PR Campaign: Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise has received negative publicity from his views on scientology and from his outburst of love for Katie Holmes in his infamous interview with Oprah. Ways in which his PR agent can reverse these negative views of him are to bring other scientologists into the picture. John Travolta and Kelly Preston, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are also scientologists, but no one thinks they are crazy. So, for Tom Cruise to look sane again his PR agent should set up another interview with Oprah. This one, having pre-drafted questions and answers to avoid making any mistakes or looking ridiculous on television.

Favorite Superbowl 2008 Ads

Superbowl commercials are always the most entertaining ads out there. No matter what brand they are advertising, they are usually extremely funny. As in the case of the 2008 Superbowl, my favorite commercials would have to be the Bridgestone Tire commercials and the Bud Light beer commercials. In a Bridgestone commercial a squirrel starts screaming at the top of his lungs because he is about to get hit by a car, followed by practically every other animal in the entire forest screaming, and the wife in the passenger seat screaming as well, until her husband spins around the squirrel and nothing is harmed. The commercial reads Bridgestone Tires or nothing. This ad just mocks the idea of a car crash and plays up its humor level as it illustrates how easily avoidable crashes can be with Bridgestone. The Bud Light beer commercials are also a favorite of mine, as they show the ability of a person to have supernatural abilities directly after drinking Bud Light. In one commercial a guy is given the ability to fly, until all of the sudden he is sucked into the turbo engine of an airplane, where Bud Light claims: ability to fly no longer available. This is great because you’re definitely not expecting this outcome. But nonetheless, Bud Light’s refreshing taste remains.

Message Appeal: 2 Ads that work, 2 that don't

Commercials that I tend to be most animated for are ones that are funny. I think every person likes a commercial that is humorous. Although, it is difficult to appeal to the humor levels of mass numbers of people, some commercials have been able to reach many Americans at their humor levels simply because they play off of people’s commonly made mistakes or misfortunes. For instances, AT&T commercials about the necessity to have AT&T’s network “more bars in more places” demonstrates many people’s bad luck simply from not being able to communicate. I think it can be amusing to see hypothetically how many ways a vacation can go wrong or to see how events can arise that you never planned for. Some of these include AT&T’s "Hong Kong Mistranslation", unsuitable "Hotels in France", "Naked Beaches in Spain," and the "Techno Twins in Brussels." Since people clearly do not want these mistakes to arise when they are away from home, customers would be more motivated to joining the AT&T network.
FreeCreditReport.com also plays on the idea of misfortune that people aren’t prepared for. The commercials are great because they enhance MOA (motivating, opportunity, and ability) while providing an entertaining commercial. They enhance consumer motivation and opportunity by creating novel stimuli—catchy, easy to remember songs which constantly repeat the brand information. They also enhance ability to relate by providing realistic contexts for everyday life about bad credit scores and potential credit card theft.
Advertisements that I am not a fan of include the 2008 Super bowl commercial for SoBe Life Water and the Axe Dark Temptation: Chocolate Man. The SoBe Life Water ad featured Naomi Campbell and a bunch of lizards dancing to Thriller. The commercial did not represent any of the 4 types of message appeals—humor, fear, guilt, or sex appeal. The commercial did not show why SoBe Life water was good to drink, nor did it seem rather to relate to anything. It was entertaining to see the lizards dancing to Thriller, but its use of Naomi Campbell did not enhance consumer motivation because she did not make people want to drink the water. She appeared to be off-beat while dancing and not a convincing Life Water drinker. Then, at the end of the commercial, a lizard crawls into the Vitamin water! I, for sure, do not want to image a lizard in my drinking bottle. The ad did not work.
As for the Axe Dark Temptation Chocolate Man commercial I have to say that I was intrigued. It was a very interesting concept to appeal to men while playing off of the cravings of women. However, the commercial seemed to portray male dominance and give the impression that women would do anything for chocolate, which is obviously not the case. As a chocolate lover, I was kind of appalled to see women licking the guy’s ears off in the movie theatre and stopping their gym work-out to watch him walk down the street. I suppose from a guy’s perspective that is what he would want in a cologne.

A Creative Brief for Sarah Jessica Parker's New Fragrance, Covet

Client Information: Sarah Jessica Parker’s new fragrance Covet

Project: To create a commercial advertising Sarah Jessica Parker’s new fragrance Covet.

