Update, Tweet, Blog, Repeat

            Blogging right now I realize that this wouldn’t have been as easily possible a mere 10 years ago. Thanks to this blog site and other sites like Tumblr, anyone with Internet access can blog their thoughts away to the public. Since the moment I was given an iPhone and Mac Book Pro when I graduated high school and my junior year when I was able to finally get a Facebook, technology and social networking have transformed my life. On my iPhone I currently have 58 apps with the majority being social networking apps. Being able to check the weather instantly, set reminders, snap crystal clear pictures, and check my Twitter feed with a single tap on the screen, I literally have access to the world at the tip of my fingers. Despite how rapidly the social media networks are being updated daily, I have no doubt that it will only continue to grow.

Below is short video clip displaying the statistics on social media and technology:

            It’s difficult to believe how much social media has grown in just the past 10 years alone. Realizing the power of social media, businesses are using it to their extreme advantage by creating their own company Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and Instagram profiles. Even celebrities are promoting themselves by posting increments of their life onto Twitter and Instagram. Due to our current hunger for constant updates and fast-paced technology, social media is at the heart of our daily lives. I can’t say how many times my friends and I are casually hanging out with little than five minutes passing before someone takes out their phone to check out the latest post. Since we do crave the latest and greatest though, companies have to constantly update and create imaginative ways to be noticed in such a fast-paced environment. Then, if companies are lucky and creative enough, the consumers will do the rest of the advertising by reposting, reblogging, tagging, and tweeting about every aspect of the product or company. Technology has continued to amaze me with new apps and lightning speed access, so I’m sure it will have no problem embedding itself into the lives of many to come in the future. 

Can You Keep Up with the Traveling Toblerone?

            How can we get a well-off newly wed couple to thirst for the Toblerone Chocolate? They already have a lavish home, the most expensive technology, and travel the world as they please, so what is going to make them reach for that Toblerone pyramid? My group and I decided to use this traveling sensation to promote our idea of the Traveling Toblerone!

            Promoting through social media, we decided to use Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Facebook would basically be our main website that would connect to Twitter and YouTube through links on the home page. Customers of the Toblerone product have the chance to win a year’s supply of Toblerone chocolate and a ski trip to Switzerland if they submit a photo of them eating the Toblerone chocolate in a unique classy setting. An example would be eating the Toblerone chocolate while sitting atop the Cheesecake Factory in San Francisco with a cup of wine in hand. Winner would be determined based on the number of Facebook likes a picture accumulates on the Toblerone wall. By using their imagination to eat this special chocolate in exquisite settings, we thought the couples would get fairly competitive to outdo one another to win this wonderful prize.

            Once on the Facebook page, the consumers can venture to our Twitter page where they can view the Facebook pictures and tweet about where they are eating their chocolate. In order to submit their picture for the Facebook competition they must submit at least one tweet advertising their Toblerone location. Tweeters must also use the hashtag #travelingtoblerone in their tweet. Twitter would not only be another way for the consumers to brag about the amazing place they are eating their Toblerone, but will also further advertise the many places our traveling Toblerone has been.

Below is an example of using a hashtag reference to promote (but in this case Maggiano’s Restaurant is using Instagram):

            Lastly, for our YouTube channel we will have it open for consumers to submit videos of them traveling with their Toblerone all over the Bay Area. An example would be a family traveling with their Toblerone and happily sharing it amongst each other along the road. Each video could only be a maximum of 30 seconds. The videos would be a live feed that would provide fun entertainment for all. At the end of the month we will announce a winner who has the most creative and exciting video that proudly advertises our Toblerone. Winner would receive the chance to create their customized Toblerone chocolate with our chocolate connoisseurs!

            With the combination of these three widely used social media networks, Toblerone will be traveling not only through the many channels of the Internet but also through the lives of the consumers.

            

Yes Commercial, Please Interrupt My Program

           Berries and creme, berries and creme! When I first saw this commercial I wasn't in the most welcoming mood since it had interrupted my favorite tv show, but due to its comedic approach and quirky idea, I enjoyed it. Catchy jingles, unique hooks, and interesting ideas all make up the creative world of advertising. Yet when a new commercial pops up on my screen I immediately hope that

1. It won’t take up too much time 2. It might be something worth watching and 3. That it won’t get annoyingly stuck in my head for the rest of the day. The worst commercial is the kind that is in the category of interruptive advertising, which means that it fully interrupts the program you are watching. More times than I can count I have encountered moments where I am fully captivated by the tv and am on the edge of my seat to figure out the results when out of nowhere the program is cut and a loud and boring commercial claims the screen. Advertisers have a tough job because they have to catch the attention of the audience in a way that is unique, yet they can’t go overboard or the audience will become disinterested and annoyed.

An example of a commercial that personally annoys me because of the lengthy corny tune is shown below:

            Unfortunately, I have viewed this commercial more times than I can count because it never fails to interrupt when I’m watching MTV. If the commercial was shorter, had a better tune, and overall was more creative in its approach then I would be much more tempted to not change the channel. Also, based solely on the commercial, I have no interest whatsoever in the product. Instead of drawing me into the product I am automatically turned away without giving the product a chance, all due to the annoying tune. Commercials only last a short duration, so it's the advertisers job to make each second count. 

