I Really Like Twitter #IMEANIT

A few years ago, I was originally skeptical about setting up a Twitter account. I thought Twitter was only good for providing a platform for our narcissistic generation and their compulsion to publish every insignificant thought. See, I told you I was skeptical...and cynical. Little did I realize that Twitter was a whole lot more than reading when your friend "got the best burger EVER" or a celebrity is in the "Stuuuuuuuudiooooooooo" (Lil Wayne's tweet from today). 


I became an active Twitter user when I started my internship as the Social Media Intern for the I Back Jack Foundation. It became my job to manage the foundation's Twitter account. I quickly learned how powerful Twitter was for I Back Jack and thought how it could be a powerful tool for me as well. I follow key news source accounts on Twitter - it is a great, cheap and fast way to get the information I need. I also follow accounts that offer information on things I want to know. It is also a fun way for me to keep interact with friends. Another thing that I enjoy about Twitter is that it is witty and to the point. Every character counts. 


A tip from an article called Twitter for College Students warns students that unless protected, tweets are viewable by anyone. This is definitely something to keep in mind. The article also suggests that professors should give students their Twitter name. This way, the professor doesn't need to share his or her mobile number - something that is private and can often times be abused. 


25 Suggestions For How To Use Twitter in 2011 encourages tweeters to grow professionally, research competitors and to engage with your community. These three things are certainly why I find Twitter extremely valuable. 


My client, the I Back Jack Foundation, can rely on Twitter to interact with other organizations. These can be organizations that the foundation already converses with, or new ones that are potentially interested in learning more about working with the foundation. Twitter is a great tool for the foundation to give credit where it is deserved by mentioning donors and sponsors. It is also a fantastic way to keep followers updated and excited. 


Five accounts that I now follow as a result of this assignment are Big Shoes Network, Sheena Carey, MU Tribune, NY Times and AP Stylebook. I will continue to follow all of these accounts. I find them to be worthy of my interest. My favorite one thus far is the NY Times. I enjoy what they choose to post and how often they choose to post. MU Tribune is good too because I can stay updated on campus happenings - even after I graduate! 

Isan Litrong

"I never thought a soda bottle could brighten my home." Check this out - it's a sweet and inspirational story. 

Can't Wait to Try It

I came across this product a few weeks ago. It's just nail polish, so why can't I stop thinking about it? Scotch Naturals has me hooked. This polish is water-based and non-toxic. Quite the eco-friendly alternative to traditional polishes. Now that's polish with a purpose - sign me up.

One Long Noodle

Your imagination is the limit when it comes to advertising. Any surface can be used to promote a brand -- but the challenge is to do so in a way that hasn't been done. What will catch the passerby's eye? What will be talked about?

I think that this Mondo Pasta ad is super clever! I personally have never heard of the brand Mondo Pasta, but I'd be willing to check it out after seeing this ad! It just goes to show that creative advertising DOES make a difference!

Old Spice, You So Funny

I enjoyed the latest group's assessment of Old Spice. Isaiah Mustafa is perfect for these quirky ads. I like how Old Spice didn't take the easy way out and do a typical men's body wash/cologne advertisement. Girls aren't falling from the sky to chase after a man who has recently bathed his body in a certain scent. These Old Spice ads are different and break through the clutter.

One of my favorite quotes that one of the group members said was that Old Spice "takes its target seriously". They need a reason besides "getting the girl" to listen to the ad.

Give Me a Break!

Jenna Lyons is J.Crew's Creative Director, and MAN has she done an impressive job in the last few years. She has broght J.Crew into the 21st century, keeping its preppy style but adding a modern and more trendy twist.

J.Crew's website has a section called "Jenna's Picks" where shoppers can see Lyons' favorite items. Recently, J.Crew featured Lyons in a more up-close-and-personal ad series.

This ad shows Lyons with her son, painting his toenails. The ad has sparked a bit of controversy, asking if it is appropriate for parents to support boys participating in what is traditionally a girl's past time.

