McDonald's Commercial

I went to McDonald's with my friends this past weekend and as we went through the drive through, my friend was telling me about this commercial that she recently saw on TV about a dad going through a McDonald's drive through, not stopping because his baby was sleeping in the backseat and didn't want to wake her up. So, I went to YouTube to search the commercial. I watched it a few times because I absolutely agreed with my friend and thought that it was a very clever commercial and unlike the various other McDonald's commercials that I have seen. I made another friend watch the commercial with me and asked what they thought about it and what they thought that the message was that McDonald's was trying to share with their customers. He responded with exactly what my other friend and I discussed, to show how important customer service is to them as well as catering to their customers wants and needs. I think that it was definitely a smart move for them to present an emotional advertisement like this because it showed their customers more about McDonald's as a whole and their beliefs and values, instead of just presenting them with the kind of food that they have. It was definitely a creative and successful approach to reach their customers.

Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer

Lately, I have seen a lot of the Milwaukee Public Buses with artwork on them for Pabst Blue Ribbon. I may have been a lot more aware of the artwork after seeing the Pabst presentation last Monday but I think that it is a very interesting campaign. The point of the campaign is for community members or regular drinkers of Pabst to design and submit their own artwork of the beer and then it could be shown throughout the city. The artwork is everywhere--on buses, walls, billboards, etc. The artwork is all super interesting too and I find myself looking at it for a while because it is very creative. I think that this campaign was very smart for the beer company because it shows people the kind of values that Pabst Blue Ribbon beer has and how there mission is to give the people what they want. Before this campaign and the presentation in class, I was not as aware of Pabst Blue Ribbon, their mission, and their values. After doing some research, listening to the presentation, and seeing the artwork around the city, I am now a lot more interested in the beer company. They are very different then big name beers such as Miller and Busch and they strive to be creative and unique.

Empty Cradle Campaign

I noticed this advertisement campaign in Milwaukee and it left me thinking about whether or not it is a good and effective advertisement. I am still left up in the air about what I think because I can see both sides. I did some research after seeing this and read an article about the intention of the advertisements and  the reactions of different people. The reactions are mixed, similar to my own. Of course, there are always the extreme people who absolutely love or hate the campaign so it was interesting to hear their views. I think that the advertisements are raw and intense but that may be the intention. I do think, however, that they could have expressed this is a different means without the very provocative ads. The whole point of the campaign is to increase awareness of the dangers that can happen when your baby sleeps in the same bed as your own. In sharing this message, I do not think that the advertisement were an effective way to show it because it was actually a bit confusing and people were more concerned about the picture than the message behind the advertisement.

Liberty Mutual

This commercial came on while I was watching TV with my friends on Saturday and we all had the same reaction after watching it, "aw. that was so cute!" and I think that because of this particular reaction, it has become an excellent commercial. It was definitely an emotional commercial and was intended to leave an impression on the audience. Additionally, it left the audience wondering who or what the commercial was for or about because it was never explicitly stated until the end. Because it just mentions the company, Liberty Mutual, once, it created a more compelling advertisement. Overall, I think that this was an excellent commercials and fulfilled the intentions that were present within the production of it.

Doritos Commercial

I think that Doritos did an excellent job with this commercial that was aired during the 2010 SuperBowl. Doritos always does a fantastic job with appealing to their audience with humor and this advertisement was nothing less than that. When the commercial begins, I found myself unaware of what it was going to advertise and then when they showed the bowl of Doriotos, I was waiting for the moment that they were going to target their audience with humor from the little boy. As the commercial ended, I was still laughing and wanted to watch it again. They did an excellent job to attract the appropriate audience and I think that people really appreciated it.

Levi's

For my group project, we decided to choose the brand Levi to research. We found ourselves searching for "normal" advertisements--ones that engage the viewer and encourage them to buy their brand but we learned very quickly that this was a more difficult task then we intended. We found commercials and advertisements that we thought were poorly put together and had nothing to do with the jeans. The most difficult task was finding commercials that aimed at women and encouraged them to buy Levi's. Most of the commercials were aimed at both men and women and were sexual, implying nothing about the jeans. Many of the commercials even featured women removing their jeans and walking around in their underwear and we could not understand what impression Levi was going for. As I continued my research, I found that their mission statement and everything that the brand stands for really impressed me but I still questioned their meaning behind their commercials. It seemed like their commercials went against everything that they stood for. They talk about being an "American" or the "original" brand made for people in the workforce. Although I found many of their commercials too revealing and odd, I did find a few that I liked. I don't know if I liked it because it was just a little bit different than the other Levi's commercial or if it was actually a well done commercial. Take a look, what do do you think?

