Technology continues to cater to the lifestyles of people across the world. The medium such as the internet succeeds in making life convenient for either the college student or the day to day working person. For those who are not familiar of the internet, it allows us to complete tasks such as reading a newspaper or book. The impressive medium also allows users to shop on line, pay-off utility bills, and place food orders. Sounds like a lot right?
Not only can the medium limit how much a person enacts within the real world. The internet also allows users to chat or possibly meet with people from across the world. There are many websites where people can create accounts and upload pictures in hope of scoring a date. Is this good or bad for people to substitute the act of meeting a person face to face as to engage into the cyber-world? I believe this idea of exploring people or enrolling in dating websites is by far ridiculous and sets a bad example, for the generations yet to come.
Whether my opinion matters or not, peoples’ lives have been impacted by this idea of online dating. Lives have also been taking into account as some people take the next step, which is meeting the person he or she has met online. The stories range from kidnaps to rapings and even death in result of meeting someone online. My feeling towards online dating is that it takes away the act and experience that comes with meeting a person at a dance, shopping mall, or institution. The realism that comes with meeting a person in real life cannot be substituted with e-mails or picture comments.
People are to experience the “natural” that comes with meeting someone at an event or store. By natural I mean simply feeling shy or perhaps surprised by the person that comes into your peripheral vision and compliments you on your physique or questions, if you would consider calling or going out on a date. This type of interaction I feel is better than connecting with someone you have met by browsing through age brackets or sex preferences.
The advertisement photo that I have attached, comments on this idea of dating online. Let’s say if I were a person that was interested in the product being advertised, I would simply assume that its target is active internet users.
The keyboard which is framed in a specialized order hints to the topic of online dating. The viewer is not able to see the keyboard within its complete dimension, but only some parts of it. Seeing only certain parts of the keyboard signifies that there is something personal the ad would like for its viewer to see. Using online dating sites as an example, when you view a person’s page it is what you get. You are able to see a profile picture or a description of the person, not the actual person. If one wanted to see more of the person online, one would have to make such arrangements and take chances which could be very dangerous.
The advertisement also shows the phrase “Find my date” located on the enter button. I believe that implies “Enter at your own risk”. People choose whether or not to enter online dating services. Once people hit the enter button, they become bombarded or later become addicts for the services provided for meeting others. The enter button almost serves as a door to another world (cyber-world), which can be a dangerous door for all ages and genders.
Millions of people everyday go on chat lines and dating services online hoping to find that special someone, a person to talk to, or whatever the case may be. Whether you meet someone online or in person you are taking a chance either way. I just feel that meeting in person is much safer, because you can see what you are getting yourself into, as to online it becomes a fantasy or a guessing game. Most of the people on the online dating services lie about something, so you aren’t really getting to know them for who they are. If you meet someone in person they really can’t lie about themselves because you are there to see for yourself.
In conclusion, online- dating services should not become apart of natural life. There are a range of people with criminal backgrounds with “rapist” playing an essential role to these sites. I feel meeting someone in person is the best way to get to know someone.
Technology has changed so much, and not necessarily for the good. Many people on the online dating services show themselves in ways that are inappropriate. For the internet to play roles that are educational or work related is acceptable. But for people to utilize the internet in hope of finding a partner downgrades the purpose of internet usage.

Controlling Nature and Everything Else Too

This country was founded by explorers looking for a new land to conquer. These original desires that help found this country are still drilled into the American youth from a young age by telling them they can be anything they want to and do anything when they grow up. These sentiments are not only taught to us by our parents or history but they surround us daily in our extremely visual culture. Many advertisements reinforce our need to always reach higher and cultivate this desire to be the best. The North Face company seems to have become experts at doing this with their ads showing majestic and harsh landscapes being conquered by an individual presumably wearing North Face gear. This urge to explore and over come obstacles in order to feel more powerful over our surroundings is created by this and other ads.

This North Face ad from 2008 for their Summit Series presents the viewer with a stunning picture of a lone figure on top of the mountain Gasherbrum II in the Karakoram Range that makes anyone want to be that individual and climb that mountain themselves. The ad doesn’t overemphasis its products like many other ads but actually underemphasizes it and instead lets the mountains do the selling. The figure is so small in the picture that it is not clearly evident that they are wearing North Face gear. This is a clear statement that what this ad is selling is actually the ability to climb that mountain. They’re saying, ‘with our gear, you can go here’. This idea is not only literally applicable to climbing a mountain but also to the ‘mountains’ people climb daily as well. North Face wants the consumer to see their product as something necessary for them to go for a run or even just walk to class. The picture clearly shows that the climber has not climbed the tallest mountain and still has greater heights that he can reach to. This creates a desire in people not only reach for what is attainable but to go just a little bit farther and be better then others. The ad reinforces this by adding the statement “Never Stop Exploring” at the bottom of the ad. This ad also creates a great desire in the viewer to feel powerful over their surroundings. All human beings are inherently self centered which leads to the feeling that we need or even have the right to control our surroundings. Having no power over your own life is a fear that everyone has. Thus in an ideal world we would have complete control over all aspects of our life and surroundings. The climber is not just climbing a mountain in the ad but he is embodying that power which we all want to feel.

