Early Drink???

Here is an advertisement for Guinness Beer with the slogan, "Lovely day for a Guinness". My question, "Why would someone wake up wanting a beer?" I'm assuming that the toucan is to show that the beer is one of the wonders of the world. Both objects (the beer and the toucan) stand out and over the city...which means start your day with one amazing thing that no one in the world can describe. The fact that a roaster is normally the bird that wakes people up, shows that this is a different route for a person to take in the morning, but it's fun, lively, and unique.

I don't mind having a few beers every now and again, but at sunrise? I think not. The first thing I think about when I wake up, after thanking God for another day, is what am I going to eat. I think this is in poor taste because eating on an empty stomach isn't good for anyone. Now I know this beer is made overseas, and this ad is probably targeting that demographic, but I still think if a person wakes up wanting a beer, this is clearly a sign of  an alcoholic. Maybe it's just me.

AT&T: Creative Genius

This ad above is for AT&T Wireless, which shows creative genius. The purpose for the ad is to depict the wireless coverage is all over the world, and the phone just blends into the background. The picture shows a phone laying against trees or bushes while a chameleon discovers the phone. If you look closer, the picture is made up of hands, fingers, and arms. The branches are arms, the chameleon and trees are hands and fingers. I thought it was genius because it shows a earthy tone to their company. The hands represent protection, but open to everyone. The chameleon represents blending in everywhere. The fact that it is made with arms, it depicts having control on their service. That means AT&T does a great drop of having coverage. The creativity in this ad is probably the best I have seen in a very long time.

Degrading women, Sexy Ad, or ...?

This ad is apart of a campaign for Dolce & Gabbana, a company where they create clothing, accessories, and fragrances. In this particular ad, there are four men with one woman at a destination. Depending on who you are and where your mind is, there are many different views a person can have about this ad.

By looking at this picture, the first thought I received was "wow, I can't believe that this is an ad for a company." So, I figured that my mindset was on the fact that this ad was degrading women by having four men and one woman. From this view, it looks like a woman is being held down by a man while the other men watch. This form of acting is rape. To make a rape claim...how? Well, if you view her facial expression, a person with this mindset can see it as her resisting because the expression is serious.

Another view of this advertisement could be a sexual escapade that they are having. Everything said about the rape mindset is happening, but instead of resisting, the woman could be looked as participating in the activity. Notice her legs bent...this is a submission of herself to the man who is holding her. Her facial expression can be taken in the sense of her enjoying herself in the pleasure of what's she will experience.

After looking at this ad in an orgy or rape view, go back and look again. This advertisement can also be viewed as a woman who is in trouble and the man is trying to save her. The other men who are around are viewing to see she is alright or what's going on. The guy who is over the woman is holding her wrist. Instead of viewing her as holding the woman down, view the man as checking her pulse. It clearly is very hot where they are outside because the people are sweaty. This is definitely a serious moment...look at the guy in the blue long sleeve close to the woman. His face has a really concern look. The woman looks like she fainted by the closed eyes and the mouth slightly opened.

So however you view this ad, remember that it Erving Goffman stated this type of  ad as ritual of subordination. The woman is lowered in every way by being under a man. The woman is powerless while the men all are standing over her and seem larger than life. This ad was definitely targeted towards men due to the colors in the ad and the how men are portrayed as the stronger, dominant gender. Men are also portrayed as the protector and savior in this ad.

Burger King: Subliminal Sex Messages?

The ad above is a picture of the BK Super Seven-Incher from Burger King that is served in Singapore. This ad was one of the most controversial ads around the world in the past few years. The crazy thing to me about this whole thing is the name of the sandwich...7 Incher??? So, when does sandwiches referencing to the size of a male's penis a good idea for products? If you didn't see or understand the reference of the sandwich to a penis, read the caption at the bottom of the ad. If the caption is too small for you, here is the caption:
"Fill your desire for something long, juicy and flame-grilled with the NEW BK SUPER SEVEN INCHER. Yearn for more after you taste the mind-blowing burger that comes with a single beef patty, topped with American cheese, crispy onions and the A1 Thick and Hearty Steak Sauce."
In the caption, there were many sexual references to pleasure and ecstasy through describing the sandwich. "Fill your desire with something long" is describing the sandwich, but in a way that you understand the size of it similar to a male's penis. "Yearn for more" gives off the satisfaction and climax feel of sexual intercourse through describing your taste buds going through the same motions.

Sign of Ritual of Subordination: Skyy Vodka

This advertisement to the left is for Skyy Vodka, found in the October 2010 Cosmo, clearly shows ritual of subordination. Goffman describes this method as a “stereotype of deference in that of lowering oneself physically in some form or other of prostration”. The first thing that a person notices while looking at this ad is the woman’s legs in red tights and heels wrapped around the long solid bottle of the Skyy Vodka.

The colors of the ad is very important as well as the action that is going on in the picture. Normally the color red on a woman is linked up as seduction and sex. When women wear red, it represents the “I don’t care what you think of me, I’m sexually expressive”. The royal dark blue represents a strong dominant solid color that usually represents men. The goldish-yellow color represents achieving something or paradise. The color usually exemplifies success or the best. I.e. gold medal in the Olympics.

