Archive for November, 2009
GE – Today is a new day
Posted by: | Commentshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMGnbXayj2E
GE has been an established and trusted brand for over 100 years. Today, in a time where society is concerned with the economic crisis and war, GE brings us back to one of the most important things: people. GE reminds us how many wonderful things the company does for people around the world. Our most basic and valued essentials, electricity, water, transportation, health, are contributed to by GE. Even further, the commercial focuses on what wonderful contributions that have made to our world today and how they continue to work toward innovations for tomorrow.
I think GE has done a wonderful job taking consumers back to the basic human needs, and showing the vast scale on which GE directly contributes to these efforts. They got these massages across without any voice over or actors, (except when GE really wanted to pull at our heartstrings – while making their reference to saving lives, cue the image of the children running).
Also, after our class discussion about the effects that music can have the effectiveness of an advertisement, it was interesting to read the comments below this youtube post where people are taking about how great the song is in this commercial, and inquiring about the artist. Had this commercial been accompanied by a different song, I wonder if it would have been received differently.
Overall I think that GE did a great job appealing to our vaules and bringing personal relevance into their message. Their use of music and images were just the icing on the cake.
Go World
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Many of you may remember this Visa commercial that aired in the United States during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was a part of a campaign to support the 2008 Olympics through television, radio, print, and more. From May through the end of the Olympic games in 2008 Visa was given exclusivity in their category for advertising and sponsorship of the Olympics on NBC.
What is striking about this ad is that it not only appeals to Americans to unite in support of the United States athlete representatives, but it also reminds people that everyone on the planet comes together to celebrate these events and there is more reason to celebrate our similarities than our differences. It uses this point of view to show how diverse the world and American culture is. The television spots show a variety of American athletes as well as memorable athletes from years past from different countries.
Several Americans watched the Summer Olympics at some point in 2008, so Visa had the ability and opportunity to reach a wide variety of Olympic consumers who would find the ads relevant and moving. Visa uses several different tactics to appeal to consumers through these ads. They use the appeal of aesthetics and pleasant pictures throughout the commercial by portraying significant moments in a sepia hue. They also use emotional appeals through these memorable events in Olympic history. In television spots other than this one, Visa invokes nostalgia and memory retrieval through images of past Olympians.
This kind of support and sponsorship of world athletes during arguably the most significant athletic moments of their lives, shows consumers that Visa cares for America and the world. It builds Visa’s credibility, brand image, and company reputation through these messages, placing the brand in a favorable light in consumers’ eyes. These uplifting emotional messages serve to benefit not only the Visa brand and its marketers, but also consumers and athletes in the process.
Ford Warriors In Pink
Posted by: | Commentshttp://www.fordcares.com
When you think about automobiles, usually one of the first things that comes to mind is usually not finding a care for breast cancer. Ford has created their Warriors in Pink campaign to change this notion. The Ford company has a 15 year national sponsorship of the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure, and has donated more than 100 million to the cause. One of the parts of the Fordcares website features their Warriors in Pink apparel products that they are selling which they will donate 100% of the profits to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Ford has geared up with the CW network’s 90210 show to promote their cause. Apparel from the website will be worn by cast members on the show. Overall, I really like this campaign because its just not something that you would think an automobile company would support. I had no idea that Ford was one of the major sponsors of the Susan G. Komen cause.
The day that I saw an advertisement for this cause I had earlier found out that someone I know had been diagnosed with breast cancer. When I saw this ad in a People magazine it had so much more of an affect on me at that moment than it most likely usually would have. I felt more inclined to read the ad, and go to the website because it was a cause that was hitting so close to home. This is an example of how timing of advertisements can personally affect a consumer. You never know when and to what degree seeing an ad for a campaign like this can have on an individual consumer.
Daddy Dearest
Posted by: | CommentsThis is one of a series of media ads that encourages fathers to be a part of their children’s’ lives. Sponsored by the Advertising Council, the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Family Assistance, and the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, these ads were launched coinciding with Father’s Day. The reason this campaign was launched is because millions of children live without their biological fathers and are more likely to be poor, use drugs, experience educational, heath, emotional, and behavioral problems, among other things.
The series of television spots created through this campaign applies to people through humor and depicting a diverse range of family types. I found this ad to be my favorite because the ad depicts a father helping his daughter in ways not many fathers would. The other spots can be seen at http://www.fatherhood.gov/media/tv/index.cfm.
