相撲 コマーシャル

     This commercial is provocative in a weird way. You wonder to yourself, “Why is there a sumo wrestler perched atop this Subaru? What does that have to do with the product?” The sumo being a traditional part of Japanese culture, he is supposed to represent the idea of the new Subaru model being engineered in Japan. This in itself is downright silly because, come on: how funny and ridiculous is this commercial? A 300+ pound Japanese wrestler striking sexy poses on top of minivans is quite possibly one of the greatest things that you’ll ever witness in your life. Advertisers use this sense of amusement to further rope you in. Picture it this way: a slightly covered-up message combined with enjoyment leads to the need for you to buy the product. Subaru wouldn’t be the first.

     Music is a prominent factor in this commercial as well. In the background, you can hear this jeering, punkish tune that compliments the sumo’s actions. The music is playing throughout the commercial, with the sumo even drumming his fingers to its rhythm at one point, making it very active in portraying the message.

     This commercial uses the appeal to satisfy curiosity. As stated earlier, it’s almost impossible to conceive what a sumo wrestler has to do with a car commercial. In addition, this commercial also uses the advertising technique of patriotism. As stated at the end of of the commercial and as represented by the sumo, this new line of Subaru models is made and engineered in Japan. This creates a sense of pride if you buy this car, then you are directly supporting the Japanese car industry.

     Even though the whole commercial in itself is ironic and sarcastic, the text shown at the end stating “Sexy comes standard” still gets me every time. Whether they’re talking about the car or the sumo, it doesn’t matter: either being called sexy makes the commercial all the more hilarious.

     This commercial doesn’t necessarily appeal to any audience in particular because the sumo is completely non sequitor to everything except maybe traditional Japanese people, but even that’s far out there. Instead, it’s the product, in this case the Forester, which would appeal to parents ages 35 through 45 because they need a car in which to haul kids around in.

     If you combine all of these factors, you collectively get a very successful and memorable commercial because of its appeal to curiosity, its sense of humor, and its representation of Japan and the Japanese industry.

Why Bring a Child Into This World?

     It’s the weirdest thing. Normally, I’m all about the whole “commercials and advertisements are too much of a waste of time” idea. Yet when it comes to the exceedingly long commercials (which are usually between one to four minutes long), I actually tend to enjoy those commercials. Why? Because that, to me, means that the brands and companies behind these commercials put in the extra work to create a thoughtful advertisement or message. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but as for this Unilever commercial, it most definitely is.

     As I was waiting for some music to load on YouTube one day, this commercial began to play. Usually, I just wait the standard five seconds that you’re required to wait for and then skip ahead to the video, but this one caught my eye, so I decided to be patient and watch. When I finished the video, I sat there for a second. I dropped what I had been doing in order to watch the video again.

     You may have been as confused as I was after first watching the video. Here we have these prenatal families being shown this horrific video of monstrosities that happen throughout the world every day. Okay cool. The commercial then moves into why you SHOULD bring a child into this world; stating things like how there’s in ever-increasing production of food, there’s access to clean drinking water, and the like. That’s great too.

     It’s around (2:20) that the commercial seems to divert from its message. The voice that you here speaking goes from talking about how today’s generation has a greater chance of having a healthy heart, only to stray away by stating that they’ll have the same chance of having a broken heart. Although this is very touching, it ultimately distracts from what the commercial is really advocating for. Another distraction comes shortly after, when he mentions that the child we always have a tree in which to hide and cry. Although the point of this statement is to show that this group is advocating for the preservation of trees and other wildlife, once again, this proves to be a distraction.

     The commercial then goes on to encourage you to bring a child into this world because “there’s never been a better time than now.” The commercial ends with a second interview with to-be parents and their reaction to the movement, followed by Unilever’s message that it is launching Project Sunlight.

       Okay, so there’s a LOT to be taken in from this commercial, you’ve got a lot of different things being thrown at you, both emotional and factual. Because of this, what the commercial may be trying to vouch for may be unclear. So I went to projectsunlight.com to get a better look at what Project Sunlight was all about. Turns out, it wasn't that far off from the original commercial:

     So if you do the extra digging, then you can see what the project stands for. And it’s a fantastic movement. The problem is that most people just don’t have the time to take six minutes out of their day to watch a video that could change their life. 

