Where Does Advertising Go From Here?

This is something that is asked frequently and probably has been asked since the beggining of advertising. It seems that advertising has evolved from a business of communication to communities. With the invention of social networks like mysapce, face book, twitter, and online shopping sites like ebay and amazon, advertisers had to find a new way to reach consumers. Especially since so many people now choose to watch their TV shows online instead of on actual TV and get their music from iTunes instead of turning on the radio. Just yesterday I was on face book and saw a JCrew ad, which I found very out of place. Tod's the luxury shoe and purse maker made a short film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Dennis Hopper that they put on their website. The film's story revolved around a bag. BMW did the same type of thing a few years ago. My prediction is that companies will decide to join rather than beat technological advancement. I foresee more and more companies starting face book and twitter accounts to keep up. This will probably turn out to benefit them because it is free marketing and it makes brands more human. The future shall tell.

DDB Canada for BC Milk

This is an ad from DDB Vancouver that I found and thought was funny. It's a bit of a surprise at the end when you realize it is an ad for milk, but that's why I like it. I wonder if an ad like this would do well in the U.S. It made me wonder how the different humors of different countries affects advertising.

Mac vs. PC

Mac has done something rare in the business of branding. It has established itself as the cool computer (now mp3 player, phone, etc), and its position there is comfortably safe. Macs are the choice among students. artists, advertisers, and hipsters alike. Apple has totally capitalized on aesthetics. Everything from sleek packaging and the airiness of the physical stores to the way their software is displayed is beautiful. There is something subliminally alluring about their products. One look around my marketing classroom verifies their mastery of product positioning. Almost as competitive as their clients, the ad agencies that represent Apple and Microsoft, TBWA/Chiat/Day and Crispin Porter and Bogusky, respectively have been artfully battling it out via advertising (most memorably, TV spots).
Everyone is familiar with the “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” ads that apple runs constantly. In response to those, Crispin created their “Real PC” ads. These ads are an effort to introduce the diverse world of real PC users as well as “humanize” their very famous founder. One spot opens with the image of the lone “PC guy” from the Mac ads. He is followed by a series of famous artists, doctors, and philanthropists of the like of Eva Longoria and Deepak Chopra. I do like the recent PC ads talking back to Mac, but part of me feels like it indulges in the stigma that PCs aren’t as cool as Macs. So while it is a good ad and it does make PC seem a little more relaxed, like they can take a joke (and make one back), they are still kinda giving in. I can’t decide if this ploy is genius, because they are after all being open- and isn’t it best to embrace your flaws when it comes to advertising and not deny them? Or is this Crispin idea a little defeatist? Everyone loves a good rivalry, so I think these ads made a lot of people smile when they saw them, but it kind of seems like Microsoft is trying to beat Apple at their own game, which I’m just not sure is going to happen.

Fountain of Youth

Reader's Digest just conducted a poll around the world. The question: Would you want to live forever? Here are the results of who said "Yes." 43% of Australians. 72% of Brazilians. 42% of Canadians. 45% Chinese. 49% of French. 40% of Germans. 67% Indians. 48% Italian. 62% Malaysians. 59% Netherlanders. 63% Philippines. 36% Russians. 39 % Singapore. 61% Spanish. 51% Turkish. 41 % British. 40% Americans.
Death is seen as being the opposite of life, but death actually defines life. Knowing that death is inevitable makes humans make the most of life. In our culture, death, while something we all know about and think about often, is something we don't talk about. The reason for this is that it's supposed to spare feelings, but in fact it's just brushing them under the rug, not making them go away. The majority of societies don't think death is a bad thing- exhibit A: statistics above. If you could live forever what's the significance in every new day? You probably wouldn't see the point in going to Paris tomorrow if you have forever to do it. Death makes life more adventurous. This is why people find exhilaration in sky-diving and swimming with sharks; there is a heightened probability it could kill them.

TV Makes You Feel Less Lonely

A new study by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology reports that watching TV provides people with the illusion that their social needs are being met. I had a teacher who told us that when she was going through a very difficult time in her life all she wanted to do, and the only thing that made her feel better, was to watch TV. I know I for one can support this newfound research. I love to go to the movies and one reason (by no means the main one) is that it is an escape, a brief vacation from your life. It can be healthy in a therapeutic sense, but when it becomes your source of companionship, as it being reported by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, it has become a problem. This same teacher has made a pact with herself that she can only watch one hour of TV per day now. She sets a timer and when it buzzes, that's it. Even though she has been out of that hole for years, she says it is too easy to let herself fall to illusions such as this. Apparently, researchers concluded that viewer's fictional bond with TV characters can ease their need to connect with others.

