Advertisements On The Beach

This week, my family is on a vacation in New Jersey.  I was very excited for this trip before we even arrived, because I thought I could just lie on the beach all day with no worries or concerns.  However, this was proven wrong the first day on the shore because there is just so much to see and do at the beach that I personally have never noticed before.  Since my advertising class begun this summer, I have become aware of the marketing communications that are constantly going on around me.  These marketing communications are everywhere you look, even at the beach!  While I was sitting there relaxing, I could not help but notice the different advertisements that surrounded me.  There were ads on the beach itself, in the ocean, and even in the sky hovering over us.  For example, beach-goers can rent chairs and umbrellas from Steger Beach Service, and they printed the name of their company in an easy to read font on the back of the chairs so other people will think to rent from them too.  On the beach, everyone there could be seen as an advertisement for a company or brand too based on the brand of beverage they were are drinking, the company or destination they had displayed on their beach towel, etc. 

Steger Beach       Services

 

On the ocean, there were different signs and messages on the boats to encourage people to sign up for day trips on the water, such as the Whale and Dolphin Watcher Cruise. 

Finally, in the air, there were countless advertisements attached to the tail of a parasail or attached to a small plane to advertise different restaurants, hotels, and activities to do while in Cape May, New Jersey. 

I realized that these are great ways to advertise, because many people at the beach have nothing else to do but look around and take in their surroundings.  It is also beneficial for vacationers because it gives them ideas on what to do while in town.  Advertising is truly all around us and offers great insights and ideas.   

Jimmy Butler: #33 for Marquette's Golden Eagles, #21 for the Chicago Bulls

I am sure any of you who follow Marquette University basketball or NBA basketball have heard the news that Jimmy Butler has received a first-round-draft-pick guarantee contract with the Chicago Bulls.  Butler, now #21 for the Bulls, accepted the contract late last week.  As a fellow Chicagoan and Marquette student, this is very exciting news and it should not be overlooked as an advertising opportunity for the Chicago Bulls, Marquette University, Jimmy Butler, and Buzz Williams!  This news is great advertising for Marquette University, especially after the recent sexual assault story headlined in the Chicago Tribune newspaper that was published June 22 (look at the first link below), because the story about Jimmy Butler is a positive article and news information compared to the previous negative article about athletes at Marquette.  The article about Butler shines affirmative light on the athletes at Marquette University, and shows that Marquette graduates students and athletes that can have a positive impact to society outside of college.  Butler as a top draft pick is crucial for both Butler and Marquette’s head coach, Buzz Williams, careers.  With Butler as one of Buzz Williams’ first recruits at Marquette that has a guaranteed NBA contract, both of their careers are moving forward.  Buzz Williams was one of the first ones to see Butler’s potential when no one else wanted to recruit him for his college career and helped make him become the star he is today. In my opinion, Butler will be a great asset to the Bulls.  This means great things for both the Chicago Bulls and the Marquette Golden Eagles.

Link to Chicago Tribune article about sexual assaults reported at Marquette University: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-marquette-sex-assaults-20110621,0,6489360.story

Link to article regarding Jimmy Butler as a Bulls draft pick: http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/jimmy-butler-overcame-adversity-land-bulls.html

Custom License Plate Frames To Customize Your Life

Do you ever find yourself stuck in traffic, driving down the road, or walking through a parking lot and start to look at different vehicles to see if you magically recognize them, to see if you can decode the abbreviated message of their license plate, or maybe just to simply pass the time?  I never realized how much I actually take in my surroundings until I was recently driving to Chicago from Milwaukee and stuck in horrible traffic.  As I inched my way back home, I was looking at the countless cars that surrounded me when it dawned on me that car decorations, especially license plate frames, are a great way to advertise different companies, organizations, nationalities, and schools. 