Prepared by: Brand Management Team/Client

Approved by: Advertising agency

Background/Overview: We, the client, come to the advertising agency to promote SJP’s new fragrance, Covet. We want to establish it as a brand separate from her previous perfume, Lovely, and give it an identity of its own. Covet’s competitive environment most likely includes other celebrity endorsed perfumes, such as Lancome’s Magnifique with Anne Hathaway, or Estee Lauder’s Pleasures with Gwyneth Paltrow, which are both targeted to sophisticated women. We believe Covet’s success will emerge from SJP’s withstanding popularity from her Sex and the City character, Carrie Bradshaw, who is highly fashion forward and audacious, and the fact that in general, SJP has a vibrant and exciting personality, carrying that through to her perfume.

The objective/ purpose of the ad: To create a perfume that women “have to have.” A perfume that exudes boldness, daringness, and wonder. The purpose of the commercial is to feed the curiosity of its consumers; it needs to make women want to smell the perfume and to buy the perfume.

Target Audience: The perfume has a muskier under layer than SJP’s pervious and ultra-feminine perfume Lovely, so this fragrance is intended to be genderless. Though as it is presented by SJP it may certainly gravitate to upscale, and outgoing women, like Carrie Bradshaw.

Single Most Important Thing to Say: “I had to have it.” This conveys to the audience that the perfume is a must-have, and the wearer will do anything to get it.

Supporting Rational and Emotional Reasons to Act: The rational reasons to buy the perfume stem from it not being like any other perfume on the market. It is not like other perfumes that are released once a year or more by celebrities. It is a perfume that has been well-thought over, and its scent has been carefully chosen. SJP has waited 2 years after Lovely to release Covet, identifying it as a brand that comes to the market with new qualities, and is not simply a shadow of Lovely. The emotional reasons to buy the brand are simple. This fragrance encourages women to act differently than their usual selves, be extroverted, daring, and “more aggressive.”

Mandatory Elements, Helpful Information & Insights: Covet’s fragrance includes wet greens, geranium leaves, Sicilian lemon, lavender, chocolate, honeysuckle, magnolia, muguet, must, vetiver, bois de cashmere, teakwood and amber. It is said to have a darker, and earthier scent than Lovely, but its chocolate and vanilla contents mixed with lavender keep it light and sweet (“Now Smell This”)*.

Schedule: The Covet perfume is to be launched by July 2007, which means that the Creative Team needs to begin forming a commercial that communicates SJP’s ideas and beliefs of the new fragrance.

*http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/7/23/3111059.html

A Unique Billboard Advertisement

While vacationing in the Dominican Republic a couple of summers ago, I came across a billboard I have not yet seen in the U.S. I am sure the U.S has some out-there billboards, but this one in itself is extremely unique and eye-catching. The Dominican Republic’s national beer, Presidente, advertises its product via a huge, free-standing refrigerator located high above the ground. Centered usually in the middle of a traffic light, or just on the outside of it, it opens its doors every 15 minutes to display rows and rows of giant bottles of Presidente beer. It is really unusual to see such an enormous advertisement so up close, especially one that is so familiar that you use every day in your own home. Presidente does a great job of advertising this beer because a person cannot drive by this ad without looking at it, or to a greater degree, turning their head around in the car to see it again. Many locals are still impressed with this enormous refrigerator even though they see it every day. With such a great advertisement, it is no surprise that Presidente is the Dominican Republic’s #1 selling beer.

Flat Earth Chips Positioning

According to Flat Earth chips’ commercial, they appear to be targeting middle-aged women who want a good serving of daily nutrition, yet still desire tasty foods like chips. But upon visiting their website, I was certain the product was targeted to very young children because of the game offered on their website. The game I played was to get all of Flat Earth’s fruits in a separate basket to form Flat Earth flavored chips, and it reminded me of the game children play to get all the squares into the square hole, circles into the circle hole, etc. The positioning of their product from their website and their commercials clearly did not match: what woman would sit at a computer and drop virtual fruits into a basket? They would not, but perhaps her children would. To change this mix-up, I would incorporate children to the commercial, promoting that the chips are healthy for children too. That way, both the mother and the child can enjoy the same good-tasting food item. It’s a chip for the whole household! And by adding children, the children can enjoy the fun online game and the mothers can potentially teach their kids about fruits and healthy servings. If the brand were to position itself entirely to college-age students, like myself, they could promote their chips as the healthy alternative to the abundance of unhealthy chips out there that so many of us consume. Girls especially are worried that they will gain their “freshman 15” (pounds) upon entering college. So with these chip girls can eat and only fill their bodies with a good nutritional serving of fruits and vegetables! “Freshman 15? Not with Flat Earth Chips!” They can also advertise their product as an on-the-go chip for those college students who are in a rush and need a healthy snack.