This is precisely the kind of thing I love to find to show other people. Check out some odd festivals from around the world. The photos show a baby jumping competition in Spain where men have been dressing up as the devil for 400 years to celebrate Corpus Christi. The second image shows the cheese rolling festival in Gloucestershire, UK. Next is the Monkey Buffet Festival in Thailand where over 600 monkeys are invited to feast on sausage, ice cream, and other delicacies as a sign of the village's gratitude for their inhabitance. The photo of the man carrying his wife is for the Wife Carrying World Competition in Finland where men compete in a relay and the winner receives their wife's weight in beer. What a weird world we live in.

It's interesting how the recession is affecting the goal of commercials recently. In addition to these Hyundai and Target spots there are many more out there. The main focus of these commercials is to draw attention to how they benefit you during the economic recession. Hyundai and Saturn are now offering the opportunity for customers to return their vehicles if they lose their jobs with no harm done to their credit. Not to say that these ads are not of good quality, but it seems that ads in general are putting appeals to innovation and lifestyle lower on the list of priorities and putting economic thriftiness at the forefront for the time being. Target brilliantly mastered the appeals of creativity, lifestyle, and economic thriftiness in this ad- sans scare tactics, thank goodness. They used "new day" as a euphemism for economic recession to make the ad positive. It is not trying to scare us into changing our ways according to the time, rather it is offering optimistic, fun, and rational alternatives to the old conventions.

Shuella

My Dad saw this ad in the New York Times Easter Sunday edition and loved it. He first, wanted to show it to me so I could somehow use it for one of my advertising classes and secondly, wanted to buy me and my sisters each a pair of the product. The product, Shuella, are galoshes that are more like umbrellas for your feet. You slip them over your shoes and are free to walk the streets carefree as to whether the damp weather is going to ruin your heels (or flats, Shuellas work on both). They come with a pouch and drying cloth so you can fold them up and pack them away neatly when you have arrived at your destination. I too love the photo of the artfully suspended umbrellas and figured if a product like this could get this much attention from a 55 year old man, it must be good. Plus, I have read that small indulgences like this, along with lipstick and mascara have soared in sales this year because it is a purchase that makes women feel good with while feeling minimal guilt because they are not extravagant.

Silence- Why Are People So Uncomfortable With It?

Why are people so uncomfortable with silence? It's funny because it seems that it's the people you are the closest with, the ones you have the most to talk about with, who are the ones you can be comfortably silent with. It's so common for people to babble on about things of no thought-process, of no significance to them, because they feel some pressure to fill the silence. I just read Ionesco's La Cantatrice Chauve in French. It deals with the futility of a lot of modern conversation. The play was written in 1950 and while its dialogue is absurd in an exaggerated way, the idea still applies today.

As a lover of the arts, and especially as an ad major, I feel strongly that art organizations play a vital role in making a community thrive. Indyculturematters.org is a site that draws attention to how cultural organizations contribute to the economy and quality of life of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Consortium of Arts is made up of 38 of Indiana's largest arts and cultural organizations. Those organizations spend nearly $50 million with businesses in Indiana each year. Overall, the arts generate $468 million in economic activity each year in the city of Indianapolis. This is inspiring and very relevant right now seeing as local efforts such as these may be the way to re-strengthen our economy. Check out these pictures of locals rallying for arts in downtown Indianapolis.

Just think this is cool. This map shows our population density per square mile. What the copy says is that the U.S is the largest developed country that is still growing at a healthy rate. In 37 years, 100 million will join the American family, half of which will either be immigrants or children of immigrants. On a somewhat similar note, check out New York City's population dispersion by day, then by night. Weird.

A Little Follow Up...

To the previous fashion post of a few days ago. Though 5th Avenue hasn't been hit quite as hard as Wall St., New Yorkers who have walked down 8th Ave. in the last week wouldn't know so. Signs and buttons rally people to "Save Fashion" and apprise them of a pop-up shop coming to the area for one month to sell designer clothing for at least 50% off. The idea is that designers can sell overstock to help them profit (= designer benefit) and open their lines to a wider audience (= puchaser benefit).
A group of designers met with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to protest this action. These, and many other designers, are being hurt by retailers' markdowns. Another group went to Washington last week to push an anti-piracy bill to stop the copying of their designs. It really is unlawful the way mass merchants from to Steve Madden to French Connection to Forever 21 knock off their ideas. Fashion designers create one of a kind works of art that should (through legal enforcement) remain theirs and only theirs. Interesting how the economic downturn is seeping through every facet of culture. There may be light at the end of the tunnel though. Designer Cynthia Rowley has been lobbying in Washington for teaching fashion as a part of home ec in schools nationwide. Her thought is that by stimulating interest in the minds of Americans, clothing production will return with a bang to the US with factories and mills, thus increasing job opportunities.