The TV commercial for Toyota’s RAV4 also creates these same motifs through the imagery, commentary, and even the soundtrack. The ad shows the RAV4 driving between city scenes and nature scenes seamlessly creating the idea that with this car you can go anywhere as easily as the special effects show. Like the North Face ad this is designed to create a desire in people to go places and explore. The car even drives by an outdoors store to emphasize the fact that the car is going to take you to the rugid locations that you need the gear for. The commentator at the end boosts the viewers confidence by telling us that “your good to go…anywhere” which is meant to make us imagine where we would want to go if we had that vehicle. The transitions between the car driving in the city and then in nature also show how the vehicle helps the driver master any place that they want to drive and creates that desire in the viewer to be powerful in their surroundings. The song that is played throughout the ad, “There is a Mountain” by Donovan, serves not only to reiterate the fact that this vehicle can go anywhere but also to emphasize that there is always more mountains out there to reach for and overcome.

Both of these ads have much more in common than just promoting outdoor tools. They ignite feelings of exploration in the viewer making them want to feel powerful by overcoming obstacles and reaching for higher goals. Well these feelings are only meant to sell their products, they can have harmful effects when felt by the whole country. The need to feel powerful is what has driven this country to involve itself in an endless war. On an individual level, the need to feel powerful has devastating effects as well. Not everyone can be powerful at once and for those who have no control over their lives they find someone who they can control in an abusive relationship. So well these companies see themselves as just trying to sell a product, they are doing much more.

By Lanae Smith

Don't be Afraid. You are in Control.

This Nike advertisement portrays a man jogging through an urban environment while chaos is erupting around him. It is set in the midst of the “Y2K scare,” which explains the violence. In the beginning of the ad, the man wakes up and takes some aspirin, presumably for a hangover; then he goes for a morning jog. He finds people looting a broken ATM machine, cars overturned in the street, random explosions, escaped zoo animals, and even a missile gone haywire. This commercial connects with the viewer by working within a subject that is relevant to society, which then allows it to create the desire of transcending the portrayed societal problems.

In the years leading up to the new millennium, people grew more and more afraid of what might happen to all of our electronics systems when the clocks switched from 11:59 P.M. December 31, 1999 to midnight January 1, 2000. The media expanded the panic, which led to irrational decisions by consumers, such as the stockpiling of canned goods and bottled water. The rational thinkers, however, knew that nothing was going to change when the clocks struck midnight. And when the final decisive moment came, the rational thinkers were proven correct. This Nike commercial is a satire on the absurdist claims of the irrational. It portrays the worst possible scenario – the one that so many people were afraid of – and it lets the viewer know, ‘see, everything is going to be fine – that is if you wear Nike shoes.’ Of course, no one is dumb enough (I hope) to actually believe that a pair of Nike shoes will save a person from an apocalypse, but the ad creates a distinction between wearing the shoes (in other words, being comfortable or content) and not being affected by the worst of situations. So the viewer doesn’t have to be dumb to be tempted to try on a pair of Nikes. The TV spot equates comfort with being safe. The thought process then goes: if Nike shoes are comfortable, I’ll be safe and secure – why not give them a try?

The American Airlines advertisement (shown below) is another example of an ad that plays towards a recent event in our society: the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Unlike the Nike ad, however, this one does not incorporate satire. It was made after September 11, when a lot of people were still very emotional about the events that took place. The stakes were higher, because this was a situation that had a real and lasting impact on society. Therefore the commercial appears to be serious and patriotic. At the end, it claims, “proud to bear the name… American.” This sends the message that Americans are not afraid to fly, even after seeing terribly violent events that involved airplanes. American Airlines attempts to say, ‘fly with our company – we’ll keep you safe.’

Because the Nike ad portrays a relevant subject, it is able to create the desire to transcend the difficulties of that subject. It suggests the ability to be in control, as long as you are wearing Nike shoes. The jogger is at the center of complete chaos, but he is calm as can be. As a missile passes overhead, barely avoiding him, the man passively glances upward for a moment, then continues to look forward. He only stops once, merely to catch his breath, and the only interaction he experiences is with another jogger (who also appears to be totally calm). It is interesting to point out that the advertisement never actually provides a close-up of the shoes, nor does it ever display the word, ‘Nike.’ The viewer is led to assume that the two joggers are wearing Nike shoes by the ‘swoosh’ logos on their jackets. The Nike symbol and slogan (“Just do it.”) are apparently so well recognized that the company does not even need to use its name in its commercials anymore.

