Category: Advertising & Marketing

Go Samsung!

Posted on by Brian Lee

I love the Samsung Galaxy S III commercials in how they make fun of Apple and Apple fans. For example, Apple is screwing over consumers by changing the size of the dock connector because the iPhone 5 can’t connect to devices such as speakers or car stereos without an adapter, which Apple conveniently sells for about $40 (Apple also acknowledges some devices won’t even work with an adapter).

But as the video points out, Apple fans always overlook being screwed, as evident in one person saying “Yeah, but they [Apple] make the coolest adapters.”

I also like how some guy’s (uncool) parents are eager to buy the iPhone, and that Apple is finally providing features other phones already have, like a big screen and 4G capability.

Speaking of big screens, Apple’s new commercial that trumpets its big screen inadvertently is saying the previous incarnations of the iPhone are basically poorly designed for not having a big screen.

Here’s the Samsung commercial:

Talk about overreaction…

Posted on by Brian Lee

Disclaimer: this is not an attack on anyone’s faith, just on people’s overreactions.

Recently, Dr. Pepper created an ad titled the Evolution of Flavor. It takes the traditional scientific progression from ape to man and throws Dr. Pepper in the mix, hinting that with Dr. Pepper, humans evolved. Fairly basic, and in my opinion, only moderately creative.

However, since they posted the picture to Facebook, it has become a controversy. Several commenters believe that this is insulting to their religious beliefs and state in many of their not-so-eloquently worded comments that they are refusing to buy Dr. Pepper any longer.

To me this seems a bit ridiculous. Is one tiny ad, which disagrees with your opinions, really worth this extreme of a reaction?

To me, an ad is an ad. I look at it and I understand that it is meant to target certain people and elicit a certain response … to get people to buy the product. That doesn’t mean that the ad is attacking my personal beliefs or my religion.

There are definitely certain ads that are intended to make political and social statements.  However, this is not one of them, and I wish that people weren’t as prone to jump to an overreaction. If you don’t like the ad, don’t pay attention to it. Can’t we all just take a deep breath and move on?

…I’m kind of into it

Posted on by Emilie Buckman

I always think it’s funny when people are deluded enough to think they aren’t swayed by advertising.  (And no worries, I consider myself in that generalization.) We all want to believe that we are smarter than most, that we are in on the joke.

But let’s be honest we are all influenced in ways we don’t even know by advertising.  And it’s that precise reason I always get really pumped when I am aware of an advertisement manipulating me into action. (Strange; I know.)

And recently that awkward enthusiasm made me buy a product purely because a commercial.  Not because the product sounded like I would want but the ad was so entertaining I could not not buy it.

What commercial could be so appealing I would be compelled to purchase something despite not wanting and/or needing it?  It’s this commercial of Kraft Milkbites. (I’m sure you’ll watch it and think it’s not that fantastic but more you watch it the funnier it becomes. At least, I think so.)

Everyone, me included, want to think they’re so savvy when it comes to media and marketing.  So I find comfort in being fully aware I am susceptible to the power advertising.  I think it’s important to be knocked down a couple of pegs in this smug media literate society!

Oh, and in case you are wonder Milkbites weren’t half bad.  I’d definitely buy them again.  So I consider the ad a win in my book!