Imagen Captura de: pantalle del Film de un grupo de modelos quienes viajaron desde New York (USA) a la entonces Ciudad Trujillo, en las escenas se aprecia el desfile en el antiguo paraboloide de la piscina de Hotel Jaragua.1947

Tiffany & Co.’s advertisement supports the ideological belief of happy and long lasting marriages, begun with the promise that diamonds have come to represent in contemporary culture. Combining the images of a couple in a passionate embrace with the diamond ring, white ribbon and tag line ‘Celebrating The World’s Greatest Love Stories’, the advertisement creates the illusion of classic timelessness and true love being embodied by the product: Tiffany and Co. engagement rings.

The image of the couple, shot in black and white, exemplifies the ideological message of young, attractive people, newly engaged and with the promise of a happy and romantic life before them. The photograph is instantly recognizable as representative of lovers, due to their position embracing and kissing. The choice of a black and white photograph implies timelessness, reminiscent of classic black and white films and linking to the tagline ‘The World’s Greatest Love Stories’.  The appearance of the models suggests class and elegance; the man attired in business suit pants, shoes and an overcoat, and the woman in a light coloured trench coat and heels. The positioning of these two models supports patriarchal gender relations; the man holds the girl securely on her back and waist, while she appears more passive, reaching up on her toes with her hands loosely placed on his collar. The woman’s appearance is also supportive of the myth of feminine beauty; the model possesses the attributes of a sexually desirable woman, such as slimness, youth and health. Although attractive, the woman is not overtly sexualized- her outfit reveals only her legs. Rather, her light coloured coat, juxtaposed with the dark colours of the man’s outfit, suggests purity, linking to the white ribbon entwined in the diamond ring. In addition, the myth of heterosexuality is represented in the photograph. The couple is a man and a woman, signifying the dominant form of sexuality. The advertisement’s meaning would change significantly if a lesbian or gay couple were photographed; rather than showing the ‘ideal’ couple and representing heterosexual love and commitment, a photograph representing homosexuality would challenge power relations and imply that Tiffany & Co. engagement rings are not only for the socially dominant (white, rich, heterosexual individuals) but for a much wider consumer group, including those who do not comply with ‘normal’ sexual relations.

Tiffany & Co. engagement rings contribute to the concept of hegemony regarding gender relations, as the rings ensure the social dominance of males, while simultaneously making such power relations appear natural and desirable. Although a highly desirable object that on one level signifies love and the promise of marriage, engagement rings can also be seen as a physical object labeling a woman as the property of a man. The presence of a ring on a woman’s finger, either an engagement ring or a wedding ring, is a recognizable sign to men that the woman is “taken”, or unable to enter in sexual relations with another man. By giving a woman an engagement ring, a man is marking her as his. The fact that males purchase engagement rings and initiate engagements adds to the social dominance of men. However, the consent of the socially weak figure, the woman, makes such power relations seem desirable. The act of giving a woman an engagement ring is culturally made to appear romantic in media and consumer culture.

The myth of blissful monogamy and a “happy ever after” are embodied in the diamond engagement ring, signifying a promise of happiness within our culture. Diamond rings have long been a symbol of long lasting love, due to the strength and durability of this precious stone. This notion is easily recognized and accepted in our culture; for example the well known phrase and title of 1971 Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. Similarly, the song made famous by the iconic Marilyn  Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, promotes diamonds as a desired and beloved commodity for women. While diamonds themselves are a much sought after commodity, epitomizing beauty and elegance, Tiffany and Co. diamonds, in particular are known for their class, quality and elegance. The diamond ring shown is a solitaire- one diamond on a silver band- implying that the simplicity and clarity of the stone requires no extra adornment, just as the brand name Tiffany & Co. requires no further explanation- the name is synonymous with diamonds. This quality is insinuated by the taglines ‘Celebrating The World’s Greatest Love Stories Since 1837’ and ‘Legendary for 175 Years’, pointing to the experience of the jewellry makers and the history of the brand. Such claims link to the black and white photograph, implying a product steeped in history and esteemed in any era. The meanings and values of the photograph are transferred to the iconic sign of the diamond ring through significatory transference, as the two images are places side by side in the magazine’s double page spread. Thus the attributes of the photograph are correlated with the attainable object of the Tiffany & Co. engagement ring; buying the ring gives access to love and long-lasting relationships, as well as elegance, beauty and class.

The clarity of diamonds is also suggestive of purity, traditionally attributed to a woman before her wedding day. The white ribbon too is a symbol of purity, and is also reminiscent of weddings, the next step after an engagement. The images together imply that happiness and a long lasting romantic marriage can be purchased in the form of a ring; diamonds represent a promise of marriage, and thus happiness, and the quality of a Tiffany and Co. diamond will assure this longevity.

The setting of the photograph, a New York City streetscape, implies the cosmopolitan and metropolitan qualities of the Tiffany and Co. brand, while simultaneously supporting the illusions of wealth and history alluded to in the accompanying images. The writing on the side of the taxi (in themselves representative of New York City) informs the viewer of the photograph’s location. The wrought iron railing in the foreground and buildings in the background (possibly brownstones) suggest a wealthier and older section of Manhattan. This enhances the impression of wealth, extravagance, class and quality signified in the other signs and the black and white colouring of the photograph.

Thus, by buying a Tiffany & Co. engagement ring, we are not buying simply a ring, but a symbol of both love, marriage and happiness, and wealth, class, elegance and quality. As a commodity, the ring allows the consumers- both wearer and purchaser- to express the life they have and the life they want to have, thus providing us with a sense of own personal identity, helping us define and signify who we are.

