Elk Grove Auto Mall Special Offer

I never realized that narrowcasting was a technique used in YouTube ads until I came across this commercial for the Elk Grove Auto Mall. Clearly this ad appeared because I live in the Sacramento area. Although I am not a car owner I know that my father bought his Toyota at the Elk Grove Auto Mall. Anyway I was pleased because this ad wasn't about purchasing a car but it was about getting a limited time offer to gift cards. If you get an oil change you could revive $20 gift card from Grace Coffee Roasters, Original Pete's Pizza, Double Nickel Somke House, and Leatherby's Family Creamry. I must say for the first few seconds of the ad I was thrilled by the offer. Then it reached the end of the ad and it turned out you can only get a $5 gift card to each of these places.

What is anyone supposed to do with a $5 gift card in a steak restaurant? Five dollars will not buy you much in the menu of Leatherby's and certainly not in the other offered places. Still I think they had clever technique because they were able to advertise their auto mall and several other places they offered the gift cards to. The ad clearly used the bribery technique, and they also slightly used the time pressure/ exigency technique. They attempted to appeal to physiological needs by showing various food items from the place they offered gift cards for. Also the ad reminded me of an infomercial but it was much shorter and to the point. In 15 seconds they were able to capture my attention by a loud man's voice over talking about free offers. Although I felt negatively about this ad, I began to understand that I would remember it and because of that they have succeeded in making it effective.

Miss-Representation: Social Injustice in The Media

There was very little that shocked me in Miss-Representation because all  that was exposed is constantly present in my reality. Especially after I tried to be concious of social injustice  and became a feminist, I became well aware of these painful facts. As I watched the film I got another glimpse at the things I knew: women are objectified in the media, the media affects how women view themselves and can even drive them to serious illness, and women in leadership is very rare. These three  things are sadly something that one can't deny present-day.

When women happen to be represented in media there is almost always a degree of objectification  in their character. Even as women play superheroes part of their main image is their look or body. When it isn't Hollywood movies, the value of women is diminished to their look in advertisements. Meeting an impossible beauty standard has become the goal of many girls who consume these ads daily. The ads are digitally edited to make a skinny girl even skinnier and even change face shapes. Young girls flipping through magazines internalize these images and set out to prove their worth. The problem is their worth has become merely their look. There the problem expands and effects the girls on a mental level. The number of teenage girls that are unhappy with their body rises to 78% when they reach 17. Many of those teenage girls suffer from an eating disorder. For a woman to rise from these atrocities and present herself as a powerful women is becoming more difficult these days. Even women who reached the place of political influence like Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Palin are ridiculed. I feel that the backlash they receive is an example of men trying to maintain the oppressive the social order. The truth is women are misrepresented in the United States because the voices in the media is often the one of men. The major media corporations are lead mainly by men and after the media was deregulated in the1980's things only got worse.

I personally agreed with the solution presented in this documentary which is to regulate the media. The fact that things were more progressive in the past shows that the United States is now moving backwards. As a country that places pride in the values of the Constitution we should not be 90th in the world for having women in legislation. Also I liked how the documentary talked about how patriarchy harms men as well. Men are expected to be emotionally constipated and often that is unhealthy. I feel that the road to gender equality and end of patriarchy requires everyone's cooperation and including men.

