Jeep Commercial

The focus group for this Jeep was for adults about 50 years of age. In the commercial, a man about 65 years of age pulls into his son's home and gets out of the car. Next scene shows his grandson getting into the driver side and the grandfather in the passenger. The grandfather mentions "you ready for your first lesson?" The grandson is excited, but nervous. Throughout the lesson, the grandfather starts mention many of the cars safety features. Each time he mentions one, the grandson does something on accident to show the feature. The grandson forgets to look at his rear mirror and almost hits a garbage can, but the grandpa is there to point out the back up camera that shows what's behind him. The grandson next almost hits a car on his side because he forgets to check his blind side, but the grandpa mentions the side mirror alerts if you get too close to another car. Almost on cue, the mirrors beep as the grandson barely misses another car on his left. It just so happens the car next to him is another grandfather with his grandson with the same Jeep. As they return home, the grandpa says "I hope you enjoyed your first lesson!" The grandson responds "I sure did" and reluctantly gives back the keys. The grandpa puts on some shades and drives off like a boss.

Bug Vacuum

My group went with the bug vacuum TV and Radio commercial. For the TV one we thought of having a beautiful Thanksgiving feast on a family table. The whole family is about to dig in when there is a huge buzzing sound. The whole family goes crazy trying to swat the fly as the buzzing grows. They all keep missing and just when the big bug is about to land on the turkey, the smallest kid comes up with the bug vacuum and sucks it away. There is silence, no mess, and the whole family can enjoy their dinner in peace. 

The radio ad produced more of a challenge as the visual aspect isn't available. Because of that the emphasis on the sound of the bug was heightened. We chose to have the radio ad to be shorter (so it wouldn't be too annoying) and had a group of friends just talking. All of a sudden, they stop because a bug is buzzing around them and they all start trying to swat it away, eventually slapping each other in the face. Eventually, a different person comes along and says move and sucks up the fly. The friends are baffled at the ease. 

Creativity - the key to success in advertisement

Creativity is obviously one of the more important factors of an advertisement. It doesn't matter if your message is a helpful or informative concept if you can't garner attention. Creativity often times needs to be fun and sometimes fresh. I've found that any commercial with animals, babies, or slow motion always attract my attention. Without creativity, ads would be completely pointless because no one would watch them. If no one watches them, your product fails along with it. However, with the addition of creativity your product will be considered memorable and probably gain an audience. In this example, the usage of the horse speaks to a large group of people and is able to make people watch. While there is no dialogue, the story is told through the emotion and reactions. An entire story is told and is able to captivate an audience, creating a special identity for Budweiser.

Rose Pedal Playhouse

The playhouse is obviously targeted towards girls. Colors involved with the video can be considered feminine colors like pink, purple and more pink. Only girls appear in the video and most of the actions provided in the ad exhibit a house keeping woman. These include working in the kitchen and doing the laundry.

To make it less feminine, we decided to change the music. A more rock style would help attract boys. Also, changing some of the jobs to a involve boys could help. This means adding sports and other things. Switching up the "roles" and having actual boys in the video also prevents stereotyping. Having them do things together like washing the dishes or clothes eliminates negative stereotypes. Actually having a boy in the video also projects them as a family instead of simply a woman at home taking care of the house.

The Simpsons - stereotypes

The Simpsons stands as one of the longest running shows currently still on. It is also famous for its somewhat crude comedy and stereotypical characters. While this show is an obvious picture of modern day America, The Simpsons remains a comedy that points out the almost absurdity of it all. The show often includes current events, other TV shows, and society perceptions. These are often parodied. I think this sort of comedy is important. While some may find it offensive, its good to look at things from multiple perspectives. The Simpsons often times make things a bit more lighthearted. Some of us could look at it this way and understand that somethings really shouldn't be taken so seriously and cooler heads may solve problems. The sheer ridiculousness of the show may help that.

I haven't watched in a long time, but I do know that the show is pretty much a play on stereotypical America.  Each character is an image of someone you know or knew in your life. Homer Simpson remains the dim-witted, overweight, yet lovable father that cares for his family and loves beer. Bart Simpson remains the hell-raiser that our preteen nation represents. A multitude of minor characters all represent a portion of America. The clerk at the local Kwik-E-Mark is Apu, who is the stereotypical Indian man who always tries to sell you stuff. Krusty the Clown's character is depicted as children's favorite cartoon character, however has a million problems off screen. Milhouse is that dorky friend that always got beat up next to you. Mr. Burns is that evil boss personified, but in a cartoon. The list goes on and on, which makes The Simpsons an extremely efficient show. 