The action that is going on in the ad, which has the legs of a woman wrapped around the bottle, can be looked as various ways, all of them equals to sex. The first way is that the woman is seductive and trying to trap the masculine object. The woman has a fixation with it and won’t stop until she achieves it. The woman’s legs also can represent that she is having a sexual encounter with something masculine, which is the bottle, and she has reached her peak, which is the golden background. The bottle can represent a man due to its bold, solid colors and its straight, solid shape. The bottle can also represent a man’s private part due to the long, solid, straight object and the woman’s legs being wrapped around it. The golden background can show ecstasy between the women and the man who drinks this vodka. This ad was created to give men and women the idea of reaching the most high through a sexual representation. By drinking this vodka, men will have women wrapped in them and women will trap the guy that they want. Both in which will fulfill their wants and needs.

Function Ranking in Vodka?

The advertisement above is for Skyy Vodka, which was featured in the Maxim magazine in October 2010. Maxim magazine is a national magazine that targets the audience of males. When looking at the ad, you see a woman by a fashion forward chair while a man is sitting in it holding a drink. A person also sees the city at night behind them and the bottle for the vodka in front of them. With an untrained eye, you see the woman interested in the man’s comment, but you cannot see the man’s face.

This advertisement uses the “function ranking” method, which Erving Goffman, creator of the method, describes as men and women contributing in equal activity, the men usually are the executor of the activity while women are supportive, or a woman does the job that is “feminine” while men do nothing. In this ad, the woman is the person who is doing the task of making the man a drink due to having the drink stirrer in her hand. She is also looking deep into the chair where the man is sitting, which gives the viewer as she is focused on pleasing the man’s wishes. Normally, the person who is doing the most work would be the dominant person, but by the stance of the woman, the lack of importance of the rest of the man’s body, but how the legs and drink is shown, it shows that the woman is inferior.

The man’s grasp of the drink shows that the mission is complete. The man also holds the drink with firmness, which depicts his dominance. His legs are also together and firmed, while the woman’s legs are over the man’s. Her shoes are shining, which shows less solid things which would be considered “feminine”. The woman’s legs are bent with a dress with a slit that rises close to her private area. This shows the sex appeal. The nightlife and the woman are secondary to the man and the drink, even though they are all equals in the activity of enjoying themselves. The bottle and the drink on the table show that if you have this strong, “manly” vodka, you can get great “manly” drinks from women. This shows that it doesn’t matter what guy it is, the same can happen and the night can end the same, which the man is superior of the woman in the nightlife.

What Brand Am I: CDF® FREEDOM SCHOOLS

"A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Ghandi to come back--but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you." -Marian Wright Edelman (President, Children's Defense Fund)

The brand that I am and proudly to say is the Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools. This nonprofit organization is the new movement to help ALL children succeed in America. The purpose of the program is to get children engaged in reading and cultural awareness in their communities. What makes this organization different from other programs is the pivotal focus on reading and engaging children by critical thinking skills. It is a program that not only focus on education, but it focuses on children's gifts and talents. This brand stands for something meaningful, which is children advocacy for a better life. I am a person who definitely want to help educate the future and I feel that the educational systems of today are not working to the best of its capabilities.
 
Below, This is a introductory video of the program:

This brand is high energy and creative with its innovative techniques such as Harambee.This program is an internship for college students to receive experience of teaching. I have personally worked with this program for 4 years. Throughout college, I have been with this program and it has changed my life. I did not know the statistics of the poverty and reading rates. Now, I feel obligated to make a difference in the lives of people. This program is open to everyone and I feel like I am a product of this program through the leadership I have given to children and received by working with others. We need to make sure we help others because everyone is important. Everyone should have equal rights and be treated fairly. We should not stop until this happens. "We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes." -Ella Baker

Axe Detailer: A Manly Man's cleaner?

This ad for the Axe Detailer shower tool gets straight to the point."Get your parts clean with the Axe Detailer shower tool" is definitely manly...or is it? Should a man use a scrubber to clean himself? Axe does a very great job of taking away the "girly" feel to bath scrubbers by changing the color to a dark, solid, and metallic style. They also use words like "guy parts" and "tool" to show the rugged toughness about an object that is used for cleansing. At the end of the day, it is still a scrubber, right? By adding a rough scrubber that is attach to the normal scrubber, it turns the "feminine" object into something accessible for the Paul Bunyans of the world.

STATE FARM Commercial: Smart Ads or Counterproductive

Over the past year, State Farm Auto Insurance has been having a "Magic Jingle" campaign where people who have the insurance can sing the jingle and receive anything they want. Above is one of the commercials where a couple is arguing about the accident that they just caused. The girlfriend complains while the boyfriend sings the jingle. As the boyfriend finishes the jingle, the girlfriend wishes for a new partner of her dreams.The boyfriend does the same while the State Farm agent files the claim. How does the commercials promote the importance of car insurance or what does State Farm really can do for a person who needs car insurance?
State Farm gives the illusion if you have their insurance, you can get your car taking care of plus anything your heart desires. I have car insurance, and none of those things have ever happened to me. Maybe if I say the slogan of my insurance, I will get an agent at my door who will grant my wishes. It seems like humor is the approach to take away the seriousness of insurance so people could have less stress in this recessive economy.
It doesn't matter if there is a catchy jingle, wishes granted, or agents solving problems instantly, car insurance will never be funny. Trying to take the person's mind of the seriousness of insurance by appealing to humor and other desires will not work.