The Adidas commercial (shown below) is not able to enjoy the same sort of universal recognition in terms of its slogan. It displays a close-up of a pair of Adidas shoes, as well as the company name. Regardless of that, however, the ad is very similar to the Nike commercial. It embraces a similar, albeit more abstract form of chaos; and it portrays the man in the ad as being in control of his situation. In this advertisement, though, the man is isolated in his own world (a world that he is creating as he runs through it), as opposed to controlling his own life within a larger chaotic system. I suppose Adidas was trying to send the message that the people who wear Adidas shoes can feel free to comfortably go anywhere they please.

The Nike TV spot connects with the viewer by relating itself to society; then it creates the desire to surpass the given societal problems by showing how comfortable Nike shoes are. The commercial displays the message: ‘you are in control.’ The ad wants to send the message that no matter how bad things get, the consumer can still function normally. Of course, the whole “Y2K” situation that is presented is quite absurd, but that was done on purpose. Everyone likes a good joke, after all. But the message (‘you are in control’) seems a bit hypocritical, coming from a company that is attempting to instruct the viewer to buy its shoes. From the viewpoint of an informed consumer, this seems like a larger joke on the Nike Company itself. But is it really a joke, or should we be taking this kind of manipulation more seriously?

Eric Grycan

TA: David Witzling

Desire of Lifestyles

For some reason, I could not copy and paste my paper into the blog. I wrote my paper in Microsoft Word and the HTML is not correct for it to be posted or something like that. Im not too familiar with blogger and I don't know why it won't work. So instead I added a link to my paper. Click here to see my paper. If I find a solution to this, I will post my paper in the blog directly.
Kevin Witkowski
TA David Witzling

There Aint no Bugs on Me!

Sex. The major motivator used by advertising companies to sell products. Sell, sell sell. They accentuate the features of the female body such as her breast, curves, eyes, legs and ass. They use these attributes to make you think if you invest in this product this woman will have sex with you. But what about wholesome, good-natured commercials that don’t need to resort to these petty tactics to sell good products, what ideas do they try and sell? Well when selling such things as dog products, it would not only be a bad idea to use sex to sell, it would be extraordinarily awkward to watch. K-9 Advantix uses its consumer as a way to convince the people to buy. And it uses other ideas than typically used to sell their product.

This advertisement is a good balance of a lot of ideas. First of all they use this idea of comparing their product to the “other guys”. In this case they are comparing their product, K9 Advantix, to they “other guys”, Frontline Plus. Although Frontline Plus may be an excellent product they go further and add more things that their product defends against and even cures. They point out that K9 Advantix not only prevents getting fleas and ticks but also mosquitoes and even cures or gets rid of them if they do happen to get to your dog before you are able to protect your dog. Furthermore they even add other dogs to demonstrate the fact that their product is better by adding dogs that are always scratching themselves. Thus implying that Frontline or other products similar to it just don’t work at all. This strategy I used very often with products like this and is very effective in that it provides information. Through information they use they give you a biased opinion and a one sided view of the truth, even though there could be certain things that are better about the other product. But this is just a simple techniques used in the very beginning of ad displaying.

Another idea used in this advertisement is expressed by the use of the dog as the consumer. The mere fact that the dog is seen as the one who is “buying” this product is a new idea that hasn’t been used to frequently. The dog talks or sings as if he personally bought the product and is very happy with it. He’s almost rubbing it in when he walks past the dogs that clearly aren’t using K9 Advantix. They use this idea of a cute puppy to sell their product. Of course this product is for dogs but they don’t use a Doberman or a Rottweiler or even a full-grown Golden Retriever. They use a cute adorable little puppy that is easily seen as the cutest type of puppy by many. They almost use the same ideas that other commercials use when they use sex to sell. They are using this cute puppy to sort of say. If you get K9 Advantix not only will your dog be tick, flea, and mosquito free but he will also be really adorable. In this ad the use of a jingle is also used. A song, or beat and rhythm, is used to sell a product. Jingles can be a very effective way of selling a product because if it is catchy enough it’ll get stuck in your head and you not only get it in your head you can get it stuck in other people’s heads. A jingle entrances the audience into a state of happiness in a way to hook you into a product and you even want to sing along to it. Jingles not only tell you about the product they hypnotize you.

After viewing this advertisement of a type of kitty litter. I see how animals or not the person actually buying the product can be used to sell a product. By using the subject that is actually using the product such as a dog or a cat you can create this idea of happiness for the subject you are buying for. You may not want your cat “throwing a party” in your house but to know that if they were smart enough o pull something off like that they could do it without you noticing because your kitty litter stays so fresh. You aren’t really selling the product anymore but the idea of making your pet as happy as you can or giving it the best product for your animal or pet.

