One of the great things about the iPhone is that there's an application for practically everything. From reading restaurant reviews, to reading books. Yep, there's an app for that.
The aim of this advert is to convince the customers that there's an application downloadable onto the iPhone allowing you to do practically anything. 'Why would you want to read an MRI on your phone?' I hear you ask. Well, y'know, just in case... And now, with the phone that can do everything, you don't need to have anything else with you. Ever. This device, once just a means of communication, has now become a place to play games, read books, browse the web, listen to music, take photos. Anything and everything you might want.
Well, that's the theory anyway. By adding more and more applications to the iPhone, Apple are increasingly succeeding in making it the new 'must-have' gadget. It is no longer about the phone itself for a lot of people, but the modern lifestyle which owning it implies. It's cool to own one of these, because they're shiny and have a touchscreen.
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Budweiser
The video I chose is an advert for Budweiser. The youtube video gives the top 10 of 2008's Super Bowl, the actual advert I am talking about is number 8.
Now I chose this particular one because, although it does not feature a human figure as the centre of attention, it is a clear mention (to me) of the American Dream and can nearly be drawn back to the "Alger Complex" that I talked about in my presentation on Gabriel.
It clearly shows that people are still stuck on this idea of an American Dream, that working hard will get you somewhere and that success is possible. The advert is basically a horse that can't take part in whatever the other horses are doing, so a dog decides to train the horse. And one year later, the horse is included in the team that rejected it the previous year.
To add to the appeal of the advert, it includes some "funny" elements like the horse and the dog, theme music from Rocky, etc ... so that the public can be amused. But behind this is the image of an America that can work towards its goals. And probably there is also the message that by drinking Budweiser, your dreams can be reached more easily. So, yes, I really do think that this advert just reaches out to the heart of every american by promoting this image of success and achievements through labour and by saying that it is possible. It also promotes this nice image of America outside the country itself, maybe to some close neighbors.
the lincoln mkz 2009
This advert for the Lincoln MKZ 2010 puts forward an image of car of the future. It gives the impression that the car can do almost anything. It can go into space and so it can fly, whilst never saying that it can. The overal impression is one of near instructability and ferocious speed because of the streamline design of the car. It can survive what looks to be WARP speed, and still look like it has just stepped out of the dealership. A car of comfort as it has leather seats and polished wood interiors, with its own form of intelligence. It really seems to be a car that is made for luxury and speed, with a body and fittings that will transport it into the future of american cars and possible further.
The music is also as suggestive as the visual of the advert as it says to you that the car can take off into space, throwing out all concerns that the command post may have because it is such a magnificent piece of machinery that nothing can possibly go wrong.
However, the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this advert was "space the final frontier." I was actually expecting either William Shatner or Leonard Nimoy to step out of the car, or atleast their modern counter-parts.
The music is very futuristix with its slight techno bass soundings. The voice is that of what is usually in a cartoon about space when the hero goes into an extremely fun series of stunts and plays around.
To me the music seems to make fun of the car a little. As I immediately linked it to a cartoon I felt that the idea and impression that was being pushed across was hard to believe. Cartoons are near impossibilities, so how can the car be what the advert is selling. Although I know that the advert doesnt directly say that this is what you would get if you spent $40,000 on this car. That would be illegal, especially if it wasnt delivered. No matter I still believe what they are trying to put across is not true. Although the car was very pretty and sleek with a computer inside. So are many cars nowadays that dat back to 2004, what makes this slightly shiny and expensive one so good? I suppose that is what the advert is for, to make it special. It just wasnt believable. It just screams expense.
Who wants the next new toy?
Not Me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8YUMgVtYiU
The music is also as suggestive as the visual of the advert as it says to you that the car can take off into space, throwing out all concerns that the command post may have because it is such a magnificent piece of machinery that nothing can possibly go wrong.
However, the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this advert was "space the final frontier." I was actually expecting either William Shatner or Leonard Nimoy to step out of the car, or atleast their modern counter-parts.
The music is very futuristix with its slight techno bass soundings. The voice is that of what is usually in a cartoon about space when the hero goes into an extremely fun series of stunts and plays around.
