Week 11: Final Evaluation

During my time in Fundamentals of Advertising I learned lot about how advertisers perform on the job tasks and pitch ideas to companies. I think that  my final project captures ideas that we discussed throughout the quarter. I consistently arrived to class on time and contributed to the intellectual discussions. I specifically enjoyed talking about major events, trends, and influences on advertising campaigns. We talked about emerging trends  and the effects that has on us as business professionals and students. I learned a lot about what goes through a advertising personnel’s mind by watching episodes of Mad Men in class. I really learned about the importance of creating an experience for a brand. We talked about the customer not buying the product, but instead they buy into the feeling it gives them. Although some of my tweets were late I did my best to stay on track and keep up with the course work. I completed every single blog post on time and with what I think is my best effort. My creative content for my final project I feel shows my creative superior work. Instead of just creating a plan for a commercial I did that plan and then also filmed the full commercial. The syllabus states “A grade of “A” represents superior work that goes above and beyond the requirements of the course. “A” work shows creativity and insight. Overall I thought this class was a good experience and I will take away a lot from what we talked about in class to my future career.  I feel that I did well in the class and successfully completed the required material. A grade of “B” represents good, solid work with clear improvement over the duration of the course. “B” work meets all course requirements.” 

Week 10 EOC: What Makes a Good Campaign

For my creative content I chose to do a magazine ad campaign and commercial. The commercial will feature myself on a hot sunny day in my house dreaming of a perfect vacation. In the travel magazine I will see a beautiful picture of Hawaii and then a Nixon ad that says our tag line “ Every second counts, explore on Nixon’s time.” This starts the dialogue between the brand and consumers. I will then grab my Nixon watch and see that I am running late to reach my perfect vacation. I will rush out the door with skateboard at hand and ‘skate’ to Hawaii. The commercial is interesting and is distinctive to the brand. Nixon focuses on extreme sports, skateboarding being one of the major ones. The concept fits in well with the brand’s already existing ads. Nixon has one commercial out and it just features the team’s athletes not really doing anything. This promotes action, foundation, movement, and most importantly: a story. It will start a conversation in pop culture. People will say, “remember that commercial when the girl skates to Hawaii.” The advertisement highlights Nixon in a way that shows the story as well as the brands beliefs. It is in many ways an unconventional watch commercial. Most watch advertisements focus on quality and status. This however still does…the saying “every second counts, explore on Nixon’s time” would mean that Nixon is worth your time. Nixon watches are something to look at. Every second counts so explore on Nixon’s time and don’t be late for your dream vacation. The dialog between the brand and consumer does not end here. It can strike some emotion and result in action. I feel that this commercial is entertaining, influential, and sparks curiosity in the eyes of the viewer to either purchase a Nixon watch or go learn more about them. 

Week 9 EOC: For Those That Think Young

This Clean and Clear advertisement for Morning Burst cleanser is directed to the young demographic. They are young friends waking up in what either seems to be a dorm room setting or a sleepover and they are tired. The girls friend says wake up withe Clean and Clear Morning Burst. She implies that the scent of the cleanser is so great that it will give you a burst of energy first thing in the morning.

This Coca-Cola advertisement is directed to a young demographic as well. It features young college, or high school kids on a campus buying a Coke and the machine surprises them with some interesting outcomes. This begins cheering in the cafeteria and kids sharing with other people. The advertisement attaches emotion to it and promotes another act of kindness. Just like Don Draper said,  "you are the product. You feeling something. That's what sells. Not them." This advertisement makes you feel something. The ad is also exciting and makes you wonder what will come next; it keeps the viewer entertained and wanting more. 