Although advertisements are set to sell a product doesn’t mean they set out to simply sell products. Advertisements are going further and selling ideas through means that make you believe and want to invest in this product. Using such things as cute animals or ideas of being the best or things as ridiculous as your cat throwing a cat party are simple ideas that convince you to invest n these products and give your animal the best because they use techniques of giving you the point of view of your pet. Ideas are necessary to be sold to sell products. Sell an idea and you sell your product. Simple, right?

Eric Adolphson
David

Helping YOU Find Love

Advertisements are meant to entice. They are used to create hope and desire in the consumers, making them believe that by purchasing a product they can obtain a certain ideal or status or lifestyle. They convince you that with their products alone the average person can acquire love, wealth, popularity, or any number of appealing traits. With subtle (or not so subtle) imagery, advertisements promise a slew of attractive prospects. One of these promises is that of companionship, love, and/or sex.

The first ad is for Bjorn Borg clothing company. The ad is set in the middle of a busy city street. The people milling about in the background are dull and grey, and it’s raining outside. In one half of the picture we have a girl, clad only in underwear, socks, and shoes. She is sitting alone, gazing outward with a wistful, daydreaming expression on her face. Perhaps she’s thinking of falling desperately, madly in love, if only she could find that one special person. On the other half of the ad is a boy, also in only underwear. He is in the midst of gazing interestedly at the girl across the way. Both the girl and the boy are the only people in the picture who are wearing vibrant and colorful clothing. They are also the only people not fully dressed. The text at the bottom of the ad reads “there is someone for everyone.” Bjorn Borg is feeding off of people’s desire to find love and companionship. The ad implies that by wearing their clothing you are able to easily attain just that.

The second ad implies that and more. The advertisement is for ckIN2U fragrance by Calvin Klein. In this ad we also have a girl and a boy, simply dressed in jeans and plain shirts. They are placed on the side of a building, probably in a bigger city, and graffiti is present. The girl is leaning against the building while the boy is leaning into her. They’re looking intently at one another, him reaching up to grasp her hair and her holding on to his belt. The text at the bottom of the ad reads “2 new fragrances. One for him. One for her.” It could be suggesting that the two people in the ad were brought together by the love of the common perfume/cologne. Maybe wearing the scent helps attract suitable partners. Whatever the case, the ad is clearly attempting to convince the viewer that purchasing the fragrance helps with the sometimes difficult task of finding romantic partnership.

Never have there been so many “simple” and “easy” ways to find love. Newer, faster online dating sites are popping up on the internet more frequently than ever. Society has become desperate to find love fast, and advertising has taken advantage of that. These ads also ask us to look into ourselves and wonder what it is about ourselves that keeps us from finding love. Maybe it’s only the lack of a sweet smelling perfume or a good looking pair of underwear that is holding us back. These companies promote their products as the surefire way to attract potential partners that could lead to that ever present desire of a long-lasting love. They feed off of people’s hope and longing for companionship just to make a profit. These ads, in the simplest of terms, say one thing: “Are you looking for love? Well, you’re in luck! All you have to do is buy, buy, buy.” Buy our perfume, underwear, lipstick, shoes, whatever it is, and in no time at all love will come to you.

Tanisha Richter

TA: David Witzling

Violence can be fun too

The debate of wether or not video games have any impact on violent behaviors is still up in the air, but it seems as if the people at Microsoft are taking advantage of that very debate. In this banned Xbox 360 commercial we see a very large group of people pretending to shoot and kill each other. In the background we hear playful music playing, the purpose is to create a sense that something like this is fun.




An interesting thing about this ad is that the product itself is never shown. If you were to take out the end of the commercial with the Xbox 360 logo you would never know what it is for. Video games are becoming an increasingly social experience now with services like Xbox Live. This ad is creating a desire for that sort of a social experience more than the actual console because that experience is only obtainable through this specific console. The only difference here is that the ad is depicted in real life (which is most likely where the controversy of this specific ad came from).

The tagline “Jump In” creates a sense that anyone can just pick it up and have fun. It may be giving a wrong impression however through the parallels between this ad and real life tragedies. Essentially what this specific ad is saying is that it is fun to participate in this social experience, killing your friends in a video game. It makes the viewer wish that life were more like a video game. The focus of more recent Xbox 360 ads seems to be about creating a fun environment to play with friends and socialize. This new focus is obviously trying to break down stereotypes associated with video games that kids don’t socialize.

In this ad for Mountain Dew, we see the new flavor “Game Fuel” created as a way to market Halo 3. The ad shows people all around the world playing Halo 3 while drinking the Mountain Dew Game Fuel. This is interesting because a separate company that has no connection to the video game industry is now promoting this desire to socialize through video games.




