Blog # 10 Consumer Behavior

In class we talked about the above ad and were given numerous items to work from and come up with a story of the type of person that would be reading this ad. In my group we just answered the questions with one word, but here I will put it into a story of the person reading this ad.
Gender Split: Male (Jose)
Age: 42
Marital Status:  Married
Job:CEO
Car: PorscheUrban/Rural: Rural
Grocery Shopping: Butler
Favorite Clothing Brands: Customs Suits from Italy

Favorite Music/Movies/TV: The Wolf of Wall street, Rap, House of Cards
Alcoholic/Non-alcoholic: Social drinker
Type of Eatery: In N Out
Fragrance: Tom Ford (Private Blend 'Champaca Absolute' Eau de Parfum Decanter)
Sporting Activity: running

Vacation Destination: Italy

Dogs or Cats: dog

Kid's Names: Sonny

Mac or PC: Mac

    Jose's alarm goes off at 530am, he wakes up and puts on some running shorts, shoes, shirt and grabs his phone along with some headphones to go on his daily run. He leans over the bed to kiss his wife and walks out of the bedroom. As he makes his way to the kitchen to grab a drink of water, he is greeted by his dog, Cyrus and his butler, Alfred. His butler tells him that there is a new case of water in the fridge that he picked up yesterday when he went shopping for the house. Jose gives him nod and smile of approval and heads out the door with Cyrus to get himself ready for his run. While on the grass stretching, he looks around at the rural neighborhood that he lives in and smiles knowing that he has a good life. 
    Jose, finished stretching, stands up and begins to run, as he starts running he uses this time of solitude to think about the events that will happen throughout the day, while listening to his rap music through the use of his phone for background noise and motivation. While running, he thinks about what he has to do at work because as CEO his work is never done, although he smiles because he knows most of it will just be meetings and conference calls, not to bad at all. He glances at a big vehicle coming his way and notices that is a FedEx trunk and hopes that his very expensive custom suits from Italy as well as his extremely high priced Tom Ford cologne. So many thoughts, some random like; his son Sonny having soccer practice this weekend and how he thinks that taking him to In N out after practice would be a nice treat for him or the movie he and his wife watched at a friends house last night, The wolf of Wall street. Then that thought goes into how he really wants to catch up of the his House of Cards show on Netflix. 
    So many thoughts while running, the perfect place to put everything in other while alone. He remembers that his anniversary is coming up and that he wants to plan a trip to Italy to surprise her. He remembers looking through a magazine and seeing an ad for AirFrance and how cozy it looked and thinks that when he gets home, latter that day he will jump on his Mac and see if that airline flies to Italy. He gets a big grin on his face and starts thinking how cool would it be to rent a Porsche while over there and how much more cooler it would be if they had one that was exactly like his. The thought of driving a Porsche while on vacation in Italy with his wife and stopping at some nice restaurant for some drinks makes realize again. What a wonderful life!!

Blog # 9 Launch of Failed or Succesful product or service

    Apple is one of the leading companies in the world for trying to be inventive, innovative and a futurist. They have had so much success in many of their products that they put out in the market, from the iPhone, iPad, iPods and so much more. However, like any company they had their flops as well as their strokes of bad luck. Back in 1993, Apple released a device called the Apple Newton, it was basically a palm pilot. The problem that apple faced with this product was that it was a first of its kind and the market was just not ready for something that high-tec. It was bulky, looked terrible and was probably about the size of an iPhone 6 Plus but without the thinness. It had many problems that it was advertised as being able to do and became a punchline for a lot of comedians. But just because a product fails to deliver its doesn't mean that you pack your bags and head home. Apple stopped making the Newton device and within 10 years started to carve out its own little piece of the market and has become the Powerhouse giant that you see know. 