For example, did you ever realize the license plate frame on a newly purchased car?  On my family’s, it was an advertisement for the Honda store we just purchased it from!  Or how about when you get your car back from the mechanic after getting a touch-up paint job?  The mechanic changes the old, plastic license plate frame to advertise their company, Kurek Brothers!  You can also purchase a metal license plate frame to advertise your school, the sports team you root for, your nationality, etc, which advertises a portion of your personal life you are willing to share with other drivers.  License plate frames are a great way to advertise because many people is today’s busy world are often on-the-go and driving from one destination to the next.  Everyone who drives or passes by your vehicle will see this company, organization, or school which you are obviously proud of since it is on display for all to see.  This small, inexpensive form of nontraditional advertising increases name recognition and promotes the company.  The world is your audience! 

You automatically feel connected with the people in the vehicle in front of you if you have a similar interest in a company or school even if you do not personally know them.  If you do not already do business with the company or do not attend the same school, it is the advertisers hope that the name will stick with you and you may wish to do business with them in the future.  This is the same for bumper stickers, decals, and magnets people place on their vehicle.  Whether you realize it or not, vehicles today offer a great insight about the driver’s personal life which can be inferred based not only on the type of car, but also by the car decorations they personally decided to advertise on it.      

Can An Advertisement Trigger An Eating Disorder?

Many people often undergo an internal dilemma when looking in the fridge and see a delicious dessert that makes your mouth water, right?  As in the case in the Yoplait commercial, a thin woman tries to rationalize having a piece of raspberry cheesecake thinking, “What if I just had a small slice?  I was good today. I deserve it.  Or, I could have a medium slice and some celery sticks.  And they would cancel each other out, right?  Or ... OK, I could have one large slice ...
And jog in place as I eat it.”  After this thought, another woman steps in and grabs a Yoplait Light cheesecake-flavored yogurt from the fridge that she has “been thinking about all day.”  "Oh, you've... lost weight," the first woman notices. Then, looking ashamed and guilty, she grabs a yogurt instead too.

The only problem I personally see wrong with this commercial is the overselling of Yoplait Light yogurt, with a message that dessert can be replaced with yogurt that tastes just as good.  Also, I think it is very doubtful that the woman had been thinking about the yogurt “all day.”  However, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, the issue with this advertisement is much larger; they linked this advertisement to people who struggle with bulimia and anorexia.  General Mills suddenly pulled this ad from the air because of its controversial message of promoting eating disorders last week.  The National Eating Disorders Association claimed that this commercial demonstrated denial and guilt of consuming certain foods, which is a characteristic of eating disorders.  They claim that this advertisement tells people with eating disorders that society wants them to be thinner, and that it is ok and normal to mentally try to jump hoops to justify eating desserts. 

I was very surprised and shocked to hear that there were many complaints that this commercial promoted eating disorders.  I have never linked eating disorders with this commercial any time I have watched it, and still do not even after hearing that it has been pulled from the air.  I think that this commercial was just trying to hint that the yogurt tastes as good as the cheesecake and is the right choice because it is not nearly as bad for you as the dessert.  The woman, just like many others in today’s world, is concerned about what she is eating. 

Even though I do not agree with the National Eating Disorders Association with regards to this advertisement, I am highly impressed with the quick actions General Mills has taken to address their concerns.  General Mills did not intend to harm those with eating disorders and believe it was the right thing to pull the ad based on the many complaints of the correlation of the two.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/does-this-commercial-encourage-eating-disorders-video-2497971

What's On The Back Of Your Shirt?

Different forms of marketing communications exist all around us and can be found on YouTube, TV ads, banner ads, tweets, magazine ads, Facebook campaigns, packaging, in-store signage, newspaper ads, billboards, sides of buses…and even on clothing!  Many Marquette University students are basketball “Fanatics” and look forward to a new, free t-shirt every season to show their Marquette pride at games.  It is pretty standard to have “Marquette Basketball” and the given year printed on the front of each season’s shirt, but have you ever noticed what is on the back of the shirt? An Ad! On all the gold and baby blue basketball shirts I own, either Direct Supply or Baird is proudly featured on the back of the shirt for everyone to see. 