In this new ad we assume that the men yelling have lost a game of Halo 3, after a montage of yelling we see a man in his home laughing, having a good time. It is apparent that he beat everyone else. After he wins he grabs a bottle of game fuel. In this ad we are shown multiple advertisements. The specific ad is promoting Mountain Dew, but in addition we are shown images of the Xbox 360, Halo 3, and others playing online and participating in the social experience that i mentioned earlier.

Both of these ads purposes are to make the audience want to participate in the multiplayer aspect of the game, in a sense its showing the viewer that you’ll have friends. Which is odd that they would try and “sell” friendship. Ultimately the ad creates this desire to play these games with your friends.

Where these ads fail however is that the core audience that they’re marketing to most likely have these consoles or games. The very people who would understand the desire to have a giant shootout have already played those types of games and most likely already own the system. So making an ad that would be designed to bring in more “hardcore” gamers is a little pointless. Because those are the people that already own it. Microsoft should shift its focus onto bringing in a wider audience.

The core demographic of the Xbox 360 are males between the ages of 16 and 25, So their games would have a more mature nature to them. But marketing the “experience” of playing with your friends doesn’t really add much desire for that core demographic because they would already be aware of that aspect. The first ad for someone who doesn’t play video games may see it as irresponsible and may not understand it. But those who play these types of games would enjoy seeing the commercial as it depicts video game scenarios in a real life environment. Selling a social experience to the gamers that are already aware of its existence is a little pointless.

Nick Aldrich
TA: David Witzling

Sex Sells

Everyday when I wake up I quickly take a shower, and brush my teeth I do this because I see it as the normal thing to do. I’m sure many others do this as well, because they also see this as the normal thing to do. I also know that to be accepted into society cleanliness and personal hygiene is a must. The two advertisements that I looked at deal with personal hygiene, and once you achieve the perfect personal hygiene you will receive beautiful women, and sex. So in other words with messages that convey that certainly proves that sex does sell. Axe body spray, which always keeps you smelling nice, and Dentyne Fire Mints that help prevent nasty bad breath. These are two examples where companies have used the tactic of “sex sells” and have become successful.



When viewing the axe body spray advertisement it simply starts off with a beautiful women running through the woods, acting almost animalistic and like she is on the hunt for something. The advertisement then cuts to more women running through the woods also having this animalistic look to their faces, then to more women swimming. All the women are dressed in very skimpy bathing suits, which instantly draws the viewer’s attention. The advertisement second to last shot is of a very happy and shirtless man spraying himself down with axe body spray. The advertisement finishes with a strong message “Spray more, Get More, The axe effect”. Due to the ads powerful statement, they are suggesting that with the use of there product you will be able to get beautiful women in your life, just by the way that you smell. As long as you smell of Axe Body spray you will have women “hunting” for you because of the way you smell. Axe Body spray does a good job in knowing what today’s society wants. I would say that smelling good is a very high priority on many girls “I’m attracted to this” list. By maintaining good personal hygiene with the use of axe body spray, all the women you could imagine will be yours that is essentially what the advertisement is conveying. So as the viewer is watching they have the desire to smell good, so they can gain this same feeling of having women “running to them”. In this case the idea of sex sells.



Following my viewing of the Dentyne Fire Mints commercial I can see how sex sells. Simply have two average looking human beings purchasing the same mint in an average looking convenient store that anyone of us could go to. The background music is a very calm and unexciting. Instead of just leaving it at that they then have the women purchase a candle. Once the man sees the candle he buys massaging oil. The woman then buys bubble bath. He then buys an energy drink called “up” and she finishes with buying a disposable camera. Each item that both of them see the other one buy, you can see that they are getting turned on. After they had their back-to-back purchasing “war” they then begin to make out. This advertisement is then suggesting by buying a pack of mints, and trying them will get you some unexpected attention. The idea that is being conveyed about it being an average situation makes it very relatable to the viewer. It is message that is placed within the advertisement that is suggesting sex. In this case sex sells because of that.

After viewing both advertisements that are using the tactic of “Sex sells” I really do believe that sex does help sell products. I would say that among my male friends axe body spray is one of the most popular used by them. I think they don’t buy it for the smell alone but they have seen the many advertisements that Axe Body spray has produced, all of them using the sex sells tactic. Axe knows that there targeted consumers are young males, and most young males want a beautiful women (or multiple) attracted to them. With the Dentyne Fire Mints, who wouldn’t want a mint to cause that in a convenient store? Unexpected sex can sell as well. Knowing that a mint can do all that must mean that is powerful. These are two examples of many advertisements that are successfully using the “sex sells” tactic to have consumers purchase their product.



