Author Archive
Bring Back Face Time
Posted by: | CommentsAs social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace become more and more popular and as a growing number of these social sites are being created, people are spending an increasing amount of time in front of their computers. We all know how addicting these kind of sites can be, and have probably been on sites like facebook and youtube when we really should have been studying, but have people been using social networks at the expense of their relationships? I think it is important that we remember the importance of personal interaction, and that there are other ways to communicate besides using twitter or IM. I think it is great that Dentyne created an ad that makes you want to get out and spend time with your friends and loved ones instead of just sending them an email. I think that the idea of “making face time” is such a responsible and healthy message for the public.
This campaign made me start to think about the value of social media marketing sites versus the value of human interaction. While the internet is such a great way to reach a large amount of people, do you think there are ways to create word of mouth marketing that involve actual interaction with customers, and do you think that this personal contact would be more persuasive or effective than marketing on the internet. How can companies use social media effectively and increase their face time with consumers? I know that personal contact can be an important part of the shopping process for me and should not be overlooked.
The Coke Side of Life
Posted by: | CommentsThis is one of my favorite commercials. I love how coca cola took a notoriously violent video game like grand theft auto and turned it into something positive. I think its clever, and the words of the song send a really great message to the public. They took a video game about violence and destruction and changed it to promote kindness and giving back. I think associating your product with such an uplifting, and funny, message is definitely beneficial. I kind of want a coke now.
Kindness is Contagious
Posted by: | CommentsLiberty Mutual- Doing the right thing
I’m sure we have all seen this Liberty Mutual ad depicting the idea of “pay it forward.” While the spot might be considered a little bit cheesy, I love the notion of kindness being contagious. I think the commercial makes you feel good and presents Liberty Mutual as a socially responsible and respectable insurance company. Responsibility is a great policy. I wish more commercials would make me feel this good about the society we live in.
Cheetos leaves a bad taste in my mouth
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While this commercial is funny initially, it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. First of all I think the cheeto dust that is rubbed on the back of “Rach’s” white blouse is just unappetizing. Plus the commercial is just mean spirited and definitely does not promote any kind of behavior you can be proud of. There are a lot of ways to be funny, and I think that Cheetos could have created a humorous ad without making it so unkind. What do you think of this commercial?
Social Media Adds Entertainment to a Dry Topic
Posted by: | CommentsI think advertisers should always be looking to create campaigns that can breathe life into a usually mundane product or topic. For people to pay attention to ads, the content has to be new and different. Sometimes a concept can be made entertaining by simply choosing the right media sources. IBM understands this idea and has developed a “tounge-in-cheek” way to reach software developers through a campaign centered around “Mr. Fong,” a software developer who is lost in space and trying to reconnect with his team. The campaign utilizes youtube, facebook, twitter and myspace. Ogilvy and Mather, who helped create the campaign says that they hope to “tap into cubicle culture and the popularity of passing along funny, offbeat sites and videos among colleagues.” I enjoy this creative approach and think that IBM is smart to utilize social forms of media considering their target market. To check out the campaign go to www.connectmrfong.com. 
Corrective Advertising Really a Punishment?
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The FDA and 27 attorney general ordered Bayer to produce a six-month, $20 million corrective advertising campaign for the birth control pill Yaz. The FDA decided that Bayer’s marketing and advertising for Yaz was deceptive and made false claims regarding its efficacy for acne and pms. The company’s corrective campaign started in late Janurary and is scheduled to end July 26.
However, I wonder whether requiring more ads for this pill is really much of a punishment. Consumers most likely will not realize that the campaign they are watching was a corrective ad that Bayer was forced to run. Wouldn’t it be a better punishment and greater deterrent to restrict a company from running ads for a certain period of time? Furthermore, I usually find the promotion of pharmaceuticals questionable in the first place. Maybe ads for birth control aren’t as bad, but campaigns for various drugs often seem odd to me. If you need a certain kind of medication shouldn’t your doctor simply be able to inform you of that, not a television commercial.