This is a great strategy for these two brands, because it builds brand recognition among Marquette University students and their communities at school and at home.  With Direct Supply as one of the nation’s largest providers in healthcare and Baird as a respectable wealth management and financial firm, advertising on basketball shirts also helps students when looking for an internship in Milwaukee.  After seeing these companies daily on other student’s backs and having the company names embedded in their brain, I have heard many students turn to Direct Supply or Baird for an internship.  These excellent employee-owned companies take interest in Marquette University and their students, and both offer a great working environment. 

It is a smart, unique strategy to advertise on the back of the Marquette University “Fanatic” shirts because custom printed tees always seem to get noticed.  Part of natural human behavior is curiosity, and many people who you know and even who you do not even know are reading your t-shirt. 



See The USA In Your Chevrolet

With the conclusion of the NBA Finals this past week, I thought back to the importance of purposeful advertising during big games like the Dallas/Miami showdown.  Naturally, this led me to remember the Super Bowl ads that cost $2.7 million per 30-second spot!  So, was this advertisement an effective choice for the big price Chevrolet had to pay?

I thought it was interesting that Chevrolet teamed up with the popular TV series Glee for this commercial.  In the ad, Sue Sylvester tells the glee club that she booked them for a commercial, but she secretly did it to disqualify the glee club from the upcoming Regional competition.  It features Lea Michele’s character Rachel Berry and other members of the Glee cast singing the Chevrolet song “See the USA.”  Everything in this ad is white, which is used to symbolize Chevrolet’s goodness, safety, and cleanliness.  White in high-tech products, such as vehicles, also suggests simplicity.  This shows that Chevrolet’s are easy to drive, and anyone can learn how to drive and adapt to a Chevy.  This ad illustrates a hip, new way to advertise for both Chevrolet and Glee, and I think Lea Michele sang this song beautifully.  It is upbeat and illustrates that owning a Chevrolet is something to be excited about.  I like how it tied together the Chevrolet song “See the USA” with the current slogan, “Chevy Runs Deep.”     

This was not the first time the song “See the USA” was used in a Chevrolet commercial; it was previously used in the 1950s.

I think it is fascinating that the same song can be used to advertise the same product after nearly 60 years.  This Chevy song is a classic and timeless; it can always be used to portray these vehicles.  Based on the advertisements and use of the song in the two ads, I think today’s Chevrolet-Glee ad appeals more to younger consumers and wants them to purchase a Chevrolet as their vehicle of choice.  Chevrolets are driven all over the country because of the vehicles great performance and great style. 

Initially, I would not have matched Glee with the Chevrolet advertisement.  However, after careful examination of their reasons to team up (i.e. to target a younger audience; connect the song “See the USA” with something modern; and to throw off the audience a bit) this Chevrolet-Glee ad does a great job showcasing a great, American vehicle.  This is truly a nontraditional, unique advertisement that gets the audience’s attention.                 

Nontraditional Ad That Makes You Look Twice

The nontraditional advertisement I would like to talk about is one for Denver Water.  This nontraditional advertisement is very creative and original; it is of a bench only available for one person and the remaining part of a traditional bench is open space with no backrest or seat available.  The part of the orange bench that is available reads “Use Only What You Need” and the company name “Denver Water” is printed under this campaign.  Denver Water works on planning for future urban needs and wants to ensure Denver can meet customers’ water needs now and in the future.  The main message of this ad is to illustrate that consumers should only take the water that they need and wasting a natural resource is wrong.  Denver Water wants consumers to conserve water and reduce water waste by taking only the water that they need.  I think the advertiser was trying to target everyone in Denver, both people who reside there and visitors, with this nontraditional advertisement.  It attracts anyone’s attention that is walking or driving past it, and it defiantly affects someone who is looking for a place to sit.  It was important to make this advertisement so different than traditional advertising to really make consumers think about their water consumption.  Consumers usually use water freely and think of it as having limitless use, when in reality it is a natural resource and consumption should be kept at a minimum.  It heightens awareness of consumers water use.  After looking at this image on the web, the message can easily be applied to everyone because water as a natural resource inevitably affects us all.  “Use Only What You Need” is a brilliant slogan, and this form of nontraditional advertising puts these words into a virtual world!    