Amber Blanchard

Universality vs. Sexuality

Christina Gill
David Witzling

Advertisements have always had the sole purpose to promote their product by targeting a certain population: female, male, child, adult, blue collar workers or white collar workers. However, in the past decade (or perhaps since I have been old enough to notice) advertisements have undergone a directional transformation. Instead of ad’s focusing on gender specifics, a new age of mundane material has emerged in the form of esthetics’ and message. Perhaps the general public is so bombarded by propaganda that agencies have found new approaches to grab attention. Perhaps we are a globalized culture that seeks a greater good. Or perhaps we are a part of a disguised conspiracy that is the propaganda in a new form. In any sense, an ideal is being uncovered and more importantly, grasped by consumers.



For the 2008 Summer Olympics, VISA put out a series of ads uniting support for all the participating nations. The campaign was called, “GO WORLD”. The commercials and ads contained still photographs of athletes in their proudest moments. Sepia toned, with the idolized faces of gold medalists or celebrating fans, the ads illustrate the congregation that is the Olympic Games. As actor, Morgan Freeman narrates, “We forget all the things that make us different, and remember all the things that make us the same.” This is a statement that embodies the purpose of the games, the universal denominator; our humanity. The commercial ends leaving the viewer with a feeling of nostalgia. He wants a violin to playback his memories. He wants an American icon narrating the past events as if they were his own. Most of main stream culture identifies with an icon like Morgan Freeman or Michael Phelps because they are real people. Yes, they have extraordinary talents, but when their goals are reached, they celebrate the same way we do.

VISA illustrates the universal desire to belong or take part in an event that globally links us. The linkage of our humanity is indisputable and in knowing this, VISA is able to target not just a single group, but the entirety of those that are exposed to media. This is the new age of advertisements, where the ads themselves mask the intentions of the promoters by using something besides sexuality as a tool for enticement. Although sexuality, as seductive technique, may be effective at promoting a product to an isolated group, universally visual and aural techniques have a greater appeal probability. It is well known that sex sells, but when is it effective? Do all populations appreciate the bare skin of an attractive female? Am I, as a heterosexual woman, more inclined to buy a pair of sneakers because of a nudey girl? These are all questions that begin to expose the essence of sexuality verses universality.
Although VISA is clearly an example of the effectiveness of universal targeting, it is not the only one. There are many other companies that are adopting a more substantial approach to promotions. In a girl scout ad, a sign reads, “I am your future president”. Without saying more than a few words, the ad speaks for itself: I am targeting an intelligent adult population that is committed to doing their part in enhancing the future. As a mass people, our life goals are the same. We want to live, prosper, and enjoy all the things that accompany a “good” life. It is also an innate desire to pass these same ideals to our offspring. What better way than to have your little girl join Girl Scouts, and learn the values that will aid in her great life?
In westernized culture, sexual promiscuity is not part of this ideal. And advertisements that put private skins on display are not appealing this idyllic. However, there are exceptions to the rules of sexual obviousness, of course. Perhaps the promoter is targeting the highly sexualized young adult population. For this, they utilized an exotic individual knowing that both genders will identify either with wanting to be that individual, or wanting to be with them. In this case, it may be the best, if only way to attract attention. Believing, however, that humanity is more complex than sex, does not seem to be a far-fetched ideal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V22PebTiik

Buy Our Product And You Will Spontaneously Dance In The Street!

As we move further into the twenty first century, it is becoming increasingly obvious that advertisements, for the most part, aren’t really about selling their product anymore. Some, especially clothing ads, sell sex. Some, like many beer commercials, sell humor. But the ones that stick out to me the most are the ones that sell, in a word, a lifestyle. This commercial for Coca-Cola to me is the perfect example. It doesn’t really have much to do with drinking Coke, but more to do with a bunch of people having a good time. The message isn’t “Drink Coke” but “Drink Coke and you will have fun.”

The ad is pretty typical. A guy is walking down some busy street and decides to get a bottle of Coke. Then things start changing. A guy selling corn on the cob (I think) starts making a rhythmical noise, and he’s soon joined in by a kid working on his bike. Slowly more sounds come in. The commercial goes back to the guy, who now has his guitar out, and he starts playing a simple little guitar line. It goes to some kids playing soccer in the street, then back to the guy, where there is a crowd gathering around him. There are different shots of people dancing, and then the camera moves back, showing a big group of people dancing around the guy with the guitar.

Let’s start with what the commercial doesn’t do. If you were to think of a desire associated with selling a type of think, you would probably think of either a thirst quencher or a cool down on a hot day. This ad addresses neither of those desires. Besides a very brief shot of the guy drinking from the bottle, and a couple quick shots where you can make out the Coca-Cola logo, there isn’t really much Coke in this ad, or at least, Coke isn’t the main focus. While the guy does look like he enjoys the drink, everything that happens afterwards appears to be what the ad is really about: the music, the dancing, everyone having fun, etc.