Art or Advertising?

Before he became famous for his art, Andy Warhol worked in advertising. The more controversial stance regarding this age old question is that advertising can be art. The thing that separates art and advertising is that advertising can be evaluated in two ways: 1. Whether it is creative/original and 2. whether it fulfills the purpose of marketing the brand? There is no question that many ads I have studied are works of art. In these three above photos can you tell which are meant to advertise and which are not? I am reluctant to say because I think they can be art as well as advertisements. For those of you who must know..The top photo is of a chalk drawing by renowned British street artist Julian Beever, and there is no marketing ploy behind this work. The second photo is of one of dozens of neon bicycles placed around Manhattan. They are part of a guerilla marketing technique that DKNY launched to promote their new stores. The bottom picture is of a sculpture of a woman made out of 20,000 peaches. This sculpture also serves as an advertisement for Ella brand skincare. The sign in front of the sculpture reads, "Skincare that is good enough to eat." The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art have both featured advertisements in exhibitions. So how can we say advertisements can not be art?

Miss California

I’m probably beating a dead horse by discussing this issue because by now most of you have probably seen this video clip a dozen times. Believe it or not, this instant in the Miss USA pageant last week is a snapshot in our history, for it shows where we stand right now concerning civil rights. Miss California, who ended up with the runner-up title, was asked her stance on same sex marriage by the very outspoken and very out of the closet Perez Hilton. As you can see in the video, Miss California answered that she believed that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but that she thinks it is great that Americans can choose either same sex marriage or “opposite marriage.” Hmm. Miss California told Matt Lauer that she knew the moment she uttered her answer that she was forsaking the crown. She is certain that voicing her conservative opinion is the reason, but she does not regret a word because she “spoke from her heart.” Many say she did not receive the title of Miss USA because she was inarticulate when she spoke; she referred to marriage between a man and woman as opposite marriage (bizarre choice of words) and she said that American citizens can choose- which is not true, with the exception of 4 states.
I am from the school of thought that this day in age we should all be more tolerant of gay marriage, but this incident begs a few questions.
Should Miss California have been punished for answering honestly? In a pageant that is infamous for cliché answers such as “world peace,” shouldn’t she be able to speak her opinion and be respected for her integrity? What does it say about these competitions that grant women scholarships as well as amazing opportunities to travel and volunteer if they are punished for their honest answers?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnbBImSKPY0

TARGET

We live in a commodity culture. Our identities are in large part constructed by the consumer products we allow to shape our lives. Another thing we are is a capitalist culture. That said, brands compete for our identity- seeking attention. Target has done a superb job of positioning itself as a cheap-chic brand. Something about Target makes it ok to be cheap. You see trendsters scouring the same isles as minivan driving mothers. Even though they are constantly compared with Walmart, they really have created their own niche as a thrify yet cool brand. Target has done an excellent job of pairing with talented luxury designers. Their success in this niche outlet may be a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did their niche establishment enable them to partner with Issac Mizrahi, Mossimo, and Thomas O'Brien or are these partnerships the reason for their success? In addition to their exclusive collaboration with these designers, the brand has also featured Sarah Jessica Parker favorite Alexander McQueen, Thakoon, Zac Posen, and most recently, organic cult brand Lutz and Patmos. Michael Graves, luxury appliance designer, who has designed upwards of 200 home appliances for Target, says that "Good design should be accessible to all." This mantra has become the unofficial maxim of the retailer, providing reasonably priced yet quality food (Archer Farms), clothing, kitchen appliances (Graves), home décor (Rachel Ashwell), makeup (Sonia Kashuk), and even maternity (Liz Lange) and baby neccessities (Dwell Baby) to all. Target has perfected one-stop shopping. I can go in and pick up groceries, a birthday gift, makeup, an outfit, a book, and new towels in minutes. On top of that, you get a great experience. Something about Target's warm glow and iconic and decidedly hip red bullseye make for a soothing and enjoyable shopping outing. This experience and their excellence at packaging and store layout make customers feel as if they are getting their money's worth. No other store has yet to excel in this way, which makes Target a true genius and gem.

Recessional Consuming, a Faux Pas?

