The Story of Citizens United v. FEC (2011)

This I had to share, It hits the nail on the head and explains allot about what politicians are "SELLING" and who they are selling it for. please watch this and if you like it go to YouTube and look at more under "about stuff"

The Advertisement world around us

The persuaders documentary explores the world of advertising and how it affects the everyday lives of the American population. The documentary informs us that the reason so much advertisement is still evolving is because after some time we develop immunity to it. We get use to seeing the ads and don’t feel the urge to just go buy the product. Advertisement is seen everywhere, on busses inside and out, times square, subway tunnels, internet, TV in forms of commercials and product placements, in everywhere of our daily surroundings even in this documentary front line is advertised about 5 times in the first minute. The more adds out there the more they have to create because the public will not find it interesting or fascinating for long. The advertisement world is about displaying a lifestyle that we must feel the need to obtain and the social identify that goes with it. This was seen when the iPod commercial was displayed. A black silhouette was seen with white head phones rocking out. Who doesn’t want that lifestyle? The integrated ads are seen everywhere. In Tv shows and movies. I once watched a Smallville episode that was interesting the product placed in this episode was a gum brand that gave character super powers. We see advertisement portrayed in many ways and different formats but in the end advertisements is what they are. Its about “what works, when does it work, and with whom”. It’s as simple as that.

The Persuaders

The Persuaders is a documentary directed by Berak Goodman and Rachel Dretzen. The documentary is on a multi-billion advertising and marketing industry. Marketers have found new ways and are searching for others to weave their message into our everyday lives. In the introduction it states, "Americans are swimming in a sea of messages," which can be seen as we, Americans are having signs left to right about things telling us to do (signs everywhere) so we are literally swimming in a sea of messages with marketers reaching towards us giving us what we want to hear so that we can become consumers and buy, buy, buy. The market research methods helps understand consumers and how they can get us to buy their product. Marketing affects politics too; politicians use tools to get elected and stay in office which, as we all know, is very true.

Morgan England

RE: "The Persuaders"

In the movie, “The Persuaders” is explaining the progression of advertising, that there is nowhere to go without it. We are in this world of clutter and its becoming our own atmosphere. We can’t even watch our beloved TV shows without seeing some form of advertising in the show. The owners of these companies are trying to engage and connect to the community, trying to draw them in and have them hooked. The companies are coming up with these commercials that aren’t even showing what their product is or what it does. But that kind of brainwashing is making the everyday average Joe want the product even if they don’t know what it is. They aren’t trying to bring in one specific group of people but rather than a whole nation of people. They are becoming part of the tribe, cult of the brands that they buy. Once the American person found a product they love, their most likely going to stick with it. Becoming that regular buyer. The product they are producing the love mark, creating loyalty beyond reasoning. By having this love mark, the companies are able to keep a hold of their consumers, and have them keep coming back for more and more.

We never seem to look into the hidden messages when we buy things. When one person buys an item, it’s usually out of impulse. They like the item that they see and they must have it. Usually it also doesn’t help when someone is on the TV saying, “and hurry up we only have 5 left!” The commenter of the movies explains that, “…persuaders listen to us when others won’t…marketer’s find a way inside us that we don’t even realize it at all…that maybe we are the persuaders.” We must induce the person to persuade themselves.

The Persuaders

I have found the PBS production of “The Persuaders” to be really informing and eye opening. It makes me not willing to watch the commercials that come on TV I don't want to persuade myself into buying something I don't need. Clotaire Rapaille a Market Research Guru he states that he has figured out the luxury code, he can tell a marketing firm what the code is to help them sale their product. I know that what you think you know about how a commercial is made and why you would be wrong. It is kind of scary how they get in your head and pick it apart just to sale you just what you want.

