Reflection

            Throughout the course of updating my media blog and studying the different makerting techniques of large industries, I have learned a lot more about media and the way it affects me. I am grateful for having this class and especially this unit because it clearly defines certain aspects of the marketing world and how I perceive it.  The media blog was a good way to keep track of things I had been learning throughout the course, and eventually helped me analyze media a lot better than I could have done before without any guidelines.

            The amount of media we consume influences our preferences and perception of ourselves and others. If something is “hot” and “in”, we will want to have it. If it’s not, we won’t want it. Being fully aware of media trends and our consumption allows for our desires to be kept in check. If we were to go around completely unaware of the media’s influence, we would be more susceptible o the subliminal intentions of media corporations.

            With our awareness, we can slowly build a resistance “shield” and become immune to the worst marketing techniques. My media consumption habits have changed throughout the course of the critical thinking semester. Although I was never completely unaware of media techniques, this class reassured me of my discontentment with media. Now, if a marketing technique pops up, I recognize and name it almost as second nature.

            I can recognize techniques, needs, and the tricky ways in which media disguised itself. Having media literacy is very important because we can learn to keep a level head and read into the real intent of corporations and media. Being an educated consumer goes hand in hand with being media-literate. If someone is an educated consumer, they will see past the smoke and mirrors that is the advertisement world; we will know better than others about the glittering generalities and different appeals of commercials, print ads, and other types of advertisement.

            This media blog facilitated my ways of expressing my progress and thoughts on media. It was like a constant list that kept getting bigger each time I learned a new way to analyze media. There are different angles to analyze media; in example with the techniques, needs addressed, thoughts expressed, and associations. I also got a chance to see how other people were analyzing the media of today’s world. My peers and I updated our blogs every week and we could comment and read their own thoughts. Sometimes I even learned something new from their pages. I like the fact that we can be better critical thinkers and more intellectual people who can make decisions based on judgment of the case and consequences. We can incorporate all of our new knowledge and blend it with our old intelligence and turn into an upgraded version of our critical thinking selves. 

Dating Site for Farmers

City folks just don't get it. When I first saw this commercial in a restaurant, I started laughing at the ridiculous claims. I didn't know if this was serious business, or a parody. I looked up "dating site for farmers" and I got the exact commercial I had seen days before. After actually researching this company, it turned out to be a legitimate dating site. This commercial has a clear target audience: lonely rural farmers. It plays with the emotions and relationship insecurity of these people. In a humorous way, the commercial shows farm animals discussing the relationship status of their respective owners: a woman and a man; later on, with the help of the trustworthy FarmersOnly.com site, these two people meet and eventually found love. At the end of the ad, the slogan reads "City folks just don't get it!" The ad uses techniques such as plain folk with the farmers, gestalt with the talking animals and music, and simple solutions giving the idea that loneliness can be eradicated with the simple use of FarmersOnly.com. The song states "You don't have to be lonely with FarmersOnly.com"
The need addressed in this ad is need for affiliation; If someone feels alone, they can easily find a partner in the dating site. This site is specialized for farmers and ranchers, but to be honest, I don't know how successful it will be. It already seems like a joke, so it looses any sort of prestige it was aiming for. I don't take the commercial or company seriously, but whatever floats their tractors.

Starbucks!

Who doesn't love Starbucks? Come on, if we were given two cups of coffee, one generic and one from Starbucks, we all know which one we'd choose. There's just something so appealing about Starbucks that has made it a household name with a devoted fan-base.  Whether it's personal taste, social influences, or ideas of tradition, Starbucks has succeeded in making people happy. Therefore, an ad like this is accepted. Starbucks knows it's popular, desired, and essential to society; a print ad like this is so "in our face" about the known prestige of the company. The ad is almost aggressive; it gives us an ultimatum: Starbucks or nothing. Starbucks tastes good, so the ad lets us know that if we were to not choose Starbucks, we would be left with a bad aftertaste, something that would not happen with Starbucks. At the bottom of the ad, it reads "It's not just coffe. It's Starbucks". This ad appeals to our need for affiliation; everyone drinks Starbucks, Starbucks is a cool brand, we should all drink Starbucks, obviously. To a certain extent, the advertisement uses Snob Appeal because it tells us that Starbucks isn't just any coffee, and that not any coffee will be as good as Starbucks, even if you have to dish out a little bit more cash. The ad is simple visibly, and it succeeds in reminding us that Starbucks is still out there and will always be out there for our daily cup of coffee, as if we didn't already know.

