In the world of aviation travel, commercials are all about the cheapest prices and the most benefits for its frequent flyers. However, Southwest Airlines have concentrated on the most important thing over the past couple of years: customer service. This concentration has made them one of the most successful airlines in recent history. As someone who rarely flys Southwest (they don’t fly to Atlanta), this ad really makes the potential customer feel empowered. I think its very unique in that it says very little about the airline, no mention of prices or benefits, only the sheer excitement of traveling. It emphasizes one of the most negative parts of flying (the anxiety before deplaning) and turns that negativity into excitement and joy. I think it is an innovative ad that continues to set itself apart from the competition with honesty and a clear concentration on the customers experience.
After the destructive earthquakes in Haiti in January, SMU’s Student Senate began a program called SMU’s Heart Beats for Haiti. The idea is that donors pay money and get their name put on a heart, which is posted in Hughes Trigg. Your name is also posted on the SMU Website. For organizations the price is $1,000 for a heart. The money all goes to the Clinton-Bush Relief Fund. As far as advertising goes, I think that SMU students have really come together and put in a lot of time and effort to see this succeed. SMU’s Heart Beats for Haiti can be found on Facebook and many people have made comments about it on their twitter pages. Students volunteer to sell hearts everyday outside of Hughes Trigg. The campaign is unique, involved, and persuasive. It is a fine example of some local advertising here on campus.
Who does this attract?
By · CommentsI saw this Quiznos ad on TV earlier in 2009 and just didn’t find the humor in it at all. It seems to be making some kind of homosexual joke and maybe that’s the intention, but its a little too risque and what really bothers me is that its for a sandwich. This ad makes a torpedo look and sound incredibly unappetizing. I really don’t know who Quiznos thought would think this is funny or persuasive but it has had more of a polarizing effect on me.
I love my favorite radio station, KLTY 94.9, because of the positive music and the positive messages. It touts itself as “Safe for the Whole Family” and it is… Then why my beef? Negative political ads are infringing on my time with God. 
On my drive to work this morning, I was confronted with all of the terrible thingsSenator Kay Bailey Hutchison has done in Washington. Was it investigative reporting? No, an ad by the campaign to re-elect our current Texas governor Rick Perry.
On a station that promotes such positivity in all aspects of the way it conducts business, does it have a policy about negative political ads? Does the parent company Salem Communications? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if media outlets could refuse such ads and force the politicians to promote their own positive agendas instead of just focusing on the negative aspects of their rivals. Is this censorship or a higher calling?
Gov Perry and Sen. Hutichison…Please focus on what YOU can do for Texas as you have in other positive ads!
Joe’s Crab Sh*t
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Since this is a blog about ‘virtuous advertising’, when I saw the latest Joe’s Crab Shack commercial this morning I leaped out of bed to post it for everyone to see. Based on this ad, I’m not sure who Joe’s target audience is. Since the ad features a family dining at the restaurant, one would think that it was aimed at young families, however after each of the each of the two children say “Oh Shit!” following their parents, I’m starting to think otherwise. Is the restaurant trying to target teens and young adults who may find this funny? I’m still not sure what Joe’s Crab Shack was thinking, but the ad has already been banned on FOX, Turner Network, and The Discovery Channel.
Recipe for Joy
By · Commentshttp://www.americangreetings.com/channel/kraft/
Kraft Foods and American Greetings have teamed up to help provide meals for the hungry by donating 10 meals for every free e-card that is sent by users. Donations benefit Feeding America, the largest hunger relief charity in the US.The company had originally committed to donating at least one million meals, but the program has been so successful they are increasing their commitment by offering 3 million meals.
The e-cards include recipes, and entertaining tips for the holiday season. Users can create online recipe boxes, and share their favorites with other users or friends. Users who had shown interest in giving back to their communities inspired the program.Kraft has been a longtime supporter of Feeding America, donating $770 million over the past 25 years.Promotion for this program has been on online social networking sites twitter and facebook, as well as the kraftfoods.com site. The company has also sponsored a holiday movie on the hallmark channel.
I think the fact that Kraft and American Greetings have kept a relatively low profile on this promotion is great. Kraft is trying the help their site users feel like they are making an impact and giving food to the hungry this holiday season!
Go ahead, blame advertising. You know you want to!
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The photos above were taken by a Korean named JeongMee Yoon for her Pink & Blue Project.
JeongMee Yoon’s current work, “The Pink and Blue Projects” explores the trends in cultural preferences and the differences in the tastes of children (and their parents) from diverse cultures, ethnic groups as well as gender socialization and identity. The work also raises other issues, such as the relationship between gender and consumerism, urbanization, the globalization of consumerism and the new capitalism. The topic seems to be well treading territory already but it’s still crazy to visualize. Some of the poses that these kids strike are interesting too.
