Page - 299 - in Der österreichische Werbefilm - Die Genese eines Genres von seinen Anfängen bis 1938

13.3 Abstract (englisch) With the invention of the film at the endof the 19th century a newadvertisingmedia established that substantially contributed to visualize and aestheticize the consumerworld. In this study the development and establishment of the genre commercial is investigated starting with the early daysofcinematographyuntil theyear1938. At the beginning, economic and technological processes are sketched which enabled and evenrequiredtheemergenceandevolvementofbusinessadvertising.Hereafter, thescientification and institutionalisation of the Austrian advertising industry is explained, whereby commercials havebeenscientifically researchedfor the first time. Parallel to important economic developments, commercials established themselves as a new entertainment and advertisingmedium. The dissemination, acceptance aswell as the aesthetical and technical evolvementof thisnewadvertisingmediawasoutlined.Early formsandpre-formsof commercials are picked up in order to point out general lines of developments of the genre. The networkof relationshipsand theconflictsof interestsbetweenpolitics, advertising filmproducers, clients and cinema owners are presented and provide insight into production conditions, social andsocietal developments, strategiesof economization, focusof the commercials andvariedper- formancepractises. Moreover, it is stated how innovations in the field of film technology not only changed con- tents and aesthetics but also extended performance practises. Especially the introduction of the talkies resulted in economic bottleneckswhich forced theadvertising filmproducers to collabora- tive actions. Further changesof formal conception of commercials are explained– thismeans the evolution away frommultifunctional character to short concisely films with a clear consumption and sales orientation. Biographies of commercial film producers indicate connection lineswithin the film industry, and reveal competitive behaviour and sometimes present styles of production. Within themain topics commercials and industrial films are exemplary analysedby their content- oriented and sales-oriented strategies aswell as by their aesthetic design. Product presentation, product recommendationandpurchasingarguments therebyweredetected. 13.3 Abstract (englisch) 299