Amidst all the discourse surrounding the economic recession, I wonder if consuming is going to become a major faux pas, like buying a second Hummer during global warming. The last few issues of fashion magazines Vogue and Bazaar have featured articles focused on how to buy smart in tried times likes these. Not to discredit these editorials for the features have merit; a Trench coat and little black dress are rational wardrobe staples. But, I for one have not noticed much change in spending where it is least necessary, and most repulsive, which is at high- end retailers like Neiman Marcus. I went to the store the other day to find it packed with shoppers. Net-a-porter, a high-end online shopping site now even offers the option of delivering orders to their New York customers in conspicuous, label-less brown bags. The idea behind this alternative is that it allows Manhattanite fashionistas to quench their shopping craving guilt-free from the judging glances of their doormen. The afore mentioned fashion publications have also reflected that overindulging in luxury purchases at this time is in fact "tacky." Even if you have enough money at your dispensation to buy whatever you desire, it seems suitable that the recent hurdles in our economy should teach us to consume in a more conscientious manner, so as not to facilitate another economic calamity.

Penny Harvest

It is an inevitable truth that pennies are becoming less valuable. I know I for one don't think twice about dropping them in my key bowl, indifferent as to whether or not I'll ever see them again. Penny Harvest is an effort that takes a seemingly unfortunate truth- that inflation has progressed at such a rate that pennies are nearly invaluable- and making it something not only positive, but humane. Through Penny Harvest children collect idle pennies and turn them into grants for community organizations: homeless shelters, animal rescue organizations, senior centers to name a few. In the years since it's establishment, Penny Harvest has raised nearly $7 million in grants. It gives children the chance to devote their time and energy to a worthy cause and see the direct benefits of their hard work and teaches them the importance of philanthropy. It's great to see community efforts that take something negative about our world and instead of accepting it as an unfortunate inevitability, make it into something positive for the environment. Check out the Penny Harvest field at Rockefeller Center in NYC. These 100 million pennies were all collected by students in NYC for Penny Harvest and will be used in whatever way in which the kids decide, to help their communities.

On the (57) Mark

I love this old ad for Heinz! Check out this article which brings up a really interesting point. The familiar glass Heinz Ketchup bottle is an icon that can still be found in restaurants and households across the world, despite the many variations now made-Have you checked out the ketchup section in the grocery store aisle lately? It takes me five minutes to choose from the 10 different shapes and sizes of containers. This article makes the point that Heinz has managed to shatter the marketing rules of good design because, while it does preserve the ketchup, it does not succeed it making the contents easily extractable. The reason people keep using the glass bottle though is because they love it. NYTimes says it better than I do...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/fashion/13iht-design13.html

He's got "Flow"

Meet Henrique Prince. He is a self-taught violinist who, along with his band, the Ebony Hillbillies, bring their sound to the hundreds of thousands that pass through the Times Square Subway station. I learned about "Flow" recently, the energizing thing that gets inside you to where you lose track of everything outside you and are completely focused on the one thing that inspires you. This guy epitomizes flow.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html

TWITTER

Not being a facebook fanatic, it was to my own surprise when 1.) I opened an account with Twitter and 2.) found that I actually really like it. Twitter is an online short messaging service that was started 3 years ago, but seems to have recently become the new "it" network. What I really like about twitter is that you can follow celebrities, news sources, magazines, companies, and more. I can sign on to Twitter and get all my news updates at once, with no added frills or obstacles. Just now I signed on and found out from usweekly that David Letterman tied the knot, Anderson Cooper informed that a Madoff employee is breaking his silence, and Women's Wear Daily reports from the runway about Tokyo's latest fashions. Twitter is a way for me to get all the updates from sources I care about, and a genius marketing tool for businesses. It also narrows the barrier between celebrities and their fans. Musicians like John Mayer and Lance Armstrong twitter their random thoughts throughout the day from the road. It was so cool to click to "follow" Maria Shriver yesterday and today find that she had requested to follow me too. Rumor has it that even President Barack Obama has one. This is where the future is headed.

Inner Workings of the Mind

It seems that it is always when we are occupied that we realize something else. I feel like it is when I am busy working away at a task that I either realize all the other things I need to be doing or have an epiphany of some sort. I think every time I sit down to write a paper or study for a test I have a great thought, which inevitably overrides my studies for a few minutes at the least. My best thoughts come to me when I'm busy doing something equally important (at least at the time), not when I'm lounging around looking for something to do. It is as if our minds work better when they are full. I think what it is is we need one thought to trigger our minds and from there our thoughts branch out in a million different directions. The mind map is a good example of this phenomenon. It starts with one single idea or word and from there our mind instantly draws connections to other ideas and so on and so forth until we end up with hundreds of random words and phrases that seem so disconnected at first glance, but are actually related in that they have the same original thought. Hmm that makes me think...