The Persuaders

In the Frontline special, “The Persuaders”, claim that advertisement is all around us. There is so much advertisement that it has created its own problem. Advertisement has created clutter, which has created another goal for Advertiser, which is to break through the clutter. Advertisers must create a message that stands out over the rest of the competition. Frontline then show some strategies that some companies use to market new products and businesses. One example that is used is Song; Song is a new airline company. Song’s goal, when it comes to advertisement, is to connect to people on an emotional level, by creating a culture around flying. Through their research or focus groups, Song’s advertisers found out that in the airline world, women needs and desires weren’t being met. Song then marketed themselves to women. Song created a Mascot named Carrie, that has an ideal middle to high class life. Song then used advertisement that tried to connect to people, but said nothing about being an airlines, in hopes to sell the soul of Song to the masses. Like most companies the question came down to “[s]hould the pitch be aimed at the head or the heart?” (persuaders). Frontline brings up the fact that in the early days of advertisements, that “ads laid claim to real, tangible differences between one product and another” (Persuaders). Now its all about what does the product means. That people will join cults and brands for the same reason, to belong. If a product means something, such as community, people will follow. Times are changing and because of the Internet and devices like Tivo, the traditional thirty second ad is no longer working. Advertiser are now using product placement in new ways; creating shows and movies that have products as part of the story lines. Frontline then talks about a man by the name of Clotaire Rapaille. Rapaille is the Market Research Guru; “[w]hat sets Rapaille apart from many other market researchers is his belief that consumers are driven by unconscious needs and impulses” (Persuaders). Rapaille, uses this belief to teach advertisers how to market their product. Frontline then discusses Political advertisement and how politicians lie to the public, buy telling the public what the public wants to hear. Also how the way a sentence is structured can make or break a product or politician, for example, “global warming” to “climate change”, "tax relief" instead of "tax cuts," and to replace the "war in Iraq" with the "war on terror” (Persuaders). Companies can also market to individuals. Acxiom has a database that is loaded with people’s, personal information, then sells that information to politicians and companies in what is called narrowcasting. Somehow this is all good, and the consumers are the one in control because the “Persuaders” listen to us and give us what we want; that in the end, we are all Persuaders.
What I found interesting was that Clotaire Rapaille ideas are the same as Sigmund Freud’s nephew, Edward Bernays. Bernays is the father of Public Relation and why advertisers, advertise the way they do. Bernays is the reason why bacon and eggs is a true American breakfast. So when Douglas Rushkoff said in “the Persuaders” that, “[o]f course, it's impossible to know if Rapaille's excursions through the collective unconscious really uncover what drives us”, I feel that he is mistaken, because there is almost 100 years of evidence with Bernays’ work to back up Rapaille’s belief, that the subconscious part of the brain is what drives consumerism.

Quick summary of the documentry Pursuaded

In this documentary written by Barak Goodman & Douglas Rushkoff directed by Goodman & Rachel Dretzin and produced By Goodman, Dretzin & Muriel Soenens, Correspondent Douglas Rushkoff shows us several different views on ways Advertising has become a multibillion dollar industry who’s research teams specialize specifically in techniques to part the consumer with their money not only by appealing to their wants and needs but by tapping into the collective subconscious of the public at large. He also gives examples of how this technique has spilled over into the political arena and politicians are tapping into information gathering companies like Acxiom to acquire information used to manipulate voters on a more personal level. As put by Frank Luntz “ political and corporate adviser”  “80% of a person’s life is emotion and 20% is intellect, better to know how a person feels than how they think. According to people like Paul Woolmington (CEO, the media kitchen) they want to create a movement for their product almost on a cult like level. This documentary gives many examples on how the advertisers ,which also seems to be what politicians are today, are targeting specific people but more so it describes where they get these ideas and incites that lead them into what they believe is the realm of the subconscious mind of the people. 

Persuaders: Scene Summary

When the documentary showed commercials from the 1990’s, I noticed a major difference. Commercials used to show what the product did, and how it could better your life. By the end of the commercial, you knew what the product was, what it was for, and what it accomplished. As they said, its not what the “product did, but what the product meant.” Commercials nowadays make the consumer think. In many ads that I see I have no idea what the product they are trying to sell is. And it isn’t even about the product anymore, its about having an emotional connection with the consumer, one that they will remember, and one that will fall into their unconscious though process. I found this very interesting because in a way they are manipulating us to believe that with this product, our life will change and become like the commercial showed. And we are naïve to believe them.

The Persuaders - They Say

In a 2004 documentary called “The Persuaders”, the underlying reasons and thought-process of advertisements is discussed. Directed by Barak Goodman and Rachel Dretzin, written by Barak Goodman and Douglas Rushkoff, this documentary reveals how marketing and advertising are based off of consumer satisfaction. The main idea is that consumers have the power, not the industries. Advertising has consumed almost every aspect of life. It is considered a “clutter crisis” because companies are always trying to beat the other ones out by being attention-grabbers. But this cycle just leads to advertisement after advertisement after advertisement. It’s all about what consumers want, not what the product can do. Their ultimate goal is to “become the atmosphere” that we live in. In other words, they want us to not realize they are there so that are unconscious minds (which are very influential) will be able to recognize products from the ads that are vicariously placed around us.
Commercials are rarely about the product anymore but rather about the tradition and the emotional connection that one can have with the product. They say, “Advertisers have blurred the line between programming and product”. In other words, tugging on the heartstrings of consumers beats actually pushing the product, it’s about creating a virtual life that consumers will “want”. In the early 1990’s, commercials used ‘er’ words that made the consumer feel good about purchasing the product. For example, better, whiter, etc. It was about what the product did. Commercials now are more about what the product means. They also discuss the similarities between cults and product ads. People purchase a product for the same reasons that they join a cult. They want to be accepted. Advertisers show you a lifestyle that is appealing to society, and then you convince yourself that you need it in order to become part of that “lifestyle”.
Another important topic that is discussed is “product placement.” With so many people having the ability to fast forward commercials, companies are now integrating their products in TV shows and many people don’t even notice the ads anymore because we have become so accustomed to them. “Consumers are driven by unconscious needs” and that is why ads aren’t as direct as they used to be. It isn’t about gaining some sort of product; it’s about integrating that product in order to live. It’s all about word choice and sometimes even the slightest change in vocabulary can have a drastic change in reaction from the consumers. These ad companies understand consumers and have technology to predict the future of people and what they believe, what they like, and what they purchase.