Therefore, we can say that Coca-Cola isn’t really selling the actual drink Coca-Cola. So what is it selling? To put it simply, the ad is selling the promise of a good time. Before the guy got his bottle of Coke, it was just another normal day. Then he buys it and the music starts, people dance, kids play in the streets, and everyone has a good time. That is what the main selling point of this commercial is. By this product and you will have fun.

The ad makes its point with both visuals and sounds. In pretty much every shot after the man drinks from his bottle, there are people smiling, laughing, dancing and playing. Everyone is clearly enjoying themselves, from the guy with the guitar to the kids playing soccer to the dancing women crowding around the man. This music has an upbeat rhythm and a catchy guitar part. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of something like this?

This type of advertisement is common, especially in food and drink commercials. Another example would be this McDonald’s commercial from a couple years ago.

Most of the shots are just people doing wacky, fun stuff. There is the occasional shot of somebody eating a burger or drinking a shake, but for the most part, this commercial is like the Coke one; it creates desire not for the product, but for the entertainment and enjoyment that (the ad says) comes with it.

If you watch advertisements on TV or see advertisements in a magazine, most of the time you will see not the selling of a certain product but of a carefree, easygoing and fun lifestyle. These two ads are perfect examples of that: they briefly show the product, but focus most of the ad on people enjoying themselves. They aren’t giving you a logical reason to buy their product, but one that seems to make sense in the commercial: “Buy Coke and you will spontaneously dance in the street.”

Gus Ingebretsen

New Face of Beauty?

Advertising Companies shape the way we view ourselves and the people in our society. Cover Girl and other make-up companies spend thousands of dollars on advertisements to try and persuade the female species to buy their products. These ads carry the implication that their products are custom made for each individual, and their ads suggests that with their products you will be a better looking person. Up until recently however, beauty in America is represented as a slim, slightly curvy, typically white, woman. I say up until recently because it seems like lately within the last decade beauty ads have become more “diverse”. It looks like beauty is being represented in a broader aspect and Cover Girl is the perfect example of this change. Cover Girl has broaden their make-up line with their new “Queen” collection which is modeled with singer/actress Queen Latifiah and was created for the use of CG’s copper toned, brown skinned, customers. Rihanna has been featured on several of CG’s most recent ads which say to me that CG is trying to actually alter the face of beauty in America.
This CG ad featuring Rihanna is a perfect example of this idea that new shades are finally being considered as beautiful. Cover Girl’s logo alone supports this, “easy breezy beautiful COVERGIRL”. In this ad we see a close-up of her, the close-up shoot forces the viewer to take a longer glance of her. We see her face which has a natural, simple, style. Her eyes are covered in a nude, slightly shimmered, eye shadow, her cheeks are tinted with a light, pink blush and she has on a very natural lipstick. Unlike some of her other CG ads she has a very stunning or amazed expression. This new beauty doesn’t require a smile because her natural beauty still shines through without one. Allowing the viewer to focus on her make-up, especially her lashes, which is the primary focus of this ad. The “360 guarantee” and the close-up shot works very effectively together in this ad because both of these elements emphasize the idea that this is an amazing product and with this product you too can be amazingly beautiful. Three hundred and sixty degrees equals a complete circle, the circle is established a 100%. Rihanna advertising this mascara signifies that just like mascara, she is a hundred percent beautiful. Also, the world is also round like a complete circle and Rihanna has fans all over the world; relating and inspiring to countless number of young women globally. With this ad she is serving as a “360” inspiration, relating to the many girls that look like her or similar.
Another thing the close-up does for this ad is it presents to the viewer every detail of this shot. Her hair is short and mostly out of her face, the new idea of beauty doesn’t need a lot of hair either. We can see that she has on a black dress which is simple and also considered sexy and it doesn’t take any attention away from her face. The white background creates contrast, also helping her stand out in this photo so the only distraction that’s in this ad, is the text. The text says, “perfectly tapered” which bring forth the idea of perfection, which is always a part of the notion of beauty. The color white cosigns with the idea of beauty as well, white usually symbolizes purity, naturalness, which again ties into her natural look.

