Amirae essay #3

 

 

 

 

 

                                                      “Are You Not Entertained!?”



         Partying is a term strongly tied to a younger generation of teens and early twenties, because they live in a time of freedom with no responsibilities or family to support. Something that isn't heard of everyday is old people partying their hearts out equally as a young person. Old people did party though in a Boost mobile phone advertisement in 2005. A lady talks about how she texted some old friends on her Boost mobile and they decided to go to a party. The party in the background has old people living it up, and dancing sexually by getting low, and trying to raise the roof to banging punk music. All the while the lady is talking like a valley girl from the eighties. The ad sadly makes fun of the incompetency of old people, by showing them trying to do similar things a younger generation does. Moreover, the scene displayed is still out of date and the color of the ad is black and white vintage, suggesting this older generation's efforts to fit in are pointless. Though many commercials starring old people are humorous and fun, this Boost commercial is goes too far, representing a sick, disrespectful mockery, towards old people.

         Old people deserve more respect in advertising. Elders grew up in a time when morals held value. The mobile phone commercial and many more ads today degrade old people, and encourage a younger generation to be disrespectful to their elders. A journalist from Slate Magazine, describes how advertisers justify making offense in their ads, by saying there already is an open mockery towards elders, their ads were just critiquing what's been mocked. This is like a child telling the parent that he or she didn't start the hitting, so and so did. Because someone jumps off the cliff, it's okay for others to do the same? No matter who did it first, there are still consequences for following and mimicking a bad trend. Repetitively showing gross images and using provocative words toward old people, is disrespectful and immature. This trend, needs to be reevaluated to show more respect to elders in advertising.

        Assumptions widely excepted about old people need to be reconsidered. So many myths about old people are false stereotypes. One myth is about the innocence and vulnerability that old people possess. Elders may seem sweet or not up to date but they can say or do anything and get away with it. Some famous people capitalized on this publicly. Bill Cosby, Betty White, Bob Hope, and Mickey Rooney all were or are excellent comedians into an old age. They say things so suddenly with all seriousness and then throw in a joke at the end. An example is when Bill Cosby said “A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones that need advice” (Cosby).

         Old people are funny, some times shocking, and often, as Betty White seems to present, old people are the ones making fun of old people the most. Many old people are quick tongued, sweet but vicious. They're not always innocent or vulnerable, but powerful people who can give so much to the world if they're heard.

         Many think that the older population, are the people who are incapable or out of date. Professors of sociology who wrote the book, “The Politics of Aging” said, “Since the elderly are seen as past their prime as productive employees and consumers, they are no longer important enough to dramatic social life to merit major dramatic roles or be used as positive role models in advertisements" (Powell; Williamson, par 12). Many elderly are still able to live on their own and take care of themselves. Their prime may have passed, but that doesn't mean elderly can't be a positive role model in advertising. Take Betty White for instances, she has been acting all her life and according to her biography refuses to retire even though she is almost ninety-two. She is considered a role model to every age group. In many movies and ads Betty White stars in, she practically debunked the myths placed on old people, asking through her humor just as the gladiator did, “Are you not entertained. Is this not why you are here?” to see an old fashioned silly person who can't keep up with the times. Betty White has kept up with the times and is capable of what many didn't think was possible.

         Some people say that all humorous ads that include old people are offensive and disrespectful. “Slate Magazine” backs this up by describing commercials targeting elders, and what's really being said about them in the humorous advertisements: "Oh, stop feeling guilty and just admit it: Old people are funny! Laugh, target demo, laugh at your feeble, doddering elders!" (Walker, par 7). The Boost mobile phone ad is a perfect example of this. Sometimes joking around to get a laugh can be harmful and taken too far. Other ads, however, such as the ones Betty White starred in, show that not all ads with elders are bad or offensive, but can be entertaining and make people laugh at themselves.

          Each viewer interprets what they think is bad or good. In the “Gladiator” movie, people really were entertained by the slaughter of humans and animals, while many today can hardly believe how sick Rome's idea of entertainment was. Someone's idea of funny is another person's idea of vulgar. It takes brave people willing to point out the truth in bad publicity. Bill Cosby sums this it up perfectly: “Anyone should be able to say on stage what they want. But those who have knowledge, do understand that certain things on stage can be abused and misused. And if such topics are used just for laughter, the humor will not stand the test of time.”

