"The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"

Super-Size Me, we have all heard the catch phrase or seen the movie, and now director of Super-Size me, Michael Barker, has embarked on a new, rather hypcritical endeavor.

The movie is about product placements and advertising, while being paid for by product placements and advertising. Ironic?

Barker seeks to unveil the idea of product placement and branded content which has overtaken Hollywood entertainment and advertising. The documentary itself will include interviews and showcases of how a movie gets funded by product placements, while funding the production through just that. Barker explores the privacy of advertising in our era and furthers to shock the audience by presenting the argument that they are being advertised to while watching the documentary.

The documentary stands to be interesting if nothing else, and potentially increase audiences media literacy.

Blog Exercise 4

Advergames, a seemingly meaningless word is taking over the child population rapidly, and bringing large criticism with it. Advergames are advertisements which are dressed up as games, therefore becoming more appealing to children and urging them to participate. Food companies such as General Mills and Post have engaged in the advergames industry, furthering the popularity of gamification. Parents, nutritionists, and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) are beginning to crack down on this form of advertising which is being aimed directly towards children. Although there are strict regulations on advertising to youths, this harmless form of interaction with the brand through games does not violate any set regulations. Many of these games resemble popular online Disney games; and instead of paying a monthly subscription fee, one just has to put up with the annoying advertisement plugs throughout the game.

In her article “Kids don’t recognize advergames as advertising” Helen Leggatt explains that when children are playing these games, they are completely oblivious that they are being exposed to advertisements. Through a research study conducted by the New York Times, it was found that children hardly ever identify the game as anything other than that; only ten percent of all the participants were able to correctly identify the game as a virtual advertisement.

This idea of advergames is a smart tactic for the industry; they are able to reach their target audience without infringing on any regulations. From another standpoint, however, these games could be seen as deceptive, or subliminal due to their concealed manner in which they advertise. I think that as long as the FTC keeps watchful eye on the strategy of advergames, than they do not stand to be harmful. However, when they become unregulated, there lies a problem with ethics and advertising to youths.

Blog Exercise 3

In 2009, the New York Times published a story about the products containing a special chemical called Resveratrol. This chemical, found in grape skins and red wine was rumored to incread ones life span, improve eyesight, and other obvious misconceptions. After being featured on several shows, (60 minutes, the Oprah Winfrey show) many false claims and celebrity endorsements were linked with the product. These false claims, made by FWM Laboratories, were slammed by bloggers, celebrities, and officials alike.

However, this is not where the problem lies...

After the NY Times wrote this story, it was found published on their site alongside an ad for the Resveratrol product they were warning against. Hypocritical? I think so.

The Times was actually profiting off of this advertisement for the product which they were urging consumers NOT to buy. To worsen the matter, there were six more Google sponsored advertisements for Resveratrol throughout the page.

So whos to blame?

The Times is assuming no responsibility for the obvious hypocrisy featured on their site. Instead, they avert their frustration for the mistake to the advertising department; which they say needs to tighten up their security of which advertisement are displayed on the site.

This blatant mistake may lead readers of the Times to consider that the information they thought credible no longer is, and potentially hurt the papers reputation. The moral of this story urges readers to take a closer look at the information and advertisements that they are being exposed to, instead of taking them at face value.

Facebook gets new friends...

As of February of this year, more than a third of all online display ads in the US appeared on Facebook. However, they havent reached anywhere near the budgets of other marketers. This is partly because their rates are so low, and partly because of its complicated navigation for in-house buying of ads. Therefore, a new set of Facebook agencies are looking to offer marketers a simpler way of buying ad space on Facebook. These agencies plan on finding a way to have marketers match their ads to user data and intent. While this means more annoying sidebar ads for Facebook users, it will hopefully lead to a larger ad revenue for Facebook-holding off any suspicions of having to pay for usage of the site.

Dumb Luck

Product placement is one of the most effective forms of advertising. A placement can reward a corporation with thousands of dollars and potential loyal consumers of whatever the product may be. But who ever thought that Jennifer Aniston would be a spokesperson for Honda? Earlier this year Ms. Aniston was featured on the View to promote her latest movie; around the same time, buzz was starting about how the actress was looking to purchase a multi-million dollar house in Greenwich Village. While guest starring on the show, one of the hosts handed Aniston a copy of the paper, commenting on the buzz about her move. On the back of the paper was Honda's full page advertisement. Through a stroke of dumb luck, Honda was immediately product placed for all of Aniston's fans to see. Although its impossible to tell whether the sales of Honda vehicles has any correlation to Aniston's placement, it benefited Honda in a way no one could have predicted. “Thank god that we went with a full-page ad that day. If we had orchestrated the whole thing, we couldn’t have done it so well,” Brian Benstock, Paragon Honda’s general manager, said.

