Wonder and the World of Pure Imagination

This commercial brings together several aspects of appeal that fit in perfectly with TheoFantastique. The overall theme is the idea of wonder, and that of a child, and this is expressed through the crayon drawings of children as various monsters, a robot, and a flying saucer weave their way through a city and adult life. And the commercial brings the message of a child’s wonder home with the inclusion of Gene Wilder singing “Pure Imagination” from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). In short, this commercial encapsulates the sense of wonder that I feel my experiences with the fantastic. Thanks goes to AT&T for recognizing our need for re-enchantment and wonder, even if a cell phone is not likely to provide it for us.

4 Responses to “Wonder and the World of Pure Imagination”

  1. Funny that you would focus on this commercial, John, because I, too, have been thinking it’s a particularly noteworthy one, and have been getting a lot of enjoyment out of its heavy rotation. This is mainly due to the charmingness, both nostalgic and fresh, of Gene Wilder’s voice singing those fine words to that wonderful music (the modulation/key change on the word “explanation” is sublime). But the more I’ve watched it, the more I’ve noted exactly what you note here. The spot really does do a nice job of illustrating the song’s meaning, right down to the expression of childlike delight and inspiration on the actor’s face at the end.

  2. Thanks for your comments, Matt. You know, I almost didn’t post on this. First, while I remembered the commercial and the song I couldn’t find it replayed for a while so as to track down the product it advertised for a clip on YouTube. Then when I found it I debated whether to post on it for several weeks. I wondered whether folks with think me daffy if I voiced my strong connections to it. For me it wonderfully articulates a sense of wonder, a big part of my experiences and motivations behind TheoFantastique and all this is about. I still smile every time this commercial airs.

  3. If you’re nuts then so am I, since I, like you, have taken to looking forward to this commercial whenever I’m around a television.

    I hasten to clarify that we may indeed both be nuts. 😉

  4. Dave Farley

    This commercial just warms my heart after a long day of work. It is so delightful.

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