The Pursuaders

Professors of Law, Authors, Media Critics, CEOs, Corporate Consultants, Pollsters, Columnists and Reporters as well as Ad Agency Strategists were interviewed during the production of “The Pursuaders,” a Frontline documentary about how marketers influence not only what we buy but indeed how we, as consumers [targets], think and feel. I found part of the message to be reassuring; but only one part --the part that said, “Somebody out there is listening.” Billions of dollars are spent each year to study what we (as consumers) want just as millions of man-hours are focused toward interpretation of the many studies. The large part of the message though was disturbing but was equally disturbing was my own personal jaded indifference to the reported efforts of large corporations and politicians. Somewhere in the presentation I understood that ‘they’ wanted to control me and not only me but also our future generations including my children. Somewhere along the line the message was accepted, analyzed and then strangely, dismissed.

According to Douglas Rushkoff, one of the many participants of the Frontline interview, “Television commercials are stories, too, and they are designed to impress brand values upon us with the force of cultural mythology, securing and extending our most deeply held beliefs.” He goes on to state, “Today, the most intensely targeted demographic is the baby—the future consumer. Before an average American child is twenty months old, he can recognize the McDonald's logo and many other branded icons. Nearly everything a toddler encounters—from Band-Aids to underpants—features the trademarked characters of Disney or other marketing empires.” Can I, as a grandfather, continue to ignore the efforts of advertisers to cultivate and develop strategies for the coming generation? Asked in that fashion, perhaps I can. It’s fairly easy to reassure myself by saying that my children are okay but when I hear statements such as, “The fresh neurons of young brains are valuable mental real estate to admen,” (Rushkoff, Branding Products, Branding People, par 26) I’m no longer certain of my indifference. The brand marketers want to “do more than just develop brand recognition, they literally cultivate a demographic's sensibilities" as they are formed. They have a long-term coercive strategy that is specifically targeted toward young minds as they are developing.

A nine-year-old child knows the sound of the Budweiser frogs and can recite their slogan (Bud-weis-er). Of course, nine-year-olds have no interest in beer, yet --and marketers have no hopes of a 9-year old consumer. Well, not for another nine years.

The Persuaders

Frontline and PBS did a documentary called, “The Persuaders” and within this documentary, they “explore how the cultures of marketing and advertising have come to influence not only what Americans buy, but also how they view themselves and the world around them.” This documentary is a ninety minute long thing with different people doing interviews with Frontline, talking about the concepts and techniques behind advertising and what draws people in. One of the techniques that was discussed is called emotional branding which is basically is an emotional edge to the ad that has an invitation for a longed for lifestyle and allowing culture and community to come together. Advertisers use the whole idea of acceptance and belonging to their advantage, because the consumer is more willing to buy a certain product or a certain brand if they think it will make them feel accepted. It’s like the consumers have an “in” with a certain group of people once they buy a certain brand. It’s all about the emotional attachment between a product and the consumer.

Something that I found interesting didn't come until later on in the documentary, when Frontline basically states that because technology is changing and as a result advertising is losing viewers and so marketing companies are integrating ads and products into shows on TV. The writers for a show are meeting with an advertising company to create a story line around a certain product or company. For example, in castaway you see “FedEx” being shown, in “I am Sam” and “You’ve got mail”, you see Starbucks being advertised. It’s called seamless integration where it’s all about product placement. New ways of grabbing the consumer’s attention are being explored and used because of the changes in technology and the changes in advertising.

Imported From Detroit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI6puP3cClM

This commercial starts out with a care driving through the city of Detroit. Displaying the sights and the lights. The car roles around and we don’t see the driver till he parks. He is Eminem. A well-known rapper who at the time was nominated for a Grammy in the best rap album of the year category. This would soon become another Grammy to add to his collection. All in all Eminem is seen as a success icon. He has everything he needs and more. So if Eminem is driving a Chrysler so should you. The commercial shows the music icon has chosen to drive this car. The music that is heard in the commercial is very intense like Eminem’s music and it gives the commercial a sense of power. Eminem gets out of his car and enters a theater where a choir is singing and his powerful words come out. “He says this is the motor city, because this is what we do.” If that doesn’t want to make you buy that car nothing will. The sense of power that is portrayed is seen so strongly that it seems that if you buy the car it will give you power.