"Making Cents Out of Teens: Merchants of Cool" Response

I never thought that so much of the teen culture had to do with marketing and business. After watching  "Merchants of Cool" the documentary from Frontline, my perception of American teen culture changed. I was appalled by how media companies like MTV have played an incessant role in what is considered cool. The problem with the companies having this much control over teens is  that they see teens as consumers they can capitalize on. There was even an analogy that states that teens were like a country to colonize. Their value for teens indicates that they are not concerned for the well-being of people but only thinking about making money. MTV is  like one long infomercial because they are always attempting to sell something. They find ways to make us think that "cool" is tangible ,and they trap us in a cycle that forces us to conform to the new cool. As soon as one trend picks up, they search for another by trying to reach out to those who consider themselves outcasts. An example is how they marketed the rap rock band Limp Bizkit. At first, rap rock was an unpopular genre but as soon as  they advertised  Limp Bizkit as the new cool , it became more prominent.  Also in their  search to find extremes and make it mainstream, they have no regard for the effect. In one of Limp Bizkit's concerts ,total chaos broke out when the crowd broke numerous items and assaulted people. There were even four reported cases of rape. Even when these atrocities occurred,media companies did not care about the stuff they promoted. Also the mook and midriff personalities that media outlets created are detrimental to soceity. The mook is a character that capitalizes on the testosterone driven madness of adolescence. He isn't necessarily a representation of the teen boys but he has this hypermasculine behavior that seems to be normalized.The midriff is a female character who is consumed with her looks and displays her sexuality. However this character made women objects and not people; their worth was measured by their look. Both personalities were an attempt to sell cool and mostly their attempts were successful. There were even many girls lining up to be the next big midriff. All of the market research and advertisement was not about appealing to teens as people but simply as customers. The more I think about these major companies and their motives, I get shocked. I find that these careful strategies such as cool hunting and stealth marketing are unbelievably efficient. Too much of our culture  depends on the media but at the same time they claim to only be responding to what we want.  In reality they give us what they want and with that they have come to define our customs and values.  I find it extremely frightening to think that companies with the only objective of making money, have the power to shape our norms and what we values.

 Pepto-Bismol Commercial:Pepto-Copter

You might already tell from the title that this is another strange advertisement, but  I promise I'm not trying to deliberately look for wired ads. They just happen to be around when I am just casually streaming a YouTube videos. Pepto-Bismol is a brand that has a monopoly on over the counter treatment for stomach pain. In this ad, their approach to capture an audience was humor. It began by a man eating a chili dog at a backyard party. It was clear that his stomach was queasy, and all of the sudden a song begins. The song is narrating the man's situation and points out how the pepto-copter is there to save him. The Peptocopter looked like one of those remote control models made for toys , but in this commercial it's much more prominent. It is pink with the Pepto-Bismol logo on it and it had the capability to deliver a bottle of Pepto-Bismol attached with a parachute to the man. The lyrics of the song as the Peptocopter carried out this action were quite humorous: "When the chili dog stats to rumble below, it stops your stomach from being a weirdo . So you can be a backyard hero!". This song could potentially be catchy if you listen to it a couple of times. However catchy songs tend to be annoying. As humorous as the lyrics were the singing was clamorous. It sounded like loud chanting ,and it slightly reminded me of the Food Maxx song.
 Also the man with an upset stomach  was holding a badminton racquet which is why the song mentioned something about being a backyard hero.  The ad was claiming that with  Pepto-Bismol the man would surely win the game. With this ad, they are attempting to appeal to out need to dominate. It could also be appealing to our physiological need because it will allow us to consume the good we enjoy. Judging by the man in the commercial, the target audience is middle aged men. Problems with digestion could be the reason why middle aged men can't participate in their favorite activities with full potential. The Pepto-Bismol company is explicitly trying to say that their product is the one to save you from your digestive issues. Implicitly they are trying to say that their product is a simple solution which will allow you victory in other things  such as sports.

Coca Cola: While Your Tongue is Young?

So on Tumblr I've come across these series of Coca Cola ads that were strange and used the  slogan while you tongue is  young. One of the ads in the series that really caught my attention was titled "Bicep".
The ad had a close up of a boy observing his arm muscle then slowly drinking a bottle of Coca-Cola. What was most amusing about the ad was the voice over of this man with an obscure accent . The man  said  that if the boy really wanted to be impressed with his body he'd put a microscope in his  mouth to see  his 'young taste buds'. Already by those fifteen seconds I was  drowned in a mix of emotion I was giggling at the mans voice and at the same time I was utterly confused.

So in that moment I knew they were using the gestalt technique because my mind spent way too much time trying to figure out a 15 second ad. At the same time ,I was trying to think about the message an the target audience for the ad. Because of the young man picture and the weird "while your tongue is young" slogan, the target audience is aimed at teenage and young adult boys. I guess the ad was also conveying biceps aren't the only things that display your youthful strength but also your ability to taste coke. The voice over man also stated that the bicep is merely a delivery system so that you can drink Coca- Cola . Again I was confused, but I was able to unravel the logic on that line and I think that they were attempting to be humorous when they minimized the purpose of a bicep. At the same thine they were witty enough to guide you towards wanting the beverage. It is appealing to the physiological needs because it really highlights the beverage throughout the ad.  Towards the end it shows the bubbles up close and also there is ice to make the drink even more appealing.

