The Optus whale song advertisement embodies the successful communicative relationship between two different species of animals that normally do not understand each other. In the Sender-Message-Receiver model, we can assume that we have just witnessed a triumph in communication.
In essence, a good relationship has just been formed, as the orchestra creates the right notes that make up a love song that the whales respond to. It is an emotive relationship, and what begins with an attempt at communication ends with an achievement of mutual fulfillment, with the orchestra successfully “serenading” the whales, and the whales seemingly happy (while backflopping into the ocean).
From the sender’s point of view (the orchestra), there is an assumption or hope that the whales will respond to notes mimicking the love/mating call of whales. On the receiver’s end (the whales), the call (message) has been received and understood. As common/mutual understanding is a core basis in any communication relationship, what the ad claims is highly ambitious.
The ad also claims that “With communications, anything is possible.” and posits that communication is:
- Not governed solely by language
Using the right language/ frequency, you can have meaningful communications with anyone/anything you want. Barriers in communication can be removed as long as the sender is able to find a common language/sound to convey the message to its receiver, as demonstrated by the orchestra’s successful attempt to achieve the whales’ response when they mimicked the sound that whales made. One of underlying messages of the ad proposes that if one tries hard enough, differences in native language will not hinder successful communication from taking place.
- Not bound by geographical limitation
Regardless of where we are, we can communicate to anyone, in any part of the world - if there is intent, and a viable method to do so. Be it long-distance calls, Skype chats, or even online articles that function though the receiver and sender are physically-separated, or even travelling miles on planes and boats to have face-to-face communication, it seems that location is really not a real issue in communication.
- Universal
The right tools also give you the power to speak to the audience, in a more effective manner. The ad promises clarity and mutual understanding of the message sent, which is what most people would want to achieve in any forms of communication.
Finally, being an advertisement for a communications provider, the ad chooses to subtly remind us that Optus as an ideal facilitator of communications. It hints towards the fact of “If you want to communicate, and communicate well, choose us - we can even talk to whales!”
Apple iPhone Siri Ad
The Apple iPhone Siri ad makes the claim that technology is now capable of replacing or enhancing a human’s capabilities. One can now text hands-free, make a note in his calendar while on-the-go, or even leave decision-making (like where to eat dinner) to Siri. With Siri, our life is made simpler, and there is always an easier and faster way to perform mundane activities such as texting, dialing, searching and getting the weather report, for example.
It also makes using communication technology a seamless, more user-friendly experience - allowing anyone and everyone to participate. This mass appeal has resulted in widespread adoption of the technology.
Communication technology (in this case Siri) has thus become an extension of a person’s hands and voice, and that communication is now integrated into everyday life. Without any tactile interaction with the phone save pressing the button, one can now dial, text, or gather information with ease. As an extension to our voice, Siri or any voice recognition software can replace physical human operators to provide information services.
Siri also presents an extension to our minds by gathering and sifting through the many information silos available, de-cluttering the results and then presenting us with concise and accurate responses to our requests. However, this intelligence presents an interesting paradigm - that of an extension of thought.
A program is now helping us to think (and making recommendations on where we should to eat and notes how busy we are). How is it able to prioritize and categorize information? What criteria does it have in sorting through its results? The cognitive intelligence of a software like Siri can be likened to some other literary examples, such as the anime Ghost in the Shell, and the blockbuster movie I, Robot. Are we now looking at the next step in our evolution, or are we handing artificial intelligence the keys to our thoughts? Are we becoming a species so entwined with technology, that it’s taking over our functional roles of our human body? Are we humans too reliant and dependent on technology? Shall we ask Siri?
However, as easy as it is to give, so is it easy to take. Communication technology is like a double-edged sword in many aspects, in that it empowers us by freeing us from mundane tasks, yet at the same time, it takes away the desire for us to “get our hands dirty”, to continue pursuing perfection. It feels like we must “amputate” a part of our body whenever we gain a technological advantage. And, just like exercising physical muscles, the less you use them, the more atrophied they get. So what's next, we link all our senses to technology?
Sight - it's a wondrous thing.
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