Check this out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20983975/
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
12 kinds of ads
I wanted to show it in class today, but since some videos load slowly, it would just take too long.
But please check it out before the next class. This slide show examines number of ads and puts them in variety of categories, depending on what enticing technique do they use.
http://www.slate.com/id/2170872/slideshow/2170932/fs/0//entry/2170933/
But please check it out before the next class. This slide show examines number of ads and puts them in variety of categories, depending on what enticing technique do they use.
http://www.slate.com/id/2170872/slideshow/2170932/fs/0//entry/2170933/
Advertising to children- effects
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/6/2563
Its a pretty good article- read if you have time
Its a pretty good article- read if you have time
Friday, September 28, 2007
Post from Jenna
Advertisements are used to influence, persuade, and inform consumers, but their ultimate goal is to get consumers to buy a product. Advertisers want to advertise where they know they can reach people, but it’s the people they are reaching, that many question if advertising is ethical. Ads contain jingles, memorable music, celebrities, etc. and most ads don’t contain very much information. According to Nina Riccio, “Media messages are created by people whose job it is to come up with interesting images, songs, or graphics that will make you want to buy their product,” (p. 93). People remember ads for a few reasons: 1. because it was funny, 2. it had a memorable jingle, 3. it fulfilled the consumer’s need or want, and/or 4. all of the above. According to Mindy F. Ji and James U. McNeal, “The development of advertising in the United States can be divided into four stages: product information, product image, personalization, and lifestyle…” (p.5).
I think advertising is ethical, to an extent. If advertising didn’t exist, how would people know which product to buy and not buy? According to John E. Calfee, “…The information that advertising imparts helps consumers make better decisions,” (p.105). All advertising isn’t bad; it can provide useful information, like in the Truth ads, or in public service ads, like the Smokey the Bear ads or the One campaign ads (that want to fight AIDS). If advertisers didn’t advertise to certain groups of people, they wouldn’t be doing their jobs and making money. Advertisers advertise to certain age groups, nationalities, genders, etc. Most ads that are on television channels for children (such as Nickelodeon) are either for food or toys. I think advertisers advertise towards children because they know if they can persuade a kid or teen to buy their product, and get them hooked on the product, they will have a customer for life; this is called brand loyalty. If brand loyalty is established, then the consumer will only choose that particular product and no other.
Alcohol advertising can affect/ have an impact on young people and influence certain behaviors. If an ad contains a group of people having a good time and they happen to be drinking alcohol, the person watching the commercial may think that is a social norm and a common occurrence, and that it’s cool to drink. According to Riccio, “Whether liquor manufacturers are intentionally pitching their ads to teens is not important. The fact is, teenagers are watching and absorbing the message that drinking is a fun, cool, and popular thing to do,” (p.92). This quote reiterates the same for cigarette/tobacco ads. Cigarette ads used to dominate and were very popular for advertisers and with consumers, but then when the effects of smoking cigarettes came out, these ads were banned from television. According to Dave Dhaval and Henry Saffer, “…Alcohol is among the most heavily advertised consumer goods…” (p.3). If they ban cigarette ads on television, why not alcohol ads? Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can harm a person, just like smoking too many cigarettes is can. According to Riccio, “Alcohol is the drug most used and abused by adolescents- more than marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and pills combined…Alcohol is usually a factor in the three leading causes of death among youth: accidents, suicide, and homicide…Drinking encourages reckless behavior,” (p.92).
Some countries even have restrictions on times alcohol ads can be aired, why doesn’t the United States? They air alcohol ads throughout the day. Granted these ads aren’t on television channels for children, but they are on other channels children and young people watch, like ABC or FOX, where they play game shows for kids and families. Look at the Super Bowl for instance, people from various ages watch the Super Bowl, and most watch it for the ads. Most of the ads that are aired are for alcohol. A young person may not think of an alcohol ad as an alcohol ad, because the ad my contain animals or be funny, and the alcohol part may go straight over their heads, because it doesn’t interest them. However, not everyone is the same; another young person may see the same ad and think differently.
I think advertising is ethical, to an extent. If advertising didn’t exist, how would people know which product to buy and not buy? According to John E. Calfee, “…The information that advertising imparts helps consumers make better decisions,” (p.105). All advertising isn’t bad; it can provide useful information, like in the Truth ads, or in public service ads, like the Smokey the Bear ads or the One campaign ads (that want to fight AIDS). If advertisers didn’t advertise to certain groups of people, they wouldn’t be doing their jobs and making money. Advertisers advertise to certain age groups, nationalities, genders, etc. Most ads that are on television channels for children (such as Nickelodeon) are either for food or toys. I think advertisers advertise towards children because they know if they can persuade a kid or teen to buy their product, and get them hooked on the product, they will have a customer for life; this is called brand loyalty. If brand loyalty is established, then the consumer will only choose that particular product and no other.
