Archive for Television
Jenny Craig
Posted by: | CommentsUnder the new FTC ruleing, testimonials must clearly disclose the resuts which consumers can generally expect to see. This effects advertisements in a tremendous way. No longer can companies boast about exceptional, but rare, results. Now brands are required to clearly tell consumers what they can generally expect to find.
This is clear in Jenny Craig’s latest ad campaign featuring Sara Rue. Consumers have grown wary of constantly hearing ads claiming that their product can make you lose 40 pounds FAST. Now, rather than seeing the extreme cases, we are given more typical cases.
I was caught off gaurd when I first saw Jenny Craig’s ad where Rue exclaimed, “I’ve already lost 5 pounds!” Five pounds? Seriously, big deal. But then I remembered the new FTC ruling and it all clicked. This is the direction all weight loss advertisements are going to head as companies begin to catch on.
However, are these ads even effective? Why waste millions of dollars on a TV campaign ‘bragging’ of 5 pounds of weight loss. Seems like a poor use of ad dollars to me.
To see the advertisment:
http://jennycraig.com/?dfa=1#
And click ‘See Sara’s new commercial’
Dove Men
Posted by: | CommentsDove has been greatly praised for their advertising featuring average, fuller figured women. Now they have moved on to a men’s campaign, hoping for the same success.
This particular ad is the second in the series, following up the first ever Men’s Care product line by Dove which was advertised during the Superbowl. Although I like both, I particularly like the second ad. Rarely can you find an ad for men’s shower gel that isn’t over the top raunchy (did anyone say Axe?)
However, Dove took a different approach by showing a little girl with her father at both the beginning and end of the ad which I really liked. Rather than showing a women clinging to her man after he uses the ’sexual’ body wash, Dove replaced the stick thing woman with a daughter figure which I thought was a really good move.
In addition to this Dove also is able to get across all of the product attributes that they were trying to convey. All in all, I think a really well done ad.
The first ad aired during the Superbowl
The Second Ad (my favorite)
Southwest “It’s On” Campaign brings fresh air to airline commercials
Posted by: | CommentsIn 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.
Who does this attract?
Posted 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.
Obama, NFL players encourage kids to exercise for 60 min every day
Posted by: | Commentshttp://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.
“Today’s the Day” at JCPenney
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This is an example of using advertising as an effective sales tool while not being too in your face. JCPenney shows their wide range of products without reverting to the cliche “car salesman” technique.
The simple concept of having an item for every room in your house is combined with promoting family values and reminding consumers to stop and appreciate the little things in life. The simplicity of the spot is beautiful and the lack of a voiceover is a welcome change from the usual commercial.
It also uses vignettes from everyday life that the target market can relate to and see themselves in. Using this technique of self-referencing creates an affective involvement with the consumer and helps them to remember the brand.
The virtuous aspect of this ad comes into play with the potential impact it could have on society and family “norms.” This is a great example of how advertising can “mold” society in a positive way. By promoting family togetherness and a general sense of love, this commercial projects a slice of reality that should be more celebrated.
Since it’s the holiday season, maybe this spot will convince you to consider JCPenney’s for your holiday needs. And don’t forget, “Today’s the day” to start living your life, because “Everyday matters.”
Intel commercial- Ajay Bhatt
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Intel has recently started running a new campaign in which it remakes the company’s top researchers into ‘rock stars.’ The man they show in the spot as Ajay Bhatt is really just an actor, however there IS a real Ajay Bhatt who, while working for IBM in the early 1990’s, played a key role in inventing USB (Universal Serial Bus). Intel had originally approached Ajay to ask for permission to feature him in their latest campaign, but according to Mr. Bhatt, he never really paid attention to what they were doing until he finally saw the completed promo on TV.
I like this Intel commercial which shows Ajay Bhatt – the co-inventor of USB – with a rock-star like following.
At first glance the advertisement appears to be a humorous spot that attempts to redefines the American definition of a male hero as an Indian American computer engineer. In this 30 second ad, on one hand, the ad suggests that we should be rethinking who we see as the heroes of our generation. In slow-motion frames, people scream, men point to his image on their t-shirt, women swoon, and others take his picture with their phones and cameras as the fake Ajay Bhatt nods, winks, signs autographs. But on the other hand, this exaggerated behavior creates a comic moment because the visual of the actor playing Ajay Bhatt defies American audience expectations of who represents a rock star. I wonder has an Indian American man who looks like the stereotype of a smart computer geek really replaced Michael Jackson, and Adam Lambert in the American imagination?
Moreover, I think the ad actually doesn’t redefine the American hero but in fact reinforce the idea of Asian American men as a minority who are rarely seen as rock stars in “our world.” The message behind the humor separates Indian Americans from everyday American popular culture icons and instead confines Ajay Bhatt and anyone like him to a single image.
In the end, I feel while the advertisement promotes a different world where the professionals are Indian Americans or Asian Americans who are boxed in by the continual replaying of stereotypical definitions, the Campaign of the Sponsors of Tomorrow still attempts to turn the traditionally negative stereotypes of Asian males as smart, studious and hardworking into positives.
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.
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.