Bad Movies

A commercial for this movie came on yesterday and not soon after my roommate asked me why they make bad movies like these. My first reaction was, well, obviously no one makes a movie thinking it will be bad. But then, after seeing this trailer, I wonder if some movie makers know that their movie is not going to be any good and go through the process of making it just to make money. I hope this isn't true but I can't imagine the executives at Walt Disney listening to the pitch of this movie- a spoiled talking chihuahua that gets uprooted from Beverly Hills and sent to Mexico- and thinking great idea! She made a good point in saying that the money, usually multimillions of dollars, would be so much better off spent elsewhere. What is the point of spending millions of dollars making a bad movie ?

Why We Freak Out When We See Celebrities

As I was walking to class last week I looked over as I exited a building where I saw a small crowd of people to my right. Since I had been let out of class early I decided to see what all the ruckus was about. When I saw a handful of men in identical black suits and sunglasses a thought ran through my head and quickly out because there was no way. But sure enough, it was President Bush on campus. I knew it would likely be my only opportunity to meet a one-time President so I approached, patiently waited my turn, then swooped in to shake his hand and tell him how nice it was to meet him. I left the scene blushing and wandering if that had really just happened. This feeling continued throughout the whole day. While I know I had every right to be consumed with meeting the former President of the United States, I thought to myself, why do people get so caught up when meeting/seeing celebrities? I've seen a lot of celebrities before, and for some reason it never fails that I am awe-struck all day. It's the funniest thing, but almost everyone I know does get/would get star-struck upon seeing a famous person. Maybe it's that our society today treats celebrities like gods, so we actually start to buy into it a little bit. Or maybe we are just so used to seeing them on TV and in magazines we are shocked to see them up close (and person, in my case with President Bush). If you think about it, in the case of entertainers, their faces are all over the place, but they don't do anything beyond extraordinary to the point where the illicited reactions make sense.

Nimrods

I found this ad from 2004 and thought it was really cool. It was done by Weiden and Kennedy. It got me, even though it's for ESPN. Enjoy....

http://www.wk.com/?#/works/989/

Goodbye to Books?

Rumor had it that Google was truing to digitize every book in the world. Turns out the rumors are true. I read an article online that revealed the website is leading an initiative to scan every published book ever written onto the internet so they can charge readers to read a copyrighted book while both they and the copyright holder take a percentage of the profit. There is now a class-action lawsuit by writers and publishers against the mega-giant who think the initiative violates their copyright laws. In order to find all the copyright owners of the world, Google has now launched an effort to alert copyright owners. Ironically enough, the majority of this effort is taking place via newspaper and magazine notices. A website has been founded and direct-mail efforts are in action as well, but Google has so far put out over 200 advertisements in over 70 languages. Some books are still in copyright, but no longer in print which means that in order to reach authors and publishers Google will have to place at least one ad in every newspaper in the world. They just recently sent one to a newspaper with a circulation of 2,500 people in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Aside from the craziness of this global initiative, it is hard to believe even books are becoming obsolete. Imagine what it will be like to no longer hold a book in your hands to read and instead have to state at a computer screen. I don't know if I'm ready for that.

As I was looking through my collection of past magazines (I save old ones) I found a great ad for BMW which reminded me of something I had wondered before: Why do luxury brands advertise so much more in magazines than on TV? If I had to venture a guess it would be because they think their target market is more reachable through the pages of those magazines. I would think their chances of reaching their market would be best via TV ads, but maybe these magazine publications have a more concentrated following of their target market. You don't see ads on TV for Dolce and Gabbana, but even nowadays you don't see TV ads for the Gap, but they have 6 page spreads in Vogue and Vanity Fair. What struck was about 2 months ago, to my surprise, I saw an ad on television for Louis Vuitton, a brand that is synonymous with luxury whose ads I had never seen beyond expensive publications. Take a look..