Ethics In Advertising

It would make sense that companies need to specifically advertise to their target market for maximum sells, because advertising to the entire public would be unnecessary and a waste of money. But one has to ask whether companies go too far in reaching out to their target customer. Are the effects of their advertisements damaging over a long period of time? In many cases, the answer is yes.
Consider McDonalds marketing to young children. What might seem as harmless on the surface could actually be long-term destructive. Babies with a picture of French fries over their heads and a McDonalds’ bib look cute, but is McDonalds pulling children into their arches before they can even speak? Young children’s minds aren’t developed enough to notice when they are being lured into the marketing industry to potentially grow up and be a loyal and lifetime customer. The effects of McDonalds’ enticing ads of Ronald McDonald, fun and exciting PlayPlaces, and tasty fast foods, can eventually be harmful if kids are allowed to eat at the restaurant several days a week. Poor nutrition will certainly become a part of their lifestyles. In an in-class decision on the subject, one student said that her cousins now do not even want to eat home-made foods; instead, they beg for fast food like McDonalds. She cannot get them to eat anything but fries and chicken nuggets or hamburgers because they have already attached themselves to fast foods. Obesity is a growing rate in this country and it can be surmised that McDonalds targeting to young children is, over-time, poorly affecting children’s lifestyles and their health decisions.
The advertising industry certainly does not stop with McDonalds. Now, the game of LIFE has recently changed its paper money to visa credit cards, stating that now the game is more “realistic.” Most likely the Visa Company is teaming up with Hasbro, the company of LIFE, to build children’s interest in credit cards so that when they are old enough to get one, Visa will be the first on their mind. As if credit card debt is not big enough in the country already, children are taught to just swipe their card, without learning how to count money, the interest rate on their credit cards, or the damaging effects of not paying-off their bill on time.
The Ethics of Advertising have diminished so greatly that companies do not even care that there are negative aspects to their marketing. All they care about is money and pulling in their consumers as young as possible. Sadly, if parents do not step in to warn their children of these side-effects, they might only encounter it when it is too late. When they do have credit card debt or they are obese; yet still, have a lifestyle attachment to continue serving these companies as loyal consumers.

Brand Identity: Ann Taylor Loft

Ann Taylor Loft is a store designed to meet the comfort level and expectations of any woman in need of wardrobe basics and fashion forward pieces. It is a store that stands for strong customer service, with associates ready to dress their clientele from head to toe for any occasion. Whether it is a BBQ, a social gathering, or a PTA meeting, Ann Taylor Loft comes prepared. Its brand value proposition is that women who have little time on their hands, from a working woman to a housewife with four children, can walk into the store and be completely supplied with an entire outfit it a moment’s notice. It is a one-stop shop. No hassle running back and forth to clothing departments searching for the right garment, Ann Taylor Loft prides itself on having every necessity. Its latest slogan, “Fall in love with Loft” speaks to the customer because each individual knows that they can trust and rely on the brand, much like they would a relationship. According to Aaker’s brand identity model, Ann Taylor Loft is at the very top: Top of Mind brand awareness. Ann Taylor Loft’s target market is women approximately aged 25-45, so by that age women have built up an identity and promise within the brand. With such a loyalty to the brand and positive past experiences, customers automatically go into the store without even considering other brands. Having asked several customers what they think of when they hear the brand, they say: “reliability, classic pieces, sophistication, and great quality clothing.” Ann Taylor Loft has exceeded in creating a memorable and positive brand identity that will last and be depended upon for years to come.

