Really Tic Tac?

While my sister was reading Seventeen magazine, she pointed to this ad and laughed at me saying that it is accurate for me. But that's a different argument. I get that they used statistics and facts, 13 years of your life is spent watching TV, but I just don't see how it is relevant to Tic Tacs. The only part that has to do with Tic Tacs is the fact that the information is spelled out in Tic Tacs. I just don't get where Tic Tac was going with this. Not to mention that the slogan "Shake it up," is very vague. What do I shake up? Or do I wiggle rather than shake it up? So many unanswered questions. What is also interesting (if you can see it on the bottom of the page with this awful picture) is the fact that they advertise an app where you can see all the different Tic Tac ads. This whole ad just doesn't fit for me. It is like they are trying to compact some excess information that they didn't know where to put into one ad.   

Yee for City Council

This flier for Joe Yee's campaign came in the mail the other day. The main idea behind this campaign advertisement is the fact that the three previous mayors are in favor of Yee. The front (the second picture) simply just says, "3 Mayors Agree, Joe Yee for City Council." It is using the bandwagon technique. If these three people that had served as Mayor, then they automatically get some kind of reliability. If three people that were able to run our city say that they are voting for Yee, then the majority of the people are going to believe that is all the power that they need. Something else that is worth pointing out is on the back side (the first picture). It starts out with "Dear Friends and Neighbors." He wants us to feel close to him rather than a leader and a follower relationship. By saying this, it is trying to show that he is connecting with the people in Sacramento and breaking down the barrier that separates us. Also, there is the picture on the side with Yee and his family. It has nothing to do with the connections that he has with the prior mayors, but it shows that he is a family man. They use the need to nurture, showing him standing next to his wife and his two children. It's trying to show how he is like all of us with our families living in the city of Sacramento.

Innovators at Best Buy

This Best Buy commercial features several different people that had created something that we now use regularly. There were the guys who created the camera phone, the first text message, and the guy that gave you the ability to share videos. There were also the people who invented the popular apps of Instagram, Shazam, and Words With Friends. Something that is worth pointing out is that all of these people are men. As if they are telling us that men are the only ones that have the ability to create such popular things that are used in our society. I know that there are women innovators out there in the world, but the people at Best Buy just decided not to use them. There is also the idea that Best Buy wants their viewers to associate them with the innovators of the world. These people that created these apps and technology are very intelligent people.  Best Buy wants you to think of them as these very intelligent people. There is also the need for affiliation. If you notice, these apps are all ways that you can connect with people. There is the camera phone to take pictures of you and your friends, there is the video sharer so you can show your friends, there is the app called Words With friends (something you can't play by yourself). This all relates to the bigger picture that by going to Best Buy, you will be intelligent, have friends and be popular, and be on the cutting edge of what is new and popular in the technological world.

Blades of Product Placement

While spending my Friday night watching Blades of Glory, I noticed that the famed Chazz Michael Michaels was sporting a Puma sweatsuit. Maybe the producers wanted you to feel that Chazz Michael Michaels' spirit animal was a puma, but that is highly unlikely. The brand Puma put their product into Blades of Glory hoping that that audience would connect their brand with humor or male-pair figure skating like the movie. The main people to watch this movie are teenagers and college frat boys, along with people approaching middle age. This target audience are the ones that realize the extra poundage that they have been packing on would go out and buy athletic wear. Not to mention how cool it would be to say that you are wearing a similar sweatsuit as the great Chazz Michael Michaels.

Matthew's Day Off

This is a very funny commercial if you have seen the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It is personally one of my favorite movies and this commercials matches to it perfectly. The main goal of this commercial is wit and humor. They are poking fun at Matthew Broderick's character and what he is mainly known for. The problem with this commercial is that they focus so much on matching with the movie that I forgot what the advertisement was for. In the end you get that it was a car commercial but it is not really stated throughout the commercial. This ad also uses the need for escape. This car is what gives you the time and ability to "stop and smell the roses." It takes you through the adventures that you could have in a car like theirs (or if you were Ferris Bueller).

We are part of the Olympics too?