Interruptive Advertisement - a pain in the cheeks?

The greatest example of interruptive advertisement is probably popups and Youtube videos. All of us have watched a video on Youtube only to be stopped before it starts by a 5-10 second ad. It does get irritating after awhile, even though there's the skip button that is allowed. I recently found an Ad Blocker that stops all those ads. (easily found on the Google Chrome web store) However, getting an Ad Blocker isn't the problem. The problem lies in use of these advertisements that inhibit time that users have. While it is understandable that Youtube uses ads to pay for their video usage, it shouldn't come at the expense of viewers.

At the same time, these ads are Youtube aren't the worse thing ever. What could help is actually monitoring the sort of ads that go to specific videos. For instance, if I'm watching a sports clip, I'd rather not watch something about women's soap. If I were required to watch an ad, why can't I watch something about buying a sports TV package or new shoes? These ads would actually make the connection between what we're watching on the video and the ad. I would consider it a smarter marketing tool because you have a target audience in sight, instead of making a reputation of a nuisance.

Ads are always going to be a part of business. While many see it as a pain, its a necessary negative to keep positives in our lives. We always want things that are free and I'd rather watch a few seconds of boredom than have no video or TV at all...

Almond vs Original

instagram:

Post picture with almond or original and hashtag

We decided on putting up pictures of what people used their Toblerone with. Creative ideas on different foods (cake, hot chocolate, brownies)

Youtube:

Mini episodes of how chocolate is made and how almonds are added to chocolate

Controversy: almonds should not be added

--Alternate endings and “like” the video--

- create characters out of both sides

Facebook:

Mini episodes also on facebook

“Like” Toblerone Almond or Original Toblerone to follow their campaign

Typewriter Comeback

For our typewriter advertisement, we decided to with a short commercial that featured our classy typewriter. It sits in the living room of a standard home and as the commercial progresses we see the changes of the living room. Specifically, we see that the radio of older generations change to older TVs, then to newer TVs to some higher-tech that implies that its in the future. Other stuff include the housing design going from older wood, to more urban style, to eventually a shiny type that shows the luxury of it all. We thought about including the transition of regular blinds to shades on the windows. In the middle of all the changes we have the typewriter that stays "timeless." That's what we chose as our slogan; Forever Timeless.

With the drastic changes of society, we went for a nostalgic feel, making the typewriter seem like that only product that stays the same, but is also easy to use and a main stable of the home. We went for a message that showed that while the typewriter is an older invention, its reliability and longevity lives through the changes of all technology.

We even decided to throw in a jab with perhaps an "iPhone" lookalike that makes fun of how many new models there are every year. The typewriter does the opposite. Instead of trying to make consumers keep buying new products, the typewriter is a relief compared to the ever changing market for new products.

Nostalgic Marketing

1. Nostalgia marketing is a good tool to help gain attention to your product. The advantage of nostalgia marketing is how it is able to target a specific audience group. Because of that, your company is probably going to get a lot of business from that group. However, at the same time, you may alienate groups that have no idea what that "memory" is and in turn may lose business from that group. Without the immediate reaction to younger generations, products that use nostalgia marketing could lose the edge to newer models with unique ideas. 

2. Nostalgia marketing may not work for products like electronics. Products like TVs, iPods, and Blu-ray should only head in one direction. Reverting back to older models would prove useless, unless only in the style category. 

Harley Davidson

1. Brand communities do help increase involvement with the brand because it attracts people towards one single topic of agreement. People will be of different color, background and personality, but perhaps their only similarity is the Harley Davidson bikes. Also, being around people of that same agreement will bring much appreciation for one another and the motorcycles. These communities unite as a sort of brotherhood under one brand. The larger they grow, the more recognition is brought to your brand.

2. The most telling aspect of being a part of the Posse Ride is probably the stories that each member brings to the ride. It almost gives them an aura of toughness and just a "cool factor" that benefits the reputation of the bike brand. The no whining clause only enhances that as it gives riders a strong-willed type of look. The passports also are like badges of honor to show the "perils" that the biker may go through.

3. These brand communities seem to do a lot for riders. I wouldn't try to get too involve or else it may become too controlled by the brand itself, which will only dampen the events. These riders seem to love the freedom of these rides and knowing that the brand itself is there may hamper spirits.