"Walk the Line" commercial is advertising their straight blue jeans for both men and women. I thought that the advertisement encouraged me to continue watching and not to turn it off because I did not know what it was about. I was interested in learning what the commercial was advertising. At the end, when they stated they were advertising Levi straight leg jeans I was left thinking about the commercial and deciphering if I like it or not and most importantly would I buy their jeans. 

Axe Commercial

My friend knew that I was in an advertising class so showed me this commercial because she thought that it was very funny. I agree with her and think that it is a very funny and clever commercial. I think that Axe did a nice job because they are very aware of who their audience is and who they want to market to. They create commercials with humor because they people buying their product are teenagers to middle aged men. I think that it was very clever, especially because they created more than one commercial. They created a theme of "premature perspiration" and created multiple commercials along that line. It became well known that when people will joke about premature perspiration, many will know that they are talking about the Axe commercials. Overall, I think that it was a very well done.

Don't Jiggle It

While I was home for Fall Break, I saw this commercial on TV almost every time I sat down to watch a show. When I first saw it, I laughed and thought that it was very creative but simple at the same time. I was not really sure what I thought about it. When the commercial came on when my mom was in the room, she told me that she thought it was an awful commercial and unnecessary. I would not go to the extreme to say that I dislike the commercial but it definitely left me thinking about it, which isn't that the whole point of an advertisement or commercial?..to leave you thinking? The more I thought about the commercial, the more I found myself liking it because of the catchy song and silly dance moves. I don't think that these advertisers main goal was to necessarily deliver a commercial that everyone would like, they wanted to create a commercial where people do have strong opinions about because in the end, they're still talking about the advertisements and asking their friends what they thought.

Prius Family

I think that this Prius commercial for Toyota was very engaging. When the commercial began, I had no idea what kind of commercial it was or what they were trying to sell. I think that this is a smart move for a brand, company, or object when creating a commercial because if you do something original, the viewers are more likely to watch the whole commercial-beginning to end. At the end of the commercial, I found myself interested in the behind the scenes of the production. I researched it and found it interesting how everyone was involved in the creation of the person in the commercial. I thought that it was very well done and creative.

Kardashian Kollection

As I was watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians with my mom and my sister tonight, this commercial came on. After the commercial, we all looked at each other and rolled our eyes. I will admit that the reality TV show is my guilty pleasure and I do enjoy watching it. Although I enjoy the reality TV show, I thought that this commercial was very poorly done. I do not think that it encourages anyone to buy their brand because it does not tell us what they offer. They are instead making fun of themselves which I thought was a risky path to choose and in my opinion, I do not think that it worked out in their favor at all.

E*TRADE Baby Commercial

I have seen multiple E*TRADE commercials on TV and have found them to be very funny. When I first saw a similar commercial I was left wondering what this company was all about, which I think was their intention. I was left wondering and like many other people who have felt similar after watching the commercial, I went to research what E*TRADE was exactly. Although the website did not really interest me because it was not something that I needed to be aware of at my age, I still made an effort research what it was about.

I think that this commercial is very clever because it engages the audience and leaves us laughing and smiling, wanting to see something similar. Whether people choose to research more commercials on YouTube or search E*TRADE on Google, the message of the advertisement is clearly shown through these actions. They all wanted more.

Feeding the Hungry--One Easy Step

This campaign was intended to inform people about the lack of employment and supply of food in South Africa. I think that if I were to go to the grocery store and my cart had a picture of a homeless child begging for food, I would feel a bit of guilt. I would feel guilty and realize how easy it is to feed that child by buying canned food for them or donating to the campaign. I think that their intention was to make people feel that guilt and remorse as they saw that poor child. It would be hard to shop for an hour at the grocery store with that shopping cart and have that picture not influence your decision to donate. Furthermore, the grocery store agreed to leave carts at the exits to place canned food in before they left the store. I think that this was an excellent advertisement because it made people stop and think before they placed food into the shopping cart. I do think that this advertisement was extreme and could make people feel upset but I think that that is the whole point of the campaign. They wanted to really influence people and not have it be a campaign that makes you just think, but to actually take that step to make a difference in the word.