It's all about the Benjamins...

I chose two Social Media websites for my second exercise. One of which is a blogging site, and another which offers users the chance to make money off of social media. The Social Media website answers the question of how social media can drive revenue. Therefore, it unites professionals in the following areas: gaming, virtual goods, mobile, marketing and media. A two day conference is set up in which all of these professionals can meet and discuss the different ways in which social media plays a role in their area of experience. Ultimately, attendees leave the two day conference having learned how to utilize social media from all aspects in order to generate revenue in their particular specialty. Socialize, the website, also provides insight into how to maximize from the tool of social media. As explained in the section titled “Socialize is about results” MediaBistro states, “Social media is a whirlwind. It’s amazing at times and terrifying at others.It’s a tool that people and businesses can use to fill many needs, both on a personal and professional basis. Every day another innovative use or important application emerges that can change lives from the most minute detail up to influencing the events of the world.”

The social media blog, appropriately titled “Soshable” discusses all the current social media trends. As their tagline states, “People shoshalize. They don’t care how it’s spelled. They just do it.” The blog suggests ways to keep up with, utilize, and criticize social media. Overall, the blog gives background information while the website, Socialize, teaches how to use the background information. “Social media is a whirlwind. It’s amazing at times and terrifying at others. It’s a tool that people and businesses can use to fill many needs, both on a personal and professional basis. Every day another innovative use or important application emerges that can change lives from the most minute detail up to influencing the events of the world.”These two sites feature a larger pattern of society in which we find innovative new technologies and then explore ways in which to benefit monetarily off of these new technologies. We investigate these new media technologies, and become skilled professionals on their use, and once we make the technology absolutely imperative to society, we make a profit off of them. Soshable is the cause, in the sense that social media has become a popular entity in our community, and Socialize is the effect; meaning that because social media has become so prominent, we must now find a way to benefit from its wide usage.

Transparent Advertising?

Recently Yahoo! has introduced its trial of a new transparent advertising that they hope will not only benefit the industry, but the consumer as well. This new launch, which is being tested in Europe, now gives consumers the choice of which advertisements they want to see as well as why the consumer was specifically targeted.

By clicking on an interactive button included on the sidebar advertisements, users can view who is behind the advertisement as well as why it was chosen for them. It also explains what personal data is being shown to industries and why they chose that data.

Justin Weiss, the privacy director at Yahoo says, "The idea of a visual symbol in and around every ad we show is to remind users that their information is being used and to give them a portal, a pathway, into what data is being used and the controls they have over them.”

Daylight Savings Time affects Advertising?

That doesn't seem very likely, however, even a slight difference such as an hour can determine whether a campaign is a hit or a dud.

Now that Spring and Summer are upon us, the days are longer and the weather is warmer, this gives the advertising industry an entire new direction in which to explore. Instead of focusing on the in home outlets for advertising, such as television and internet, advertisers will begin advertising outside the house setting. This means more billboard and radio advertisements, which accompany people outside of the traditional winter setting.

Even more surprising, the tactics advertisers use change with DST, Blanca explains that people tend to feel differently during the Spring and Summer than they do in winter months; meaning that advertisers are able to produce new trends to market to new consumers.

Furthermore, the daylight change that occurs during DST provides consumers with more time for activities outside the home, such as retailing, sports and other recreations that exploit the extended sunlight. This means that the outdoor advertisements will reach consumers more efficiently.

Slight things such as weather change can alter a persons entire outlook and opinion, and therefore, advertisers are working to adapt new trends to these new consumer outlooks.

I believe that outdoor advertising will greatly improve not only the industry, but it will also encourage people to be outdoors and participate in recreational activities. Thus, this change in time will not only effect the industry, but will hopefully coax people to participate in their communities and be active.

What do you think?

SKINNY Pepsi?

First there was Pepsi, then Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max, and Pepsi Zero; so whats next? Skinny Pepsi.

After the launch of Pepsi Max, Diet Pepsi became practically extinct. Although it's had affiliation with the Pepsi Refresh Project,

it has not received desired attention from Pepsi brand consumers. Since reviewing this problem within the company,

marketers have began to discuss their product with consumers, and have come up with the newest solution: Skinny Pepsi.

"We are going to actually start talking to our consumer again. ... We have our loyal followers that are a specific psychographic, and we want to make sure we talk to them on a one-to-one level."

The new campaign will feature a slimmer, sleeker bottle which has developed its own marketing program around it. While ads promote the drink as "getting the skinny" or market it as being more fashion forward and culturally innovative, many have taken offense to the new product. The National Eating Disorder Association especially took negatively to the new launch, stating that its offensive. However, producers at Pepsi are not worried, they expected the backlash and are hopeful that consumers will respond positively with the new launch.