Youtube Ads Part I: Loot the Booty

     In the words of Mr. Maxwell, there’s a lot of crap that we have to sift through everyday: advertisements, mindless Twitter posts, celebrity gossip, et cetera. But it’s those provocative ads and commercials on social media that are perhaps the highest in magnitude and in peskiness. Take this lovely advertisement for the game ‘Pirates: Tides of Fortune,’ for example:

    Your attention is immediately drawn to the erotically dressed woman in the center of the ad. She is portrayed in a loose-fitting and rather exposing shirt as she intently gazes at you, mouth open. Underneath the woman you can see the words “Loot the Booty” in bold lettering. Underneath this, you can see a warning stating, “Once you’re inside, your friends won’t be seeing much of you.” Lastly, you can see ANOTHER warning in the top-right corner saying that this game has been banned in twelve countries.

     The main appeal used in this ad is the appeal to satisfy curiosity. Immediately you wonder to yourself, “Wait, is this an ad for some erotic video game? Why is this game banned in twelve countries? If I play this game, will I be able to loot some booty?” Those are all good questions. Naturally, the easiest and most convenient way to answer these questions is to check the game out for yourself, and Ta-Da! The advertisers have won by getting you to look up the game and become sucked in.

     So if you play this game, will you receive these things which have been advertised to you? Will you get a borderline game centered around sex and the Seven Seas? Maybe yes and maybe no. The only way to find out would be to check out the game itself. And if they can do that, then they’ve successfully done their job as advertisers.

Straight-Up Tequila

     Above are two of my favorite commercials of all time, both of which come from the 1800 Tequila Brand. Let me explain why this commercial gets my attention.

1)     These videos are less than twenty seconds long. Unless it can really keep you entertained for a sustained period of time, then people hate long commercials.

2)    These videos are short and to the point. The clear messages being broadcasted are “Hey! This is good tequila. You should drink it.” Done. End of story. We like videos that we are able to understand and appreciate.

3)    These commercials are entertaining. It is possible to have a commercial that entertains you as well as informs you. The combination of Michael Imperioli’s dry and sophisticated personality with his interaction with the tequila bottles helps create a sense of humor.

4)    The tequila isn’t as much of a sidenote as products as products in other commercials. Even though your focus is drawn to Imperioli, the 1800 Tequila and “the other brand” are both highlighted and are clearly present in the commercials, making the meanings very clear.

     

     I could keep going on about all the high points of the commercials, but you get the idea.

     Let’s dissect these commercials a little more. For both commercials, there are a couple of tools that the advertisers use to lure buyers in. One tool that they use is the appeal to prominence. Imperioli is dressed in a tuxedo, making him look official. This makes buyers think that they could be equally sophisticated.

     This commercial also appeals to simplicity. As I stated earlier, these commercials are extremely simple in composition; they are straight to the point, and the product is clearly highlighted. Because we tend to like commercials that we are able to follow and that are easy to understand, this commercial comes off to us as a good one.

     The only part of these commercials that may come off as confusing is the end, where you hear and see the words, “Change the game.” However, we are quickly able to make the connection because we can infer that the phrase is referring to being heightened above the competition as well as branching out from the typical style of advertising.

     Above all, I believe that this is a great commercial. As a consumer, I, along with many others, was easily roped into buying this product.

#Hashtags

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     Let’s talk about hashtags.

     But before we do that, watch the video above of Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake to get a taste of how contagious and overused the hashtag has become.

     Before I get into the nitty-gritty of what hashtags are and what their influence on us is, let’s define “hashtag.” According to the Oxford English Dictionary (the darn term has been so overused that it was actually added), a “hashtag” is:

On social media sites such as Twitter, a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) and used to identify messages on a specific topic.

Okay, that’s fine. If someone’s commenting on Twitter about how great last night’s Grammy Awards show was, then they can leave #GrammyAwards2013 at the bottom of their post, and suddenly, anyone who also has comments on the show can comment in this connected link. Eventually, a conversation pertaining exclusively to this topic is open to the rest of the web-wide community to use as well.

     In a lot of ways, this actually sounds like a pretty great deal. People get to connect and chat over topics they like, helping them to establish electronic relationships with people with similar interests. This uses the appeal of affiliation; for one to fit in with everyone else, or to feel part of something. So, in theory, this system could have worked really well.

     But that’s not what happened. Social media users have started using hashtags less like a means of connecting with one another and more like an emoticon (i.e. J or <3). What was once #GrammyAwards2013 has now become – and this is the worst of all, so bad that it makes myself and many others gag with disgust –#YOLOSwag2013. This hashtag has no meaning whatsoever; in fact, for many, it’s hashtags like these that are starting to drive people bonkers.

     The way things are going, even though it may be heavily exaggerated, the video shown earlier may become a reasonable possibility if people keep using it all willy-nilly like. #Let’sFixHashtag’sReputation

It's Not For Women

         There are very few commercials that I've seen in my lifetime that I thought were just flat-out offensive, obnoxious, and, above all, just plain stupid. But every once in a while, some advertisement finds a way to get under my skin and bug the heck out of me. This, my friends, is one of those commercials.