What Brand Am I?

I strive to be like Whole Foods. I love Whole Foods and what they stand for. Whole Foods is a grocery store that prides themselves on their mission: selling the highest quality, natural and organic products. They are a fresh and fairly new company that strives for only the best foods. Additionally, they are involved in various foundations that help people around the world receive the right amount of nutrition and they also have a passion in controlling poverty and starvation.

I think that I am most like Whole Foods because they are passionate. I am a very passionate person with just about anything that I put my mind to. My parents have raised me to have strong values. Whole Foods has strong values and represents them in various ways such as satisfying customers, caring about the community and environment, and supporting each other. I am a very active,  “get up and go” kind of girl that always has a fresh new outlook on my day and Whole Foods represents an active and healthy lifestyle. On the Whole Foods website, they discuss changes someone can make for a healthier lifestyle and they strive to influence peoples decisions for this healthy lifestyle. I have also been very interested in the various organizations and foundations that help people throughout the world live a better life. I love being able to make a difference in someone’s life and to give him or her a happier and healthier one. Whole Foods has foundations such as the Whole Planet and Whole Kids foundations, which strive to alleviate the poverty problem in the world and support schools to inspire families to live healthier lives.

Whole Foods is different from other grocery stores and competitors because it is so much more than your ordinary grocery store. They care about community and improving people’s lifestyles. They strive to sell the highest quality foods and support locally grown food from farmers in the community. The give back, not only food, but also support and fresh ideas to people who need the encouragement in their lives. People describe me as an energetic, passionate, and vibrant person. I think that Whole Foods resembles all three of these personality traits. 

They follow their mission statement and core values in everything that they accomplish and it is represented through the incredible work that they have started and completed throughout the world. 

Strong Babies Conquer Milwaukee!

As I walk down Wisconsin Avenue to class, I cannot help but stare at the buses that drive by. I stare at the baby doing a one-handed push-up on the side of the bus and as the bus speeds by I do not catch what the writing underneath the picture says so I continue my walk. I stare again as another bus drives by with a baby flexing and his bicep ripping the sleeve because he is so strong. This time, the bus stops at a light and I have time to read what is written beneath the picture, "a breast fed baby is a stronger baby". This campaign continues for weeks as the City of Milwaukee Health Department tries to inform community members of the healthcare that is offered throughout the city of Milwaukee. The ads are there to encourage families to do certain things that are of big significance to a young child. I think that these ads are very effective because they represent stronger babies and healthier babies--what every parent would want for their own children. It encourages parents that good healthcare is available and is very important in order to have a health and happy baby. The bus drives by and leaves you thinking about the information that was written underneath the picture. Now walking along Wisconsin Avenue, I am more aware of the ads on the buses and find it interesting to take a minute to read and interpret these various advertisements because you may learn something new and valuable for the future. 

IKEA commercial

As I was home for the weekend with my family, my mom and I had to run an errand to the grocery store. We were throwing a party for my older sister and needed groceries. As we collected the usual party supplies, we headed over to the cash register to check out and carry on with our day. My mom paid the woman at the cash register and walked away. As we got into the parking lot, my mom pulled out the receipt and was dismayed by the amount of "awesome" deals that she had received. Without informing me of her discovery, she simply looked at me and began shouting, "start the carrrr! woooo!". I then began to laugh and understood my moms nonsense. The bill must have been cheaper then what was expected because my mom always seems to quote the IKEA commercial when she discovers a deal. For those who have not seen the IKEA commercial, here it is: 

My family and I love this commercial because many of us, no matter what age, have experienced a similar situation. Alright, maybe not quite to the extent of the woman's disbelief in this commercial, but still a compatible scenario. I think that this commercial was very effective for IKEA because when I explain this commercial to people, many know what I am talking about almost immediately. When I looked the video up on YouTube, I realized that this commercial was created 5 years ago in 2006. I was 14 when this commercial aired on television and I still remember it like it was yesterday I watched it. The point of an advertisement is to connect with the audience and I definitely think that was exactly IKEA's approach when creating this commercial.