Banksy...Again

I blogged about Banksy earlier on, but here is another one of his projects I couldn't resist posting. This is a little more outrageous than his graffiti works. In what appears to be a pet store- perhaps because it is called "Village Pet Store"- the artist displays animatronic "pets" in the window of a store in the West Village of New York City. Such displays as Chicken McNuggets dipping in barbecue sauce, a rabbit putting on makeup, and hot dog wieners lounging under heat lamps are clear political mockeries of society. Art? I don't know about that. But, again, whether or not you agree with the guy, he is doing something totally subversive.

http://www.woostercollective.com/2008/10/the_village_pet_store_and_charchoal_gril.html

"Coraline" and Why Creepy Movies Can be Good for Children

If it were suggested that you take your child to a movie whose focus was loneliness would you do it? The likely answer is no, but this is the concept of the new children's animated movie Coraline. It is a common thought that children's movie should contain no violence, no bad language, hardly anything upsetting at all. The likes of Tim Burton, Guillermo del Toro, and Henry Selick, the director and writer of "Coraline," disagree. You are probably more familiar with the works of Burton, whose films include "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "The Corpse Bride," etc. Coraline's parents neglect her and when she moves states her loneliness sets in and she begins traveling into a parallel world of her own where her parents are loving and doting and everything is more spectacular. While childhood is, for the most part, a time of bliss, it is also a time of uncertainty between true and fake. I think it is healthy to expose children to this at an early age. Yes the creepy visuals on the screen may seem a little unsettling, but children have such vivid imaginations these are the type of things they like to see. On that note, children enjoy a little bit of fear when moviegoing. They are so used to the same emotions they get from most "G" movies, a tinge of unease is exciting for them. Case in point: the wildly popular "Harry Potter" books are based on the life of a boy who was orphaned by his parents and can't seem to escape giant spiders and evil wizards who make it their sole mission to kill him.

Talk of University Museum Shutdown Causes a Ruckus

I read an article in the New York Times a few weeks ago that Brandeis University was considering auctioning of its esteemed Rose Art Museum's well-developed collection of art work due to a significant drop in the University's endowment. Once the news broke, a backlash soon surfaced amongst power houses in the art world who were upset with the idea of disjointing such a cultivated collection with the sole purpose of raising money. The University's trustees voted to shut down the museum with the intent of raising money with sales of the art. Such controversy has erupted in the art world that today the University released news that the school has decided to assign a team of to consider the museum's future. It is interesting to see the extremes of how different people feel about the value of art. On the one hand there are those who see the decision as a no-brainer, those who think money that will help the University's endowment is the only rational choice. On the other hand, there are those who are passionate about the collection and feel that many peoples' efforts have gone into cultivating the works and they are too valuable in themselves and the museum is too much a part of the school's history to shut down. It will be interesting to see what comes of the debate.

Beyond Bourbon St.

I recently learned that Mardi Gras, universally known as Carnival, celebrates the end of winter and the coming of Spring. The only reason I know this is that I looked it up. A bunch of my friends went to New Orleans 2 weekends ago for Mardi Gras. They were more excited to go there than to go on Spring Break. When I though about it I realized I didn't even know what Mardi Gras celebrated. I asked them... neither did they. It is weird that we can get so excited and go all out celebrating a holiday for which we don't even know the purpose or history. Even after having lived in New Orleans for 4 months last year, I myself was completely ignorant. I'm all for celebrating for the sake of having a good time, but it's funny that the point of a holiday is to celebrate a moment our culture found significant, yet many are clueless as to the occasion that one of the most celebrated holidays marks.

Bansky

Check out this video of Banksy, the British self-dubbed "art terrorist" who is famous for his oft-political graffiti. The artist decided to take his art to the West Bank where he painted 9 works on the security wall that divides Jerusalem from the Palestinian territories. Israelis argue the wall protects Jerusalem, Palestinians, as well as Banksy, argue that it imprisons the Palestinian territory. Whether or not you agree with the controversial artist, the fact that he is expressing himself and practicing free speech on a structure whose purpose is to divide ethnic groups is very cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXSg8BApBwA

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Refreshment (in more ways that one) Courtesy of Clorox

This is to make up for that awful Clorox ad featuring a dirty car with the bumper sticker on the back. I love that Clorox crossed the boundary here and didn't just go with the tired convention of a scummy bathroom that magically glistens once a woman scrubs it with the product. I like when a brand surprises me, and Clorox did with this one. I was expecting that it would be for Disney World or Sea World, but nope. Take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRX3uFh1Ywc

Guitar Hero goes Intertextual

Intertextual ads are ads that utilize society’s understanding of cultural texts from the past and expect us to relate the past to the present. Guitar Hero used the iconic image of Tom Cruise in Risky Business so viewers would make the connection between the fun he had in that scene dancing in his underwear and the fun these all-star athletes are having playing the video game. This is an example of a vertical intertextual ad because it crosses genres (film to advertisement), and a good one at that.

