Media Blog #10: Taylor Swift and Keds?

I picked this ad simply because I really like Taylor Swift. In this ad, Taylor is helping advertise the shoes, Keds. I do not think it is a very effective ad, and it doesn't really make too much sense in my opinion. I think it is very good at grabbing attention, but is in no way effective of actually selling Keds. 

The first thing I noticed was the colors in the ad. The seat that Taylor Swift is sitting on is red, and the Keds are orange, a very close color to red. However, Taylor Swift is wearing a yellow top and white pants, completely contrasting the chair. This ad is basically selling Taylor Swift rather than the shoes because she is the one that sticks out, not the Keds. The Keds are not the central image of the picture, and they are just ling there in the bottom right corner of the page. However, the ad could be just trying to catch our attention, and of course our eyes would go directly to the area of the yellow sweater. Sure, we would eventually make our way down to the Keds, but it is not very good placement. 

An obvious technique used is testimonial. Taylor Swift, a very popular country/pop singer, and using a star in an ad is a very useful and great technique. The one thing it does is definitely attracts the attention of the audience. Whether you like her or not, most people know who she is. Most people think that because a famous celebrity is using the product, then it must be good. Or, they want to be just like the celebrity, so they buy the product. However, in reality, you cannot just buy a product that a famous person has and be just like them. 

The words, "here's to THE BRAVE GIRLS" relates to the need for autonomy, with brave girls being the singled out group. By buying these shoes, you are saying you are an individual and brave girl. I think every girl would like to think that they're brave and not a little "chicken." 

I did not think this ad was effective in selling the actual product, the Keds. They were not the main focus of the shoe, and it did not really say anything at all about the shoe itself. Using Taylor Swift to help sell the product was very smart, but there is no attention drawn to the shoes

Media Blog #9: Dark Obsession

In this print ad, the Calvin Klein fragrance, Dark Obsession is being advertised. I was immediately intrigued by this image because of the dark color, the male model with his shirt unbuttoned, and the name of the fragrance itself. I absolutely love Calvin Klein ads because they are all very similar in the sense that there is a great need for attention.

The need for attention is very obvious in the ad. The first thing that I noticed was the abs of the male model. Calvin Klein usually always has very attractive models, and they obviously attract the attention of the audience. The model's abs are very well defined, and what I would consider pretty "perfect." The model's face is also very attractive, and it kind of just has this sexy look to it. Males might want to buy this fragrance because they see someone highly attractive like the model using it. They want to become like him.

The target audience would probably be males in their late teens to 30s because that is when they really care about impressing people, and they want to smell nice. These guys would be the most interested in their personal image, and in this ad, they see the highly attractive male model. Young adult males want to look like the guy in the ad.

The color scheme makes perfect sense in this Calvin Klein ad. The fragrance is called Dark Obsession, and the colors of this ad are all very dark. The whole entire ad is basically different shades of gray and black, and it really just helps add to the selling of the product The dark colors makes the product seem very mysterious, and you wonder why the fragrance is called Dark Obsession. The lightest parts of the ad were the model's nice abs and his face, which are the most attractive parts of the ad.

The last thing that i really liked about this ad is that it was really to the point, and made sense. There were no random things floating around and there was simply just a male model advertising the perfume. The fragrance is called Dark Obsession and the whole entire ad is very darkly colored.

I really like this ad, and believe it does its jobs of grabbing the audience's attention. Although this ad tells nothing about the fragrane, I think it will at least make people want to go to the store and smell the fragrance. When a fragrance is named Dark Obsession, you really wonder what it is that makes a person become obsessed with it.

Media Blog #8: Yoplait Frozen Yogurt

 

In this commercial Yoplait frozen yogurt is being advertised. The commercial has a bunch of normal people helping advertising the frozen yogurt by talking about how delicious and wonderful the product is. They are actually eating the yogurt too, and the people are acting very normal, so it appeals to the audience more, unlike the commercials that give you simple solutions if you buy the product.

The first thing i noticed was the music. It is very upbeat, and fits the commercial very well. The mood is very happy, and that is the vibe you feel you will get when eating the yogurt. The music is an important component of the commercial. I feel that if the music wasn't incorporated into the commercial, it would just kinda be awkward with the people just saying "delicious" or "so good" at random times. The music helps fill the rest of the time when there is just images rather than speaking.

