Advertising

Chapter 11

 

1.Select 2 advertisements you consider good  and 2 you consider bad. Include the ads (or copies) and explain what makes each a good/bad ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyO-z_7Ip9c

Muffin Top

After watching this ad I was dying laughing.  It was for lifesavers and it was just so clever.  The term muffin top is something a phrase that has become very popular lately and the way they used it in the commercial I felt was absolutely genius. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U

Dove campaign

After watching this ad it made me feel so much better about the way I view myself. It showed the process of what the media does to create the perfect woman that obviously doesn’t exist.  I felt like it can help girls become okay with themselves and hopefully can help girls with comparing themselves to these unrealistic models ( that are not real, but computer generated). 

 

2.Is advertising effective? Why? List some examples of where it did and did not influence one of your buying decision.

I believe that advertising is highly effective.  If a company has an amazing product but a bad execution plan to get it out in the media, it may not be as successful.  I believe that with the right person as a spokesperson or appealing to the right audience at the right time, advertising can be the make or breaking points for some products. 

-I recently saw an advertisement for this hair product by Mark.  It was a sea salt spray that helped your hair have a natural “beach wave look” to it.  As I first read about the product I didn’t have a second thought about it.  But then as I looked to the next page to see a beautiful Lauren Conrad with gorgeous beach wave locks I knew that I had to have it for myself and maybe with this product my hair could have the same results. 

-I have also seen many ads for Diet pills lately, or some exercise enhancers.  As I looked at the before and after picture, it appeared that the before picture had a girl that was pregnant and the after picture had a girl who was not.  So in my mind I thought, it wasn’t the pills that made her lose all this weight, but the lost of a baby and everything that comes along with it.  

Television

 

1.Track your television viewing for one week. (If you don’t watch television, WATCH SOME!!) What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about television? What does television provide you (fulfillment of a need -- See Chapter 15)?

 

I must admit, after putting a T.V. in my room, (I grew up with a mother telling me never to do this) I have become pretty addicted to watching it! I enjoy the background sound and the constant entertainment when I am doing various things in my room.  But I have learned that I like mindless TV.  I have realized that when I am watching TV I like to zone out of my stressful, busy life and focus in on, “Rock of Love Charm School” which provides me with nothing but the feeling of being dumber after, yet I am totally satisfied as I get to see girls get eliminated off the show.   I enjoy watching “Kath and Kim” a mindless show that requires no thinking whatsoever.  I live for The Office so I can pretend that my life is somewhat associated with the characters for 30 minutes of my week. 

I learned that Television provides you with what you want.  If you want to watch sports, it has channels with every game you can imagine.  If you want the news, they’ve got it covered.  If you want mindless entertainment, you’re golden.  TV hits every person, catering to the wants and needs of each person. 

So for me, TV provides me with my escape from reality. It gives me a break from my life where I can literally think about nothing, and during these stressful college years, that’s exactly what I need. 

 2.Many people would say that television has had a greater impact on society than any other form of media. Do you agree? Why or why not

I believe that TV has a huge impact on society, but for myself personally I believe that magazines influence me more.  When I am on TV I rarely compare myself to characters because they seem real.  They are portrayed as real people with real lives that can relate to the viewers.  They aren’t cropped, or photo shopped, or made to look skinnier than they are; they seem like real people.  But when I look at a magazine I immediately do a check list of what is wrong with me compared to every model or Hollywood star in the magazine.  Its like I go through this process of self loathing where there is not one good quality about myself as I look through a fashion magazine. 

But as far as other things like violence, language, obesity, or decreased levels of creativity  I believe that Television has a huge impact.  I believe that children these days are lazier than they used to be and not as creative.  I remember when I was young I was outside every day playing with my neighborhood.  I was making up games with my sisters and digging up buried treasure in my backyard.  Now I feel like it is a rare occasion to ever see kids playing out in the street because they have entertainment right in their living room.   

Chapter 8 : Movies

1. Why is the amount of sex and violence increasing in motion pictures? Is this a case of Hollywood giving society what they want or is it simply society’s acceptance of what we are given?

I think there is truth to both statements. I think that Hollywood gives us what we want, and as we are given something with not too many other options, we accept it.  It works visa versa.  I believe that Hollywood puts out certain movies due to reviews, and obviously the reviews of sex and violence related movies are coming out pretty well because that seems to be all we are getting these days.  I do believe though that over time we as a society have become desensitized to what is shown in our theaters.  I can remember my mom telling me the first time she heard “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn” on a movie and everyone was completely appalled at the comment.  Now to have a movie with only one swear word is almost unheard of.  I think about the movies with Seth Rogan, it started with “Super bad” and the movie turned out to be super bad.  But then the next movie with him came out and the producers pushed the line a little farther, and then the next movie got pushed a little more.  Now we are to the point where Seth Rogan and another girl are making a porno together! Where does it end?! So in short, I think that Hollywood gives us what we want but only because we slowly accept what they put out there for us.  

 

2. If you were a movie producer, what would you do to make a box office hit in 2008?

I feel like this question has to be asked with immunity! Put all morals aside, all religion, any code of honor that I would have and completely forget about it.  IF I wanted to have a box office hit, I would do what everyone else does and keep in mind that sex sells.  I would keep in mind that teenagers and college students like to see partying, and violence, and girls and I would twist that all into one. Every movie producer is pushing the envelope, and pretty soon it’s going to be way past. 

But since I am a person with morals and some integrity I would try to get into the Disney Pixar Company and see if I couldn’t come out with a classic cartoon movie that would appeal to younger kids.