Campaign for Real Beauty

It is great when a company develops a target market and effectively advertises specifically towards them.  Dove does just that with their “Campaign for Real Beauty” advertisements, which are targeted for women of all ages, sizes, and ethnicities.  Dove understands that women would like to see advertisements of “real” women who actually use their products rather than skinny models whose body image is essentially unobtainable.  Dove’s advertisements are refreshing, illustrating realistic images of women comfortable in their own skin.  Each woman is happy and has self-esteem.  Dove wants women to feel positive and confident about the way they look.  I believe many companies should aspire to be similar to Dove and its approach to advertising; after all, the people using the products are not models and should not be compared to them.  Every person is beautiful in their own way and should not be caught up in low self-esteem issues from body images.    

The Developing Age of Technology

Have you ever had that moment when you realized the world was truly turning into a web based society?  Now you can find almost anything online, whether it is a form a social networking, books, newspapers, games, etc.  I came to this realization as an advertisement for Something Borrowed appeared to the right of my “profile” page on Facebook.  This advertisement caught my attention because it read “buy the ebook that inspired the movie”.  I have previously read Something Borrowed as a paperback novel and have never personally used a Kindle, Nook, eReader, or iPad to read a book before.  I was shocked to see this small advertisement specifically promote ebooks.  After clicking on the advertisement, I was brought to the Something Borrowed page which again encouraged the purchase of an ebook with mention of buying a paperback to follow.  It became clear to me that as technologies continue to develop, so will our way of life.    

This advertisement promotes the actual book cover, which is a pink color and a wedding ring represents the second “o” in “Borrowed”.  It also promotes the modified book cover, which illustrates the newly released motion picture.  The target audience for the book, movie, and Facebook page is women.  The Facebook page appeals to the female audience by using pink and purple colors.  This webpage is very easy to use and makes it very simple to purchase the ebook or book by providing links which direct you straight to the Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, Books-A-Million, Borders, IndieBound, Overstock.com, Powell’s, Target, or Walmart webpage for Something Borrowed. 

I enjoyed how the Facebook page for Something Borrowed included Chapter One from the novel at the bottom of the page.  This allowed the viewer to preview the book and decide if they would like to continue reading it.  Facebook and electronic book companies understand that browsing an online book store is not like browsing an actual store you walk in to, but their free sample book chapters get them pretty close.     

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/SomethingBorrowedBook

What Brand Am I?

http://www.toms.com/corporate-info/

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/the-th-interview-toms-1.php

In America, shoes are a part of everyday life and we cannot imagine life without these necessities.  We buy countless pairs of shoes to match each upcoming occasion.  This is the norm for Americans so shoes must be a necessity and popularly worn all over the world, right?  Wrong.  The truth is many children grow up barefoot in developing countries, which leads to cuts and sores, diseases, and lack of education among children who do not have shoes to fulfill the school uniform requirement.  As a result of such findings, Blake Mycoskie founded the shoes known as TOMS after gaining inspiration from a trip to Argentina in 2006.  I feel that TOMS is a brand that I can closely identify with.

I admire that this company was started by one American man who wanted to make a better world by showing that together we can create a better tomorrow by taking action today.  TOMS One for One mission is to match every pair of TOMS purchased with a new pair given to a child in need.  Similar to this company, I have a commitment for service.  Engaging in multiple service trips since I was sixteen throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Kentucky has given me the opportunity to bring joy, hope, and love to people in need.  However, I know poverty exists outside of the United States too and should not be overlooked; it is empowering to know something as simple and common as buying a pair of TOMS shoes will in fact impact the rest of a child’s life.  My commitment and TOMS commitment to social responsibility and exemplary practices make us stand out from others.  We conduct our business with integrity and sustainability.  Additionally, we are similar in that we enjoy giving back to society and are thankful for what we have and those who help us give back. 