Miles, not inches

This Under Armour print ad is clean and straightforward. The Logo is in the top right corner, bright red and white, and the slogan for this specific ad is straight in the center of the image. The picture itself is interesting and well-chosen. The slogan reads, "Judging yourself in miles. Not inches". The target audience for this ad are teenage to adult women; basically the age group of women that have historically worried about their appearance the most. No matter what anyone says, we know that every woman wants to feel beautiful. Due to societal pressure and media, the image of beauty is distorted. Models that are skin and bones are on the runways and magazines exemplifying 'beauty', but then we are told that everyone is beautiful. Well, what's the truth? "What's beauty?" we ask ourselves. This ad aims to answer the question, or at least put it's two-cents in. The ad provides self empowerment to a certain point, it wants to tell us that being beautiful shouldn't be defined solely on physical appearance, but also on physical attributes; it wants us to forget about what we're supposed to look like, and focus on what we can do with the body that we are given. I personally like the ad and the message it portrays. The picture shows two young women running; their endurance is evident, and it can serve to inspire the audience of this print ad. Under Armour isn't a self-empowerment company, it's an athletic gear company. However, the advertisement adds a human side to the company, and it helps associate certain values and beliefs with the company. After seeing this ad, the audience might be left with the idea that Under Armour not only cares about its products, but also about their customers' self-esteem and self-worth. It addresses the need for guidance because the message is comforting.

Get the London Look

This print ad by the cosmetic company, Rimmel, was released at least two years ago. I remember looking at it for the first time and thinking "awkward" and "ouch". For some reason, I think this ad really failed. The title is eye catching to a certain level, but what is more visible is the model's face, specifically her pink eyes. I understand the "pink" theme with the "time flash", pink cheeks, lips, necklace, and pink mascara, but pink eyeshadow? Her eyes look irritated and unappealing. The shot, of just her face, is awkward, but if we ignore the model, the background is appealing; the shot of Big Ben is well-taken, and the huge mascara gives the idea that the mascara will indeed give you huge eyelashes. The ad uses words like "new" "more volume" and phrases like "skinny to fat in 10 seconds flat". The techniques are avante garde because consumers think this is a hot new product, facts and figures because of the "10 seconds" and "14X more volume", and  magic ingredients with "collagen & keratin". Who really knows what collagen and keratin are? And how do you measure an eyelash that is 14 times more voluminous as opposed to one that is 10 times, or 2 times more? There is all around vagueness in the ad, and it addresses the need for attention. We assume that by using this cool new pink mascara, we will catch everyone's attention with our not fake eyelashes; every woman's dream is perfect eyelashes, and this mascara claims to give us just what we need, irritated eyes and all. 

Thanks Orajel

Nobody likes cold sores; in fact we all hate them. This printed ad, published in Seventeen Magazine, targets teenage girls who probably obsess over small imperfections. Any chance to get rid of these imperfections is golden to us; if a small product can save our day, presentation, date, or whatever it is, it practically saves our lives. In this ad, the background is grey and the product name and packaging is a blue that stands out. The marketing company for Orajel used simple solutions and transfer/association. The audience is expected to make the assumption that by using Orajel, and no other product, for their cold sore, their lives can be changed drastically. If a cold sore is the only obstacle they must overcome, then Orajel would be the product to thank because they claim to be able to fix it. Cold sore medication is never anything "hip", new or memorable, but perhaps the next time we get a cold sore, we'll choose Orajel because it could potentially save our presentation.

Outsmarting Mother Nature

Tampons. Taboo. Everyone seems uncomfortable when it comes to this topic. Come on people, it's just human nature. After years of going for the discrete and silent approach when it came to sanitary products, companies have recently changed their methods. Companies are more straight-forward about their product, and they're even adding witty catchphrases and creative product packaging. One of the most eye catching tampon/pad product has been the U by Kotex line. In this advertising, one of the bigger companies, Tampax, not only makes a statement, but also to take a jab at the Kotex brand by including the line about "98 Rainbow colors". This ad is very eye-catching because it has a model doing some sort of roller skating stunt and people who stop and look at her. The girl is completely happy in this ad, that it is almost overwhelming; she somehow conveys confidence and bliss despite the fact that she is obviously on her period. Tampax wants to regain their young audience who was probably lost to the trendy U by Kotex line by showing a youthful and fun girl who claims to rely on Tampax Pearl on moments like "this". The ad uses facts and figures but it does so vaguely. "30% Better" doesn't really mean anything substantial, but it grabs the audience's attention. It uses simple solutions because it simplifies any issue that women may have with their period; the audience can also make the assumption that if a girl can do stunts with Tampax Pearl, then they can go on with their normal days just as easily, or easier. This ad is effective because it grabs readers' attention and the product is unmistakable.