The text was also an important part of the commercial. In the beginning, there was text that said, "the first bite experience" and it kind of just makes you wonder, what exactly will I experience when i take the first bite? And then the commercial goes on to show all the people gushing over how great the yogurt is, so your curiosity is satisfied. Also, at the end, it says "It is so good" with the word "so" in bold. This really attracted my attention because I really just want to see how good this frozen yogurt is. In the end, when the voice-over says "It is so good" it is kind of in a seductive voice, so it lures the audience in even more.

The common advertising technique most prominent here was plain folks. There was just a bunch of normal people advertising the yogurt. From little kids to middle-aged people to old grandmas and grandpas, this frozen yogurt is a product for ordinary people. The commercial seems very natural, and that is what the audience likes to see.

The need for affiliation could also be satisfied in this commercial. With all these common people in the commercial gushing over this frozen yogurt, it makes us want to buy this product since it seems like everyone enjoys this yogurt. We don't want to be left out of the joy of this frozen yogurt, so we feel that we have to go buy it.

The one thing I really like about this commercial is the fact that they are selling the product the whole entire time. The people in the commercial are actually eating the commercial and giving a wonderful reaction afterwards. They are not just magically given some power because they ate the yogurt. In many commercials I see, y0ou see all these people doing these amazing things, but then yoju don't even know what the product is that made them do this. However, in this commercial, there reactions are solely based on them eating the yogurt

Media Blog #7: Selena Gomez's nail polish?

 This advertisement for Nicole by O.P.I. nail polish is very intriguing to my eye. The colors are very vibrant, and it definitely caught my attention. Nicole by O.P.I. is using Selena Gomez to help advertise their nail polish, as if she is the one who actually made the nail polish.

The first thing that caught my eye on this ad was obviously the big picture of Selena Gomez, and this is an example of the common ad technique, testimonial. Selena Gomez is a very well-known actress and singer, who is also quite attractive, so this will help attract the audience. O.P.I. is using Selena Gomez to help sell their nail polish. The ad is making it seem like these are the shades that Selena Gomez actually created, and the ad is flattering Selena Gomez by saying "Lacquers as vibrant as the star who created them." However, what does Selena Gomez actually know about nail polish. She didn't actually make this nail polish, but rather they just put her face on this ad. 

Another technique used is glittering generalities. There are the words, "Sweet and Spunky... Flirty and Fun!" These are all very appealing words because they all appeal to our outward appearances. Nowadays, many people are very concerned about how they look, so these words appeal to us. Also, the image itself is just gorgeous. Selena Gomez looks absolutely flawless thanks to the help of photo shop, and i think it definitely helps sell the product. This also relates to the need for attention. Because Selena Gomez looks flawless in this picture, our attention is drawn to this ad. We want to be noticed, and with this perfect picture of Selena Gomez, we believe that we will look like that if we buy this nail polish.  

This ad also satisfies the need for aesthetic sensations. We see the beauty of the image from Selena Gomez, and we are attracted to her. The image in a way highlights her face, and her face is just glowing compared to the rest of the picture. And then you see her long, wavy brown hair, and you can't help but think "Why can't I be like her?" The colors of this ad are perfet because they are all very soft and gentle to help create a good feeling.

The target audience for this ad is probably teenage girls because girls wear nail polish, and Selena Gomez appeals to pre-teens and teens mostly. She was on Disney Channel, so the target audience is definitely not middle-aged woman, such as moms. Also, I found this ad in my Sesventeen Magazine, which is geared towards teenagers, so the magazine was the perfect place to put this ad in. Even if you weren't in the target audience, most people would still know who Selena Gomez is.

The one thing that really bothers me about the ads that use famous celebrities is that they really don't even know anything about the products they're selling. How should Selena Gomez know anything about nail polish?However, in truth, I feel that putting a star on an ad really does help sell the product. Either we want to look/be like the person in the ad, or we feel that because the person is famous and advertising it, it must be good. Another thing that I don't particularly like is that the nail poish is barely  noticeable in this ad. Sure, there's a whole bunch of the nail polish bottle towards the bottom of the ad, but mostly all you see is Selena Gomez's face.

