Philips Magnavox DVD Advertisement

In a single arresting image—half home, half movie theater—Philips-Magnavox dramatizes the leap from VHS to DVD and positions itself as the friendly guide to the digital future. Clever metaphor, clear benefits, and good timing make this an effective late-1990s tech launch ad.

The ad copy:

From Hollywood to Main Street, it's being heralded as the beginning of a home entertainment revolution. It's called DVD Video. With a digital picture that's better than laser disc, and state-of-the-art digital audio, DVD is destined to change your home into a, well, you get the picture. Now movies meet the digital age. And Philips Magnavox is there to help make the introductions.

Why the ad works:

1. Single, visual idea: “Turn your house into a movie theater.” – The marquee literally growing out of the roof is a quick, word-free metaphor for what DVD promises.
2. Emotional promise: makes the consumer feel they can bring cinematic magic home, not just buy hardware.
3. Contrast & curiosity: The diptych (left dramatic, right ordinary) forces the reader to stare and decode.
4. Clean hierarchy: big visual first, headline embedded in the marquee, small persuasive copy, call-to-action logo.
5. Timely relevance: 1997-98 readers were hearing early buzz about DVDs; the ad joins that conversation with authority.
6. Brand fit: Philips had positioned itself as an innovator (“Let’s make things better”); the futuristic DVD format validates the slogan.

History Bytes:

1. First DVD players shipped in Japan (Nov 1996) and the U.S. (March 1997). Philips-Magnavox models like the DVD600 embraced the new DVD-Video specification.
2. Competing launches: Toshiba, Panasonic, Sony—all advertised heavily in 1997 consumer electronics and lifestyle magazines.
3. Philips’ “Let’s Make Things Better” master brand campaign began globally in 1995, aiming to unify disparate product lines under one optimistic innovation promise.
4. DVD specification finalized Sept-Dec 1995; first players shipped in Japan Nov 1996, U.S. March 1997 (Toshiba & Panasonic in seven test cities). Philips/Magnavox models (e.g., Magnavox MDV1000) reached stores mid-1997 at ~$599.
   

Anyone who makes anything is driven by a common instinct.
From the infant attempting its first scribble to
the multinational manufacturer.
It is an instinct as fundamental as taking your next breath.
It is taking the next step and making whatever it
is you are making, better.
As we seek to understand, we create, we enhance, we progress.
And as we do so, we make the world a better place.
Whether we are infants making better drawings, scientists making
better medicines, governments making better laws, manufacturers
making better products.
All are making someone somewhere somehow happier.
So, when people say "Let's make things better", they speak from the head.
And from the heart.
We at Philips will strive to embrace this duality. In everything we do.
In all our dealings with our customers, our suppliers, our shareholders and
all who share our planet.
And while we've long been known for making better things, perhaps from
now on we'll be known for making things better.

Jon D. Timmer, President A CEO