RE; Pantene Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um9KsrH377A
THE VIDEO I WATCHED IS THIS ONE ABOVE.

In the beginning of the Pantene commercial, was a deaf girl watching a man play his violin on the street. She is memorized by it. She insists to learn how to play the violin. One girl was but ends up yelling that she will never know how to play because she is deaf and that she is wasting everyone’s time. Afterwards she talks to the violin man on the street. She asks why she is different and he asks her why she wants to be like the others. He goes on saying music is a visible thing. To just close her eyes and she will see. The next scene shows her playing the violin and learning how to play. The bully continues to put her down. The bully is feeling threatened that she is progressing so well. Four men show up when she and the man are playing their violins on the street. And beat up the man and break the girls violin. Then it transfers to the music concert, where the bully was playing the piano and supposedly the last contestant, until the deaf girl shows up with her glued together violin. When she closes her eyes and starts playing, everyone is in complete awe. Her hair moves every which way while she is playing. And once she is done. Every person gives her a standing ovation. Then it shows the pantene and saying, “You can shine.”

I believe this commercial is saying that just because you have a setback or something putting you down, you are still able to get up and prove to everyone that you aren’t what they believe. That anyone can truly shine to their fullest potential. I see that she was happy that she was just playing the violin. She proved that with her biggest drawback and being bullied the whole time she was still able to show the world that she can be the greatest. It was an amazing and extraordinary feat that she was able to play such beautiful music when she could not hear it. Not only is this a commercial it is an inspiration.

Kia commercial

In the 2010 Kia Soul Hamster Commercial it really draws you in with a bunch of personified hamsters that act all gangster. If the commercial just talked about the car it would bore most people but instead it draws you in with pleasant music and images that get you excited and imaginative. The hamsters seem like just the right animal to be driving the Kia Soul because they are small and docile just like the compact car. The reason that they are portrayed as hip-hop hamsters is because it interests most people from maybe 8 to 20 years old, and if you don’t like hip-hop then the commercial will probably be peculiar enough to grab your attention anyways. The Hamsters are singing a hip-hop song throughout the entire commercial where they repeatedly say, “you can go with this or you could go with that”. The reason they say this is because they represent someone cool in society while they drive their Kia Soul and the other hamsters like the two that crash their cardboard box are an example of someone not as cool. So the cool hip-hop hamsters keep telling you, “you could go with this or you could go with that”. So you’re going to want to go with this Kia instead of going with that other car. Throughout the whole commercial the hamsters that are driving the Kia Soul are the cool people on the block and turn everyone’s heads because of their awesome style. Everyone else driving toasters, wash machines, and cardboard boxes are just out of style. Even though this scene seems fictional it relates to our everyday lives of wanting to be cool, popular or noticed. We all want the newest coolest car, electronics, clothes, and what have you, and the hip-hop hamsters have it all and Kia uses them to make you buy their car.

Mary's Sample Ad Analysis

This Pepsi-Max commercial shows snapshots of all types of people falling asleep at work.  When they drink Pepsi-Max, however, they become alert and exuberant, smiling and dancing. While analyzing this commercial I noticed how pepsi-max is not only advertising a product, but also fueling the cycle of consumerism by portraying mostly people at work. By focusing on workers this commercial reinforces values of industrialism prevalent in the United States, supporting the idea that we should strive to be hard workers despite fatigue or illness. It reveals how we place our identity in our jobs which in turn bolsters the economy, & this reinforces our duty as Americans to value hard work & support our “system.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVYzxxgKXTY

"Too Short"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgpGlzsx2rk

The commercial “Too Short” starts off with “I See Girls (Crazy) by Sing Studio B in the background and a middle aged father looking man oiling the fencing around his family home on the back patio. He’s doing the typical cliché of a husband: yard work. The man finishes with his oiling and heads toward the clothesline as he is looking for something to wipe his hands on. He notices his daughter’s nice clean white mini skirt hanging to dry; pulls it down and proceeds to wipe oil and dirt all over the front of it. His hands are now clean though, he is thinking. He then walks through the backdoors and throws the, what was once clean and is now stained, skirt into the dirty clothes hamper. Now, we move on to see the teenage daughter (probably not more than 16) looking through the hamper as though she’s looking for something specific. She notices her white skirt in the hamper; picks it up and gets a disgusted look in her eyes. She brings the skirt to her mother who feels the stain while slightly turning her head toward the room where the father is sitting comfortably in a chair reading the paper like he’s innocent. The daughter stands there with an attitude in her body with one hand on her hip like “what on Earth, dad?!” The music stops and the commercial proceeds to say in a lady’s voice (you do not see the lady) “Tide with ActiLift technology; helps remove many dry stains as if they were fresh.” The commercial skips forward where now the daughter is coming down in her skirt (perfectly white; imagine that) with a big smile on her face, says goodbye to her mother and rubs her hand on her father’s head like a “ha-ha” and runs out the door. Obviously that didn’t stop her from going out. The lady’s voice still in the background and the screen displays: “Style is an option. Clean is not.” The message I believe this commercial is portraying is that no matter what you do to your clothes, you can get the stains out and make the clothes if they were brand new by using Tide with ActiLift.

Commercial

Pepsi Max – “I'm Good” - Super Bowl 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkgZFI4ZT0I

The First Diet Pepsi for Men!

In this humorous commercial for men you glimpse five rapid skits of men having painful accidents such as, a kidney punch with flying 2x4, golf swing to the face… twice, bowling ball dropped on head, being hit by tunnel while standing up in limo, and severe electric shock. All men after having experienced a physically painful injury magically bounce back and say, “I’m good.” Narrator at end of commercial says in a manly lighthearted way, “Men can take anything except the taste of diet cola…until now…Pepsi Max…the first diet cola for men!”

We instantly recognize that Pepsi means to entertain and capture a male audience. Everyone knows that we don’t magically bounce back after sustaining these injuries and simply say, “I’m good.” We know they would all have been rendered unconscious or saying something far from, “I’m good,” quite the opposite. Nevertheless, because Pepsi did such a humorous job making us laugh at the absurdity we cut them a break and appreciate the good humor instead.

The fact that this aired during the Super Bowl tells us that the male message of invincibility plays a bigger role during Super Bowl commercials. Large male audiences watching football players getting powerfully tackled and yet still need to get up for the next play immortalizes the “Men can take anything” approach, thus, keeping football players and television viewers bonded by their manliness. Pepsi product itself is promoted in a black sleek manly can. Super Bowl for all its fans is about good fun and a little bit of wild abandon and Pepsi did a great job capturing the folly of it.

(Disclaimer: The views of the student do not coincide with the advertiser’s financial objectives.) K. James

Commercial Post

In the commercial that I have chosen for my blog post is “The World Is Just Awesome” by Discovery Networks. I find that this is on of just a few commercials that I get into (must sing along). This commercial hits home for me I love the world and love to be in nature. The use of all the different places in the world and the different jobs, really connects with everyone. The way this video just draws one in with thoughts of what is next what far off place will we see next. I find that the Discovery Channel is tring to get us to watch there network with this commercial, and I think they did a good job hooking the consumer with the commercial. A lot of people find the Discovery Channel boring and stay far from it, but when the commercial like this comes on that person must stop and watch it. I am sure there is some people that just don't care about commercials like this, but they must not have feelings. The ability to connect to the consumer is always the perpus of the commercial and if it does that's a job well done. A commercial like this Discovery commercial is not the typcal commercial it doesn't have a traditional product that is being sold. I know it wants you to watch their channel but it use a passive approach by showing the beauty of the world. They use some characters from the show they produce, but it is not targeted to a specific demographic. I find that this commercial is just to promote a clean and healthy world. So get out and injoy it in the rain, sun and snow.

Funniest Commercial Ever

This add appeals to our idea of what rational thinking is and the fact that kids are not always rational .You can really feel the emotion as this child begins to go off the deep end. If you are a parent you can really Identify with what this parent must be going through. As a non-parent it makes you stop and wonder what would make a person choose to be a parent. It is a situation that anyone can relate to because everyone shops and no one likes to be embarrassed . As I Analise this I see a message that every young person needs to see and it leaves the viewer realizing that not using this product could change your life in ways you could not imagine. After this add opens up your mind to crazy It ends by offering a simple solution to all of this irrational behavior.

Ad Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hXlPY9OS1k

In the, “Jack in the Box - I Love America - 2011 Super Bowl Commercial Ad” Jack, outside the box, “love’s America. [He] love’s his pet bald eagle, Brock. [His] bison Sarah. [He] loves [his] pickup, with custom Constitution paint job. [He] celebrates Jury Duty. [He] loves America so much, [that he is] making an All-American Jack Combo. Two Jumbo patties with melting cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickle plus fries and a drink for only $4.99.” Jack in the Box uses cultural myths for the base of their commercial. Starting with the opening, where Jack say’s “I love America”, then moves on to his pet bald eagle and bison, then his pickup with the American Constitution painted on it; ending with Jack celebrating jury duty.