Overall, I felt that this ad was effective because it used a variety of the techniques and needs, which makes this product appealing to us in so many ways. I am a fan of Selena Gomez, so this ad appeals to me even more. I just wish it would actually advertise the nail polish a bit better because it is very hard to make a connection between Selena Gomez and nail polish.

 

Media Blog #6: Easy to Fold?

In this commercial, Blake Griffin is advertising the Kia Optima. It starts out with an average men and women trying to fold sheets. They talk about how impossible to fold, and that's when Blake Griffin comes in. He says that the side mirrors of the 2012 Kia Optima are easy to fold, and with a push of a button, they fold automatically. This commercial is trying to get people to buy the Kia Optima by only advertising the cool side mirrors that fold automatically. 

The first ad technique that is very obvious s testimonial. Blake Griffin is used to endorse this product and try and make more people buy the Kia Optima. Everyone loves to see famous people in their commercials because they automatically think it's good if someone famous is helping sell the product. We think that because someone that is more important/well-known then us helps sell it, then we can be just as successful as them. The need to achieve can also maybe fit in to this because Blake Griffin is a very successful person in the NBA, so we can have that same kind of achievement with this car.

The use of ethos is apparent in this commercial because Kia is trying to prove their credibility with Blake Griffin. Because he is a famous NBA player, some people automatically think that this must be a good car. However, what does Blake Griffin really know about cars? Well, probably nothing. He plays basketball, how does that make him a credible person to advertise a car? However, it still is a very good technique to use.

I have a problem with the commercial in general. The only thing that is really said about the car is how the mirrors can fold automatically with the push of a button. I do think that is very cool, but what does that say about the car? Not much at all. How does the car run, are there any other cool features to the car? I am not fully convinced, and wouldn't want to buy this car. I love Blake Griffin, but that doesn't mean I would buy the car.

I do not particularly like this ad, but it is still somewhat effective. Blake Griffin is a pretty well-known NBA player, so it is very smart to have him help sell the Kia Optima. However, not much is being said about the car, and I am not convinced this is a good car.

Media Blog #5: Gillette Venus Embrace

I think that it's safe to say that every girl wants perfectly smooth legs. I mean, who doesn't love the feeling of super soft legs? In this Gillette Venus Embrace ad, there are three girls who are in a perfect setting by the water, and two of them are holding up one of their legs. The picture just makes their legs look absolutely perfect. Unlike many other ads, this ad is simply just trying to sell their razor, without any weird pictures or any other irrelevant things.

The first thing i noticed used was the need for affiliation. At the very top of the page, it says "A SHAVE AS CLOSE AS YOUR FRIENDS." You want your legs to be as smooth as possible, and with the Venus Embrace, you will get this. In the ad, it also says, "Your legs have a new best friend," so by using the Venus Embrace, it is implying that your legs will be more liked if they are shaved so closely, and essentially saying you will get more friends. And of course, we all want friends.

Another appeal used is the need for attention. The picture is absolutely perfect. The perfect blue sky and blue water absolutely attracts our attention. And then, in front of that is the three girls who are holding out their long legs. There is so much color in this picture, that it just automatically draws the attention of the audience. It appeals to both girls and boys, as girls want clean shaven legs, and boys, well they just like girls.

The use of ethos is trying to be used, as it says, "8 out of 10 legs agree, Venus Embrace gives a smooth, close shave, 5 blades surrounded by a gliding ribbon of moisture gives you an unbelievably close shave with one easy stroke." Although 8 out of 10 is not perfect, it is the majority, so it is proving credibility. However, my question is, "Who are these 10 people?" Are they just random people. Also, I don't believe that 10 people is enough to prove credibility. Also, in that sentence we see the use of glittering generalities. Some of the glittering words are gliding ribbon, moisture, and unbelievably. Gliding ribbon just sounds so smooth, everyone loves moisture, and something that is unbelievable just has to be great.

I really enjoy this ad, and think it is very effective. The image is very captivating, as well as all the words used. I think that the majority of girls would want amazingly smooth legs, so according to this ad, the Venus Embrace would help do this.