4. I was thinking they could use jackets that signify perhaps a status? Maybe have a leader of the day sort of thing. The leader would be the rider with the most respect.

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A Day of Tide

Helen gingerly inched herself out of bed to the sound of crickets. She carefully slipped on her warm fuzzy slippers carefully to avoid waking her husband. Peaking at the clock her brother had given her, Helen tiptoed over to her sons' room and nudged them awake for their morning practice. Her fading blonde locks bounced just above her shoulders as she made her way to the kitchen. Just like every other weekday, Helen grabbed the Frosted Flakes from the bottom drawer, along with the milk from the fridge. While there she proceeded to grab the ham and cheese, which lay in the same place that it was yesterday. She quickly made two sandwiches from the last of the Wonder Bread and placed them in tupperware. In two other plastic boxes, she packed small carrot sticks and goldfish crackers for each of her kids. She proceeded to pack the lunches into lunchboxes and added a small juice box for each, just as her sons John and Ben walked through the door.  

Helen quickly ushered her kids into the Honda Odyssey. After dropping off her kids at the soccer field, she made a quick stop at the local Safeway. There she bought fruit, a loaf of bread, as well as tonight's dinner. She returned home just as her husband was leaving for work. After a quick kiss, she began her daily morning jog with the Max, the family's Golden Retriever. As she neared the halfway point of her exercise, she ran into a neighbor. They talked of yesterday's episode General Hospital, squealing at the ridiculous stories that would be on soon. At that, Helen hurried home to put away the groceries and catch up with her soap operas.  

As the show finished, Helen began her work around the house. She went straight to her sons' room and straightened out the sheets, picking up scattered clothing on her way out. Helen then made her way to the washing machine, grabbing the Tide detergent along the way. She quickly poured some into the machine and washed the families clothing including, John and Ben's soccer socks. As the machine rumbled away, Helen pulled out the vacuum before heading back into the living room. She proceeded to vacuum the whole house, stopping only to dust her bookshelf. Next, Helen went to the kitchen and washed some of the bowls left from this morning's breakfast. Helen then placed the laundry into the dryer, along with a sheet of Bounce freshener wipe, and settled down to read her book. After the laundry was folded, she drove across the block, where she joined her afternoon book club. Helen returned home excited to read the next chapter of her book. She decided to pull out the Singer Sewing Machine to knit her sons matching bright yellow turtlenecks for the upcoming  school play. 

Helen returned home from picking up her sons from their afternoon practice after school. She started dinner which was oven baked Lasagna. She also frequently scanned her two boys to help them on today's homework.  Her husband came home just as it finished and they all had a family dinner. After dinner, they settled down to watch "Celebrity Splash." Helen tucked her kids into bed and kissed both on the forehead before they drifted off into sleep. Only then was she able to take her shower, using plenty of Dove shampoo to relieve her tensions. She slowly relaxed into her bed next to her husband and peacefully went to sleep.

I less than 3 boobies

To be frank, who doesn't like boobies? A simple three word phrase sparked attention nation-wide towards a cause much bigger than a wristband. Keep A Breast Foundation made the right moves when it came to using a product to enhance their message.

The wristbands represent a cause for the fight against breast cancer. People that purchase the products are directly contributing to research done in hopes of a cure. The bracelet itself has a "blatant" style of message that immediately attracts attention. By understanding the consumer mind, Keep A Breast Foundation was able to attract the minds of possibly one of the most important consumer; young adults. The wristband itself is pretty stylish, which immediately allows self-conscious teens to not be embarrassed to wear them. At the same time, it develops an almost risque style that teens love.

The message is great because it is short and easy to remember. By targeting a specific age group, Keep A Breast Foundation is able to spread their cause to a new generation. The product is urban enough to attract youth and is a great way to unite to fight breast cancer.

National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation is a group that promotes the idea of protecting the environment and its wildlife. This includes warning people of global warming, protecting the habitats of animals, and sustaining natural resources. They also try to teach the youth more about the environment as it is up to them to keep the Earth safe for all its inhabitants.

Based off its website, the National Wildlife Federation has numerous aspects of social media. One of the major tabs is its blog. It contains a wide spectrum of stories and photos that talk about the environment. There also updates on the current state of certain areas and what people can do to help. These blogs are split up nicely into groups, so readers can really pick and choose what they want to help with. The site also contains lots of advertising trying to sell its kids' magazines, which will help raise awareness for the future generation.