Jack is using American ideologies to give himself the image that he “loves America”; that these images of a bald eagle, bison and the Constitution strike at the Heart of America itself. The bald eagle for freedom, the bison of the Plains, that represents America’s beauty, and the Constitution gives American’s their rights and way of life. Since Jack has the eagle and bison as pets, then that could be taken as a metaphor that, Jack loves, cares, and provides for, as you would a pet, the Freedom and Beauty of America, while Jack’s pickup represents America’s ruggedness with the Constitution paint job representing that no matter where Jack, or anyone, goes in America, they always have their rights. Jack’s enthusiasm of the judicial system, by celebrating jury duty show’s his love, because most people despise jury duty, and here’s Jack celebrating his chance, he must love America.

Since Jack loves America so much, he is going to give his love back by creating his “All-American Jack combo… for only $4.99”. The wording “for only $4.99” is a cultural myth that can suck people into the advertisement. “Only $4.99” sounds like a deal, and deals are good, so $4.99 is good. People tend to buy something if they believe they are getting a deal, such as "on sale".

Commercial Blog Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDGCg037kC4&feature=related

The commercial, “Hello mother, hello father,” by K9 Advantix is about a small, cute little puppy singing a song about going to camp and how much he is thankful for having K9 Advantix so he is able to enjoy camping. The song is very catchy and most people will just find the puppy adorable which catches people’s attention. The song is simple and that too catches people’s attention and without realizing it that the song itself is selling a product. Such as Robert Scholes take on the Budweiser commercial in the article, “On Reading A Video Text, “ which is about baseball disconnecting Budweiser completely until the very end; however, chose baseball because it is the American pastime so joins the fact that Budweiser could be an American beer. In the K9 Advantix commercial it starts off with the puppy singing the song which then adds in some camping where he thanks his mother and father for sending K9 Advantix because he does not have to bother with bugs/insects and all that comes along with it. When the commercial first came out within just a few times watching it I memorized the song without realizing it and found myself singing it throughout the day, along with many others besides me. I believe that is what makes this commercial so great is the fact that it will hit all dog lovers which most likely have dogs and will buy K9 Advantix because it can help dogs with bugs/insects. What makes this commercial even more appealing is the fact that it is short and simple; to the point really because the commercial is filled with a little song and a few words at the ends that wraps up exactly what the product is. In conclusion, the commercial although it is about flee medicine it sucks you in with a catchy, little song using an adorable puppy singing it that takes the product and stores in in your mind without realizing it exactly how the Budweiser commercial did with baseball.

Morgan England

Ad Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMRMW1FXSHw

This video is about the 2010 dodge charger. It opens with men in uniform riding on horses and marching with guns at their sides. It’s a sign of war, which seems to be the theme of America throughout the years, going all the way back to the civil war, maybe even further. War means fighting for something and or someone. People go to war to because they don’t see any other way to solve a conflict. Throughout the years we’ve had several wars that made history and they took place to protect America and the people. The next thing that pops out to me in the video is the three different years of dodge chargers and to me it symbolizes that just like a car’s model changes throughout the years, people change, cultures change and ultimately America changes as we need get new people in the White House thinking that they know the best way to run a country. Change is all around us, there is no getting away from that but at the same time, and there should be a foundation that never changes. Towards the end of the video clip, there is a voice in the background that says, “There are two things America got right, cars and freedom.” I think what this quote means is that, people associate America with freedom just like teenagers and young people associate cars with freedom. Why do you think the pilgrims came to America? They were looking for freedom, for a new country to create a new life for themselves. Throughout history there people all over the globe coming to America for freedom and for change. America is a foundation built upon freedom, truth and honor. Not only is this video clip about freedom and cars that is obvious to many viewers but I believe that there might be a hidden message in this clip that speaks history. History is about the past, people that have made a difference and events that have changed America.

Commercial Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0


The commercial begins with a very typical little boy dressing up as Darth Vadar. Right away, the commercial gets your attention because the little boy is so cute trying to move things with his superhero powers. As the commercial continues and the boy goes around the house trying hard to move things, we see a traditional housewife in the kitchen that feeds the little boy. We assume that she doesn’t work and that she stays home with the kids during the day. And then, the father gets home in his brand new vehicle. So we assume that he works and provides for the family. Very “typical” of an American family…well maybe not in this economy but you get the idea. The little boy runs outside to greet his dad but instead he tries to work his powers on the car as well. Just as he is running out of hope, the car engine starts and the child is astonished and proud that his superpowers finally worked. Come to find out, the dad was inside the house and started the engine from his remote control. This could be controversial because now the little boy thinks that he has powers when he really doesn’t. Yes, it is fun to make believe when you are little but this boy could really be upset when he finds out that he isn’t Darth Vadar. This commercial is definitely one that makes the viewer smile and laugh but yet, not really focus on the type of car. The commercial does a good job of holding you in until the very end where they can then sell their product to you. They are portraying that this vehicle is family-friendly, reliable, and perfect for the American working class. Before analyzing this commercial, I never realized all of the traditions and ways of life that are manipulated into what you consider “perfect”.

