.
iDEACCycle Model: A model that consumers' psychological/behavioral stages consist of Awareness, Acquisition, Acceptance, Consideration, Confidence, Ideation, Expression, and Action. The unique characteristic of this model is the fact that it is a model of the process that begins with a consumer receiving information stimuli (awareness, acquisition) from the media and then processing that information (acceptance, consideration, confidence), to the process of conceiving of an idea based on the processing of that information and then expressing (communicating) that information in the media. The cyclical consumer behavior model does not trace the ideas and behaviors of consumers in a linear fashion but rather provides a structure to the process by which their ideas and behaviors proceed in cyclical stages (in some cases, amplified or radiating).
AISAS Model: A model that consumers' psychological/behavioral stages consist of Attention, Interest, Search, Action, Share.
Sound Technique: Advertising directors set and add sound elements to be added to the video shot or the entire video commercial. The sound technique is the rule of which sound element are used to add. For example, as sound elements, dialogue/narration, sound effect, music, and so on. No sound was added in the cognitive experiments in this chapter.
Advertising Story: Advertising creators set the events to be converted into video commercial and the flow from the recalled events. The advertising story technique is the rule of which event to focus on, based on the advertising concept. At this time, the advertising story is set based on the advertising concept and the positioning of the product by extracting events among the advertising history.
Image Rhetoric: The combination of image techniques such as mise-en-scène (direction) of shots, editing shots, and so on.
Image Techniques: The techniques used to express images: advertising story, mise-en-scène technique, editing technique, and sound technique, among others.
Video Commercial: The video commercial in this chapter was composed of seven video shots (consumption situation 1shot, product function 2shots, product acceptance 2shots, consumption effect 1shot, effect on company 1shot).
Image Database Service: The image database service is a service that captures and accumulates still images and videos in advance and extracts and sells them based on search keywords. There are companies that sell up to 120 million photos, illustrations, and videos.
Interactive Video Commercial Production System: Interactive video commercial production system is a system that converts a video shot of a video commercial into an image database and generates a video commercial adapted to the consumer, based on the input information of the consumer. The researches on customization systems that provide video commercial corresponding to consumer groups (segments) based on various video shots created by advertisers are being pursued. In addition, the research on a co-creation system that generates video commercial for consumers individually based on an image database of daily and fragmentary life video shots created by consumers is also being attempted.
Index: The index of the image database includes the situation (date, time, place) at which the still images and videos were taken, the expression element (facility, background, person), the overall configuration (purpose, photographing, atmosphere), and so on. The user searches and extracts still images and videos based on these indexes.
Advertising Atmosphere: Advertising creators set the atmosphere (mood) of the entire video commercial when making the video commercial. The advertising atmosphere technique is the rule of which atmosphere elements are used to express the entire atmosphere, based on the advertising concept. At this time, the advertising atmosphere is set based on the advertising concept and the positioning of the product, including visual elements, temporal elements, sound elements, and the combination of these elements.
Advertising History: Advertising creators recall an event population for advertising visualization based on the advertising concept. At this time, they recall events (state, action, atmosphere, etc.) in which words, sentences, images, videos, sounds, etc. are mixed. These events depend on the personal characteristics of the advertising creators, and it is difficult to define the structure of the population centrally. However, the advertising creator recalls the time flow (history) of those events and the causal relationship between the events.