Our groups latest workshop was focussed on the Toblerone chocolate bar. We were asked to create a social media campaign that targeted upper class and sophisticated people.
Media Targets:
-Pintrest
-Twitter
-Facebook
Overview: (holidays)
-We would challenge the audience on these social media sites to create a cheesy family portrait. In the portrait regular people would use the chocolate bar creatively. Weather it be in their mouths for the iconic triangle effect or used in some other way. The consumers then could upload the photo and vote for their favorites. The top ten photos will then be used in a Toblerone ad and the families would win a swiss skiing vacation.
When it comes to one of the most annoying things ever I think interruptive advertising takes the cake. It used to be just TV ads that used to drive you insane. But now they have music interrupting ads, online ads, YouTube ads, and god forbid we are able enter a website without an ad. It has to be hands down one of my biggest annoyances and most likely yours. Sadly, I thought I had found an answer to my problems when my family got a DVR for the TV, but thats not the case. Let me tell you that is the best invention ever...but then whenever I wanted to watch a TV show or YouTube video on my computer I was once again stuck with ads. I probably wouldn't be so annoyed if a particular ad was given to me once while I was watching my show on the ABC app, but they tend to use the same ad the entire show. Thanks to them I have no desire to ever return to Disneyland ever again after watching the "happiest place on earth" unfold before my eyes about 50 times in one month. The elephant in the room is no longer TV, however, it is still tied to media. If we need to have ads shoved down our throat fine...but please, please, please make creative and entertaining ads that keep information to a minimum. Then just maybe consumers would be able to tolerate it and not have a negative feeling towards the product. It's all about the conviction.
Here's what drives me crazy at the moment haha...relate??
On Monday we were asked to write a radio ad and draw images for a unconventional item. My group choose the Bug Vacuum. Our target audience was mothers looking for a gift to bring to a housewarming party. Below is a short 30 second radio ad script we came up with.
*Door shuts*
Neighbor: "oh what a nice house; I just love having new neighbors"
Homeowner: "why thank you!...uh what are you looking at?"
*Western standoff noises*
Neighbor: "shhhhh...there is a giant 8-legger on the mantle..."
Homeowner: "ohh my"
*Loud whooshing noises*
Homeowner: "what the heck is that thing?"
Neighbor: *laughs* "it's a bug vacuum"
Homeowner: "did you have that thing with you the whole time?!"
Neighbor: "never know when you might need it" *pats vacuum*
Neighbor: *opens door* "oh! by the way trash pick up is on Friday" *door closes*
One of my favorite parts about advertising is the creativeness brought to the table. The best advertisements are the ones that make you stop and stare. It's important that they grab your attention so that you are forced to focus on the product. You can do this many ways but it is always necessary that you literally think outside the box. One day I hope to create those types amazing ads. But until then below I will show you some that grab my attention. :)
Last week we were given the challenge to bring the typewriter back in style. Our audience was younger college students with a small budget.
Media:
1. Pandora radio ads
2. Print mall ad
3. Billboards near college campuses
Our Task:
-We were challenged to use nostalgia as a selling point, we ultimately decided that since our audience was to young to own one, that we needed to bring back childhood memories.
-We also came to the conclusion that at one point all of our audience as children have wanted to play with a typewriter and might associate the sound to something they had seen or heard before.
-Mainly make our audience feel like a trendsetter by bringing the typewriter back, all while saving money.
Recently when watching TV I have seen this Frigidaire commercial multiple times. During the commercial Frigidaire creates a timeline of eras, all of which include a Frigidaire appliance. They used nostalgia in a way that almost brings your past to life. This ad may not have any meaning for todays younger generation but in middle aged or older people this can have an impact. This is because they have most likely lived through some of these eras and memories could flood back at the sight of some of these scenes. Things like clothing and furniture could easily remind people of their past and could potentially bring back positive memories. This is beneficial to Frigidaire because it makes the audience with positive memories remember their appliances and keep it in their mind the next time they need to go out and buy an appliance. Working with nostalgia however, might not be the best idea for all companies. I am referring to new companies because they don't have history yet so consumers might be less inclined to associate their past with them. But if done right using nostalgia in an ad can work out very well. I for example, love to have positive memories or flashbacks with ads and respond very well to them.
On this past Wednesday my group and I was asked to put together a commercial for an audience around 50-70 years in age. The commercial in question was focusing on a Jeep vehicle. Our group had to keep in mind what appealed to the older generation, such as costs and reliability.