What I have learned here is that some ads can be controversial even when they aren't meant to be. We all have different values and beliefs. What I say is....LET HIM WEAR PINK!

Yes, I know my ABCs

Talk about brand recognition! One simple letter and a few simple colors equals successful branding. It is fun to see how labels and brands have infused their way into our brains.

How many can you correctly identify? Answers below...NO CHEATING!

Facebook Not So Social...

I am not good with change. So, when Facebook decides to make changes - whether they be miniscule or drastic - I notice. I find myself becoming frustrated asking, "Why, Facebook, Why?!?" and see that my other friends are posting similar grievances about such changes. Is Facebook listening? Do they even care? Can I change anything? The answer is pretty much no. I have tried, and there is no way for me to tell Facebook what I am thinking about their new changes.

What a surprise! Facebook would not exist if it weren't for the users. Facebook simply provides the framework for users to publish what they want and to interact with other users. So why not listen to what these users have to say? The reason is that Facebook doesn't need to. As the most popular social media network, Facebook has the ability to slowly manipulate the way the site works. Us users pretty much have to roll with the punches.

Hmm....food for thought!

Red Bull and Product Information

When I first starting evaluating Red Bull's creative for my group project, I was impressed with its Red Bull Cola advertisements.

Red Bull's strong suit has never been product information. The ingredients that Red Bull uses have never been transparent, adding to an ora of mystery surrounding each product.

The Cola campaign has started something new for Red Bull. The ingredients are all out in the open. No confusion, no mystery.

I would like to see Red Bull continue this product information campaign with it's other products like the Red Bull energy drinks and two-hour energy shots.

Absolut...

My friend Peggy passed this on to me a few days ago. The ad mimics Absolut Vodka's "Absolut ____" campaign. This drunk driving campaign was actually produced by the Bucharest Traffic Police. It just goes to show how effective the Absolut Vodka campaign has been. 

When I read "20 Ads that Changed the World" by James B. Twitchell in the beginning of the semester,  the "Absolut ______" by Absolut Vodka was one of the campaigns that he praised. It discussed how the campaign was successful due to the consistency and wit that the advertisers used from execution to execution.

While this adaptation of the Absolut campaign may be harsh, it gets the point across.

In this ad, the outline of the Absolut bottle is all that is shown. The bottom reads, "Absolute Stupidity". Applause to the Bucharest Traffic Police for this production. I'd like to see Absolut Vodka do it's own campaign like this against drunk driving.

Hey That's Mine...

 Bud Light scratch bottles. Genius. I'm a little upset that I didn't think of this. How many times have you forgotten which beer bottle is yours? The market is already full of little ways to identify your wine glass, party cup..etc. There was a demand for drinkers to identify their beer bottles, and Bud Light was the first one to think of a way to do it!

This has stirred excitement among many of my friends. Everyone seems to be impressed. I would assume that sales will increase for Bud Light, since these scratch bottles are perfect for any party - big or small.

Additionally, this is a way for people to pass out their cell numbers at bars or parties. I've seen it done!

Product Placement

Product placement used to be a subtle and sneaky way for advertisers to promote their brands. Most consumers were not aware of this tactic. Now, consumers are educated. They know when they see product placement and many times become annoyed. It is just more clutter.

In this ad, Bud Light pokes fun at product placement by going over the top. Every opportunity is utilized to place a Bud Light logo or product on screen. This ad is successful because it is funny, makes the viewer feel "in the know" and they get the point across that they are indeed selling Bud Light.

Out with the Old & In with the Audi

After watching a group's presentation on Audi, I learned that Audi wants its target to know that it is NEW. Out with our parent's cars like Mercedes, Cadillac and BMW and in with Audi's fresh feel.

This branding is successful. Even before I had thought about Audi and how it has advertised, I thought of Audi as a fresh luxury brand for a younger target. I had always thought that Audi was cool and for people who wanted something a bit different and unexpected. Turns out, I was right! And I was only right because the advertising had worked under my radar. Congratulations to Audi on successful branding!