The series shows a diverse range of relationships between father and daughter or father and son. With the popular belief that money equals happiness, this campaign serves to portray the value that family is happiness. The variety of the roles depicted through these television spots also serves to reverse gender stereotypes where the father practices cheerleading with his daughter (commonly believed to strictly be a girls’ activity) or the father makes lunch for his son (believed to be the mother’s job).
One of the main reasons I believe this campaign to be socially responsible is because it wants to fight community evils like theft, drug abuse, educational issues, and much more by showing how father child relationships can make people happier. Yes this campaign mainly endorses father children relationships, but it also serves to encourage healthy marriages. Culture, background, and life experiences all influence consumer behavior and buying decisions. The campaign for responsible fatherhood serves to promote the health and happiness of consumers and their life experiences.
Tide Loads of Hope
Posted by: | CommentsTide’s effort to benefit their community includes their newest program loads of hope. Tide representatives travel in their mobile laundromat to cities affected by natural disasters around the country. These disasters include anything from floods to fires to hurricanes. Tide representatives wash, dry, and fold families’ clothes for free. There are two ways people can help in this effort. The first is by purchasing a Tide vintage t-shirt where all profits go toward helping families affected by these disasters. The second is by purchasing a bottle of Tide with the yellow cap, but only ten cents go to support the cause. This is their most recent advertisement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpZqJx7odL8
This campaign fits directly into our discussions of cause advertising and social responsibility, and also to our discussion of appealing to consumers’ values. As we assume that the majority of people are concerned with saving money, I believe that most people value making a difference especially through small efforts. I also believe that enough of America has been affected by some sort of disaster that they can relate to this message. Everyone can sympathize with what the women says about not having the most basic essentials.
If you visit the website, the call to action involving these vintage t-shirts is for America to purchase 1000 loads of vintage t-shirts in 100 days. As of now, only 5% of that goal has been achieved and I think that is in large part due to the lack of publicity. I have seen the Tide commercials that have the alternative ending with asking consumers to purchase Tide with the yellow caps. But even in the commercial above, I feel as if there was some mention of the goal for the 1000 loads that would instill some sense of urgency in people.
What is also great about this cause advertising is that it directly relates to a benefit of the product. So many times we see products slap a pink ribbon on their packaging that really has no correlation to their purpose. Tide has taken a common cause of disaster relief, and showed the direct benefits of their product.
“I’ll Be There” – State Farm
Posted by: | CommentsState Farm launched a great campaign this month in reflection of the season of thankfulness. Why not spend time thanking others for being there – State Farm offered a great way for consumers to do this, and it plays along really well with their tag line of “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” They really play well with relating their tag line to the consumers.
I believe this ad really adds relevance to the consumer, and the song choice is really important (especially in this particular video) – I’ll Be There by Jackson Five.
I think there are very few companies who can do this well – and I applaud State Farm for their efforts. They are giving consumers the opportunity to send a thank you note to others thanking them to be there. The commercial doesn’t focus on anything about State Farm, just on others doing good deeds, and then at the end it offers their tag line. What is your input on companies utilizing holidays to help with their brand image?
Way to go, State Farm!
Visa and Family Values
Posted by: | CommentsI liked that this commercial not only made me want to go to an aquarium, but that it promoted family “bonding” and family values. In the commercial they make the statement, “when is the last time you went to the aquarium with your daughter on a Tuesday?” The images it shows first of the aquarium combined with this statement present viewers with an interesting call to action here. Instead of promoting the benefits of a Visa check card, this commercial taps into the consumer’s emotional side. It encourages them to think maybe they should take an afternoon off and bond with their children, or maybe their parents.
Toll House is Spreading the Love
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Thanksgiving!
Perhaps it’s the holiday spirit, but something about the new Toll House cookie commercial almost moved me to tears, and I think it’s safe to say that was the advertisers intent.
Check it out:
In this spot, Nestle Toll House, a relatively low effort processing and decision-making product is presented as the hero. Since attitudes formed under low-effort processing are often not stored to memory, Toll House uses emotional appeals and unconscious influences to affect the attitudes and beliefs of the target market and aid the consumer in recalling the brand later.
One of the techniques this ad uses is transformational advertising in which the goal is to create an association between the experience of using the product and certain psychological characteristics. Specifically, Toll House is increasing emotional involvement by creating a richer experience with the product as opposed to just highlighting product benefits.
