Eerily accurate predictions from AT&T 1993 television advertising

Take a look at this interesting montage of television advertising from AT&T from nearly 20 years ago.

The "You Will" series looked at what you will be able to do in the future. It's amazing how many of the predictions the ads got right – there’s an iPad like device, a GPS navigation system, the ability to purchase concert tickets online, virtual meeting software, and on-demand video at home.

There are several things that were spectacularly inaccurate however such as the continued use of a phone booth and fax. (When was the last time you even saw a phone booth?) But it's remarkable how much was absolutely right.

Direct link to the video on YouTube.

The payoff line in each ad is: "And the company that will bring it to you? AT&T."

Interesting how this is both right and wrong.

While I do use AT&T wireless services because I have an iPhone, I don’t really think of AT&T as the company that brings me all this great technology. Rather, I think of Apple as the primary driver of the futuristic technologies that are most important to me today.

AT&T's role has become that of a commodity (in my mind at least) rather than an innovator.

Comments

[Ron Miller]

That's really remarkable, David. A nice find. Some of it like the phone booth was probably AT&T's wish for the future.

Looks like Google is planning on putting phone booths at airports and college campuses where you can make free (or low cost) Google Voice calls. So we may be seeing that again soon, albeit without the video chat (although who knows?).

[twitter.com/timothypost]

Do you recognize the voice?

Tom Selleck )))

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Will

[Keith Jennings]

This is a good lesson in how call-to-action rather than image-based messages are the least likely to be kidnapped by another brand (and the most likely to get results).

In my world, hospital marketing is obsessed with image and technology, and you can't tell the difference between competing hospital ads. That's why most hospitals are commodities. And why Mayo Clinic is Mayo Clinic.

[mickey]

Now we need someone to make the next generation of those commercials so we can see what the future holds 10-20 years from now.

AT&T isn't likely the one to do it at this point. Google? Apple?

[David Meerman Scott]

Timothypost -- nice find, I did not realize who "the voice" was.

Keith -- YES.

Mickey -- My bet would be on Apple.

[Marius]

This is very interesting. Maybe there are video ads how technology gonna change after 20years from now.?mhmm

[Laura Savard]

David,

The thing I find most interesting is that everyone, myself included, praises apple for all the amazing things the iPhone does and curses AT&T for all that goes wrong.

Cheers,
Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

[David Meerman Scott]

Laura -- that's interesting, isn't it? I wonder why? Does that imply something about Apple marketing? Or that you don't want to be in the telecommunications business?

[Tim Johnson]

They called it all right except who would actually be delivering it (at least 1st and 2nd gen of each technology), which is what they were banking on in the ads. Most of it is now just extended Internet services.

I agree that I would like to see a today version of this ad. but haven't a clue who would do it. Facebook? Google? Cisco?

[Kozan City]

The research and development done by AT&T from it's beginnings up to 1996 and then Lucent, (to a lesser degree) is largely responsible for the technology we take for granted today. Telephone, Transistors, Fiber Opticts, UNIX, digital networking are all a result of R&D by AT&T (Bell Labs). So even though very little of the technology is actually branded AT&T, they were and are instrumental to it coming to fruitio

[Jermaine Young]

This is a very great find. They were right on about a lot of stuff. Although phone booths don't exist I understand the aim of the promo. You're right though, AT&T is no where near the company you think of when you think of the leader in innovation. At this point I would have to say that Google and Apple would be the top two delivering all of the things that AT&T mentioned in their add. They really did get it almost perfect though so I at least give them credit for that. I love this video and I'm glad you shared it.

[Nick Stamoulis]

This is truly an amazing find. Clearly ATT was right on with most, even though they aren't the ones delivering the goods, they were behind the ideas of the great things we benefit from now.

[Mike Stork]

These ads tried to improve their image. Remember how much we hated them for having a monopoly on telephone service? I didn't want to use them as a cellular provider for years. Then I realized that I didn't like the extra charges from the other providers, LOL. They really do bring us the technology. The software has improved our experience (and boosted apple's image).