Beach Tweet

Pepsi's new girl is Sofia Vergara!

An important element in advertising is who will play your protagonist. It should be someone who fits the role and who is well-liked. Sofia Vergara hit it big when she gained popularity in the sitcom Modern Family.

I think Pepsi did a great job choosing someone fresh to represent their products. This ad is fun and modern. I like seeing someone new and different as the face of a big brand like Pepsi.

Not So Consistent

Dove's Real Beauty campaign is the first and leader of its kind. It promotes women's real beauty and encourages women of all sizes and races to be confident and accept themselves for who they are. Every woman is beautiful.

In my Media Ethics class this semester, we looked at the fact that Dove and Axe are owned by the same parent company, Unilever. An ethical debate arises when we realize this. While Dove promotes physical variety, self confidence emotional health, Axe is known for its risque ads that show women brainlessly chasing after men. On top of that, these women all look the same - tall and thin with modelesque features.

This was the first time I had thought about what it means to be consistent and ethical in advertising.

Hmm....

This ad sparked a ton of controversy. It hung on the side of a building in New York and was taken down as a result of the outrage.

Although I consider myself to be Pro-Life, when a classmate showed this during class, I couldn't help become upset. I believe that the ad is distasteful. However, I do assume that it is based on statistics and that other research was done to see how many Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian..etc abortions took place in the same timeframe.

Sometimes an ad knows that it will spark controversy and may even be forced to be removed from its venue. The important thing, whether for good or for bad, is that the discussion on the ad will continue.

Never Seen This Before...

I saw this billboard driving into Chicago from southern Illinois. Many of us Illinois tax payers are fed up with high rates.

So in advertising, we know that if there's a problem  - you advertise a solution! In this case, living in Indiana with lower tax rates is the answer.

This stood out to me because I have never seen an advertisement for residents of one state to move to a different one. Yes, we have all seen the Visit Florida, Michigan, California...etc advertisements, but it has never been promoting a residential move.

Google Love

My teacher in Media Writing showed my class this ad last semester. It had been a while since I had seen an advertisement for Google and I even asked myself if I had ever seen an advertisement for Google. Then I realized that with a newer competing search engine, Bing, on the rise...Google needed to do some advertising.

The ad has no voice overs. Just music. The viewer follows the Google search process of an unknown protagonist from the days before he studied abroad in Paris until he falls in love with a Parisian, marries her and is expecting a baby. The ad shows that Google is there every step of the way - even when you make little spelling mistakes and the search engine directs you to, "did you mean ______". I think this ad is effective and it definitely pulled on my entire class's heart stings!

Responsible

A classmate showed me this billboard that he found online. I thought about myself and what stands out to me when I'm driving and surrounded by thousands of advertisements.

The billboards that stand out to me are simple and different. I can't read too much text because I must focus on driving, but it should also be something that does distract me enough to bring my attention to it.

This ad for Eskom energy is visually different. The text makes sense with the design of the billboard, which fades from darkness into light. It shows the responsibility of Eskom and that if you choose to use Eskom, they will be efficient and responsible with your energy and money.

This ad would definitely make me investigate Eskom as a company  - I want to learn more!

Oh Yes We Did

Domino's "Oh Yes We Did" campaign has been very successful. They are now extending this campaign to their new chicken products and asking customers what they think.

For the first time a few days ago, I saw an ad for Domino's chicken. The box that the chicken comes in has a removable top that allows you to check off "Nope", "Almost" or "Yes We Did", each corresponding to your satisfaction. After seeing the commercial, I went to YouTube and found this video explaining the chicken campaign. It is pretty funny and makes me feel like Domino's really wants to know what I think about their products. Domino's gets an A for effort!

Denial is Futile

I first saw this text-only ad for Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese while driving to Chicago a few months ago. The copy is simple yet sophisticated - but the funny thing is that Macaroni and Cheese is what is being advertised.