     Let’s start off with the obvious: by stating that your product isn’t for women, you’re already eliminating half of your possible consuming audience. To the folks over at Coca-Cola: I get it guys. Narrow-casting is an effective method of advertising. But I think we’re going to have to call the Ad Police on this one. There’s a line between narrow-casting and straight-up insulting or favoring a certain group of people, and you crossed.

     Further more, not only is this comment a punchline to a joke that wasn’t funny, but it’s also a reinforced theme throughout the entire advertisement. One of the first things that the man says is “Hey ladies. Enjoying the film? Of course not.” By saying that, the man depicted looks like a total jerk, and because of that and further reinforcement of the sexist theme, the audience loses interest and becomes displeased.

     Finally, I see no connection whatsoever between how a soda with only ten calories is supposed to represent masculinity. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never taken a drink of Dr. Pepper and thought to myself, “Bro, you are a stud,” nor have I thought about a series of car crashes, explosions, and butt-kicking.

     So what’s the point of making a commercial that isn’t even relevant? Or effective, for that matter? Are they going to have to make a sequel to show that there’s a ten-calorie soda that’s only for women? I certainly hope not. Because frankly this commercial isn’t for anyone.

Come As You Are

 

     Last week, I did a blog about a woman who became a product of media. This week, I'm writing a blog about a man who was determined to make sure that he would never become a product. His name, friends, was Kurt Cobain.

     Most of you probably know about – or have at least heard of – Kurt Cobain, but in case you don’t, let me get you up to speed. Cobain was the guitarist, singer, and lyricist for chart-topping grunge and punk band Nirvana. Many of the bands messages included themes of toleration and individuality. With hit songs such as “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Heart-Shaped Box,” Nirvana was hugely successful. However, it was ultimately this success that proved too much for Cobain. On April 8, 1994, he was found dead in his Seattle home due to a self-inflicted gun shot to the head.

     Why would he kill himself amidst the mass fame and recognition that he had gained over the years? In Kurt’s eyes, it was because the world, even though the messages of individuality and acceptance we loudly preached through his music, had forgotten and left behind the true meaning of those messages. Take the classic “Come as You Are,” for instance. This is a little snippet from the beginning of the song, clearly detailing its message:

“Come as you are, as you were,
As I want you to be…”

The song preaches acceptance and staying true to who you are, but for many people, this message is shrugged off and it just becomes another part of the song. This was the last thing that Cobain wanted because it destroyed everything that he stood for.

     Allow me to further elaborate. Above all things, these reactions destroyed Cobain’s value of the self and the true meaning of things. With “Smells Like Teen Spirit” sending Cobain straight into the limelight, he couldn’t help feel that people were focused more on him than his music. And as long as he and his music were viewed like that, then in his eyes, there was no point in going on living a worthless life.

     So how does this all relate back to media? As I stated earlier, Cobain’s story is about him trying and failing to overcome the effects and influence of media. It was because of everyone’s mass attention towards what he considered fake (seeing the big picture) instead of what he really stood for (specific message) that drove him to kill himself.

     So far, in my blogs, I have described two incredibly wonderful, influential people having their lives destroyed by the influences and effects of media. How many more will we lose because of our lack of ability to see what’s real?

Unfortunately, I was unable to find a video to put on the page, but this is a link to one featuring some pictures of Kurt Cobain and some of his most inspirational quotes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrgAb3nEnns

Goodbye Norma Jean...

      This is not a normal media log. This is not a blog for commercials, advertisements, or media. Instead, this is a blog about the most well-known product of the media: Miss Norma Jean Mortenson, or as we know her, Marilyn Monroe.

          Hollywood has a way of turning a masterpiece into a pile of rubbish; everything becomes filler, and the real thing is left behind. This, unfortunately, was the very thing that happened to Monroe. It’s very difficult to look at the beautiful pictures of Norma Jean and then compare them with the heavily-made-up sex icon that the world grew to know so well. Compare the two pictures below. The first is before she reached stardom, and the second is during the apex of her limelight:

    

     Before I say anything and you die-hard Marilyn-is-the-sexiest-woman-in-the-world people go out of your mind (believe me, I agree), let me just say that younger or older, she’s still drop-dead gorgeous. But here’s the deal: That picture on the left is the pure stuff. That’s the soul of Norma Jean right there. And to me, that person is far more beautiful than the stranger next to her.

     See, here’s how it works. Take the media for example. Your average TV commercial: it’s all filler. The original message, as time goes on, is blown to kingdom come, while all that useless filler seeps through and poisons your mind. The longer we let it go on, the more we forget about what we’re actually looking at.