The commercial starts off with a group of older friends walking to a 2013 Jeep Compass, ready for an adventure. A grandma gets in the drivers seat and begins to drive her friends to the spot where they were going to go hiking in the hills. Suddenly the grandma gets a call from her daughter as they arrive at the trail. Turns out her granddaughter isn't feeling well and needs to be picked up from school immediately. The group of friends turn around and get back into the compass. Just when the audience expects a regular drive back, the commercial suddenly turns into a adventure filled with obstacles to get to the school. The grandma puts on her racing gloves and it begins. The camera zooms out to showcase the Jeep compass enter a fantasy land where it needs to go over rocks and stop for exotic animals. After completing a series of obstacles the Jeep finally comes to a stop at the school. The chaos then stops and the fantasy land disappears to a calm moment. All four doors of the car then pop open just like in action movies when they walk away from the explosion, the friends slowly walk into the school in slow motion, some have canes and others are dramatically wiping sweat from their heads. The camera then flips around to showcase the vehicle and then the commercial cuts off.
Oh and Betty White has to be in it because she brings such a youthful and comical side that would really benefit the commercial haha
After reading up on some of the ways Harley Davidson interacts with consumers, it is clear that they know how to make the consumer feel involved with the brand. Harley created a Posse Ride which allows brand lovers to gather and ride their bikes together through different check points. Below I will answer the following questions provided for this assignment.
1. Yes I do believe that by gathering people together for the same brand interest increases consumer involvement with the brand. The involvement increases the consumers tie to brand but not only that but also tie them with other people who share their interests.
2. The elements of the Posse Ride that enhance the meaning of the brand to consumers, is creating the lifestyle the brand sells. By actually using the product and having new experiences with new people it really gives the consumers a positive outlook on the brand.
3. No I do not believe that Harley should get more involved with the ride because it shouldn't some off as too organized. The brand its self is about freedom and a more laid back approach I think. In my opinion people who buy Harley's don't seem like the kind that want a super organized event. They just want to ride and enjoy the experience.
4. In addition to the Posse Ride, I think Harley-Davidson could benefit from possibly more frequent and smaller events. Even a restaurant (bar) would be interesting.
Meet Ed, he is a high school science teacher. He wakes up every morning to his IPhone alarm around 5:00am. He then proceeds to plug in his coffee maker and pour in some Fair Trade grounds. Ed doesn't like to leave anything plugged in to save energy. He then takes a strict five minute shower and turns the faucet on for under a second to put water on his toothbrush. Ed loves to ride his bike to work usually, but relies on his car in the winter. When it comes to appearance, he goes for the natural scruffy look and carries his beige recycled knapsack everywhere. On this particular day Ed headed to work in his old broken down station wagon because it was raining. As soon as he got to work he opened up is classroom and cleaned the desks with eco-friendly disinfectant. He then scanned his IPhone for the latest in the science world. See, Ed doesn't like wasting paper but when the school delivers it to his classroom he takes home recycles it usefully. As Ed was searching his phone for the next type of seeds he wants for his garden he stumbled across a SmartCar ad. Although Ed already had a car, this one was advertised as very efficient and would be much less of a waste of energy than his bulky station wagon. The ad even caught his attention with the green background. With that last thought running through his mind the bell rang. As usual the students came in and he gave his powerpoint lecture on the contents of a cell. Ed also does not give out paper handouts, instead has an online website for the students. Once his day was over he pulled out his homemade sandwich wrapped in fabric and ate with his pals at a Cafe they meet at on Wednesdays. There, Ed discussed his concerns on the latest oil spill near the Golden Gate. Once finished, Ed went home and pondered the ad he saw earlier. Later that evening just before he went to bed, and after all the plugs were out he decided that he needed a SmartCar.
Last year Mazda launched a commercial for their SUV using The Lorax to promote their vehicle. Where it went horribly wrong is when the advertisement went against the movies message. The Lorax had just came out in theaters and was a well known Dr. Seuss tale. It seems natural that Mazda would use a new movie to promote their car since many other brands have done the same, but it is obvious they didn't think this one through. See, if you had heard of the Lorax story before you would understand it is a story about not compromising values and saving the "truffula trees". The big picture is not ruining the environment. However this ad is marketing a car that is not in anyway a "green" vehicle. It is a very mixed message ad that left many consumers very upset and lost some consumers trust in the brand because of the bad portrayal. It is hard to tell if this is a macro or micro approach since it is targeted at a younger audience but also a "green" audience. What's worse is that they tried to market car as "fuel efficient" when it is not eco-friendly at all. All around this ad is a complete fail and displays how consumer behavior plays a role in either the success or the failure of an ad campaign.
I picked the World Wildlife Fund as my topic because I really admire their campaign. When doing a little research on some of their ads I came across this...
I know this is not exactly "digital" campaign like a social network campaign but I believe this is equally efficient. In this ad we have a bathroom paper towel dispenser shown in three different shots. As you can see there is a cut out of South America and the more you use the towels the cutout turns black. This is used to show you that by using these towels you are destroying South American rain forests. It's quite a clever idea and makes makes you a part of the issue because you are physically contributing to the loss of paper. Upon further research I found that this ad was done by Saatchi and Saatchi which the professor talked about in class on Monday. This explains the aggressiveness and directness of the message that WWF wanted to get across.