Blog # 8 TV/Movie Race and Stereo Typing

Training Day

1. The movie Training Day, Starring Denzel Washington, Definitely does not have a lot of gender Diversity. Which now that I think about it would have been a pretty cool to see if they went back and did the movie. In the movie, Denzel plays a veteran police officer showing a new member of his team the ropes. His new member is a guy and has just been transferred their from a different police division. This would have been a perfect part for any woman to play, especially since women are police officers as well. Now that I think about it, the whole team we are eventually introduced to and not one of them is a woman. They did good on the racial diversities, they had two black guys, a hispanic and and two white guys. So from the racial diversity, pretty good job. 

    However when it comes to gender, as I said earlier there was barely a glimpse of a women in the show. Which is even crazier now that I think about it. Because the women that were shown were either wives which either had a part to play as a caregiver for one of them. The other wifes part was more of a pleasure and nude scene, while the other girl, mistress to one of the husbands, was used in the movie as just a friend with benefits. This movie was obviously very male dominated and one could say it is because of the subject matter that was covered. But to think that the subject of the movie was something a woman could not have done is actually kind of ridiculous. But as I said in previous blogs, we have made progress in trying to even these type of things out, but we still have more work to do.

 

2. As for stereotypes, they were definitely a lot of stereotype of the different genders and ethnicities in the movie. The movie is based in the heart of the gang territories in Los Angeles, California and as a fact a majority of the gangs that are their are either black or hispanic and dress, act and behave in a certain way. So, is it a stereotype that, that is how a lot of the villains were portrayed? To some people perhaps, to others thats just the way it is. The women in the movie were definitely put into a common negative box as being only good for sex or comfort and nothing more.

    One of the biggest stereotypes if I had really reach for it, but not that far. Denzel Washington a black actor in a leading role is portrayed as the villain who just happens to be a cop. While the new member to his team, a white actor is more of the hero of the movie, he has high morals, he just wants to do whats right and is being peer pressured by a black person to do bad things. I think it still could have worked if the roles were reversed, but again if I'm really trying to find a negative stereotype within this movie that would definitely be one.

Blog # 7 Environmental campaign using digital technologies

    Looking through the Greenpeace UK website and the other social media platforms they use to get their message out, Facebook and Twitter, I feel like they have done enough to reach a good amount of people. I like how their website is very user friendly and jumbled with links and stories all over the place that some websites have. Their campaign seems to be easy enough for anyone to jump and read what they are about and how to help and get involved. 
    As I did more research about them, I saw that although their website only shows links for their Facebook and Twitter page, they actually have a wider net online to reach just about anyone. Everything from YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, PinTrest and so on. I was very impressed and how dedicated they are in ensuring that they can reach the masses as well as their hands on with social media. 

    On Facebook and Twitter they have a fan page and keep their friends/followers up to date news and events that are happening. They are supportive in answering your questions so that you are in the know and help you link up with other leaders or organization that are in your area. On YouTube, the have so many videos of their peaceful protest and various and creative ways they get their message out to people and companies

    Overall,  Greenpeace has a pretty strong campaign for their cause and the way they use social media to connect with people is top notch. They are definitely using all the tools they can at their disposal and thats pretty awesome to see them so invested in their cause. 

Blog # 6 Gender

    The difference between men and women in ads has, in my opinion, started to change over the past 5-10 years. For the longest time, men were known as the king of the house and the money/decision makers. However, our society is changing and now there are more and more ads featuring stronger, independent and  leadership roles for women. Is there still a long ways to go? Yes, of course there is, but we cannot dismiss  the progress that has been made so far. Such ads as, Progressive featuring the character "Flo" there was a time that a woman being the lead role in a commercial was unheard of, on top of that Flo doesn't have a model like body or beautiful face as compared to models and actresses. She looks just like a normal woman that you would see everyday walking around. Even in movies now, you would have never heard of a woman being the lead role in a movie and it revolving all around her. But now you have actresses like Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson and others having movies made and they are the main characters.
    Again, I'm not saying that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done so that ads are balanced out, but as Samantha Felix from Business insiders say, "From housebound drudge to sexpot to business leader, ads are constantly arguing with us about women's role in society." which is what we should be doing, we should be constantly questioning how ads portray not just women, but men as well.  Also lets be clear, that if a woman in a ad is being subservient to man and that is frowned upon, then a man should not be subservient to a woman in an ad either. But as a society when we see that later, we laugh and snicker about it. So lets make the ads neutral and boring, which can eventually happen if as a society, we from time to time take a step back and not try to read in to things too much and just look at an ad for what it is. A means to sell a product or service, lets leave emotions out of it from time to time, unless its needed.