      If you really think about it, this is exactly what happened to Norma Jean; she went from an amazing, promising young individual to a product of all the Jesus Christs down in Hollywood. Somewhere deep beneath the make-up, there is innocence. Somewhere beneath those ridiculous furs, there is compassion. Somewhere beneath a life of suffering, innuendo, and melancholy is a heart and soul. Somewhere there is a beautiful young woman, someone who is the master of her fate.

     So let me ask you: Do we let ourselves sell our souls to expectations and cover ourselves so that no one can see who we really are? Or do we show our true selves, no matter how weird or unorthodox, and remain true to who we are?

Well, let's hope we have the sense to see past the lies and be content with who we are. 

As for Norma Jean and I... Well, I think we'll be okay. 

[Please feel free to enjoy the following three videos. Hopefully they touch you as much as they touched me.]

R.I.P.  Our Marilyn Monroe. Her Candle Burned  Out Long Before Her Legend Ever Will.

What a Perfect Day

          There's nothing like a good video game commercial. For the first time in all of the years that I've known this company, Sony's newest Playstation 4 commercial hit the nail right on the head. Even you Nintendo and Xbox fans have to admit: this is just sweet. But before I get into why this commercial is so fantastic, I suppose it’s necessary to point out the technical stuff.

     One thing that many will find appealing about this commercial is the actual images that are depicted in the video. It’s clearly shown by the flesh cutting, car crashing, and extensive explosions that the PS4’s target audience ranges from your average testosterone-and-adrenaline-filled fifteen-year-old boy to hardcore video game junkees across the world. (And for all the women out there who are into a good explosion, this one’s for you too.)

     Another aspect of this commercial that some people may find appealing is the use of music. The song used is one of the late Lou Reed’s finest songs, from his 1972 album Transformer, titled “Perfect Day.” The entire length of the video, you have the characters of each game singing the the lyrics:

“Oh, it's such a perfect day

I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on.”

     

Every time that I watch this commercial, I begin to reminisce over the beauty of Lou Reed’s music and I tip my hat to the creators of this commercial and to the people at Playstation for paying proper tribute to The Reed. To my knowledge, they’re the only major company that’s done so, and that’s what really gets me.

     Now, it must be said that there is a use of vagueness of language towards the end of the commercial. Before showing the PS4 logo, we see the words, “Greatness Awaits” in bold lettering. We may not know exactly what Playstation’s definition of “greatness” is, but for a lot of people, if it means what’s being depicted in the video, then you’re going to have millions of people lined up to get this game. So in this case, this use of vagueness actually has a positive outcome.

      Having said all of that, I would like to personally disclose that this is perhaps –if not my very favorite – one of my favorite commercials that I’ve ever seen. The games shown in the commercial: Gran Turismo, Elder Scrolls, Killzone – I’m a big fan, especially of the first two. That, combined with the fantastic images, makes this a commercial that would catch my eye. But, the main reason that I would get off my couch and burn a hole in my wallet to buy this product is because of the commercial’s incorporation of “Perfect Day.” I loved The Reed and I loved the song, and the fact that Playstation used his song to bring together this commercial was, well, perfect. In fact, this commercial was so perfect – and mark this on your calendars, folks – that I would buy the PS4 just because of it.

R.I.P. The Late Lou Reed (1942-2013). May He Continue To Walk On The Wild Side.

Obama = Hope

This is a well known propaganda poster from President Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. In short, the poster shows the president staring thoughtfully away from the audience. He is wrapped in shades of red, white, and blue, and finally, at the bottom of the poster, the word "hope" is shown in bold and capitalized lettering.      The president’s expression helps create a mood of thoughtfulness because of the fact that he is staring off into the distance instead of looking directly into the audience. This helps show helps show that he is wistful or perhaps yearning for something.      The colors used in the poster help portray the feeling of patriotism because they are are red, white, and blue. Americans keep these colors sacred because of their symbolism in things like the American flag.       The word ‘hope’ usually carries a positive connotation because it is commonly used to describe wishing and longing. However, just saying ‘hope’ at the bottom of the poster is incredibly vague, which means that the exact meaning of the word is a little unclear. The word is most likely being used to describe how Barack Obama could be a new hope to a devastated America.      In 2008, these feelings of thoughtfulness, and patriotism, and hope would have been strongly praised, for after the two terms that President George W. Bush served – and thank God they’re over – America was at an extremely low point. We needed someone to step up to the plate and clean up the mess that their predecessor had made; someone who was willing to be bold and enforce new policies to get America back on track. Back then, many people would have seen this poster, with its use of expression, color, and wording, and said, “Yes. That’s the man I’m going to vote for.”