After reading several of my classmate’s third blog entries,
it has become apparent to me that we all seem to share similar opinions on how
advertising affects us (or at least how they try to affect us), in our respective demographics. It was a
surprise, to say the least, to see how many entries based themselves on similar
or identical advertisements (not excluding myself).
Perhaps the most notable ad that reappeared frequently
during my observations was the very advertisement that I, myself, chose to blog
about. That ad would be Old Spice’s “Smell Like a Man” series. I noticed at least
four other bloggers (all male) chose to review the aforementioned ad. A
striking observation made by Adam (http://at12nk.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/)
was
how the man in the advertisements repeatedly refers to the viewer and then to
himself; thus, unavoidably leading the viewer to compare himself with the man
on-screen (hoping to trigger a negative self-conscious response and a desire to
better themselves with the purchase of their product). Adam has also made a
note of how the man on-screen refers to the consumer as an “Average Joe”. It
all checks out, of course, in terms of how successful the ad campaign has been.
Not often do we find such a blatant example of how society is all about appearances
with very little interest in personality. You’d think that the measure of a man
would be the way he represents himself socially and not physically. Obviously,
however, Old Spice has done a smashing job reaching out to the physically
insecure sap inside all of us and given us a seemingly important standard to
attempt to achieve.
Another notable blog entry came from Berna (http://bernacayabyab.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/)
who,
in response to a Covergirl ad she came upon in an issue of “Seventeen” (a
glamour magazine aiming itself at girls younger than seventeen, naturally),
came to the conclusion that this type of advertisement bets on its audience
(again pre-teen girls) being superficial (similarly to Old Spice). With the idea
implanted in these girls’ heads that makeup will enhance their beauty and give
them a greater sense of power suggests that they think very little on the
importance of themselves as humans and a lot on the importance of themselves as
an image. Again, I must agree on that this is, in a lot of ways, true. Girls
are being tossed countless types of media suggesting that they are in need of
achieving certain levels of “beauty” that can only be reached by the use of
their “beauty” products, and girls literally, “buy it”.
The third blog of
interest belongs to Justin (http://justingmsblog.blogspot.ca/2013/11/what-hail.html)
who referred to the
famous Snickers Super Bowl ad featuring Betty White with the phrase “You’re Not
You When You’re Hungry” tailing the ad. Justin’s note of how the commercial
attracts and maintains its audience through the use of humour and celebrity
endorsements is very valid seeing as the audience is quick to relate to the
star of his/her favourite television/ movie/ music star when they have seen
them countless times. The humour is achieved through the use of sex and we all
know how successful sex is at getting everyone’s attention
No comments:
Post a Comment