Although the Kraft logo is absent from the ad, I knew right away that it was Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese being advertised. The Kraft blue and the little orange noodle is a part of pop culture and most of our childhoods....and adulthoods.

What stood out to me is that this ad successfully targeted ME. I am a college student. Macaroni and Cheese is tasty, cheap and easy for me to make - but I'd love to branch out and start to cook better dishes. My mother even said to me before leaving for college, "Don't just eat mac and cheese"! But the thing is...I LOVE macaroni and cheese. I can't hide my love for it. Denial IS futile. It was comforting to think that other people...not just little kids...secretly love this yummy stuff too.

Smart Water or Smart Advertising?

This Smart Water ad was intended to go viral. It features Jennifer Aniston rehearsing for the ad while creatives try to figure out ways to make it popular and obtain many hits online. It pokes fun at what many other advertisements have been doing and makes other pop culture references. It is something different. It is sarcastic, and many viewers like sarcasm. Additionally, many people like Jennifer Aniston. She is spunky, fun and well-liked across the board.

Sports Fest 2004

My family is from Aurora, Ill. While it is the second largest city in Illinois, Aurora has a small town feel to it. Everyone seems to know everyone. Friends made in grade school last a lifetime and the reminiscing never seems to end. Each spring, students in 7th and 8th grade from every school in Aurora participate in Sports Festival, or better known as Sports Fest. The description on the website reads as follows:

"The Aurora Sports Festival is a multi-sport event for Aurora’s seventh and eight grade students. The goal of the Sports Festival is to provide an opportunity for middle school physical education students to participate and compete in health and recreational fitness related activities and special events focusing on the key values of sportsmanship, teamwork, and civic pride.

The objectives of the Sports Festival are to celebrate May as National Health and Physical month and to provide an incentive day for physical education students who maintain an “A or B” in physical education class and are academically eligible."

While this is all true, it is a time for students to socialize with their friends and new people. It is a day everyone looks forward to and that everyone remembers. 

At last year's Sports Fest, there were 945 participants. This year, the 10th annual Sports Fest, is expected to bring in even bigger numbers. So what does all of this have to do with communications and advertising? 

I have been talking with my dad about ways to market and advertise his business, Fairview Dental. Fairview Dental is the most well-known and well-respected dental practices in the Fox Valley area. They continue to be active in the community. They interact with their patients very well whether it is by hosting parties or patient appreciation days. They also extend their resources to the needy every year with their Dentists with a Heart program. Fairview Dental recently updated their website and have a great Facebook page. So now was my chance to be creative. 

During Sports Fest, every student gets a T-shirt with his or her school colors. The front of the T-shirt has the Aurora Sports Fest logo and the back has the logo of all the sponsors.  Seven years later, I still wear my Sports Fest T-shirt....so do my friends and other people in Aurora. It bring us back to those days and we still get to brag about our victories. 

I have worn that T-shirt and seen that T-shirt so many times that I could tell you probably name most of the sponsors on the back. I figured that this was a cheap yet effective way for Fairview Dental to get some lasting advertising while supporting a great cause. With nearly 1,000 participants wearing those shirts around for years to come, everyone will see Fairview Dental's logo on the back. 

Ski Lift

This AT&T commercial gets me every time! In my opinion, this ad has been the most successful in showcasing a cell phone provider's fast network speed. The ad definitely isn't boring. It has a cute story line, and the character in the orange vest is hilarious.

The ad also does a good job showing what the phone and phone screen looks like without being too obvious. The plot does a good job explaining what the ad is trying to promote - quick network speed.