Probably the greatest thing about the site was the AWESOME pictures. The site was neatly organized containing plenty of pictures of animals, which helps readers stay engaged. The website is very well done and isn't too crowded. Everything is just very easy to find and has plenty of information for visitors.

Demoting Stereotypes

There really isn't a way to stop stereotypes. There are things that are just automatically accepted by our society. While challenges are sometimes seen in advertising, they can be uncommon. Stereotyping is just easier. The ad below compares a beautiful woman to a BMW automobile. While yes, this advertising this ad catches the eye of buyers, it can be considered extremely offensive towards woman as it replaces the woman with a dead object. The same intimacy between a man and a woman is replaced with materialism. The woman is not only beneath the man in terms of status, but the car as well. Pathetic really...

Stereotyping

In perfect world, stereotypes wouldn't exist. In a perfect world, I could walk to the nearest basketball court and be the first one picked in a pick up game. In a perfect world, I wouldn't assume that my neighbor is a freakish athlete and instead is actually a straight A student. I've always been taught not to judge others from the outside in.

However, in the case of advertising, it seems like stereotyping is a necessary evil. The main goal for an advertiser is to sell their product to an audience, which will convince them to buy it. In order to do that, companies need to be realistic in targeting a specific audience, because not many products out there are completely universal. In order to do that, advertisers need to base their ads on generalizations to help sell.

Instead of looking at whether or not advertisements with stereotypes would ever go out of style, what would happen if no stereotypes in commercials existed? For instance, what if all fried chicken commercials had no African American people in it? Would that bring better business than having only African Americans in fried chicken commercials? Probably not. However, the advertisers always should beware of going to far. There is a fine line of being funny and just being down right offensive.

In the end, advertisements will always have its stereotypical tendencies and in my perspective, I'm not too sensitive to it. Advertisers need something to work off of. They need ideas implicated by society already to produce stuff that we like or else they'd just be showing commercials with no real direction.

Mad for Ads

At the heart of advertisement lies the little known topic of semiotics.

Print Ad

From a denotative perspective, this ad shows a bunch of different basketball players running in a line towards the hoop. However, I'm pretty sure everyone can at least recognize two players in this picture. Using our knowledge of connotation, we can see that each player represents a different era in basketball history. The picture captures the spirited and illustrious pastime that is the NBA Finals. Fans also see each player as a symbol of the greatest moments in the NBA Finals. The scenery also helps intensify this ad, especially the use of the heavy spotlight on the players. 

Outdoor Ad/Billboard

This ad caught my attention because its one that made me do a double take. The billboard is extremely simple which differs from a lot of other ads that have words or attractive pictures. This advertisement sends a clear and direct message. GET IN THE GYM! The ad is effective because of the denotation and connotation are almost one in the same. Basketball can be universal and considered an exercise for all ages, race, gender, etc. 

Video Ad

This Budweiser ad uses the Clydesdale horse and Dalmatian dog to almost personify human abilities.  The denotation shows just two animals working out diligently. However, through connotation, we understand that the scene is reminiscent of the famous Rocky scene where he beats himself back into shape. Budweiser uses this ad to imply that their drinkers are tough and hard working. They also understand the helping one another succeed, as well as putting communion as a high priority. 

Dahmen's Lecture

I've got to see the man knows how to sell. I could really tell that his experience in the advertising business allows him to connect with his audience. His tactic of big but short phrases captures the attention of the audience in a short time period. The parts that stuck out to me most were the statistics involving the outrageous growth of apps. I liked how he kept his thesis incredibly simple and always came back to it in each new idea. I thought his usage of examples through the different studies were compelling as well as how he incorporated the many changes in societies into his theme. Lastly, I found his last few sentences very memorable, especially the phrase that encourages us to bring the most crazy ideas out because those are the ones that no one has seen before.

My First Take

My understanding of the depth of the advertising is limited at best. To be frank, all advertising is to me is stuff on the TV and Internet that tries to convince me to buy things that I don't really need or billboards that distract me from the innocent squirrels on the corner of El Camino. Maybe that's unfair to say that, but who else runs to the kitchen for grub instead of staying to watch the same Mercedes Benz commercial again? However, that didn't stop me from signing up for this course. Because at the end of the day, not all advertisement is what I just listed above. Its the surprises that really make this course interesting. The Superbowl ads are just one example that attracts the most attention. Those ads excite me because they provide aspects that make them unique. Characteristics that break molds and stereotypes and attract audiences in ways that haven't been thought of before. To me, advertising is a chance to make a memorable and lasting image that can make an actual difference to viewers.