            On the other hand, there are commercials that have captured my attention in a positive light (such as the Starbursts one at the top). With the use of the imagination to link the product with a humorous approach, the following advertisements below is entertaining, not annoying. There is no need for a repetitive and sloppy tune because this commercial alone is memorable with a unique idea. Instead of instinctively changing the channel when there’s a commercial break, I surprisingly looked forward to this commercials because they found a way to sell their product in an ingenious and intriguing manner. 

Bugs Everywhere, Fear the Vacuum!

            When you’re about to fall asleep at night, the last thing you want to worry about is if there is a spider crawling around on your ceiling or on the wall above your head. I used to cringe whenever I’d have to kill a spider by smacking it with a shoe (and sometimes missing), or having my dad come kill it. Luckily, the spider vacuum emerged and my family has been using this handy device ever since we’ve sucked our first spider with it! Having personally used this device, my group and I were able to make a relatable radio broadcast and commercial advertising the spider vacuum to an audience of busy mothers.

            For our commercial we decided to make a storyboard detailing the exciting events occurring at a dinner party. Starts off with a woman walking around and socializing with friends in her living room. She then announces for everyone to head into the kitchen to view her fabulous cake that she had spent hours upon hours decorating and baking. As she swings open the door to her kitchen (with everyone anxiously trailing behind her), she is shocked with terror by a humongous spider dangling above her iced cake. Screams erupt throughout the house as women prod and poke this interesting looking spider (it’s really a squatty strange looking man dressed in a spider costume). After a moment of hesitation, everyone scrambles to spray this menacing creature with bug spray. Yet the spider remains hunched above the glorious cake, creepily smiling, and unaffected by the various insect sprays. Suddenly a light bulb goes off in Tiffany’s head, ‘I can use my new and improved bug vacuum to suck this menace!’ Returning swiftly from the closet, Tiffany emerges with her handy bug vacuum and victoriously suctions up the spider! Party streamers explode everywhere with cheers, all thanks to the bug vacuum!

Below is the storyboard for this one of a kind commercial:

            As for our radio broadcast, we decided to use a slightly different approach to advertise our bug vacuum since we could only use audio to catch the audience’s attention. Below is the script we constructed for the radio broadcast of Mitch and Tiffany throwing a party celebrating their brand new house!

(SFX) (Laughter and talking)

Random chatter: “Congrats on the new house!”

Mitch: “Why thank you!”

Tiffany: “Excuse me while I go use the restroom.”

(SFX) (Loud screaming from down the hall and then sound of running footsteps)

Tiffany (squeals in terror): “Spider!!!”

(SFX) (Gasps from guests followed by party stampeding to the restroom)

Chaos in the bathroom

(SFX) (Shoes banging, people screaming, thumping, newspaper and magazines hitting walls, explosions—overall cartoonlike sounds)

Mitch: “It’s on the run!”

(SFX) (Feet chasing and then skidding to a stop)

(SFX) (Sucking sounds of vacuum getting the spider)

Random guest: “Good thing I got you guys this bug vacuum!”

Another random guest: “There’s another one!”

(SFX) (Fading sound of vacuum with stampeding of footsteps)

Advertisement: “Bugs everywhere, fear the vacuum!”

  

Billboards, Show Me Spontaneity!

     In a sea of billboards and advertisements that are all trying to grab the attention of the viewers, it’s refreshing to see an ad that actually catches my attention. I remember on the way to Reno last fall the billboards proved entertaining because of the catchy sayings and relatable topics. Although none of them caught my eye quite as much as the advertisements I found below. 

     I thought this ad was unique in that it created depth by having the billboard sign attached to a slingshot to emphasize the importance of wearing a seatbelt even if you're sitting in the backseat. By exaggerating the dangers of wearing no seatbelt it brings attention to the fact that this is a serious matter that needs attention. It's great how much creativity went into this ad for such a a serious and important subject that many people experience. 

                                     

     This ad brought up front the serious issue of drunk driving and stresses the unfortunate event that drunk drivers tend to crash into trees. By placing this advertisement on the actual sidewalk with a tree, I know I would be intrigued by this out of the ordinary type of advertisement. 

     Other than the occasional signs around the swimming pool informing the occupants to swim safely and for parents to keep an eye on their children, there really is no other ways of enforcing the importance of safety in swimming. This visual ad though showcases the imperative issue of keeping a lookout for children in swimming pools because drowning does happen. This ad was so interesting that it even caught the attention of a young child in the pool. 

Aside from the serious issues that advertisers promote, this ad proved creative and pushing the boundaries by not only coloring the entire wall with paint, but also having the paint expand over the parked car and booths in the parking lot. I've seen too many paint company advertisements plainly showing the paint can with the company's name on it, so it was surprising to see a paint company do an unthinkable ad such as the one above. The more spontaneity and creative the ad, the more it will be memorable enough for the viewer to think back to the product when they are at the counter purchasing. 