Dove : What Gives A Man Real Strength?

By seeing the title of this ad  I had a general idea of who the target audience was , but nevertheless I watched it because I was curious to see its content. When I did I was absolutely taken away with how sentimental the  images were. There were sons and daughters of all ages  calling out to their father whether it was a cry for help or a moment to appreciate. Most of the time the children also embraced their father  and it was clear that  their dad played a special role in their life. These images greatly activated the need to nurture especially for the kids that were younger.The music in the background was a mix of piano , violin, and xylophone, and overall it had a happy tone. It played slowly in the beginning and then sped up towards the end when the text "What makes a man stronger?". The music came to a complete stop at the end and the text "Showing that he cares" . I felt that the change in the tempo was very effective because it heightened the message and it was especially dramatic when the  "showing that he cares" text appeared. Then after that a man had a voice over and he said "Dove men plus care. Care makes a man stronger".  Then it just hit me and I was like:

What does a sanitary product have anything to do with being a caring father?

It  doesn't ... well it's not like  I didn't expect that Dove wouldn't eventually mention their product but I realized how immersed I was in the emotional part of the ad  which has nothing to do with the product . They got me for that minute with the diversion and transfer association technique. Yet at the end I couldn't help but laugh at the man who said dove plus care is  the tool to make a man caring and therefore stronger.  By that point I realized how I was too carried away the images they had shown before  and  I laughed at myself because I almost forgot that this was an ad for a synthetic hygiene product.

Although their diversion was clear to me I was pleased that they were instilling proper morals into men. Caring is a wonderful trait and associating it with strength makes it a trait that men would want. The grandeur of strength is always something that men always want to achieve because it is a standard set for them. I am glad that this commercial projected a new meaning into strength which is not tied to the physical strength but the ability to care.

Cheerios Provides A New Gluten-Free Option Coming Soon

Cheerios came in early with an ad to promote their new gluten-free option which will launch in fall of this year. The ad was pretty laid back but slightly resembled a public service announcement. It touched up on the topic of celiac disease and how Cheerios would like to make their food an option for everyone.  Overall, the ad had a tone of joy and happiness. Thae tone is demonstrated in the upbeat music that contains guitar, clapping, and chanting. The music in the message go hand in hand because in this ad they are trying to present that options and solutions are  now available. Their  target audience is most likely people who have a gluten-free diet . However in the ad it demonstratesd how they are inclusive  and even if you don't eat gluten-free it would appeal to you because you really feel that Cheerios cares for their customers. The need that they are appealing to is the  physiological need  for food. They use the facts and figures technique when they mention the process of making oats gluten-free. They not only tell you about  the gluten-free product but they also tell you how they will achieve it satisfies curiosity. Also the ad is promoting a product that has yet to arrive and I feel that builds a lot of anticipation for people.As on of the few large companies who have achieved a love mark, Cheerios  must continue to appeal to a wide group of people. By making this gluten-free addition , I feel that they are improving their company even more. I am highly anticipating this new product because this will mean more options for my brother who is allergic to gluten.

