Next is the battle with the wave, several very muscular, white horses are introduced, this makes you even more aware of the very real danger which the surfers are facing, and makes them seem totally insignificant when compared to the shear size of the waves, and the beauty and strength of the horses.
There is a vital shot when it seems that our man will not be able to get into position. The designers have chosen to do a close up of his face at this point to show his panic stricken expression, he's fighting in mortal combat against the elements, and at this point he becomes very aware of it, as do you. Ahab says: "I don't care who you are, here's to your dream!" Making the point that this is the surfer's greatest ambition, this is their moment. It's also encouraging you to be the best that you can be, it doesn't matter who you are, or what your past is, you go and there and do it. Make your dreams come true!
There are some point of view shots of the waves and horses; this makes you able to relate to what the surfers are thinking at the time, and it makes you feel like you're there with them, it's also quite frightening in a way because all you can see is this confused scene with a lot of dangerous horses and waves coming towards you. "The old sailors return to the bar, here's to you Ahab." This made me think that these men had taken Ahab's advice, and followed their dreams, and now that they're old they've got achievements which they can look back on and be proud of, and, further more, they can go to a pub, and rely on the fact that Guinness will still be there for them, it won't have changed, it's something which you can always depend on to stay the same, and it'll be there for you after you come back from your adventures. They are thanking Ahab by toasting him.
There is a mid-shot of the group of surfers successfully riding the wave, you can see that all around them there is still danger and confusion, but they are safe, they have tamed the beast. A mid-shot is best at this point because you can make out what's going on in the background, and see that the main man is successfully riding the wave.
"And the fat drummer hits the beat with all his heart." This tells me that this man has also taken Ahab's advise, he's not done anything as daring as to try and take on a 40 foot high wave, but he's being the best he can be by hitting the beat with all his heart. It wouldn't be a major achievement for anyone else, but it is for him. The drum beat is getting louder at this point you can still see the galloping horses and waves, so there is still some danger, but we think he's probably made it. There are several close ups, when the group are safely back on the beach. This shows their ecstatic expressions. Then, finally, we see a freshly poured pint of chilled Guinness, waiting for someone like you to come and drink it. The well known proverb "Good things come to those who…"Is prominently displayed at the top of the screen, the designers have left it for you to fill in "wait", this is to make it stick in your memory. The screen pulsates once in time with the beat for effect.
The advertisement is filmed for the entire duration in black and white. This is to create a classic, well-established effect, it reminds you of the colours of Guinness, with the black liquid, and frothy white tip, so it makes you want to go out there, and get yourself a pint.
The structure of the advert is really quite simple; there is the wait, the pursuit, and the victory moment, closely followed by the name of the product (Guinness). The slogan is what we really remember apart from this weird scenario with a lot of surfers and horses. "Good things come to those who wait," Someone who is not willing to take any old rubbish, he waits, and he is victorious in the end because he ends up with something really special.
If men ruled the world then this advert would be what it would be like, sport and beer, there is no trace of anything female anywhere! The voiceover is done in a male voice, all of the characters are men, and the script is aimed at men, but apart from being very male orientated it is quite generalised, it appeals to all kinds of men, of many different cultures, backgrounds and religions, and all classes, There are cultural references, which would only be understood by well-educated people, but others would still enjoy them, and you don't have to know a lot about filming techniques, to realize that some very clever ones were used in this advert.
There are references in the voiceover to Herman Melville's "Moby Dick," the story is about a man called Ahab who is trying to kill a huge white Whale called Moby Dick. It is his life ambition to get this Whale. He tries for years before he is successful and conquers the wild and untamed beast; this is reflected in the waiting, and most of the dialogue. This reference would not be understood by most people, so why use it?
Well, it might make the people who have read the book, or know the story think that Guinness is an upper class drink, which intelligent, sophisticated people drink. But if you didn't understand it then you would most likely not think about it, and be focusing more on the footage. The idea of taming something wild is common to both stories; this makes it a suitable choice for the ad, and would appeal to people interested in nature, literature, and extreme sports.
Even more unusual for a beer ad: it was a painting by Walter Crane of white horses galloping through waves that inspired the horses. This would appeal to people that have seen his work, artists, and people who like fine artwork. It also brings a very surreal dramatic effect to the advert, and it really makes it stand out from other ads.
The music is quite simple, it's basically just 5 notes repeated at different speeds and volumes, but it's important because it makes the advert a lot more enjoyable to watch, and it makes the scenario
Is the advert effective? A definite, undisputed, YES. It meets all of its aims, and I'm pretty sure it helped Guinness sell a lot of pints. I feel that it has earned the right to be known as a classic, and now it's got the awards to prove it.