CompuServe — “Last night, CompuServe turned this computer into a travel agent…”

Online services sold as transformation: the machine upgrades into a life assistant overnight.

What this ad is really doing

It frames connectivity as metamorphosis. You don’t “log in” — you unlock roles. Travel agent, stock analyst, sci-fi quest giver. The computer becomes a portal, not a tool.

Why it worked then

Most people had no mental model for “online.” So the ad uses job titles and narrative leaps as explanation. It makes the abstract feel concrete — and exciting.

Why it feels unhinged now

Today, the internet is background radiation. Here it’s a theatrical event with a plot twist. Also: the copy casually promises a new universe in one subscription.

Status: Alive (as a scan). Cause of death: magic became infrastructure.