Just like Blake Mycoskie, I have a passion for invention and discovery.  I enjoy creating and exploring new ideas and introducing them to a new audience.  Similar to Blake bringing the unfamiliar Argentine alpargata shoe design to the United States marketplace, I am an innovator at heart and love exploring new things.  Blake and I do not mind stepping out of our comfort zones to do something bold and out of the ordinary.  I aspire to continue to be like him and hope to build a career with the same ideals he represents.     

Finally, similar to TOMS shoes, I am original and practical.  TOMS shoes consist of a unique design made of lightweight material that could essentially be worn anywhere.  Its design is just as important as the shoes itself, and each shoe has a sense of individual identity.  I believe I have a strong sense of individual identity by always standing up for what I believe in.  I adapt to any situation life throws at me and make the best out of any situation.  My personality and TOMS personality are unique and make us stand out from the crowd. 

You Will NEVER Guess What This Ad Is About

http://www.noob.us/humor/you-will-never-guess-what-this-ad-is-about/

It seems that more and more people are simply not paying attention to commercials or advertisements in today’s world.  Advertisers need to become creative in the ways they portray a product to grab the audience’s attention, and Dirt Devil’s The Exorcist advertisement does just that.  I rarely read forwarded emails, but this one about an ad that “you will NEVER guess what it is about” seemed to catch my attention. 

As you start to watch the advertisement, it almost seems like a preview to a scary movie.  It is late in the night when a priest arrives to a big, haunted house.  The nervous mother of the house lets the priest in, while the father sits at the kitchen table anxiously praying while a clock ticks in the background.  The suspense continues to build as the priest slowly walks to an upstairs bedroom while screams echo throughout the hallway.  The music heightens and, if you are like me and hate scary movies, your heart begins to race as the priest kisses his cross, grabs the doorknob, and carefully enters the bedroom.  At first glance, the bed is empty and Bible pages flip uncontrollably from the cold breeze.  It is then that the priest looks up to find a girl suctioned to the ceiling, the door slams behind him, and lights flicker as the child screams.  Then, the camera shows the contradicting lighthearted scene above the girl’s bedroom: an elderly lady happily vacuuming her living room with a Dirt Devil.  Every time the elderly lady moves the vacuum it moves the “devil girl” below her until the vacuum is unplugged and you can hear the “thud” noise of the girl falling.

This advertisement continuously keeps the audience’s attention, and makes them wonder why the priest was called into the house and what was going to happen next.  It made me realize that ads are not always what they seem and there are many creative ways to portray a product.  Although this advertisement was unusually long and could be seen as overdramatic, it kept my interest all the way through.          

Guys And Girls Are Not That Different

Have you ever been so excited about something that you could literally just stand there and scream about it?  Such is the case in the Heineken – Walk-In Fridge commercial.

In this commercial, a couple has just purchased a new house and is having a housewarming party to show their friends.  The woman brings three friends to one of her favorite rooms…a huge walk-in closet.  As the women scream with excitement, they abruptly stop and look confused as they hear the men screaming too in another area of the house.  The camera flashes to the men who excitedly scream while jumping for joy and hug.  They seem to look even more excited than the women were with the walk-in closet!  This is because the men are in the room of every man’s dream…a huge walk-in fridge stocked with ice cold Heineken.

“Heineken: Serving the Planet” is the last thing to be seen in the commercial as the screams continue in the background.  I think this slogan is very fitting; this commercial was originally aired in the Netherlands, but the message relates to people everywhere.  It does a great job connecting to both female and male audiences, and made me realize that products with a universal message should create ads that everyone everywhere can relate to.  It is a contemporary message that I thoroughly enjoyed and brought a smile to my face.