Business Insider Article
http://www.businessinsider.com/18-ads-that-changed-the-way-we-think-about-women-2012-10?op=1

Blog #5 Race in Ads

    Since the beginning of ads I think some type of stereotype has always been present in any kind of ad we see. Even the ones that don't necessarily show people in them. Now is right or wrong to do so? Their is not black and white way to answer that question, because there is a grey area. First I guess you would have to define what you mean by stereotyping. Is it the way a person looks, the food they eat, activities their interested in, crimes they're associated with? The list can go on and on, but in my opinion as long as its done in a tasteful way then I think that stereotyping in ads is OK. We live in California and have predominately Mexican culture here, so if I'm making an ad to target that group I might want to use a couple of Spanish phrases in the ad or have them eating a Mexican meal. I would not have them eating caviar while drinking French wine. Now that's not to say that this group doesn't eat caviar or drink french wine, but if i want the ad to relate to the masses within this group I will have to use some stereo type that they can all relate to.
    Now that being that doesn't mean that if the Mexican culture is know more gangs and street violence of its youth that I'll make an ad and use Mexicans as bad guys and dress them up as the villains. There is a line you use as a reference point and as a line not to cross.
    Is there racism a thing of the the past? I would say no, but at the same time I think you need to distinguish between what is racist and what is stereotyping. Are they similar? They can be, but again as long as you define early in the ad what you're trying to do, you can walk the line of being without sin, but realize that no matter what you do. Someone can always find something wrong with they a ethnic group is portrayed.
    As for the advertisers themselves, they have a ethical responsibility to make sure that what ever project they put forth to the general public is vetted through as many different chains in the command to see if what they are portraying is suitable for the masses. Pushing the limits in ads is OK, but have a message or something that clearly states what your intent is.

Blog #4 Semiotics

PRINT 

Denotations:

• Brown eyes
• Black Bow in hair
• Pink wall background
• Bow on the cap of perfume
• Text in Script(black)
• Pink letters and different script for creator of perfume(I think)
• Famous Actress
• Actress appears naked and covering herself
• Writing in orange and yellow
• Perfume and actress centered in the ad

Conotations:

• Wearing this perfume makes you look innocent and seductive
• Product is focused towards women because its a perfume and the color scheme
• Wear the perfume while naked and you'll feel and be just like the actress portrayed
• A bow on the perfume because its special and will smell good. A bow on you because you are special and will smell good

Myth:

• If you put this perfume on, the smell will automatically make you seem innocent and sultry.

OUTDOOR

Denotations:

• Caution colors and Signs used.
• Blue collar jobs featured
• Main Message is bigger than other words in ad
• Main Message is in bright yellow words
• Company that either sponsored or paid for ad is small print at the bottom 
• White back ground

Conotations:

• Driving to fast can kill workers
• Workers killed are someones parent
• Various use of caution signs used to signify importance
• Different jobs that primarily done outside are featured
• Don't be a rush, be safe

Myth

• Driving fast is ok if you are a good driver, then you don't have to pay attention to road signs

Denotations:

• Big City
• Bright lights
• Chanel logo on top of main big building
• Man reading a book looking over at the city
• Paparazzi taking many pictures
• Actress runs out of Limo while being photgraphed
• Times square type of atmosphere
• Big pink dress
• Multiple news media showing fall of a star
• Taxi cabs
• Dancing, kissing and storyline

Conotations:

• This perfume is for the elegant upper class type of person
• It will give a love story type of life.
• You will randomly be saved by some "model" of a man
• You can live a fairy tale life, lose your love interest and still be happy
• People will want to be around you because of how you smell

Myth:

• This product will make you feel like you are living some type of euphoric life because the smell will open new door and attract new people