Not So Realistic Reality Show Concepts

I'm not a regular follower of "The Bachelor," the reality show- the first in a much too extensive series- about finding love. However, I heard this season's finale had a much publicized shocking twist so I decided to tune in. Watching, I wondered who came up with the concept of this show? While now there are far more ridiculous concepts on reality TV shows- anyone remember ABC's "Are You Hot?"or Fox's "The Littlest Groom"- this one has managed to maintain ratings and keep viewers entertained for fifteen seasons. Other successful reality TV shows actually have sensible premises such as physical and mental competitions on shows like "The Amazing Race" and "Survivor." It's interesting that the creator of "The Bachelor" thought the concept of 25 girls all dating the same guy, with the intent of him falling in love with and marrying one, would work. Most reality programs chronicle traditions that have been happening for centuries- competitions in singing, dancing, triathlons- and yet somehow this shows continues to pull in ratings even though it revolves around a concept that has never been a part of our reality. And if tonight's finale taught me anything, it is that this concept does not work, at least not 13 out of 14 times (only one couple thus far has stayed together). In tonight's show, the guy, a father and seemingly all around good guy, chose and proposed to one girl, only to confess to America and then her on the after-special that he had realized he was in love with the runner-up. It was shocking, but even more shocking is the fact that people will keep competing on the show, and America will keep watching. Season 16, here we come...

When Talking about Age, the Grass is Always Greener

The majority of people don't want to be the age they are. I've lost count of  how many times in the last two years I've been told, "I wish I could be your age" or "I would give anything to be back in college." When you're an adolescent you can't wait to be 16 to get your license. Once you're 16, it's all about turning 21. Then there seems to be some bizarre flip that causes us to yearn to be carded again. Before I left for college, my brother and sister (23 and 21 respectively at the time) both expressed their envy of me. I saw the glimmer in my bother's eyes as he gave voice to his wish of being able to go through 4 years of college at one school and then transfer to a new school school and re-do the whole thing all over again, freshman to senior year. Of course, I'm thrilled to be the age I am right now- old enough to make (most) of my own decisions, young enough to where my naïvité is still endearing. However, I do from time to time wish I was back in the days of my childhood. Part of the reason for this nostalgia is that I had such a great childhood I wish I could relive it and soak it all in. Another, more shameful plausible reason is that things were easier back then: less decisions, less responsibilities. I even sometimes wish could be older. Since I was 6 I knew that I wanted to move to New York when I was "grown up." Part of me wants to just skip to that part of my life that I've been looking forward to since my first trip to the city as a 6 year old. If you think about this phenomenon, it really isn't rational. We spend our time wanting to be another age, all the while a few years from now we'll wish we could be the age we currently are. But we're not even fully enjoying it now because we're living in the past (or future).  I always thought my grandmother was crazy for refusing to tell her age. Now, I think she might be on to something. Maybe we should listen to the saying "age is just a number" since it only distracts us from enjoying the moment. 

The magic of music

Why is it that music has such an effect on our mood? I've observed that my day seems to start off so much better if I listen to music while I'm getting dressed in the morning. I can be in the best mood and put on certain sad songs and within seconds be so down I feel like a manic-depressive. Vice versa, I can wake up on the wrong side of the bed and by listening to uppy music snap out of my pessimistic locus and realize life is too short or it could be so much worse. While my parents were in town this weekend we had drinks and listened to live music at their hotel bar. Listening to the raspy jazzy voices of the band in the dim oak bar made me want to run home that minute and finish filling out my application to study next semester in Paris. Not much later that same night my dad and I met up with some of my friends and their dads at a college bar. As we drank our beers, Journey playing in the background, my head was in a much less serious place. The next morning my mom picked me up and we drove as "American Pie" drummed from the radio. I thought how cool it would be to live in the late 50's/early 60's. It's interesting how much music affects our thought processes and the atmosphere. It ran through my head that maybe it's just me, maybe I'm especially moody, until today my roommate revealed to me how she can be running on the treadmill for 40 minutes at the gym and just when she thinks she can't go a second longer she can put on a certain song (the Veronica's, "Untouched," is what it is for her as of lately) and it gives her a jolt of energy (even if it is just for 3 minutes). 