I found those pretty photos just by accident. I actually love them from the visual point. But to be honest when putting on my “advertiser” hat, I do feel a little bit guilty when facing those colorfully photos though I know if I saw those photos just from a normal public viewpoint, I wouldn’t feel any weird. Apparently, Children & Consumerism issue is portrayed vividly in those photos. So I wonder, as advertisers, should we blame ourselves for worsening the children consumerism problem?
Also, the photos seem to me that things have changed a lot since I was a kid. There is just more fancy stuff for kids than their used to be. While starting to “envy” those lucky kids who born in such a plenty commodity market nowadays, I “admire” the overwhelming advertising power on leading the public especially our kids into an over-consumption era.
I know some may still argue that there is not anything wrong with marketers and advertisers trying to make sales and profit. However, the effects of things like mass consumption, the intense advertising, and targeting to children and its impacts over so many aspects of daily lives is of concern. Children are not only customers, but also consumers, influencers and users in the family Decision-Making Unit. From my personally opinions, I do think children’s identities shouldn’t be defined by their consumer habits; yet that is the main way they see themselves reflected in the media—as consumers, and advertisers are targeting younger and younger children with this message.
Do Advertisers Have The Flu Bug?
By · CommentsThis year, the world witnessed a major pandemic of a type of swine influenza called H1N1. This outbreak of the swine flu has caused consumers to be more concerned about getting a flu vaccine and taking preventative steps to counteract the spread of the virus.
Yet as fears of the swine flu increase, so do the number of flu prevention advertisements, especially within household cleaning product categories like soap and antibacterial cleaners. Brands like Dial, Purell, and Lysol have all released marketing efforts aimed at educating consumers on flu prevention (see the Wall Street Journal article).
Other campaigns have focused on vaccine preventions. Take this Walgreens TV spot centered on the importance of receiving the flu vaccine:
This ad features Walgreens CEO advocating early flu vaccination to protect your loved ones. This ad would appeal to those consumers who value their health during the cold and flu season. Walgreens positions their brand as a helping partner to help consumers fight the flu. The spot uses appeals like ease of effort with convenient hours and days of business. Using Walgreens’s CEO, a pharmacist himself, increases the credibility of the advertisement.
Some bloggers and consumers, however, feel that the exploitation of consumer fear of getting sick is “quite a sleazy course of conduct” ( see the Wall Street Journal article). Dean Crutchfield, an independent branding consultant, believes marketers should donate resources to school and hospitals instead of increasing their marketing budgets. These actions create a sense of benevolence and charity around their brand.
This sense of goodwill is exactly what brands like Walgreens are doing. Walgreens partnered with Dr. Oz from the Oprah show to educate about preventing the flu and committed to distributing 1 million dollars worth of flu shots to those in need. Take a look at their feature on Dr. Oz’s show:
Other brands are taking similar steps to provide sanitizers and cleaning products to schools and hospitals in need.
There will always be those critics who say the flu vaccine is unnecessary or even harmful. But with 14 to 34 million cases of H1N1 and 2,500 to 6,000 H1N1-related deaths in just seven months of 2009 ( see more statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) any preventative step could be seen as necessary. Advertisers can help keep the flu at bay by playing a role in the education and prevention of the swine flu for consumers. Now that’s what I call a clean bill of health.
What do you think: is it ethical for advertisers to market swine flu prevention-related products and services?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXsoDx9s0j0&feature=player_embedded
There is a series of great NFL commercials running on TV advocating for more active children. I think that this is a great initiative given the rising problem of obesity among young children and the common concern that children spend too much time at home infront of the TV and the computer. This is a great example of how advertising is good for society. I especially like President Obama’s involvement in the campaign as a role model to many Americans.
The campaign advocates not only active and exercising children, but it also encourages personal relationships among children. If kids spend too much time online while their parents are at work, their only friends will be the virtual ones and the ones on the online games. However, such kids are missing the personal touch and emotions they can have if they are playing outside with other kids.
This is a great example of a cause marketing campaign which proves one more time that advertising, if used right, is good for society. By recognizing the current problem in society of children obesity and addressing it in the campaign through providing a solution to it - exercising at least 60 min a day in a fun way (by playing with peers), advertisers can change behavior in a way beneficial to society. Here is when the persuasive character of advertising comes into play. Furthermore, by using of influential figures such as Obama and NFL players, the advertisers not only facilitate higher attention among consumers, but I also believe that consumers will elaborate on the message in the ad and hopefully change their behavior in the long run.
Secondhand Smoke PSA
By · CommentsCreated by Denver, Colorado-based agency Cactus, this anti secondhand smoke campaign was created for the State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (STEPP). The aim of this spot was to send a clear message to parents about the potentially dangerous affects that secondhand smoke can have on children.
This spot beautifully illustrates how poisonous secondhand smoke penetrates all those that get in its path. Using a novel concept of ravens to portray the pathogens released into the air is sure to grab the attention of many. The spot also uses a fear appeal to make sure the message hits home with parents.
Check it out:
I’d like to hear what y’all have to say about this spot. Typically, I don’t think fear appeals work, but in this case I think the use is very effective.