My secondary ad is an underwear ad which features a full figured African American woman in her Bra and panties. The company of this ad is called “Curvation” which already presents a fresh insight on what a woman should look like. The woman in this ad is also in black, which allows the viewer to focus on her body and face. She’s confidant in this ad signifying that full figured women are beautiful too and have every right to be confident. The background in this ad is some shade of grey but it doesn’t distract the viewer from the ad. The long shot in this ad showcases confident, satisfied, full figured woman suggesting that women shouldn’t be ashamed of their bodies which makes them beautiful. Both of these ads represent the new faces and bodies of beauty. The advertising industry is starting to accept new ideas of what is should also be considered as beautiful, another type of perfection.
Both of these ads also present to the viewer that the new face of beauty has personality and a little bit of attitude. A lot of ads feature their models with little to no jewelry unless it’s specifically for that purpose, but in the CG ad Rihanna has on gold hoops, a cross and skull- bones studded earrings. Her jewelry exhibits her rock star personality, symbolizing that ever women has a wild side or a bit of an attitude. Just like in the Curvation ad, the model has her hand on her hip, which showcases another idea of attitude and personality. One thing I questioned about the CG ad is, Why did this ad use a regular close-up instead of an ultra close-up? Like some of the other mascara ads which actually has a zoom in picture of the model so that the only focus could be her eyelashes. The featuring of the two different mascaras offers the viewer a variety, a variety that is also featured in the perception of beauty. Some women are curvy and have a cultural distinction in their features and should still be considered beautiful. In the advertising industry the range of beauty just opened up and is now full figured, “deep” skin toned, women along with the traditional slender, blue –eyed, bombshell are now all under the same beauty umbrella.

The Cult of Hygiene

I would like to take the time to do a close extended analysis of a particularly dubious example of advertising. This Lysol Disinfectant ad plays off of peoples’ instinctual desire to protect themselves and defend their family from harm. The ad creates a hysteria of sorts surrounding germs that creates the desire, if not the need, to buy the disinfectant product in defense against the prolific and malevolent germs.

In order to create desire, they first create fear; the fear of germs. The commercial shows a happy family’s suburb home as their children play in the living room. The house and family are meant to portray the “norm” of American living and interpolate the viewer’s own family and home into the ad’s environment. As the “dad” enters the house, he unsuspectingly tracks in germs that resonate everywhere he touches. These germs quickly spread across the house (even by the children, oh will anyone think of the children!) and are represented with horrifying animations and intense music. This aspect of the ad is meant to further play off the viewers interpolation by causing them to feel that they are equally vulnerable to germs and that those germs are multiplying all around them in order to cause them (and their family) harm. The narration adds to this effect with the highly exaggerated statement “Fact: by spreading dirt, you’re actually spreading germs.” The premise of fact adds to the legitimacy of the advertisement and legitimates the fear of germs. It is interesting to observe how the ad includes a scene of the father attempting to wash his hands of the germs he is spreading. However, in doing so he only spreads more germs. This act is meant to illegitimize the classic means of eliminating germs, further prioritizing the need for a better solution. As the drama of the commercial peeks, Lysol disinfectant comes in accompanied with a happy jingle to save the day. Subsequent shots follow of “mom” roaming the house with Lysol in hand, destroying the germs. This is joined with narration that parallels the original statement, “That’s why you need Lysol…It cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes…Lysol protects, that’s a fact.” In this way, Lysol is implying that its disinfectant is the only/best means to eliminate the “harmful” bacteria in one’s home. It also suggests that your family deserves the best protection from germs, and Lysol is the only/perfect solution. After the house is cleansed and deodorized, the ad shows a happy and satisfied mother standing proud in her clean home as her family continues joyfully playing. In this way, Lysol has employed a rather familiar theme; the cult of hygiene. This same theme was employed in the 1950’s Lysol add for feminine hygiene products where it linked acceptance and happiness with cleanliness. In the present Lysol add, a similar connection is made.

Another ad that plays on the same anxiety about germs and family protection is coincidently another Lysol commercial for hand sanitizer. This ad uses the same scare tactics of germs infiltrating the family. It places even further emphasis on the need to protect family from germs. It does this particularly well by putting a defenseless infant in danger of being “contaminated” by the ever-present threat of germs. Like the other ad, it provides that the Lysol hand sanitizer is the perfect solution for defending the family against the horrific germs. In particular, it subtly suggests the frequent application of the product through stating, “Your hands may be exposed to millions of germs throughout the day.” Thus, a desire is not only created to buy the product, but buy often. In the end the mother and children are happy in their “germ free” environment.

Though the statements in this ad may have a basis in fact, the “germs” portrayed in the animations are gross exaggerations. In fact, the germs tracked in with dirt are relatively harmless. However, by portraying these everyday germs as harmful, it creates readily consuming Mysophobes of us all. The truth of the matter is that people have lived for thousands of years amongst germs. The ad simply ignores the human body’s immune system and portrays all germs as seemingly life threatening. Furthermore, the old fashioned method of hand washing has served to protect people from any harmful cold/flu germs. Even more ridiculous, is considering the logic of the ad about the spread of germs. One would have to apply the hand sanitizer or surface sanitizer every time the surface or hand touches something in order to remain “clean”. Though this is an incredibly useful selling strategy for the product, it is far from practical. This reveals that the product is not actually selling a means to remain disinfected, but rather the idea or piece of mind that cleanliness brings. When considering these real facts, it is easy to see how desire for Lysol’s sanitizing and cleansing products are entirely constructed. The ad’s played off our own fears and insecurities to create anxieties and, in turn, desires.