Old Navy Ad: The Proposal, Starring Julia Louis Dreyfus

        Old Navy recently released an ad with a comedic approach to promote their spring sale. It starts off  in a  vacation setting  where Julia Louis Dreyfus , an actress famously known for her role in  Seinfield , walks alongside a beach with a man.  Julia  makes funny remarks  about the man saying that he looks like he is nervous, and she even asked if he was gambling lately. As he kneels down to propose to her , she has a look of astonishment, but  amusingly it wasn't  because  of his heart felt  proposal.  She looked  back at another women who was  wearing  a nice pair of pants and  immediately asked where she got them.
       By that point in the ad,  I was pleased with the creativity and the humorous  element. At the  same time ,I was looking  into the appeals, the techniques, and  the messages that this ad contains.  I felt that the product which they were promoting (which is clothing in general), appeals to the need for attention . The pants were an example of the fashionable clothing that they would sell at a great price. Also in the ad ,they made  it clear that the sale was a limited time  opportunity so they buyer should hurry if they were interested in this deal . That technique is the time preesure because they want people to feel urgency to participate in their sale . Another clear technique they used was the testimonial because they had Julia Louis Dreyfus endorse the product.  They also clearly use the wit and humor technique throughout the whole commercial to capture the audience's attention.
        This leads me to another topic of the target audience, which is clearly middle -aged or  adult  women. The  reason  that the target audience is adult women is because  the  appeals and techniques are geared toward  pleasing this  gender and age group.  Their assumption is that women are highly interested in buying clothing to  satisfy their need for attention . Also  their attempt at humor actually heavily promotes a sterotype about women because they made Julia more preoccupied with stuff than her relationship. It painted her as a selfish person but at the same time it normalized the whole situation . By doing this they were sending the message that it's okay to  prioritize our need for material needs. When I analyzed it the message, I was torn on whether to appreciate the humor or to denounce it for  the negative way it showed women. Then, I realized that it was all an attempt  to make this characteristic  of women which they promoted a reality. They want women to fulfill their role as people who are obsessesd with clothing and sales simply to  sell their  product. In this commercial they implicitly say that it's okay to  cave-in  to these material needs  so they promote this behavior especially  to  women.  Then they present the product as a solution to satisfy these  needs.
   

Telefolora Mother's Day Ads:  Every Flower Delivery Has a Story
While streaming YouTube video's I happened to run into an ad for the flower delivery company Teleflora and the content of it was quite intriguing. Usually I would have skipped the ad, but knowing that looking at media is my new hobby, I decided that I wanted to observe it. The ad began with a delivery woman walking into the front porch of  a mother's home and telling her that her son, Ryan, has a special gift for her. Then the delivery woman showed Ryan's mother a video of him saying how grateful he was for his mother. He went into detail about how she had to give up her dream of being an athlete to raise him and how he now understands her sacrifice. He also says that they rarely get to see each other and talks about his desire to visit her.As he continued to tell his story, I was immersed in the things he said. There were images of him in his military uniform which were very effective in showing that he was a guy with integrity. For families who have someone in the military, it would evoke an even stronger response. There was also footage of Ryan playing with his wife and children. All these positive images of Ryan would convince most people that he was a great man. The ad ended with him giving the flowers to his mother in person. A lot of emotion was reflected in the scene as they hugged; I even found myself in tears.

In the last bit of the clip a text that said "Send Love" popped up. At that moment I thought, isn't love an ambiguous word? Of course it is, but after watching the whole ad I realized that they fed you the meaning you wanted to project into the word love. Since Ryan was a model example of a man (a wonderful son and a great father), Teleflora was able to incorporate their product and give it a nice image. When you see the Mother's Day bouquet they were advertising you'll be more likely to associate it with Ryan's heart-wrenching story. As an exemplary man he treated his mother with Teleflora's bouquet, so why won't you? I feel that this ad was very appealing  because it makes you feel that the product will satisfy your need for affiliation. A relationship with parents is usually valued especially among adults. The only setback with this ad is that people most likely won't finish the whole clip because it is about four minutes long. Other than that I feel that they used all the right tools to persuade a buyer.

Disney World: I Wish Ad

As a brand, Disney is one of the few successful companies that have achieved a love mark. It is a brand we are always loyal to, to  the extent that we consider Disney  Land or Disney World "the happiest place on earth". To keep this wonderful image in our minds Disney still continues to create advertisements so that their company is successful in every end. The new "I Wish" ad is directed towards making the Disney World hotel resorts appealing. In it they have a character named Flora, who is like the check in guide for the hotel. Flora is a fairy and the kids in the commercial were fascinated by her. I think that this ad would appeal to children and Flora is a character that could satisfy the need for guidance. Not only does Flora please the children but she also impressed the adults with her ability to make sure their schedule at Disney World was perfect. Both the parents and the children had their own wishes which were granted by Flora. They also showed the beautiful scenery of the resort along with Disney World rides and the fireworks. It displayed an ideal day at Disney World and also targeted every age group for an audience. In the end of the ad, it talked about how you can save 30% more but it was never specific about the amount of money you had to pay. Even if there was ambiguity customers will feel as if they saved money and that they are the ones that won.