While I was strolling the aisles of Safeway one night, I came across this rack that was carrying different beads. This features a picture of Abby Wambach running with part of London in the background. These bread people are trying to convey the idea that if you buy their whole grain bread, you can be apart of the Olympic journey. It also gives the people that their grain will lead them to "glory." The word glory has different connotations. They could have used from grains to winning or fame but the word glory gives it a sense of self completion and a new way that people will see you. It also uses the advertising technique testimonial. With Abby Wambach running at you in full celebration, along with her signature in the corner, it attracts people to that product because they are aware of what great success she has done. It demonstrates the need to achieve. It identifies the product with winning, or "glory." It also gives a little hint of patriotism. Wambach is on the USA soccer team and will be representing the country during these games. It wants you to support the US while also supporting Wambach and her team along with their bread company.

Breakfast of Champions

Wheaties, the breakfast of champions. To demonstrate that it really it is cereal for champions, Wheaties will put a very good and famous athlete on the front. This time, it was boxer Muhammad Ali. It was always a big honor to get put onto the Wheaties box, but does anyone care about what is actually inside of the box? Now I accuse myself of this because when I was strolling the aisles of Safeway and saw the Wheaties box, I picked it up and threw it into the cart. My mom asked me if I had ever even tried Wheaties and like them. I think proceeded to say, "Of course not but the box is super spiffy looking!" Even though I ended up really liking the cereal, what about other people? Did they just buy it because of how famous the box itself is or the people on the front? What the people in charge of the Wheaties box are trying to do is appeal to you and the fact that you want to become as amazing as Muhammad Ali. They are really trying to emphasize their slogan, The Breakfast of Champions.

Cruz, Cars, Madison and Vine

The concept of Madison and Vine is that a product is being placed into either a movie or television show. This time, it was put into the new(ish) Tom Cruz movie, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol. The company that was put into this movie was BMW cars. In this clip, it shows all the cool cars that are going to be in this action packed film. What the people at BMW want to you think is that you can be portrayed just as cool as Tom Cruz and will have beautiful women stepping out of your car with cameras flashing. Maybe not the last one but they still want you to think that you will be able to go fast and be involved in all the action that is being portrayed in this film. It seems more like two different commercials, one being a car one and the other for a movie. Madison and Vine have done it again!

Wear Your Hero

This years Majestic ad follows one guy as he carries David Ortiz on his back throughout the day. It is one of my favorite ads that comes on when I am watching a baseball game. The people at Majestic are trying to give you the idea that if you buy their jerseys, it will be like having the player with you (or more literally, on your back). They also through in a little wit and humor to make sure that their point is proven. They want the consumer to feel like they will be part of the franchise when they wear their favorite players jersey. They are trying to appeal to their customers interest.
P.S. My favorite part is when David Ortiz is in the wash, he just looks funny!

Advertisements at Sports Games

Product placement is everywhere, from walking down the street to ball parks. While I was in Arizona during spring break for the Giants Spring Training, I notices how the padding lining the walls along the track were just advertisements. It ranged from Bank of America to Chevy cars. But due to the small space allowed on these padded walls, a lot of the advertisements could only hold there name and logo. Once again, reification is displayed. These kind of advertisements during sports games is not the only kind. While watching the baseball game last night, whenever a good play happened, they would call it the "Ford right choice." Ford, the car company, had nothing to do with the great catch that Sandoval made at third. They also have the "Coors light freeze cam" where they could freeze the shot to show you how close the play was at home. These advertisements have nothing to do with what is occurring in the game. To be honest, I never noticed these placements until we were given these media blogs as our assignment.

Logos App

As I was scrolling threw the app store on my iPod because nothing interesting was on TV, I came across this app (well, my sister was playing it so I though I'd check it out). The idea of the app is having all these logos and having to tell which logo it is. It is shocking to get the realization of how many I knew and got correct. Though this app does not receive and revenue from it, it is frightening to see all these logos, some without the name just the font, placed in front of yours eyes. The media has made it their goal for us to see these logos and know what they are associated with. It relates to one of the powers of language, reification, when the advertiser only has to put their logo on the screen for you to know what they are selling. It may be something to brag about, but it is also very unsettling.