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Apple “Ornithology” 1996

Apple “Ornithology” (1996) is an Apple commercial directed by James Gartner for BBDO West, produced by Gartner. It won 4 awards, including Clio 1996 Silver — Television/Cinema / Electronic Equipment, AICP 1996 Honoree Advertising Excellence / Single Commercial and AICP Show 1996 Honoree Advertising Excellence.

An elderly couple uses a Macintosh computer to learn about mockingbirds, mimicking their calls with delight, showcasing the computer's user-friendliness and the joy of discovery.

Video: TheRedCarChannel on YouTube

Shot by shot

  1. A hand inserts a CD into a desktop computer's CD-ROM drive, which then closes, on a desk.© Apple0:01
  2. An elderly couple, a woman with white hair and a man with a receding hairline, sit side-by-side, looking intently at a computer monitor in a dimly lit room.© Apple0:03
  3. A close-up shot of a computer monitor displaying an image of a bird on a branch with text about "Mimus Polyglottos."© Apple0:06
  4. An elderly man with white hair and a light shirt looks off-camera in a softly lit interior.© Apple0:10
  5. A close-up shot of a bird, a Northern Male Mockingbird, perched among green leaves against a blue sky, from a book page.© Apple0:12
  6. An elderly man with white hair and a light-colored shirt looks off-camera in a softly lit interior setting.© Apple0:15
  7. An elderly woman with grey hair and a white shirt looks up and to the right, making a surprised expression, in an interior setting.© Apple0:16
  8. A man with a wrinkled face and blue eyes is shown in profile, looking off-screen with a neutral expression in a dimly lit interior.© Apple0:18
  9. An elderly man with white hair and a wrinkled face looks off-screen, his mouth slightly open, in a medium closeup shot.© Apple0:20
  10. An elderly woman with white hair and a pearl earring smiles and looks up, in an interior setting.© Apple0:21
  11. An elderly woman with white hair and a white shirt looks up and to the right, speaking in an interior setting.© Apple0:24
  12. An elderly couple, a woman with white curly hair and a man with white hair, sit in front of a computer monitor, looking at each other and talking in a softly lit room.© Apple0:24

Stills © Apple. Made by BBDO West, Gartner and James Gartner.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Elderly couple mimics bird calls, highlighting the computer's ease of use.

Tagline: “If you owned the world's easiest computer, what would you do with it?”

elderly couple discovers technologynature appreciationmimicry as interactionjoy of learningproduct as enabler

The cut

Length
31 s
Shots
19
Average shot
1.6 s

What creatives use Apple “Ornithology” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Apple “Ornithology”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A hand inserts a CD into a desktop computer's CD-ROM drive, which then closes, on a desk.© AppleAn elderly couple, a woman with white hair and a man with a receding hairline, sit side-by-side, looking intently at a computer monitor in a dimly lit room.© AppleA close-up shot of a computer monitor displaying an image of a bird on a branch with text about "Mimus Polyglottos."© AppleAn elderly man with white hair and a light shirt looks off-camera in a softly lit interior.© Apple
    Frames from Apple “Ornithology”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Apple “Ornithology” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A hand inserts a CD into a desktop computer's CD-ROM drive, which then closes, on a desk.© AppleAn elderly couple, a woman with white hair and a man with a receding hairline, sit side-by-side, looking intently at a computer monitor in a dimly lit room.© AppleA close-up shot of a computer monitor displaying an image of a bird on a branch with text about "Mimus Polyglottos."© AppleAn elderly man with white hair and a light shirt looks off-camera in a softly lit interior.© AppleA close-up shot of a bird, a Northern Male Mockingbird, perched among green leaves against a blue sky, from a book page.© AppleAn elderly man with white hair and a light-colored shirt looks off-camera in a softly lit interior setting.© Apple
    Length: 31 s · Shots: 19 · Average shot: 1.6 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a product as enabler

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    Apple “Ornithology” is built on a product as enabler. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Squarespace “Scuba”© SquarespaceExpedia “Wisdom & Obi”© ExpediaeBay “Everyone Has A Thing”© eBayMastercard “Spotlight”© Mastercard
    Squarespace · Expedia · eBay · Mastercard

More commercials by James Gartner

  • Cricket "City Orchestra" (2010) commercial still© CricketCricket “City Orchestra” 2010Dir. James GartnerAICP Awards Winner 2010
  • Partnership For a Drug-Free America "Birth" (2010) commercial still© Partnership For a Drug-Free AmericaPartnership For a Drug-Free America “Birth” 2010Dir. James Gartner · Martin WilliamsAICP Awards Honoree 2010

Award-winning tech commercials

Questions

Who directed the Apple “Ornithology” commercial?

James Gartner directed it, produced by Gartner, for the agency BBDO West.

Which agency made Apple “Ornithology”?

BBDO West created it for Apple (1996).

What awards did Apple “Ornithology” win?

4 awards, including Clio 1996 Silver — Television/Cinema / Electronic Equipment, Clio 1996 Silver — Television/Cinema / Humor, AICP 1996 Honoree Advertising Excellence / Single Commercial and AICP Show 1996 Honoree Advertising Excellence.

What is the tagline of Apple “Ornithology”?

“If you owned the world's easiest computer, what would you do with it?”

Sources for the credits and awards

aicpawards.comweb.archive.org