To me the music seems to make fun of the car a little. As I immediately linked it to a cartoon I felt that the idea and impression that was being pushed across was hard to believe. Cartoons are near impossibilities, so how can the car be what the advert is selling. Although I know that the advert doesnt directly say that this is what you would get if you spent $40,000 on this car. That would be illegal, especially if it wasnt delivered. No matter I still believe what they are trying to put across is not true. Although the car was very pretty and sleek with a computer inside. So are many cars nowadays that dat back to 2004, what makes this slightly shiny and expensive one so good? I suppose that is what the advert is for, to make it special. It just wasnt believable. It just screams expense.
Who wants the next new toy?
Not Me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8YUMgVtYiU
The item I have chosen is the mobile phone – the advert is from HTC.com advertising their touch screen phones. The phones themselves are not shown until the final few seconds of the advert. The shots are taken from the phone looking at the people using them. The voiceover says that your phone is the one thing you have with you all the time and has the catchy line “ You don’t need to get a phone, you need a phone that gets you”.
For something that is just a simple means of communication, the mobile has become a status symbol, with ever more technological advances such as internet access making it an essential item. The emphasis here is on the individualistic qualities of the phone – you can make it work just for you, although of course, millions of other people have the same phone! It seems a little like a comfort blanket, the thought that you can’t really be complete without your phone within easy reach. An up to date mobile phone is an important symbol today, its value goes beyond its monetary costs- another way for some people to make judgements about others.
For something that is just a simple means of communication, the mobile has become a status symbol, with ever more technological advances such as internet access making it an essential item. The emphasis here is on the individualistic qualities of the phone – you can make it work just for you, although of course, millions of other people have the same phone! It seems a little like a comfort blanket, the thought that you can’t really be complete without your phone within easy reach. An up to date mobile phone is an important symbol today, its value goes beyond its monetary costs- another way for some people to make judgements about others.
Coca-Cola for the Consumer
My chosen commercial for consumer culture is a Coca-Cola ad broadcasted in April 1965.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUblFVVxzZg
We may look at this ad and laugh at how dated and ludicrous it is, but like many adverts today its main objective is to get the consumer to buy the product. The ad is given youthful value, as most of the people it shows carrying and drinking the coke are young, with the kind youthful energy associated with 60s liberalism. The advert draws coke away from the idea that its a 'soft drink' adding to that idea of youthfulness. After drinking the coke, the guy does a backflip, emphasizing the youthful vigour coke can apply to the individual: 'Coke lifts you're spirits, boosts your energy!' The message at the end of the ad: 'Take more than one coke' targeted at making profit, a shrewd marketing strategy.
The underlying value applied to coke even from early on is the general idea that coke is refreshing as shown with this vintage 1930s ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uK7wMMjYos The idea that coke will quench your thirst, during a hard day at work, a key cultural aspect of a developing America.
To this day; coke has become an item of symbolic value in its influence on American culture. Today, the coke ad is associated with the image of Santa Claus, as we approach Christmas. Coca-Cola has become an international commodity; since being invented by John Pemberton in 1885 it has gone on to become the world's leading soft drink.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUblFVVxzZg
We may look at this ad and laugh at how dated and ludicrous it is, but like many adverts today its main objective is to get the consumer to buy the product. The ad is given youthful value, as most of the people it shows carrying and drinking the coke are young, with the kind youthful energy associated with 60s liberalism. The advert draws coke away from the idea that its a 'soft drink' adding to that idea of youthfulness. After drinking the coke, the guy does a backflip, emphasizing the youthful vigour coke can apply to the individual: 'Coke lifts you're spirits, boosts your energy!' The message at the end of the ad: 'Take more than one coke' targeted at making profit, a shrewd marketing strategy.
The underlying value applied to coke even from early on is the general idea that coke is refreshing as shown with this vintage 1930s ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uK7wMMjYos The idea that coke will quench your thirst, during a hard day at work, a key cultural aspect of a developing America.
To this day; coke has become an item of symbolic value in its influence on American culture. Today, the coke ad is associated with the image of Santa Claus, as we approach Christmas. Coca-Cola has become an international commodity; since being invented by John Pemberton in 1885 it has gone on to become the world's leading soft drink.
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