GE celebrates the past and looks to the future in new ad
‘Beautiful Law’ marks the upcoming launch of GE Vernova and GE Aerospace.
The first law of thermodynamics – one of the most foundational principles in modern physics – states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed from one state to another. This simple and profound equation served as the inspiration for a new ad from General Electric (GE), titled ‘Beautiful Law,’ which serves as an homage to the company’s long history and simultaneously gives a hopeful nod to the future.
Advertisement
Founded by Thomas Edison in 1892, GE grew to become one of the most powerful conglomerates in American history. In late 2021, the company’s CEO Larry Culp announced that it would split into three separate companies: GE Healthcare, GE Vernova and GE Aerospace, focused on medical technology, energy and aviation, respectively.
GE Healthcare launched earlier this year, accompanied by a fresh marketing campaign titled ‘Care that Can.’ The new ad, developed in partnership with BBDO and titled ‘Beautiful Law,’ was released today to herald the upcoming launch of GE Vernova and GE Aerospace.
BBDO and GE have partnered together since 1920.
Advertisement
‘Beautiful Law’ opens inside of a dimly lit university library. A close-up shot of a textbook shows a page displaying the first law of thermodynamics. The young woman studying the textbook looks up to find the small green lamps scattered about the library blinking wildly and a massive, vague object passing by the windows overhead, momentarily obscuring the sunlight. The whole library is suddenly transformed into a giant indoor wind farm. A huge 747 appears and hovers over the young woman’s head. She’s then tapped on the shoulder by a librarian, awakening her from her dream. She walks out of the library, which has now returned to its normal state, smiling, textbook in hand.
“The GE brand is born out of innovation, built on Thomas Edison’s can-do legacy, and thanks to generations of GE employees, [it] is trusted worldwide,” said Linda Boff, GE’s chief marketing officer. “As we look toward the future and our historic transformation into separate GE companies, we wanted to take a collective moment to pay homage to 132 years of innovation and celebrate the infinite possibilities of GE’s next chapter.”
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily newsletter.