Alcohol advertising can affect/ have an impact on young people and influence certain behaviors. If an ad contains a group of people having a good time and they happen to be drinking alcohol, the person watching the commercial may think that is a social norm and a common occurrence, and that it’s cool to drink. According to Riccio, “Whether liquor manufacturers are intentionally pitching their ads to teens is not important. The fact is, teenagers are watching and absorbing the message that drinking is a fun, cool, and popular thing to do,” (p.92). This quote reiterates the same for cigarette/tobacco ads. Cigarette ads used to dominate and were very popular for advertisers and with consumers, but then when the effects of smoking cigarettes came out, these ads were banned from television. According to Dave Dhaval and Henry Saffer, “…Alcohol is among the most heavily advertised consumer goods…” (p.3). If they ban cigarette ads on television, why not alcohol ads? Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can harm a person, just like smoking too many cigarettes is can. According to Riccio, “Alcohol is the drug most used and abused by adolescents- more than marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and pills combined…Alcohol is usually a factor in the three leading causes of death among youth: accidents, suicide, and homicide…Drinking encourages reckless behavior,” (p.92).
Some countries even have restrictions on times alcohol ads can be aired, why doesn’t the United States? They air alcohol ads throughout the day. Granted these ads aren’t on television channels for children, but they are on other channels children and young people watch, like ABC or FOX, where they play game shows for kids and families. Look at the Super Bowl for instance, people from various ages watch the Super Bowl, and most watch it for the ads. Most of the ads that are aired are for alcohol. A young person may not think of an alcohol ad as an alcohol ad, because the ad my contain animals or be funny, and the alcohol part may go straight over their heads, because it doesn’t interest them. However, not everyone is the same; another young person may see the same ad and think differently.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Kmarx?
It is quite humorous how Russ Baker mentions company such as Kmart in regards to sensitivity and advertisement (Baker, p119). According to a study done a few years ago, Kmart had some explaining to do when faced with sweatshop accusations.
“Factories included Al Shahaed Apparel & Textile and Honorway Jordan Ltd., both of which sow for K-Mart’s discount brand names. The lack of respect for workers’ basic human rights includes:
- Human trafficking and involuntary servitude of guest workers
- Confiscation of workers’ passports and denial of legally required identification cards
- Routine work shifts of 15 to 16 hours. More commonly, workers were forced to work through 38, 48, and even 72 hour shifts at Al Shahaed Apparel & Textile
- No sick days, paid vacations, or government holidays allowed
- Wages below the legal minimum
- Sporadic pay
- Inadequate and unsanitary working conditions
- Reports of sexual abuse and rape
- Workers subject to pay reductions, humilitation, violence, and threats if production goals not met” (http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/rs/profile.cfm?id=251)
Can you say; Hypocrite?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Lets go commercial
As I was reading both articles (Yes by John Calfee and NO by Russ Baker) I realized that the two articles were comparing apples and oranges. Calfee and Baker gave insightful points on advertising; however, they were not opposing each other’s point of view. While Calfee informed us on the significance of advertisements, Baker focused more on the influence the ad. companies have in today’s society. While stating that, I did come away with an agreement with John Calfee.
John Calfee brought up a great point toward the beginning of the article (Calfee, p109). His example of fiber, and its connection to cancer summarized the importance of advertisements. With that one ad uproar, (fiber, cereal, cancer) a chain of events led to corporate and public discussion; exchange of information, and more importantly, competition.
Through advertising we, as a society, can better judge products that are on display and understand our options. In a capitalistic world we accept or reject whatever is displayed. While they might be annoying sometimes, ads are necessary in order to, at the very least, inform us of our available choices.
John Calfee brought up a great point toward the beginning of the article (Calfee, p109). His example of fiber, and its connection to cancer summarized the importance of advertisements. With that one ad uproar, (fiber, cereal, cancer) a chain of events led to corporate and public discussion; exchange of information, and more importantly, competition.
Through advertising we, as a society, can better judge products that are on display and understand our options. In a capitalistic world we accept or reject whatever is displayed. While they might be annoying sometimes, ads are necessary in order to, at the very least, inform us of our available choices.
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