Above is a screenshot from a website detailing WWF's recent digital campaign. As you can see they have created an app that allows you to get closer with your favorite animal. By doing so it is probably more likely that you would donate for the cause. This to is a very smart idea by WWF because again it is making the audience more aware and makes it a personal problem for the individual by bringing in something they care for like an animal. Similar to the commercials that had sad music and abused animals this app allows the audience you get a emotional reaction from the experience.
As much as I want to question why we still stereotype in advertisements today, I just can't imagine ads without them. What I mean is what would be left? Just imagine trying to sell a pair of girls shoes but you can't put just girls in the ad because that would be deemed a gender stereotype. In a world where everyone seems to have a problem with something its hard to figure out whats acceptable. Honestly, it's tiring even thinking about all the problems someone can have with a certain advertisement. To me there is nothing wrong with a little gender stereotyping like displayed in the diet coke commercial that poked innocent fun at a stereotypical girls fantasy. Below is the commercial that the professor displayed on Wednesday. Yes, the stereotype of the man mowing the lawn and the girls gossiping is a little much, but I think this ad is funny and original which sticks out in the mostly man pleasing ad selection. I know two wrongs don't make a right when the tables are turned but why not? We both know Carl's Jr. ads featuring half naked women aren't going away so why not make an even playing field? I am not gonna lie if I was at the park with my friends and this happened we would have acted the same way so I can't judge.
However, that Rose Petal Cottage ad was a clear overstepping of boundaries in gender stereotyping.
The Cottage ad was just overkill on so many levels, from the song that was high-pitched to the little girl doing house chores. Seems like a commercial stuck in the past along with old traditional values. This is the type of commercial that enters a touchy subject, especially since it was imposed on little girls. What makes me really upset is this is what innocent children are watching mostly without parental supervision. I really feel like there should be some type of stricter guidelines when it comes to ads on children's channels. I wish I could just sit here and tell you whats wrong and whats right but truth is it really just depends on the ad and how you use the stereotype that makes it either acceptable or comically bad like the Cottage ad.
One of my favorite shows out this year is Happy Endings. Sadly though this show does have a lot of stereotyping going on. Down to the its root, I think that is why this show is so popular. Happy Endings is about a group of very diverse friends but each fit a certain mold that society has. For example, the girl with the blonde hair fills that "dumb blonde" character who doesn't get jokes fast and comes up with dumb ideas. The other blonde girl is clean cut and has traits of OCD. Max's character is a gay guy that has the over the top personality that society tends to tie with all gay people. The rest of the characters all have the same type of storyline. It's clear each character brings a different part of society to the show. I personally really like the show, and not just because it is hilarious but because I like that each area is repersented. However, each area is obviously over exaggerated, I mean we all know not every blonde is dumb but society likes to know the inside joke even when they know it's not necessarily real. Bottom line is for many this show can be seen as very stereotypical and misunderstood but the way that all of the characters connect and show genuineness toward the subject is refreshing. What crosses the line and is offensive is in the hands of the individual.
Stereotypes are found everywhere in today's society. It's almost like a unspoken language that is used but not accepted. Well, at least frowned upon even though it is used commonly in advertising. It's hard to say what crosses the line when using common stereotypes or race to sell a product. However, I think people gravitate to it because they themselves find it true and relate to it. We all can't deny that there is some truth to certain stereotypes. If there wasn't, then obviously society wouldn't find a reason to keep capitalizing on it. In my opinion, I think using stereotypes in advertising is okay to some extent, as long as it isn't used to single out on group or shed negative light on the subject in question. For example, if a Japanese food company is trying to sell their products it most likely does not make sense to put a American in their ad, so it's only natural to put their target audience in the ad right? The ad has to make sense but also has to have some respect for the culture in question.
Above is an ad for french fries. I find this ad an acceptable display of stereotype use. In this stereotype it seems that the fries are like granny's cooking but with out the cheek pinch. It makes the assumption that grandmas cook well, and for many this may be the case. It's a innocent ad that I think everyone can relate to in one way or another, but notice it does not draw a negative light on a specific race or a touchy subject.
Now this ad is where it crosses the line. The stereotype presented here is obvious. The use of an African American woman to promote fried chicken is ridiculous. We all know the stereotype but it is not okay capitalize on a specific race with a negative connotation. It is a negative stereotype that is disrespectful to that culture. This is the type of advertising that does not need to be produced. It is clear that racism in advertising is not a thing of the past because in reality it is used commonly like above. Advertisers have a responsibility to have ethical morals. We our teaching our children to accept these misconceptions, which is why we still have racism today. If this is the best idea that advertisers can come up with to market their product by using racism and stereotypes, then obviously we are lacking true creative talent.
