More Commercials!

The Consumerist - 11 commercials

Carstar - Hospital [1st Commercial]
This commercial is effective despite the fact that the product is never shown in the advertisment. Insted, the ad presents a contrast - this is how the company won't treat you. There isn't so much a spokesperson as an omniscient voice at the end of the commercial, asking if this is how the public would like to be treated. This is a successful method, because the scene just presented to the viewer is anything but desireable. The target audience for this commercial is probably the 18-49 age range. It is aimed towards, obviously, the car-driving population and also an audience that has experience with hospitals, which furthers the disturbing treatment of the man by the doctors.

This Carstar commercial is filmed mostly on an upward angle. The shots of the doctor make him seem imposing and overpowering. Everything is has a blueish tint, making the scene dark and unwelcoming. The final shot, of the man examining his new -female- hand seems especially foreboding. This composition of lighting and camera angles makes the hospital especially unattractive, which works well for the company advertised, because they are advertising by contrast. The worse the situation presented is, the better they look.

YouTube link to this commercial




StarBursts - Kleptomaniac [4th Commercial]
The pack of Starbursts is visible throughout the majority of this commercial. It is always in one of the characters' hands. The hands are in constant movement, causing the focal point to be the product. The message this commercial sends is that the product is so good, someone may just steal it from you. This commercial is aimed towards a younger audience. The humor is clever, and somewhat subtle. However, even if the humar is missed, the commercial ends with a huge shot of a yellow sceen with a pack of Starbursts, accompanied by the tagline, "Juicy". It's impossible not to notice this.

The camera angle throughout the advertisement is straight-on, but some camera tricks are used. The premis of the commercial is that the kleptomaniac steals all of the man's things, but the actual theiving is never shown. The man,in the first shot, is wearing a red shirt, a bike helmet, and is holding a pack of Starbursts. The camera cuts straight to the klepto, who is now holding the Starbursts. Cut to the confused man. Cut to the klepto, who now wears a helmet. Cut to the man. Cut to the klepto, who has a red shirt pulled over his blue one. These tricks leave the user with a "Wait -- what?" feeling, which makes the advertisment successful. With these tricks, the advertiser has brought the public's attention to their product.

YouTube link to this commercial



HP - Where do the deletions go? [6th Commercial]
This Hewlett-Packard commercial does not always show the product, but it does appear. There is a clear shot of the camera in the woman's hands, taking up the entire screen. The ad's message - Shoot Fearlessly - is aimed towards a large audience. It appeals to the younger generation because of the story - deletion land - which is a cute idea. However, the message of the commercial also impacts an older generation, who, with the invention of digital cameras, no longer have to be concerned about wasting film. This is an effective commercial.

The camera angles are also generally straight-on, but there are many tricks employed to make the ad more effective. The computer editing in the second half of the commercial - deletion land create a humorous aspect. This commercial attracts attention during this half because the characters here each have a characteristic photo error. Bunny ears, a finger in the viewscreen, the top of a man's head chopped off - these computer-enhanced effects make the commercial fun to watch, and attractive to the viewer.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky
This advertising company seems to focus on a sense of community and teamwork in the workplace in order to successfully complete their work. From their website and employee handbook, this seems like the kind of place I'd like to work. This company defines advertising as anything that makes their clients famous, getting the word out. It comes across as a creative, friendly environment where everyone is working towards a common goal - advertising.
Crispin Porter + Bogusky


TBWA
The TBWA website is very different from CB+B's. I found the website to be somewhat confusing to navigate, and aimed mostly towards college students, or younger people. The company overall seems very professional and dedicated.
TBWA


Grey Global Group
The Grey Global Group also has a pretty impressive, user-friendly website. CP+B and Grey seem to have similar goals and missions - both emphasize the necessity of teamwork and creativity.
Grey Global Group

Volkswagon Commercials

I think the online interactive car-creator and virtual test drive are a very effective advertising method for Volkswagon. On the Volkswagon website, the user can create their dream car, which allows for the company to advertise every aspect of their product, the car, in a subtle yet affective manner. It makes the advertisement really connect to the public, makes it personal.
Three VW commercials
VW website

Superbowl Commercials!

The following are three of my favorite superbowl commercials from this year. They're all for Bud Light, and I like them because, frankly, they made me laugh, which most commercials this year didn't do.

The VALS Survey


The VALS Survey is used to predict an individual's preferences and inclinations as to mass media, products, and the like. The VALS website contains a link to the survey, and when I took the survey, my primary VALS type was Experiencer, and my secondary was Striver.

Experiencer
Experiencers are motivated by self-expression. As young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers, Experiencers quickly become enthusiastic about new possibilities but are equally quick to cool. They seek variety and excitement, savoring the new, the offbeat, and the risky. Their energy finds an outlet in exercise, sports, outdoor recreation, and social activities.

Experiencers are avid consumers and spend a comparatively high proportion of their income on fashion, entertainment, and socializing. Their purchases reflect the emphasis they place on looking good and having "cool" stuff.


Striver
Strivers are trendy and fun loving. Because they are motivated by achievement, Strivers are concerned about the opinions and approval of others. Money defines success for Strivers, who don't have enough of it to meet their desires. They favor stylish products that emulate the purchases of people with greater material wealth. Many see themselves as having a job rather than a career, and a lack of skills and focus often prevents them from moving ahead.

Strivers are active consumers because shopping is both a social activity and an opportunity to demonstrate to peers their ability to buy. As consumers, they are as impulsive as their financial circumstance will allow.

New York Times

Los Angeles Times

Washington Post

The Committee to Protect Journalists is 'an independant, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide'. Their website contains stories of journalists from all around the world who have been abducted, missing, killed, or placed in jail. For example, Bilal Hussein, who was reporting in Iraq for the Associated Press. He is held in U.S. custody there, with a lack of a charge or evidence of a crime, according to the website. This website has a disturbingly large amount of stories about journalists killed while reporting, many in their own countries. The CPJ website has the stories of 55 journalists killed in 2006, 47 in 2005, 57 in 2004, and so on. Fakher Haider, who reported for the New York Times, was taken from his home in Basra and murdered, in September 2005. Something I find most interesting after reading all of these stories is that despite all the dangers of reporting, especially during war times, there are still many journalists who travel to foreign countries, or even remain in their own country, and continue to report on such situations. This, I think, shows an extraordinary sense of dedication and bravery.
Project Censored , "the news that didn't make the news", is a website that contains stories not covered by the mass media. The #7 top censored story of 2006, "Journalists Face Unprecedented Dangers to Life and Livelihood" discusses reporters not affiliated with the US military who, accoring to the story, are often seen as targets and enemies to the military. An example of this is an attack on a hotel in Palestine which housed over 100 journalists. Pentagon officials, apparently, were aware of this hotel and had promised it would not be targeted.
"As a matter of military doctrine, the U.S. military dominates, at all costs, every element of battle, including our perception of what they do. The need for control leads the Pentagon to urge journalists to embed themselves within the military, where they can go where they are told and film and tell stories only from a pro-American point of view. The Pentagon offers embedded journalists a great deal of protection. As the Pentagon sees it, non-embedded eyes and ears do not have any military significance, and unless Congress and the American people stop them, the military will continue to target independent journalists. Admirals and generals see the world one way, reporters another; the clash leads to the deaths of too many journalists."