While I think that the whole idea of "skinny" soda beverages is wildly redundant, I think that this is a good marketing strategy for Pepsi. This generation flocks towards anything that will give off the impression of fashion saavy, innovative, or cutting edge. Although I will never be one to drink Skinny Pepsi....I am a Sprite fan all the way.

Mona Self is not an inventor of a new media app; she is not a social media expert and she is not a specialist. Instead, Mona Self is one individual who took to the outlets within the media to publicize her activist efforts. Mona was involved in the democracy protests in Cairo. Through Twitter, Facebook, and contacts in her cell phone, Mona was able to inform thousands of the current goings on in Egypt.

Jan. 29: Announcing a general strike starting tomorrow#Jan25

Feb. 1: I want my internet back! #Jan25

Feb. 9: clashes bt ppl & police in Kharga new valley, police opened fire, 3 dead & over 100 injured #Jan25

Social media played a pivotal role in the revolution in Egypt, as well as having a role in popular protests ranging from Libya to the Philippines. More recently, the role of social media has even played a part in the uprises throughout Libya, Yemen, and Bahrain.

Marketers are surprised at the sudden rise of media as an actual social tool. However, they lack to realize that above all, media has the power to influence others, and make others rise to action. Through these tools, teenagers and adults alike were able to keep tabs on the day to day happenings in Egypt. Therefore, social media proved to be more informative than the news.

This blog is one that focuses on the media and its role in politics, it's quite informative and interesting to find how the media shapes politics and how large a part it plays.

Network,Network, Network; It's not okay just to do your job and go home

This article from Advertising Age discusses the idea of new media in the Advertising Industry. It seems so obvious to our generation that social media will be a part of our lives forever. However, for those now in the industry, its a relatively new tool that is opening up endless possibilities. New media is sometimes overlooked as an important aspect of business, but the tools to getting connected are more open to us than ever. Making connections, and forming a network or community can prove beneficial for ones career.

This idea is not new for our generation, but many adults are struggling with losing jobs in the industry due to lack of networking. Many new hires are based on insider information given through these online connections. This leaves the artistic side of the industry, "the creatives" at a disadvantage since their job does not focus as solely on business.

The author mentions that this network effect is actually making us smarter, through these new opportunities and capabilities. I find it intimidating that networking is so highly required for the industry, especially since I cannot maintain so many different online communities; although I do see the many benefits that it reaps. As I think ahead to the future, I wonder what new technologies will become prevalent in the industry as well as society.

the really superbowl

So we've been discussing new media in class, and if there is one example to show the progress being made towards to new media, its the Superbowl. In the past, advertisers spent millions to get their ads seen by more than an estimated one million. However, this past weekend, there was a record number amount of fans watching the advertisements and updating their statuses. Whether it was Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, etc., advertisers tapped into a new way to keep a captive audience.

Some commercials were better (the Dorito's commercial) and some were worse (that weird Droid commercial) but its seen that perhaps the advertisers were more focused on generating follow up content, and spreading their message across media channels, than creating entertaining ads.

Not that the ads will be the best ever. It may be that 2011 Super Bowl advertisers now are so focused on spreading the message across so many media channels that many forgot to focus on the content of the central message itself.

This new eruption of media generated content is compared to the famous "1984" Apple commercial, which immediately changed the style of Superbowl campaigns. 2011 is expected to be remembered as the game that forever changed advertising, in the means of expanding platforms.

"Welcome to the first Transmedia Bowl." - futurist Watts Wacker

Mobile Ads Getting Click-Throughs

Just when we thought we had a safe outlet in which we aren't being sold to, iPhone and Volvo partner up to take that away from us. Volvo and iPhone have partnered up to create multimedia mobile advertisements that generate a larger "click-through" rate. The mobile marketing division of Havas Digital, Mobext, led the campaign which consisted of thirty second videos which the option of viewing the S60 in 360 degrees.

Traditional ads tend to see click-through rates of .4 to .7 percent, which is a large divide from the 3.91 percent that the S60 is generating. These rich mobile media advertisements are growing rapidly and gaining popularity.

I believe that while this is a good strategy for companies to receive higher views and "click-through" rates, it also seems as though the advertising industry will stop at nothing to get our attention. Just when we thought that our phones were advertisement free, we are once again being sold to through our own mobile device. It appears, to me, that there need to be some boundaries as to where and when advertisers can target their audience. The privacy that we so desperately seek in our generation is being intruded, and we are being manipulated to believe its okay.