Type Back to the Past: Give Classic a Chance

            Typing on this sleek Macbook Pro laptop makes me realize how far technology has come in such a short amount of time. Just two years ago I had an HP laptop that was considerably heavy and slower. Before that I shared a desktop HP computer with my family. Yet before the times of computers, my parents said they used the reliable old fashioned typewriters. My mom explained that using her typewriter was a pain since you couldn’t make any errors, but she did favor how simple it was in comparison to the evolving technology we encounter today. Looking at my generation though, we devour the fast-paced technology and indulge in the luxuries of our beloved Apple laptops. Therefore, my group and I were stumped on how we would bring the simple typewriter back to engage poor college students who love technology.

            Basing our campaign and ad on the aspect that we are advertising to poor college students, we decided to promote the fact that having a typewriter would not have the need for electricity (unlike a laptop or desktop computer) and therefore contribute to lower electricity bill, plus a go green action! Along with this positive aspect, the original typewriter would be available in an assortment of colors ranging from neon colors to pastels to catch the eye of our retro customers. We also wanted to promote the typewriter as a product that would collaborate well with a retro individual who is looking to stand out from the crowd of Macs.

            One of our ideas for a campaign commercial was to have a coffee shop full of people on their laptops and phones. Then, out of nowhere, you hear this click clack of the typewriter and the camera zooms in on a retro-dressed young adult typing on his bright blue typewriter. He’s happily typing away while everyone else stops what they are doing and goggle at this

old-fashioned contraption. He smiles to himself as the words, ‘Give Classic a Chance,’ are typed on the paper using the typewriter.

            Another commercial idea we had that would really expose the benefit of having a typewriter that uses absolutely no energy was first the camera panning the landscape of city lights in New York City. Zeroing in on a business building with all of its workers typing away on their laptops. Suddenly, the electricity goes out on the whole city and the workers are shocked with this power outage and how it has stopped their pace in work. Everyone is flabbergasted and all is quiet until a slow and steady beat escalates in the city. This is the sound of the young retro individuals tapping away on their typewriters around the city. The shot then switches to everyone in the city standing in lines buying their new typewriters while the original typewriters owners run around the city posting the motto: Give Classic a Chance.

            Our last idea of promoting the typewriter was to bring to light that a typewriter can keep all the information you type on it confidential. Unlike how on a laptop or computer there is internet access, email and screenshots, the typewriter is your personal diary that will keep your secrets safe. The short advertisement idea we had for this was to have a high school girl typing away her feelings on her laptop diary. As she walks away from her laptop to take a break, an mischievously looking peer goes on her laptop and leaks the girl’s feelings and thoughts to the entire student body. Devastated by this embarrassing tragedy, the girl is walking by an old shop and comes upon this dusty typewriter. This ends with the girl carelessly typing away on her typewriter after having learned her lesson of the power of technology and the solution found in the old origins of the typewriter.

            Here is a commercial advertising for the typewriter back in the 50s. Incorporating this 50s vibe with typewriter would help showcase how classic is traditionally a good choice for anyone.

Nostalgia: The "Better" Times

            Living the fond memories of our childhood brings back possibly the most happiest and carefree times of our lives. The power of nostalgia is incredible in the sense that the past has a way of seeming better than the present and possibly the future. Thinking back to nostalgic times transports all of our emotions into a streak of positivity and hope that the present and future can be as great as the happier times of our lives. Main advantage of nostalgic marketing is the strong way it can easily transport the viewer to a personal memory so that they can connect with the product and ad. Another advantage is nostalgic marketing can reach out to a broad range of people. Nostalgic marketing can also make their product seem even greater and improved then their past if their product in the memories of their viewers was already successful. A company that I feel uses nostalgic marketing to their advantage is the Disney Company.

The video below advertises Disneyland’s 50^th Anniversary and it starts off with nostalgia by having Walt Disney speaking on the opening of Disneyland. Along with this is also video shots of little kids, families, and older people of all ages enjoying their time at Disneyland. By reaching into the memory of the viewers that Disneyland has been a source of entertainment and happiness since the beginning, the viewers will think back their first time at Disneyland and use these nostalgic memories to possibly go to the huge celebration.

       Disadvantages of nostalgic marketing would have to be if the product was not successful in the past, then the viewers would reflect on this horrible experience or possibly not remember it all (since their memory may have blocked this out of the brain). By tying this link between the past memory and the current ad, the company could be at a complete disadvantage and may not be even given a chance since the viewer would not trust the product. If the product was no memorable then the ad may appear irrelevant and confusing if it tries to reference to the past and bring make nostalgia that is non-existent. Personally, the only product commercial I have seen that provides negative results of nostalgia is the My Little Pony commercials. As a young child I found these commercials annoying and I desired to have this toy. Therefore, whenever this commercial below comes on, I click to the next channel without even giving it another chance.