 

Media Blog #4: Appliances on the dance floor?

My first impression was: "What the heck? Another dance show? Why do we need another dance show?" As this dancing continues for a good 45 seconds, I'm just continuing to wonder why we would need another dance show if we already have shows like Dancing with the Stars. As the man spins his partner, she runs into... a washing machine? It turns out this commercial was for Sears' appliances? Why did they just spend 45 seconds advertising like it was a dance show and like 15 seconds actually promoting Sears' appliances. 

One of the most obvious answers would be "need for attention." The voices in the commercial were very intriguing and made us want to stay and watch the commercial. The colors were very vibrant, and there was catchy music to go along with the dancing. If this would have been just a regular commercial to promote Sears' appliances, we might just get bored watching someone talk about appliances. It definitely attracted my attention because I am into these type of shows.

The advertising technique used is definitely diversion. This dance show has absolutely no relevance to Sears' appliances, but it does attract the attention. I had no clue that this was actually a commercial for a product at first, as I just thought there really was a new dance show. Then, all of a sudden the girl runs into a washing machine? Why would there just be a random washing machine and refrigerator on the dance floor? It doesn't in anyway relate to the dance show? After we see the appliances, are we supposed to magically just say "Oh, I totally get it?" Also, this dance show takes up a good 3/4 of the commercial, so we really don't know if this commercial is actually for a dance show or Sears. That was a smart technique to do because it keeps our attention more than some commercial just about promoting Sears' appliances.

Overall, I believe the commercial was very effective. By using the dance show, it helps keep the attention of the audience so we actually watch the whole commercial. It still confuses me how we are supposed to make any connection between the dance show and the appliances, but the commercial does its job by getting our attention.

Media Blog #3: More is better?

 

In this commercial for AT&T, the obvious message they want to get across is that "More is better." It starts off with the little girl explaining to the man why "more is better." She goes on rambling why more is better, and it honestly isn't getting to the point at all. Once she is done, that's when the commercial simply says "It's not complicated. More is better." You really wouldn't know it's an AT&T commercial until they add in the very last bit at the end talking about AT&T.

This commercial did not particularly appeal to me. The little girl's rambling on why more is better in a way makes sense, but after a while it just sounds like a bunch of nonsense. The little girl rambles on for a good 15 seconds, and you start to lose the point she is trying to make as she continues to ramble on. That is very common with little kids though. They don't exactly know how to express themselves, so they often just have little bursts of words or they ramble on. However, the cuteness of the little girl did attract my attention, and that brings us the to appeal "Need for attention."

Whenever I see a little kid, my attention is grabbed because a little kid is usually cuter than a normal adult. Even if the girl was rambling on and on,I still find her little voice to be cute and the face of the little girl is just adorable. Another part of the "need for attention" is her outfit. The little girl is dressed in a dress with a sweater over it, tights underneath, and some cute little flats. All the other kids however, are just dressed in a normal shirt and pants. She has the typical little girl outfit on, and our attention is drawn to her. I am always just particularly drawn to AT&T commercials because I like to see what technique they are going to use to get a simple point across.

The last thing I want to comment on about this commercial is the phrase they use: "It's not complicated. More is better." This uses the advertising technique "weasel words" and "simple solutions." The weasel word is "more." AT&T is saying that "more is better", but more what? You have nothing to compare more to in the commercial. They are just saying that AT&T has the nation's largest 4G network, but how we can not even prove that just by watching this commercial. Also, is more always better? Not necessarily. Also, what exactly does better mean in the commercial. Usually you should have something else to compare something to in order to say it is better. This is also an example of simple solutions because after the  little girl made the word "more" so complicated, they go on to say that it's not complicated, and more is better. The commercial just leaves it at that and it is the only solution. In reality though, more is not always better, and it could become complicated.

Overall, I did not particularly like the commercial very much, but it is still quite effective. I think in general, people love to hear all these weasel words, such as more and better. The little girl is very cute in the video, and helps with the point AT&T is trying to make, which is "More is better." however, there is nothing else to compare AT&T to though, so you are basically just accepting everything the commercial says without any credibility. The commercial is very good in attracting the attention of the audience, but I am not sure if it would be a positive effect for all people.