Activision Publishing (Commercial Tags)

Main Tag Variations

Contents

1st Tag (1981-1983)	2nd Tag (Early 1980s)	3rd Tag (1982-1983)	4th Tag (December 1983)

1st Tag (1981-1983)

Visuals: On a black background, a horizontal rainbow-colored trail slides in to the right and pulls in the Activision logo in a custom font with the "V"'s horns expanded to the top and connected to the letter "T". It leaves a trail effect as the other copy merges with the one the streak pulled in. The logo then shines.

Variants:

Whenever a game is promoted, the tag is positioned on the top of the screen. The cover of the game is shown on the bottom right.
Sometimes, the tag is either 2D or still.
The endtag may be superimposed into a moving live-action background.
On the "We Put You in the Game" commercial, said byline in a serif font appears below the logo.
- One version of the commercial has the text "TOYS "R" US" superimposed underneath the logo.
On the River Raid commercial, the Activision logo fades in. The rainbow trail slides in and hits the "A", causing the logo to briefly flash. At the same time, the price of the game fades in below the logo.
Sometimes, text informing viewers where to buy the games will be displayed on the bottom left. One example is on the Dolphin commercial, the text reads "AVAILABLE AT: GAME PLAYER PLAYHOUSE TOYS".
On the Megamania commercial "A Helluva Drug?", the video game box art is placed on a gray surface that fades out as it nears the center of the screen.
On an alternate Pitfall commercial, a hand quickly grabs the game away from the screen.
On Australian commercials, the logo is enlarged, the cover of the video game is placed in the center of the screen, and the tagline "Very, very advanced video games" is underneath it.
The logo appeared on the opening tag of a Hills commercial promoting their Atari 2600 games. Here, the logo, with the colors in the rainbow separated by black bars, fly in from the top towards the bottom before the Hills logo flashes in on top.

Technique:

2D computer animation for the animated variant.
Live-action for some of the tag variations.
Cel animation for the River Raid variant.
None for the still variant.

Audio: An exciting sci-fi like synthesized jingle in the background ending with a series of high notes, accompanied with an individual from the commercial saying "(game title) from Activision!". Otherwise, the end tail of the commercial plays over.

Audio Variants:

Sometimes, the game title is not said.
On the "We Put You in the Game" commercial, there is not only the ending theme of the ad, but also an electronic voice saying the company name, ending it off with a dry whoosh.
On the Grand Prix commercial, the sounds of a racecar drifting is heard in the background.
The Chopper Command commercial has a military march chant-themed endtag, consisting of drums and a military chorus singing "Chopper Command! Chopper Command! And who is it from? Activision!".

Availability: It appeared on commercials for their games released for the Atari 2600. The jingle appeared on the commercials for Freeway, Ice Hockey, Kaboom!, among others. The Ice Hockey commercial is unlockable in the PS2 game Activision Anthology.

2nd Tag (Early 1980s)

Visuals: Superimposed into the end shot of the commercial is a 2D version of the previous tag accompanied with the tagline "WE PUT YOU IN THE GAME." underneath. Both objects are placed on the bottom of the screen as they zoom out towards the center.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A funky pop tune accompanied with a male singing the company name and its tagline.

Availability: Seen on the "Talking Televisions" commercial.

3rd Tag (1982-1983)

Visuals: The text from before zooms towards the top of the screen from the center, leaving a rainbow trail effect that merges in with the logo as it stops. Simultaneously, the cover of the video game, with a glow effect and positioned on the bottom right of the screen, zooms in sync with the rainbow trail. The horizontal rainbow trail wipes in from the left of the "A".

Variants:

On the Starmaster commercial, the logo is superimposed onto a space background.
On the Decathlon commercial, a vertical flame fades in above the "V".
On Australian commercials, the same tagline from the 1st tag's variant appears on the bottom of the screen.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: The end tail of the commercial.

Availability: It appeared on the Starmaster and Decathlon commercials.

4th Tag (December 1983)

Visuals: Two game covers fly in on a black background. A rainbow trail flies past them as they zoom towards the bottom right of the screen. Then a rainbow trail spins around the covers, wrapping them in a bowtie, and the trail flies over to the top of the screen, revealing and highlighting the Activision logo in the process of leaving the screen. Then, a brightly colored rainbow trail slides in from the left, pushing the text towards the right.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: The end tail of the commercial.

Availability: It appeared on their "A Gift of Pure Imagination" series of commercials, which were around during the 1983 holiday season.