Cullman Liquidations (Middle-of-Nowhere Local Commercial)

Cullman Liquidations has clearly seen the rough side of life so it follows his is the place to find a used no-frills basic home and shelter. These guys have stood the storm and faced everything that life could throw at them. They know how to survive, how to protect from the storms and challenges that face the common man. The owner walks and points a lot, he talks in a gritty down to earth manner; the commercial doesn’t hide things, the message, “We’ve got nothing to hide,” is driven home constantly.

In the first shot the camera cuts to a billboard sign that has seen better days. Weathered and faded, it simply stands and does what it is there for: it delivers the message. As we read the sign “Cullman Liquidation Ctr,” we are introduced to the CEO and owner, Robert Lee, who says matter-of-factly, “I’m not gonna waste your time, I’m gonna tell it just like it is.”

Camera cuts to a used mobile home in route to its new destination as the voice-over continues, “These are mobile homes, not mansions.” . The guy from the Middle-of-Nowhere, Alabama invites customers to “come on down and git a home,” [pause] “or don’t, I don’t care.” Camera cuts to the interior view of a small room revealing a bare, uncovered, dirty, stained composite lumber floor, “They are used, some of them have stains. We cover that up.” You can expect the basics here, folks.

The commercial continues as the owner bares his soul to reveal the stains that life has made on him, “My wife’s boyfriend broke my jaw with a fence post,” we are told, delivery is deadpan, no expression, stated matter-of-fact. “A bouncer in Birmingham hit me in the face with a crescent wrench.” The implied message is repeated, “I’ve seen the rough side of life, have been to the college of hard knocks and have survived.” Who else to go to when basic shelter is needed?

The commercial ends by borrowing a victory shot the fans of Hollywood Westerns will appreciate. The 8 man team walks purposefully toward the future, together. Their confident strides speak of unity of purpose, solidarity and dedication. Camera fades as they burst into a run. A quote from Thomas J. Watson comes to mind, "Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that's where you will find success."

NEW E*TRADE Baby -- Time Out

Reading Behind the Scene

Robert Scholes makes the point in his project, "On Reading a Video Text" that if we accept the empowerment's and vicarious pleasures of a video message, we will also accept the underlying message. In his example of a Budweiser Beer commercial, he examines the overt and underlying messages that are being sent. The success of a up and coming umpire in the good ol' American pastime involves a right of passage where approval is signaled by a tipping of the hat and raising a beer in toast for a career making call.

It is his claim that intended audiences need to involve their critical thinking skills to take apart the well constructed messages and analyse them, break them down into their component part to be able to better comprehend how advertisers are working to sell their products.

Video Texts

Video texts come in all different forms including commercials, movies, and television shows. They are becoming ubiquitous as technology and society progress forward; sending hidden messages (or narratives) that are very clear when the video text is broken down. Networks have started “cutting out” sections of the show per segment to make room for more commercials. In the article “On Reading A Video Text”, however, Robert Scholes uses a specific example of a video text in which he tells the narrative of the video to make the message clear. He states “Let us begin with a well-known Budweiser commercial, which tells the life story of a black man pursuing a career as a baseball umpire”. In other words, Scholes wants us to be aware of what commercials are subconsciously connecting and engaging to our minds.

On Reading a Video Text

In Robert Scholes’ article, “On Reading a Video Text” he takes a 28 second 1982 Budweiser commercial and stretches it out into a comprehensive 1 ½ page writing that analyzes the true meaning of the commercial. He explains why Budweiser made a story about a regular ump that makes it big time and deserves a beer at the end. It’s because Budweiser wanted to make a commercial that speaks to Americans and relates to their lives, feelings, and patriotism so that they will want to buy more beer. The commercial seems sinister to some because it has an agenda not only to sell beer but it influences your thinking just by being exposed to it. Scholes really analyzes every faucet of the commercial and he warns and persuades others to do the same.

American Culture Brought To You by Corporate America

American Culture Brought To You by Corporate America

In Robert Scholes, “On Reading a Video Text,” he describes how our culture and our perception of America have shaped through advertiser’s skillful manipulation.
Scholes describes how media has skillfully shaped our American consciousness by reinforcing a cultural ideology based on “Myth” and not reality.