Week 8 EOC: My Slogan

Before the Rain

Branboll

Brainflower

DS-Digital

Chopin Script

Civillian

Monotype Corsiva

Apple Chancery

Didot

Modern No. 20

Week 5 EOC: Superbowl Commercial

A noteworthy advertisement for the Super Bowl this year was for the new Sketcher’s running shoe. This advertisement was targeted towards men, which is interesting, because we usually see Sketcher’s targeting women with the shape up shoe and other fashion shoes. This is the first time we viewed Sketchers as “fast.” This ad uses drama. “An ad in the form of a story, whether in a still or moving medium, usually involving conflicts and emotions, is considered a drama. Represented through action and dialogue, the story is told or unfolds through events or a situation that is interesting, tense, humorous (comedy), gripping, or emotionally involving”(110). They use the idea: so fast, that it can outrun a cheetah. “Unlike a lecture, a dramatic format often deliberately avoids directly addressing and does not acknowledge the viewer; instead, the drama unfolds as does a play on a stage or a film, where the actors, unaware of the audience, address only one another, without conceding that there are viewers” (110).  The advertisement shows a cheetah hunting an antelope and just when you think the poor antelope is dead a man appears outrunning and tieing up the cheetah with a pair of Sketcher’s running shoes on. The commercial was effective at showing the performance of the shoe as well as bringing a comedy aspect to it in the end when the man ties up the cheetah and give the antelope a fist bump. The commercial showed the man running fast as well as the naroration adding to the comedy part. “Very basically, in advertising, telling is narration—events conveyed by a narrator or presenter; it is also called diegesis or summary. Showing is mimetic, directly visually or dramatically representing events; it is also called mimesis or scene” (110). This was by far my favorite and most memorable commercial from the Super Bowl. 

Week 4 EOC: Role of Women in Contemporary Advertising

This ad for what is seems to be Kellogg's PEP Vitamins. The advertisement portrays a housewife adorned in a cute dress and apron, with her hair done, and her handsome husband in a business suit hugging her, and exclaiming "so the harder a wife works, the cuter she looks!" 

This differs a lot from today's advertisement's featuring women. 

This advertisement is for Nike and features a women appearing strong and in control. The ad shows the shoe in performance and the women being confident in herself. I can tell she is confident because of the fierce intense look on her face. The ad also shows a few empowering terms such as "Free Yourself". The advertisement is empowering and effective for women. 

EOC Week 3

• 1. Determine the scenario: What happens in this frame?

The frame shows the actual Camel Lights mascot, Joe Camel, actively smoking. Joe Camel has a look of non-concern on his face as he puffs away on a cigarette.

• 2. What is the setting? What are the conditions?

The setting is a beautiful blue sky in the background. Joe Camel is leaning against a cool sports car with sunglasses on as if this is his leisure time. Joe Camel smoking is the center of attention in the ad. The bottom of the ad does feature the small surgeon general warning close to the bottom of the advertisement. The Camel is the center of attention, not the warning.

• 3. Who are the people or groups?

The Camel is depicted as a younger generation: wearing a t-shirt, causal jeans, smoking, driving a cool car, and wearing sunglasses. Camel Light published this advertisement in the late 90’s. From a fashion standpoint the outfit that Joe Camel is wearing a t-shirt and jeans, which were popular for the younger generation at the time. Joe Camel flexes his big muscles as he smokes: embodying “cool,” what every young person aspires to be.

• 4. What is their point of view around this specific experience?

The tobacco’s company point of view around this experience is that a cigarette is like an escape. Joe Camel parked his sparkly red sports car to lean against it and enjoy a cigarette on his own time. Even more important is the full pack of cigarettes tucked in-between his shirt and his muscular arm. He always has cigarettes on him. Tobacco companies believe, or want you to believe, that smoking is completely normal and a daily activity.

• 5. What are their goals?

The goals of Camel Lights are to making smoking seem cool, and more than that, normal. Joe Camel casually leans against his car to enjoy a smoke. Joe Camel in my opinion is being portrayed here as a young adult. In essence this advertisement is targeting the younger generation to smoke.

• 6. What are their assumptions? What are their perceptions?

The tobacco industries assumptions are that teenagers strive to be as cool as Joe Camel. Their perception of the younger generation is shown through the Camel’s attire and body image. The facial expression and casual nature of the advertisement shows the leisure in smoking cigarettes.

• 7. Are there conflicts? Is there cooperation?

The conflicts are with the health factor of smoking. There is a surgeon general warning on the actual advertisement. People might see this conclude that smoking is cool and they should do it, or they may conclude that smoking is unsafe. Yes, there is cooperation, because people today smoke.

• 8. What are the outcomes?

The outcomes of this advertisement mean an increase in sales of cigarettes and tobacco products. That is the preferred outcome of the tobacco industry, but if anything people will see this and gain brand knowledge and will have had seen the perfect picture painted by Camel Lights.