Talk about Differences between Tussauds and Merlin, am I the only one noticing the sudden decline of Quality adverts the park makes anymore. The last Great advert they made in Merlin hands was The Smilers. From then on, quite a few of them feel like college student films. Wicker Mans lacks the unique and charm the last 2 SW adverts had. It lacked the weird camera angles, no colour grading to the rides theme, nor did it feel that scary either. They just filmed a bunch of people that kneeled in a forest, the it just cuts to a few cameras stuck ot the rides car with people riding it.
Don't even remind me of the recent ads they've been showing on the telly ever since 2020. I know it's been a bit of a struggle for TV and Media because of "World Troubles out of their control" but, come on Merlin. These ads just don't have of the charm the Parks Tussauds and Early Merlin ads had, which actually manage to carry the Quirky feeling the Tussauds ads had. These new ads are just quick cuts, some sped up, slow motion cuts at an angle, drone footage, and a very standard sounding narrator, very surprising since its David Walliams, and it feels like he really wants it done as soon as possible.
Back when Tussauds made adverts, doesn't matter which era, they were bloody creative with each ads genre. Nemesis had that welcoming and exciting 90s sci fi cheese to it.
Oblivions advert, the best Ad ATs ever made, actually one of the best pieces of marketing ever made IMO. The bland colour it has, black, grey, white and orange. It already tells you this ride anything but happiness and joy, but rather, gloom and doom, fear of the unknown, and anticipation. The way the camera slowly tilts even more each cut, as if we're slipping into the hole, the sweat drop going down seemingly forever, and the sharp lighting the facial expressions given off from our main Character, and then "Don't. Look. Down!" Then the music kicks in, turning into almost a fast paced electronic version of in the Hall of The Mountain King as the car drops into the hole and soon goes offscreen as we follow the sweat drop finally land on the track with the Alton Towers branding with Oblivions logo almost coming to existence because of the drop.
This also apply with Airs advert. You start with a group of people in a seemingly dark voice, with only themselves and the car having a light blue layer of colour over them. Then the car goes into the flying position, "assume the position" comes up, the music builds up, as if something truly magical is about to happen. Mkent later, they're outside, goes past a flock of birds which seems to be closely inspected on, this is because its intentionally giving the viewer a huge hint of what the coasters main premise is, flight. The ad continues, the music becomes a relaxing remix of In the Hall of the Mountain King. Then the rides are finally let go from the car, now finally free to fly all by themselves. The ad ends with the ads main Character, the woman now starts to incline, then the camera cuts to her POV, with the clouds above becoming the iconic vortex, then finally the ad ends with "Air at alton towers, yoy can fly..."
I can go on for ages to how Tussauds handled their adverts brilliantly. Every ride or Hotel at the park that had an advert was given the rides/Hotels personality and style, and was made to be fun and intriguing to watch AND still be a very high quality product of marketing.
Rita's advert was serious thanks to the heatwaves on the first half, with the buildup to the launch, and the deep narration. Then the quick and intense cuts to the rider and the ride itself, making the ride feel quick and powerful, But fun with that final cut of the rider smiling in excitement. Rita may not be the best ride, but I think its the best advert Alton Towers has made since Airs.
Don't believe me, here's a challenge for you. Watch any of Tussauds Alton Towers adverts, doesn't matter which era, they're all great to me, then compare it to Alton Towers Wicker Man and the 2021 advert promoting Gangsta Granny. Then compare the 3 to one another. Or you can compare the 2 below.
These 2 adverts are doing something vert similar, trying to represent the entire park as a whole while being very quic laced and mainstream. The first one is Tussauds 2007 advert, probably the last advert the ever made, and the one below that one is Alton Towers 2021 advert.
I know I'm probably overthinking this entire subject, but I think there's a huge drop in quality of Adverts recently, which I don't finally appealing. This might only be me though...