        When the next generation of old people come, maybe the mobile phone advertisement will seem a little more realistic, because young life today is so different from the one our grandparents witnessed. Until then, the media needs to reevaluate the status of today's old people, showing respect to their cultures and their values.

                                                                Works Cited

Boost Mobile Phone, “Bangin' Party Yo” You Tube, 24 Dec. 2005, Web 13 Nov. 2013

Walker, Rob “The Return of Hilarious Old People” Slate Magazine, 26 May 2003,

Web 13 Nov. 2013

Cosby Bill, “Quotes,” Good Reads, ND, Web 19 Nov. 2013

Powell; Williamson, “How Does Hollywood Handle Ageism?” N D, Media&Values Web 11 Nov. 2013

White, Betty, “Biography,” Bio. true story, ND, Web, 19 Nov. 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHpS1F2uiuY

 

Tyler MacAuley

Writing 121

Professor Cook

19 November 2013

That Was Dumb

Some advertisements try to be serious, and tug at the heartstrings of the viewer with dreary and downcast imagery, music in a flat and minor key with lyrics so depressing it would make Sarah McLaughlin admonish them for being too heavy-handed, and a narrator that sounds like someone just shot his dog. Others try to go for testosterone and manliness. “Dumb Ways to Die”, an Australian public service announcement done by Metro trains, is neither one of these, and while some people may be skeptical of whether or not a public service announcement counts as an advertisement for the purposes of this exercise, the video does do a good job of catching attention and advertising a product, that product being your continued streak of not being hit by a train.

First, the video itself. It starts off with a nice little guitar riff and some flash animation of a dandelion...quickly followed by a breathy Australian woman singing over little creatures that I have dubbed Happy Death Blobs dying in extremely stupid ways. For instance: “set fire to your hair, poke a stick at a grizzly bear, eat medicine that's out of date, use your private parts as piranha bait”. Catchy lyrics? Check. Cutesy animation? Check. Copious amounts of black humor with some very unfortunate implications about suicide? Check, check, a thousand times check. The video is about three minutes long, and the aforementioned Australian woman continues to narrate as the Blobs die in increasingly hilarious ways; not until the last approximately thirty seconds does the video mention trains at all, and it is honestly rather abrupt. She mentions three ways to die around trains, then all of the suicidal little blob things come out like a casting call singing that these are the dumbest ways to die, and then the video ends with the woman saying “be safe around trains, a message from Metro.”

So why does this video work? First, the good parts, and there are quite a few ways that this video is genius. To start with, the upbeat lyrics are extremely catchy and actually pretty funny, meaning that this video will not leave your head any time soon and that the message will thus stick with you like a ketchup stain on a wedding dress. The black comedy and gory imagery are very effective, and the art style keeps it from being overwhelmingly violent.

A few parts of the video have garnered some criticism, both from myself and other people. The fact that the ad doesn't mention trains at all until the very end can leave some people confused, although that may be purposeful on the creator's part to create a bit of comedy and keep the audience entertained without being too heavy-handed. Secondly, the aforementioned suicidal undertones can cross the line for some people, but this has been speculated to be a deliberate choice on the part of the creator; Roughly seventy-five percent of all railway related deaths in Victoria are suicides, so the ad was meant to address this issue (Monash University, Routley et al). One last criticism that I have, based on this, is that some people may see it as glorifying suicide what with the humor and upbeat music, and also for giving people ideas on creative ways to kill yourself. I honestly had never even considered using my private parts as piranha bait; I don't plan on doing it, but it's a  unique thought at least.

So what are some of the real-life results of this ad? Well first-off, it is officially the most successful viral video coming from Australia, for what that's worth, and won 32 Lion awards at the Cannes advertising festival (Rail Express). I suppose that means good things, because I have never heard of either one of these. Also, Metro Train Station has noticed a twenty one percent reduction in railway accidents as of July of this year, and over 14 million people, including myself, have pledged to be safer around trains. Also, as mentioned before, this song is absolutely ridiculously catchy. There is a very very good reason that Simon Crerar of the Herald Sun compared it to Psy's “Gangnam Style” (Simon Crerar, November 19 2012). So all in all, this ad was quite successful and continues to get people's attention. As of the time of this writing, “Dumb Ways to Die” has almost sixty five million views, and people are continuing to watch the blob things kill themselves in humorous ways and learning about safety along with being entertained.

