The Powers of Advertising

I was about to comment on how I was reading my copy of "Good" really late and make some excuse about how I have other things to do.... and then I looked at it and realized it was for March/April. So really I am not that far behind. Just because it had been sitting on top of my bar fridge for over a month now is beside the point. Speaking of magazines though I also have a subscription to Scientific American: Mind and the most recent edition seems to MIA. I really am going to have to contact them about it one of these days.

I really did have a point here.... Oh yeah on advertising. I was reading through the magazine (What else am I going to do at work? Actually work? Pfffttt) and came across the new Saturn Ad for Astra. It has really got me thinking.... brain in overdrive here.... It says, "How about a little single-tasking. Phones that play music. Music players that play movies. When did we start doing everything at once? And when did we multitask the joy out of driving? ... Just something to rethink about."

Doesn't quite make me want to go out and buy a Saturn... but it does bring into focus more of the lifestyle. Right now I am at work.... It's all about multi-tasking. Having a conversation with the customer, troubleshooting the issue, locating customer information, and creating case notes. Then when I go home I am trying to do so many things at once... from catching up on TV shows that I missed, to email, to video editing, chatting on MSN, eating, to whatever else I can find. Then I wonder where the day has gone and why even though I always seem to be busy that I really didn't accomplish all that much.

But as a result I now have trouble just sitting down and watching a movie. I feel like I should be doing so much more. I now feel like I should be multi-tasking ALL the time. Kind of takes the joy of it. So maybe I should try to get back to focusing on just one thing at at time... Like the Saturn ad says.

Smart Pop Commercial

I was watching TV the other day, like usual and one of the commercials was for Smart Pop popcorn by Orville Redenbacher. Apparently it has the health check stamp of approval. The ad said, "There is literally no down side." And all I could think was that the statement was true... as long as you don't turn the microwave on. In case you're wondering why I would say that check out my post here for more details. I wanted to upload the commercial but I couldn't find it. Some days I love advertising... just not always for the reason they want me to.

Army Recruiting

I was just watching the show "Murder" on Spike and noticed an awful lot of Army ads. At first I thought I was just noticing it more because I had just read an article in Adbuster comparing the recruiting ads of the Canadian, British and American military. Then it dawned on me. Spike TV is geared towards males, especially young males. So the army is just using their advertising dollars to target the best demographic. I'm not sure how effective it is but hey I can always watch Spike and avoid watching commercials for maxi pads complete with the blue liquid.

Stereotypes in Advertising

I was watching TV and saw a commercial for McDonald's. It really bothered me. I tried to find it on You Tube but couldn't. Maybe if I looked hard enough I could but I wasn't quite that motivated. It's the most recent one that is on the air. I think the reason it bothers me so much is that it is full of stereotypes. A woman comes in after an extensive shopping trip for new clothes, of course. It is then revealed that the geeky computer guy has asked her out. The other two co-workers wonder why she said yes and think it must be because she "missed snack time." This leads her to question her decision and the other female coworker to comment that it's a chance to wear those new shoes. There are a few things that stand out. For one, it reinforces the stereotype that looks are the only thing that is important when it comes to dating. Secondly, it is only the geek that is seen doing any work. Lastly, women are portrayed as shopoholics. I take offense to that for many reasons. I'm not a feminist but it seems to be taking a step back in time.

The other commercial that bothers me is the one for Swiss Chalet. A teenage girl is asking for her curfew to be changed. Only her father seems to have the power to change her curfew. Seems to be a throwback to a patriarchal society.

I am always fascinated by commercials and the marketing that is involved in them. Obviously, they are designed to make you want to buy a product or service. It has to be catchy and emphasize the brand so that it stands out to you and makes you feel a connection. And then there are commercials that do the opposite. Of course I am also interested in product placement but that is a whole other topic of conversation.

The Crazy Ones

Here's to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They're not fond of rules.

And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things.

They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.

How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?

Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written?

Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

We make tools for these kinds of people. Where some people see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

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