Honestly, until a couple of days ago I had no idea what semiotic meant. Turns out it's the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation. What really spoke to me about Monday's lecture was when we were shown an ad with hands holding vegetables. It didn't really hit me until that ad that everything has a meaning. And when I say everything I mean everything...right down to the dirt on someones finger nails. See in that ad the dirt made it seem like the person holding the veggies had just picked them. Below are more examples of Semiotics
Print Ad:
Above is a picture for Axe body spray but notice this picture has nothing to do with body spray. The signifier is just two people at the gas station but it is signified by the two obviously being attracted to each other. They tell you this by having them both facing each other and seemingly forgetting what they are doing. This also appeals to the younger crowd because they are dressed nice and seem like the life of the party. Once you see the little can of body spray in the corner you realize they must like each other because they smell good. It's almost like Axe is creating a fantasy and it draws you in making you want that to, so you go out and but the product. Even the gas station is important because it's relatable and everyone could see themselves in this situation.
Tv Ad:
Now this ad above uses a lot of semiotics, such as the symbolism of the mouse trap. When we see the mouse trap we know that the mouse is going to die because of life experiences, it's relatable. The Denotation is the mouse, trap, cheese, house , and the connotation might be that mice are bad. This also might remind us of the cartoon Tom and Jerry because the the mouse outsmarts Tom. It's simply the unexpected about this commercial that draws us in. We also might assume the cheese is worth the risk to the mouse which sends a message that the cheese is good. More importantly it reminds us to keep fighting while making the seemingly impossible, possible.
Outdoors Ad:
This ad uses lots of visual to draw the audience in. Because it is a billboard not to many people expect to see 3D effects. The denotation would be a man eating pizza but the connotation is that it is good because the cheese is stretched out and gooey and it looks like the guy is stealing it from a the ad next to him because it is so good. The bright orange color makes it pop and reminds you of cheese while the caption reads "hand tossed" to make it seem fresh. All together the image makes your mouth water just looking at it thanks to semiotics.
Imagine when you get to buy something from your favorite brand. That moment of satisfaction when you are walking away with a bag in your hands, proudly showing off the logo on the bag as you walk by. It is in that moment that the brand is proved successful in my opinion. Not just because they sold you a $60 pair of jeans but because they sold you a lifestyle. It adds to your social status, improves your confidence, connects you to your peers, and makes you a reoccurring customer. All of this is the product of great branding. The best example of great branding is Apple computers. Below is an HP computer which looks okay and does everything an Apple computer can do. It even might be cheaper.
Now here is an Apple computer below which looks thinner and sleeker with the entire body a shiny silver. It's very "simple" looking which consumers in this generation like. See consumers are willing to pay more money for an apple computer because of the lifestyle it sells.
When you see an apple you think expensive, classy, and possibly higher status in a social setting. I know this first hand because I have everything Apple. I think what got me was the lifestyle more than the computer itself. It just made me so much more satisfied and even made me feel connected to other people that owned one. And thats what branding can do for a company. Not to mention the consumer is giving the brand their loyalty which is essential for having a long and successful business. The powers of branding...crazy right?
This past class we had a guest speaker Dietmar Dahmen. To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect, or what the content of the presentation would be. However I was so pleasantly surprised by how exciting and relatable the topics were. It was a perfect presentation and left me feeling really excited as to what is to come this semester. It was kinda funny actually, when Mr. Dahmen walked in the room I got the impression that he was more reserved. But that was clearly not the case, throughout the presentation he cracked jokes and even jumped up on the table to properly show us what 50 million (about the size of a block) looked like stacked up to 1 billion (the length of his body). The tips about how to advertise for a product were so useful as well, I especially liked how we were advised to "sell a way of life". Bottom line his presentation was relevant and on point. The best thing I took away from this awesome experience is that "Good is the enemy of great" ...That...shall be my new life motto. :)
Hi, my name is Kelli and welcome to my newest journey. Haha! I didn't want this to sound corny but hey, this is my first attempt. I started this blog to chronicle my personal experiences in my first advertising class at SJSU. Growing up I have always been a very creative and imaginative kid, so it was only natural that advertising would be a great major to have. Something about how clever some of the advertising tactics are really amuse me. I love it when a commercial makes me stop what I am doing and pay attention. However, advertising does have its downsides. For example, the constant in-your-face persistence of an ad. I of all people will be the first one to admit avoiding regular T.V at all costs due to the dull, reoccurring and annoying advertisements. And it's not just limited to T.V, I am sure you have all wanted to commit a crime when you were on the last level of your favorite cell phone game, then WHAM an ad pops up. I can't be to upset though because I understand it's just a strategy. Now I'll wrap up the blog today but I will leave you with one of my favorite advertisements...Enjoy