I was actually shown this bus stop poster in my Spanish for the Business professions class. We Skyped with a marketing professor from Mexico who actually taught us much of what I already had learned in my advertising principles class...only she said it all in Spanish! The poster is located in Brazil at a bus stop and promotes a hip hop radio station. The poster takes advantage of the seat configuration. If you were to look at the ad without someone sitting in a seat at the bus stop - it might confuse you or even worse you might not notice it. But sure enough, when someone IS sitting in the appropriate place, it looks as if he or she has an afro, which surely grabs everyone's attention. The ad is well placed and creative. My only suggestion is that the poster should have the radio's station, like 102.5, instead of just the logo and the website. Otherwise, I thought the ad was well executed.

Lemonade Stand

I have been enjoying this trend where ads feature kids ruling the world. Maybe it is their small size and big brains or their seriousness clashed with their cuteness. Either way, it works. This ad is for all Verizon products that would help a small business. "The small business with the best technology rules." The products featured have fast and efficient WiFi which allows users to download various apps that would help their small businesses. One can also have a credit card swiper attached to their device. You can't go wrong with Verizon -- and the best part is that even a child can do it. The ad is cute and clever!

Just Call Me Angel

This Toyota Highlander commercial has me laughing every time I see it. The ad does a great job showcasing the car's exterior, interior and special features, but what it does best is tap into humor that everyone can relate to. The YouTube video is called the "Kid Cave --Toyota Highlander Commercial". The back seats of the car are meant for the kids to enjoy themselves and have their own space. Many times, parents will purchase a car with a DVD player to keep the kids quiet...but in this case the kid uses the DVD player and headphones to escape from any potential obnoxious behavior by the parents. The looks the two children exchange are priceless. The commercial's casting agents did a great job nailing the characters of this ad as well. Everything is well done. The ad is memorable and gets the point across with it's tagline, "Just because you're a parent, doesn't mean you have to be lame."

Anthropologie and Me

Last night, I was sitting in Indian-style on my bed somewhere between exhausted and excited. As I replayed the distinct moments from the weekend in my head, numerous images made me smile to myself and even laugh out loud. I had just returned from a long weekend spent with family and old friends. Being surrounded by the people that know me best reaffirmed what I thought about myself. It was quite the perfect coincidence, seeing as I had been trying to identify myself with a brand for my Advertising Principles class.

I sat, looking around my room for some sort of God-sent answer. What brand am I most like? I quickly realized that sitting in my room was the best place to find the answer. I had knick-knacks from all parts of the world, all parts of my life. Everything meant something to me or had a story. I looked at a vase on my nightstand and found the answer – I am most like Anthropologie.

Anthropologie is a woman’s retail store that sells clothing, accessories and home goods. Although it is a chain, there is something special about the experience of walking into an Anthropologie store. You feel as though you have stumbled upon a true gem. There is a sort of eclectic, vintage and bohemian feel that seems honest and unique. Whenever I shop Anthropologie, I feel like I am searching for beauty, innovation and good design.  Anthropologie tries to tell a story and uses imagination. Athropologie stands for the traveler, the experienced and the dreamer.

Like Anthropologie, I love to tell a story. Whether the conversation starts because of the scarf I’m wearing, what pictures and post cards I have on my bulletin boards, my belt, or my Facebook profile picture, I have a story.

Anthropologie is humble and understated. Nothing is thrown in your face. I feel like I am the same way. In terms of my interactions with people, I do not put everything out there. When someone gets to know me, they search for the beauty inside of me. I am honest and quite transparent, but I am not one to shout out to the world how fabulous I think I am. An item from Anthropologie is humble.

Anthropoloie knows who they are. The brand is well crafted and confident. Their design is cohesive and somewhat predictable, yet they are always innovative and looking to improve. This is when I most feel like Anthropologie. I know myself well and I am pleased with the person I am. My morals, beliefs, thoughts and ideas make me predictable, but I am always open to discussion and debate to enhance my views. I am confident and I like my personality, but am open to criticism when it comes my way.

Anthropologie and I are quite similar. Anthropologie stands for the traveler, the experienced and the dreamer. I am the traveler, the experienced and the dreamer. Staying true to myself in a spectrum of experiences, I create myself.