In conclusion, “Dumb Ways to Die” has taught me that viral advertising just plain works and that people absolutely love a bit of black comedy every now and then. Even though it is a bit disturbing in its blatant depiction of suicide, I know that the creators' hearts are definitely in the right place.  “Dumb Ways to Die” is a fun little public service announcement, and I highly recommend that you check it out. Just remember: be safe around trains!

 

Josi Mabry Advertisement Essay

Josefine Mabry

Nancy Cook

Writing 122

21 November 2013

A Clever Tale With an Intelligent Twist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDGrfhJH1P4

The first shot is of a pot of boiling water over a fire.  A newspaper headline reads: Big Bad Wolf boiled alive.  “Little Pig, Little Pig let us in,” shouts a policeman as a team of law enforcers break down the door. The story progresses from the Three Little Pigs’ arrest, to the discovery that the Big Bad Wolf had asthma, to the Pigs’ conviction of insurance fraud. There is a heavy emphasis on social media and technology throughout the storyline. “Opennnews” is hashtagged many times throughout the advertisement, introducing the Guardian newspaper’s new approach to news, incorporating the public into their process.  The Guardian’s new advertisement did an extraordinary job of creating a clever and interesting advertisement, utilizing cultural references to appeal to a broad audience, and cleverly placing the product and idea throughout the storyline.

The fast-paced ad is typical to television. What isn’t typical is the depth and length of the Three Little Pigs ad. It delves deeply into the issue of whether or not the Pigs are innocent. In doing so it makes its viewers take sides and question their own opinions and ideas. Much as one might do with a real issue in the news today.  The editing is smooth and clever, with relevant statistics and comments popping up on screen all through the ad. The style of the shots gives it a cinematic feel, similar to a movie trailer. Creatives actually studied trailers for different movies, especially those that gave the most plot away like “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (Pathak). It is supposed to be a complete story, albeit a little different. Indeed, the director of the ad Ringan Ledwidge felt that it “inhabited its own parallel universe that was familiar but also allowed the viewer to embrace elements of fantasy” (Pathak).

       The story that the advertisement is based off of is one that many will connect to their own childhoods. In this way it is ingeniously creating even more connections, which is the goal of an advertisement, be it through laughter, sadness, or in this case childhood memories. It is memorable in the way it stirs up memories and takes an interesting if not downright riveting spin on a classic tale.  The modern way in which the classic tale is portrayed is very intentional.  A chief executive in the Guardian Media Group Andrew Miller stated that “the aim is to reach progressive audiences and show them why they should spend time with us” (Burgoyne).  In addition to the classic tale of the Three Little Pigs, it incorporates the issue of Homeowners’ rights against intruders and financial difficulties. The Pigs are convicted of Insurance fraud which they only did in order to keep up with their mortgage payments. In these trying times of financial distress much of the public can sympathize with their financial problems. Also, especially in the US, the issue of protecting private property is always on the table, be it through guns, or in this case a pot of boiling water.

        Usually an ad is clearly focused on a single product or line of products. The Guardian did something different by incorporating many different social media outlets into the two minute video. It included Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter along with the Guardian on multiple different platforms ranging from a printed newspaper to an article on an iPad. This makes it slightly less clear as to what is actually trying to be promoted, also bringing the focus away from the product and more to the story. This might be seen as negative, since the goal of an ad tends to be to sell something, but the way that the Guardian slips in casually makes it seem effortless and more intriguing. Especially since the actual product is not the Guardian itself, but its new “Open Journalism” approach, which incorporates the other platforms seen in the video. “Open Journalism” is an effort on the Guardian’s part to try and incorporate its readers not only in commenting on news, but also in contributing and in some cases even determining the news agenda (Burgoyne).  This is seen in the ad through surveys and statistics of the general public.

