Assignment 5 – Simone Boer – 1009494
Analysis of the commercial by Adidas: Break Free
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXfLl3qYy0k&feature=youtu.be
Words: 1165
It is quite common that brands use the stereotypes contemporary societies have in their
commercials. These stereotypes can include all kinds of people, or even animals. If you’re
rich, poor, young, old, a cat or a dog. Most stereotypes have been used in a commercial or
some other sort of advertisement. In this short essay the focus lies on older people. They are
often represented in the media as either happy and healthy or sad and sick. One of the brands
where aging figures prominently was Adidas in their commercial called Breaking Free. How
older people are represented will be examined in this short assignment. First, I will start off
with a short summary of the commercial and tell what is happening. Then I will go deeper
into the context and discuss how it is represented. To do this, I will go into the visual aspects
such as Mise-en-scène, clothing, and use of light. Finally, I will look at the role of the older
people and what cultural meanings of aging are conveyed.
In this short commercial Adidas tells the story of a retired runner who is stuck in a nursing
home. It starts with an older man in his room, and later at a dining table with other elderly
people. He looks miserable, as there is not much in his life. But then he looks out of the
window and sees a runner. Later at a birthday party, which looks like it is his birthday, the
image is still grim. Sitting in his room, he sees his old running shoes, and puts them on.
Whilst running through the halls with is old shoes on, he looks happy determined. The lights
are brighter. But before running through the doors, he is stopped by two nurses. This happens
a few times, he tries again and again, until eventually the head nurse takes away his shoes.
The image is similar to the first frame where the man sits in his room, but then his friends
enter the room with his old shoes. Old photographs of him are shown, where it looks like he is
running/winning a race. He stands in the hall, where all the other older people in the nursing
home are cheering him on, he smiles, and runs happily to the door. The nurses come to get the
man, but they are stopped by his friends. The man runs through the doors, and stops at a tree
whilst looking around with satisfaction. Finally he runs of, into the world with his arms held
up high and the text ‘break free’ appears.
Analysis of the commercial by Adidas: Break Free
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXfLl3qYy0k&feature=youtu.be
Words: 1165
It is quite common that brands use the stereotypes contemporary societies have in their
commercials. These stereotypes can include all kinds of people, or even animals. If you’re
rich, poor, young, old, a cat or a dog. Most stereotypes have been used in a commercial or
some other sort of advertisement. In this short essay the focus lies on older people. They are
often represented in the media as either happy and healthy or sad and sick. One of the brands
where aging figures prominently was Adidas in their commercial called Breaking Free. How
older people are represented will be examined in this short assignment. First, I will start off
with a short summary of the commercial and tell what is happening. Then I will go deeper
into the context and discuss how it is represented. To do this, I will go into the visual aspects
such as Mise-en-scène, clothing, and use of light. Finally, I will look at the role of the older
people and what cultural meanings of aging are conveyed.
In this short commercial Adidas tells the story of a retired runner who is stuck in a nursing
home. It starts with an older man in his room, and later at a dining table with other elderly
people. He looks miserable, as there is not much in his life. But then he looks out of the
window and sees a runner. Later at a birthday party, which looks like it is his birthday, the
image is still grim. Sitting in his room, he sees his old running shoes, and puts them on.
Whilst running through the halls with is old shoes on, he looks happy determined. The lights
are brighter. But before running through the doors, he is stopped by two nurses. This happens
a few times, he tries again and again, until eventually the head nurse takes away his shoes.
The image is similar to the first frame where the man sits in his room, but then his friends
enter the room with his old shoes. Old photographs of him are shown, where it looks like he is
running/winning a race. He stands in the hall, where all the other older people in the nursing
home are cheering him on, he smiles, and runs happily to the door. The nurses come to get the
man, but they are stopped by his friends. The man runs through the doors, and stops at a tree
whilst looking around with satisfaction. Finally he runs of, into the world with his arms held
up high and the text ‘break free’ appears.