He demonstrates how commercials hook us within a few short seconds by using their acute understanding of our human emotions. Manipulating our unconscious mind with technical skills and exploiting visual images, music, voice over narration, Scholes says advertisers can create an entire life story.

I feel this is cultural hypnosis at its best. Media appeals to us with these powerful visual messages that makes us highly suggestible and pulls us in limiting our field of consciousness by fixing our attention to what their selling be it an idea or an outright product. Advertisers zone in on our actual human nature altering our sense of identity and conformity to their will.

Once Scholes has us understanding how media works he then explains that, “In this age of massive manipulation and disinformation, criticism is the only way we have of taking something seriously. The greatest patriots of our time will be those who explore our ideology critically, with particular attention to the gaps between mythology and practice.”

Educating ourselves and our children to the realization that media does not always have our best interests at heart and becoming more decisive critical thinkers to discern between ideology and myth in America.

Something interesting for you fellow students.

So this has nothing to do with the article today that we are posting about, but it does with the past ones. This morning I was listening to the radio and they were talking about how on a show they have two of the most smartest people going up against a computer. I don't remember the shows name, but it was something to do with answering questions... But anyways, he was talking about how the computer new all the answers, and the computer would answer off of the question. For example, it would listen to the question and then scan it's data base and find the answer. I was really intrigued when I was listening this morning because of all the articles about how the internet it pretty much taking over and becoming a part of our everyday life. And then the radio person started talking about this philosopher (he wouldn't say his name because he said he didn't know how to pronounce it) but he said how the philosopher was talking about how scientists today can scan are minds while we are sleeping and how they can watch our dreams. He also mentioned how they have this new tool, that if we have any childhood memories or any memories in general that we don't want to remember or ever think of, that the scientist has this special way of removing it from our memory. And then the radio host when on saying that this philosopher had stated that in 35 years human minds and computer will join together.. Sound familiar?! But it's different from what your thinking right now! He was talking about how we would live inside computers?! Confusing and crazy?! Yeah I was thinking the same thing! Anyways, I don't know who all listens to the radio while getting ready so I thought I would share that little piece of information with ya'll just incase you guys didn't hear it. Feel free to add on to this blog too if I left anything out!.. Think about it... There just might be ROBOTS in the near future :) Haha!

On Reading a Video Text.

In the article, "On Reading a Video Text" by Robert Scholes, he explains about the hidden messages in the videos or commercials that we watch. For example, in the video about making the right choice, and not regretting it. By striking that guy out, all the other players were mad but later that night one of them bought him a budwieser while they were at the bar/pub. Robert Scholes says "An audience that can understand this commerial, successfully constructing the ump's story from he scenes represented in the text and the comments of the narrative voice, is an audience that understands narrative structure and has a significant amount of cultural knownledge as well, including both date (how baseball leagues are organized, for instance, how the game is played) and myth (what constitutes success, for example, and what initiation is). Which makes a lot of since because the hidden message in the busweiser being interwined with the commercial is to not sell beer, but to sell America. I find it wierd that this got brought up because I never realized or looked for the hidden message while commercials were playing. Especially, the commercials that involve alcohol. I always that they were just tryin to advertise their products. Which some alcohol commercials probably are just trying to advertise them. Which leaves me with the question.. Which commercials are actually advertising and which commercials have a hidden meaning?!

RE: "On Reading a Video Text"

When I was reading Robert Scholes’ article, “On Reading a Video Text” I couldn’t get over the fact on how in detail he explains the main message of a commercial that he is explaining about. My first reaction was when I was finished was that, do he do this to every commercial he sees? I kind of laughed at that moment seeing a guy at home watching tv, then all of a sudden a commercial comes on and he makes his family rewinds it and rewatch it and then he is asking what they all thought the main idea of the commercial was. I thought that was a little humorous, for that the dad wants to only watch commercials and the kids are dreading for them to come on.

What I believe he is trying to get and trying to say is that there is always going to be a message in a bottle and that there is a saying behind every message. Scholes argues that, “In this age of massive manipulation and disinformation, criticism is the only we has of taking something seriously.” What I believe he is trying to say is that in our era of advertising that is out there, we are all be brainwashed or “manipulated” as he says, that we don’t really have our own way of living. That one way to get our own output, our own say, is through criticism.

Americans today seem to skip over things a little too easily than we used to. We tend to skip what something is saying when we first look at it. However, is someone finds something they like or that relates to them, they’ll keep watching and enjoy and get the sense of feeling that we’re there with them every step of the way. Truly understanding what they are saying. People these days don’t really seem to get a sense of what the advertising world is saying and I believe they never will. We will keep just seeing the product on the screen and then want that product, they won’t go into depth believe that the commercial just shown meant something to them. Its going to be harder and harder to draw people in and show them what you really want to say.