     Though some may see the Three Little Pigs ad as merely an entertaining way to sell an idea, it was

cleverly created in order to create connections with a large audience and present its new ideas in an

intriguing way.  As the whole truth about the Pigs is revealed, it is chronicled by the news and the

public. The role of journalism in the modern world has changed since the addition of social media,

and the Guardian is showing with this ad that they are changing and adapting with the times.

Jessica Helligso Advertisment Essay

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            One day when I was at the gas station I was thinking about where oil comes from. I felt as the American consumer I really didn’t know where this black gold, which essentially has its hand in everything I do, came from. I figured that oil comes from foreign countries that were now rich because of the demand for oil. As I dug more into oil and where it comes from I was surprised with how horrible the host countries were treated. As I was researching the treatment of the countries I stumbled upon Chevrons “We Agree” campaign. The “We Agree” campaign is a great campaign and the message in the campaign is a good one. But the campaign is trying to emotionally appeal to the consumer and use common American values to make the consumer believe this is what Chevron does, but these appeals cover up the facts about Chevron and their actions

            In the “We Agree” campaign all the posters are very similar in design and it’s nothing flashy. The posters have neutral grey and red colors with a statement and a picture. The statement is something about how oil companies should treat the countries they harvest oil from or help the United States. Then there is a picture which is usually a close-up of a person. The ads are made to look worn and crinkled. And in the corner there is a small note of how Chevron is working to make these statements come true.  These ads are made to make you feel emotionally attached to them and trustworthy.

            The “We Agree” campaign is using emotional appeals in their ads trying making the audience connect more with the message. In almost every poster there is a picture of an elderly person, woman, or child. These pictures are usually a close up of their face and focuses on the facial expression they are making. The ads really focus on these pictures since half of the entire ad is the picture. In fact “some of the new ads are signed by non-profit groups that work with Chevron, such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Cleantech Open, an organization that promotes companies specializing in renewable energy and green technologies” (Casselman). Almost all these non-profit groups are all groups that are associated with sickness and Chevron is trying to sway the American people’s opinion using their emotions.

            In the campaign not only is Chevron using emotions to sway the audience they are also using common American beliefs in their ad in hopes to gain your trust. The ads all spot light big political issues and “focus on five main themes: Growth and Jobs, Renewable Energy, Technology, Small Business and Community Development” (“Chevron”). These are all hot topics in politics. Since the economic crash in 2008 everyone is looking for the economy to bounce back. Job growth and helping small businesses were huge political issues and Chevron really plays off these issues. They pair the hot political issue with an emotionally appealing picture and then stamp “we agree” on the ad; but where are the facts?

            Maria Ramos, campaign director for the Rainforest Action Network said “Chevron’s rhetoric and the public image that they put forward is very different from how they're actually operating" (qtd in Casselman). The “we agree” campaign came soon after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and a multi-billion lawsuit that claims Chevron is responsible for the oil pollution in Ecuador (“Chevron”). One of the “we agree” ads reads “oil companies should clean up their messes” yet Chevron refuses to back down from a lawsuit claiming years of pollution by the oil company. “Ecuador has long accused the oil company of destroying the local environment while damaging the health of local indigenous peoples and filed suit against Chevron” (Mallén). Recently a court in Ecuador ordered Chevron to pay $18 billion in damages but has since being fighting the decision (Mallén). But don’t forget oil companies “should” clean up their messes.

            The “We Agree” campaign uses very smart advertising techniques during a time that oil companies are not so popular. Through this campaign consumers feel that when they go to fill up their car they are supporting a good cause by choosing a Chevron station. But it is important that as an audience the American people should question the advertisements they see because an ad that has an elderly man and a positive political message on it can hid a lot of the facts.

Works Cited

Casselman, Ben. "Chevron Ad Campaign Answers Critics Head-On." Wall Street Journal. N.p., 18 Oct. 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2013

"Chevron Attempts to Repair Tarnished Image with ‘We Agree’ Ad Campaign." Environmental Leader RSS. N.p., 18 Oct. 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

Mallén, Patricia Rey. "Chevron Vs. Ecuador: $19 Billion Environmental Contamination Case Takes More Bizarre Turns in New York Court." International Business Times. N.p., 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.