Additionally, Toll House is increasing relevance to the consumer by using self-referencing, a common strategy used to increase the extent to which a consumer is engaged in relating the scenario or message in an ad to their own experiences– such as coming home from college to fresh-baked cookies, or providing yummy treats for a granddaughter’s soccer team.
In sticking with the theme of virtuous advertising, I’d also like to point out the genuinely positive message of “paying it forward” that the commercial uses by creating a chain of inspiration between the actors in the commercial to bake some love and pass it on.
A truly great message and utilization of persuasion theories– what more could you ask for on this day of family togetherness? Now I have something to use as an explanation to show my family what advertising is all about, because we know the inevitable topic of conversation at dinner will include asking me what it is that I am doing/plan on doing in the future.
Gotta love family! Happy Thanksgiving!
Macy’s: “Come Together” Around the Dinner Table
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Last month, Macy’s launched COME TOGETHER, a novel fundraising campaign that successfully raised enough funds to feed 10 million people suffering from hunger in the United States. In conjunction with FeedingAmerica, it used a multi-platform approach to reaching its goal: people could choose to HOST, GIVE, or SHOP to donate, either in its retail stores or online.
HOST: Across the country, people hosted dinner parties, and instead of bringing the traditional hostess gift, guests were asked to donate to FeedingAmeerica. The hosts could go to www.macys.com/cometogether to get ideas for themes from Martha Stewart, send out invitations, and find recipes from such celebrated chefs as Emeril Lagasse.
GIVE: People could donate $1 at any Macy’s register, which provides dinner for seven, any time they shopped.
SHOP: Food banks across the nation sold $5 tickets that enabled shoppers to get special in-store savings on October 17th, online and in retail stores; a portion of the $5 would benefit FeedingAmerica. Macy’s also hosted nationwide events such as VIP dinner parties with Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse to raise awareness and fundraise.
The “Come Together” commercial features a star-studded cast. Both the commercial and the campaign encouraged a return to values such as community, sharing meals at the dinner table, and facilitated simple ways we can give back to the community even as we are buying things for ourselves. I think Macy’s did a wonderful job of taking into account how people are not eating out as much due to the recession, and how they could use this to the advantage of this campaign by inviting people to host at-home dinner parties and donate to those less-fortunate at the same time. The website garners affective involvement from its viewers, as does the song “Come Together,” by the Beatles. The song and the commercial encompass the central message of the campaign: we must come together, whether a celebrity, employee, or anyone, and do our part to be socially responsible; moreover, in keeping with the classical liberalism mindset, it provides incentives to give because it benefits us as well in that as shoppers and hosts, we enjoy quality time with friends and family, throw parties, and shop discounted products at the retail stores. The commercial and website garners attention with the long list of celebrities that appear; for viewers today, they represent a reference group of people who are admired. These stars, such as Usher, Queen Latifah, and Jessica Simpson, are using their fame for good ends by helping Macy’s “Come Together” campaign. Furthermore, it is fitting as these celebrities are all Macy’s “Star” Designers, and the commercial shows them eating at Macy’s with employees of the store (all part of the Macy’s community). There is a clear association with all the elements of the commercial, from the food being offering to the “Star” Designers to the song clearly asking us to come together not only at the dinner table, but as a nation to help one another.
2008 Beijing Olympic Games PSAs-Chinese version “The Responsibility Project”
Posted by: | CommentsAlone with Kat’s ”The responsibility project-Liberty Mutual” post, I just found the Chinese version. The public service ads was made to encourage the well-being among Chinese people, especially for capital residents in Beijing. Impressively, the format was perfect for dramatizing a message in a clear and simple way. Besides, a slogan going with the ads is that Salute to Olympic Games; Advocate civilization; Set new Fashion. But there had a bit different with Liberty Mutual version is the people who nod their head and show approving to those “well-behaviors” are all famous anchors in CCTV rather than normal public people in Liberty Mutual. Im kinda surprised to see the “original version” here and then decide to share with you guys the Chinese version as below.
Although the public service advertisements are not often explored in class, we, as advertisers, should not neglect this category of advertising as it represents a genre of messages that highlight the positive side to advertising. Similar to normal advertisements, a good PSA should associate the product with our feelings effectively. As such, they attract attention by linking a product to emotions.
Some have said that advertising is a 21th century art form. Others have called it the most effective propaganda system ever created. Considering the fact that our public is surrounded by a sea of advertising messages that promote the benefits of a near endless stream of products, I agree with them to some context, but here, the public service ads that take advantage of its predominant power to public at least show us advertising can bring lasting and positive social change.