Review of Ad Agencies

The top 10 Ad Agencies in the U.S. are (1) J. Walter Thompson, (2) Leo Burnett Worldwide, (3) McCann Erickson Worldwide, (4) BBDO Worldwide, (5) Grey Worldwide, (6) DDB Worldwide, (7) Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, (8) Foote, Cone & Bedling Worldwide, (9) Y&R Advertising, and (10) Publicis Worldwide. From the list above, I have chosen to review and comment on an advertisement from the agencies of Leo Burnett Worldwide, BBDO Worldwide, and Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide. Leo Burnett Worldwide's ad for Nintendo Wii, "Wii would like to play" features two Japanese men showing up at various houses offering to play Wii. I believe the ad engages its audience and target market by illustrating how much fun the game can be to an entire family. From young ages to adults, anyone can play a fun sport in the convienance of their own home. It brings a whole knew meaning to family time. BBDO Worldwide partners with Wirz Werbung AG, Switzerland to create the ad, "Small country, Big ideas." The ad shows small versions of the country with giant people walking about. They are studying, creating, and thinking big. I believe this ad especially reaches the college student on a personal level because it epitomizes the idea that no matter where you are your ideas are important and can change the future. Lastly, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide's ad promoted Dove's campaign for "True Beauty." Illustrating how before an ad reaches the market, the feautred model undergoes an intinsive make-up and hair styling process, then is later extensively touched up by photoshop, all to create the "ideal" beauty--something that clearly does not exist. I think this is a very powerful ad because it speaks to the average woman. The ad's target market is every woman who feels discouraged by the perfectionized woman in so many of today's ads. The advertisement promoted a good reality check for society.

Lines in Apparel & the Environment

Photoshop Assignment

This image illustrates how lines function as an element of design. Whether lines are in architecture, objects, the environment, or apparel, they are ubiquitous and help us determine the shape our eyes perceive. Lines can be either actual that exist through the connection of surfaces, or implied, which are detected through visual deception, such as a row of buttons or the polka-dotted chair in the photo. These apparel and non-apparel images correspond through their uses of lines. The vertical black and white stripes of a girl's pant legs and purse echo the long stripes in the mowed grass, as the horizontal striped dress of the girl in the back far left resembles the Mondrian painting behind her. The polka-dotted chair she is about to sit in corresponds to the implied line of Hayden Panettiere's one-shoulder dress. The Eiffel tower and bridge in the background have lines joining to support their structures as the girl with the red socks has them simply connecting for visual effects. Lines serve several functions, like directing traffic down a highway or illustrating expressive qualities. By being vertical, horizontal, diagonal or abstract, lines can represent stability and calmness or intense activity. Lines are defined as the visual depiction of movement and energy across a surface. So perhaps the next time you see a line or purchase a garment with stripes you'll consider what type of mood and energy is being revealed.

Image Sources:
1. Mondrian Background (www.answers.com/topic/piet-mondrian)
2. Coleman Bridge (www.roadstothefuture.com/Coleman_Bridge.html)
3. Eiffel Tower (http://middlezonemusings.com/ah-paris-in-the-spring/)
4. tree (www.mikejs.com/photos/2001_for.html)
5. grass (www.rd.com/familyhandyman/content/17479/)
6. highway (http://www.macgamesandmore.com/macnews072505.php)
7. Mondrian inspired car (http:/sunshinecitylassie.blogspot.com/2008/02/mondrian-car.html)

8. Chinese boxes (http:/www.nashvillewraps.com/ShowSku.ww?Class=012&Type=708)
9. Polkadot chair (http:/blackwhitebliss.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html)
10. woman in striped dress behind car (http:/blackwhitebliss.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html)
11. man in plaid pants (http:/www.bandofoutsiders.com/2006_07_01_lot49_archive.html)
12. Heidi Klum in checkered pants (http:/www.trendyswank.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=9)
13. man in seersucker suit (http:/pulpfiction1130.blogspot.com/2007_05_13_archive.html)
14. woman in black & white horizontal striped dress (pressherald.mainetoday.com/.../013314.html)
15. Jessica Simpson shoes (http://www.fashioniq.com/wordpress/category/shoes/shoe-of-the-day/page/2/)
16. woman in red and black vertical striped dress (www.catwalkqueen.tv/2007/11/a_preview_of_th.html)
17. black and white bag (www.momist.com/blog/2006_03_01_archive.html)
18. woman in black and white pants (www.catwalkqueen.tv/2006/03/top_stripes.html)
19. Hayden Panettiere in one-shoulder dress (http://www.hotmamadaily.com/my-fashion-psychic-powers/)
20. zebra-striped piano (http://blog.pcnews.ro/2007/10/07/pianos-gone-wild-baldwin-exotic-collection/)