full disclosure vs what you don't know can't hurt you

Is it better to have full disclosure or is it really true that what you don't know can't hurt you? It is a little bit embarrassing to admit, but I do confess to following Gossip Girl and reality television shows such as the Hills and the City. On the show Gossip Girl, an anonymous narrator chronicles the juicy lives of privileged teens living in Manhattan. He/she is a blogger who posts gossip courtesy of sources around town. Another juicy program that pulls in its viewers with its hot gossip is the City, the MTV spinoff of the Hills. Both shows basically revolve around couples getting into tiffs triggered by a photo taken via cell phone of 1 of the 2 doing something disloyal while out at a bar. This outburst of a new genre in its own right has brought about the question of whether or not it is better to have full disclosure, or is it really true that what you don't know can't hurt you? Would you rather know everything that is going on in the lives of your friends, relatives, and significant others? I'm sure at times, everyone would rather spare themselves the agony of sitting around and wondering what their loved one is doing; it's times like these that the convenience of instant knowledge is appealing. Personally, I wish we could rewind a few years and bring back some of the mystery. We need to be able to rely on old fashioned things like trust, not technology when it comes to our relationships, all of our relationships. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

Do Professors Deserve Academic Freedom?

I recently read an article in the opinion section of the New York Times about a professor at the University of Ottawa who is potentially being fired for giving "A+" grades and  turning his physics class into a political activism course, all on the first day of class. This brings about the question of whether or not teachers deserve the right to be so vocally liberal with their views. Schools and Universities have strict policies about how teachers are and are not to conduct courses. Many schools create the syllabus for courses and give them to teachers with the intent that they instruct based on it, without veering off in the slightest. I for one, have had teachers who have been very outwardly vocal when it comes to controversial topics. Politics are what first come to mind, but this is by no means limited to political opinion. On the one hand, is it fair to give academics the right to ignore their employer's wishes and regulations in favor of personal intuition while employees in most other fields would be fired on the spot for doing so? What is so wrong about a university protecting itself by adhering to such regulations when it is their reputation on the line if a professor does/says something in conflict with what they believe is responsible? On the other hand, isn't learning in fact all about hearing all different opinions? One particular man who commented on the blog put it so well when he said, "Your first move to say that the professor was hired to perform   a job is evidence enough to prove that you don't understand education; it is not a path that leads in a certain direction." Education is not about using a particular means to a specific end; it is about opening peoples' eyes and helping them find their own way to their own opinion. In high school I had a teacher who was open about his political and even religious views, and while some people could be turned off by his seemingly pushy dialogue, he turned out to be the best teacher and mentor I have ever had because he pushed his students to think divergently. The ones who are threatened tend to be the ones who are set in their ways and fear that another with opposing thoughts will convert them. So, all in all, professors do deserve a sort of academic freedom. 

Building Them Up to Knock Them Down

As I was waiting at the check out in the grocery store today, the cover of Us Weekly caught my eye. A blown up split image of Jessica Simpson dominated the cover with the headline "Bullied For Her Weight." The cover showed a "then and now" layout of the celebrity with sub-headlines about how she is "tortured by food" and questioning her boyfriend, Tony Romo's reaction and whether or not he is in fact cheating on her. Aside from the obvious issue of why our society harps on a size 4 woman, it made me think about how, especially in America, we thrive on building people up and then pulling them down. It has been so common in the last few years for us to shine the spotlight on people and treat them as modern day Greek gods and then yank them off their pedestals and dangle them over the fire, watching with gleaming eyes. It is to the point where we now applaud a young actor who has achieved fame and managed not to get a DUI or be photographed dancing on tabletops at clubs at 3AM only to call in sick to work the next day. Take into consideration Vanity Fair's "Hollywood's New Wave" cover article from 5 years ago. Of the 10 or so aspiring young stars, 2 have since gotten DUI's, 2 have checked into rehab at least once, and one is currently dating Marilyn Manson (enough said).  It's no coincidence that half of this once promising bundle of talent went down such rocky paths after an overwhelming amount of exposure. Take for instance Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. They are two people that for the longest time you could not get away from. They were in several movies a year, dishing out hit songs, and on the cover of every magazine. Then, when they make one mistake, suddenly they go from being able to do no wrong to being able to do no right.  It is a bizarre humdinger that our society gets its kicks out of watching the mighty fall. Maybe we do this because we thrive on the power of being able to control someone's perception. Maybe we judge them because it distracts us from judging ourselves and in hopes that it distracts others from judging us.  

 

PostSecret

My friend bought the book version of PostSecret a few years ago. Just something I thought I'd share because it never fails to keep me interested. Frank Warren started a "ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard," hence the name PostSecret. The disclosed secrets range from humorously raunchy to downright devastating, while all the while being nonetheless insightful. It's interesting to think about the things people are willing to confess when their identity is concealed.   www.postsecret.blogspot.com