The ideology embodied in Tiffany & Co. engagement rings also produces a social consensus on the issue of a woman’s expectations. Due to the naturalization of engagement rings, particularly diamond engagement rings, in society, newly engaged women expect their partners to purchase a diamond ring before proposing. In addition, such a purchase is socially recognized to be a significant one, as an engagement ring typically symbolizes wealth and class. Such conspicuous consumption is symbolic, rather than based on need. Diamond rings, although not useful to their owner, have a high exchange value.  Furthermore, diamond rings, and especially Tiffany & Co. rings and jewelry, embody commodity fetishism; the product carries social meaning far outstripping its use value, and masking the history of its production. For example, when a consumer buys a Tiffany & Co. engagement ring, they do not consider the mining of the diamond and silver or gold of the band, or the fact that the ring itself was mass-produced in Tiffany & Co.’s various manufacturing facilities, as well as other subsidiaries outside the United States. Consumers focus instead on the ring’s denotative appearance, and what the ring symbolizes.

In conclusion, the mythological meanings of love and happiness within heterosexual relationships are embodied in the image of the Tiffany & Co. engagement ring. The combined images of the couple and the diamond engagement ring connote elegance, affluence, and refinement, all attainable through the purchase of the highly desirable commodity of the ring. However, such symbolism masks deeper power relations between men and women, and the dominant sexuality of Western society.

“After our last talk about the Digital Diet,  I dreamt that I sleep with ten smartphones around me in bed… they were so heavy I couldn’t move them around or even pick them up…

[still in the dream] I woke up, and then we had a discussion about the conspiration theory of how Apple, Google and Facebook intend to turn my pillow into a huge advertisement space, and that I will never be able to sleep again anymore!”

Tal Halevi, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Firstly, I apologise for not properly addressing this before. Much to my surprise the views of this blog were consistently high when I used to write it, even though my opinion was so uneducated. As I post so sporadically now the same cannot be said.

Anyway, quite simply the reason for my lack of consistent content is uni and interning. I’ve been able to maintain my creative thinking posts slightly better as they don’t take as much time to create but nothing is as consistent as it should be.

Interesting Ads of the Week will be back and run for about four weeks come the 17th of June. Those four weeks are made of up my mid year uni break so I’ll have plenty of time to talk about ads, write random creative thinking tasks and draw pictures to add to my zine.

In the meantime, and likely once university begins again in second semester, I give you interesting ad of the week. Not as impressive but I’ll be sure to add a link or two to keep you all interested.

Edition 18:

I’ve said many a time I love print ads, I enjoy them so much more than any other medium (except perhaps experiential) because I think they leave a way bigger impact on the consumer… provided they are effective. I just love the way that an image and a few lines of clever text can totally make or break a campaign.

Agency: Jamshop – Adelaide Australia
Client: Drug & Alcohol Services South Australia

In this case, I feel like it’s the few lines of text that are letting this image down. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t have as significant an impact as it could. I think part of it could be because the idea isn’t a new one. It’s been rehashed so many times that it loses meaning. The emotional and peripheral appeal here is lost, if the image told a story rather than an ending I think it would be more effective. That said, further investigation to this ad told me that this was not meant to be about ideas and instead it is all about appealing to a specific market. To which I say, that’s all well and good, but I still wish it was idea driven.

My link for this week has nothing to do with advertising but is something I think everyone should see because it is so ridiculously awesome I almost can’t stand it: Click here!

Don’t question why I have a folder like that in my bookmarks. You’ve seen what this blog is like. Frankly, the reasons I don’t have a “things he’ll really like” folder is that such things are (a) pretty unusual, and (b) generally made immediately instead of stored away for future reference.

And as I suspected, when he first saw “bottle of catsup” in the ingredient list, he was pretty horrified.

HAMBURGER UPSIDE-DOWN BAKE

1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1 bottle DEL MONTE Catsup
1 can (12 oz.) DEL MONTE Brand Golden Whole Kernel Corn (Vacuum Packed)
1 package (approx. 8 oz.) corn muffin mix

In a 10-inch skillet with oven-proof or removable handle, combine first 4 ingredients with 1/2 cup of the catsup. (Be sure to use 10-inch skillet, or cornbread layer will be too thick.) Break meat apart with fork; fry till just brown. Push meat back around edge of skillet; spread undrained corn in center. Mix muffin batter as directed on package; pour evenly over meat and corn. Bake in hot oven (425°F.) 20 to 25 min. or till muffin layer is done. Remove from oven, let stand 5 min., and turn out upside down on warm serving plate. Heat rest of catsup and serve as a sauce. Serves 4 to 6.

The relief on his face was evident when he realized most of it was just going to be served “as a sauce” rather than incorporated into the corn somehow.

The cornbread mix is only slightly visible here, but we haven’t forgotten it.

Start off by browning the beef, and make sure there’s plenty of ketchup visible to really creep out the ketchup-hating guy who has to cook with it.

Cornbread from a box is super-easy, although it’s fairly cake-like and I would like to be able to figure out how to make a good version from scratch. For something like this, though? Box. All the way.

Once the beef is browned and the corn is dumped in, it’s pretty.

Once the cornbread batter is slopped all over the top, it’s not pretty at all. (Just look at those smears of ketchup running through everything! Oh, the goopiness!)

Luckily, it inverted out of the skillet without trouble, and we had this lovely — um, cake thing? — on a plate!

You’ll note I’ve neglected to use up the rest of the bottle as a sauce…

This was difficult to serve (cornbread and hamburger and corn are crumbly!) and it was quite silly to make. However, the combination of hamburger and cornbread tasted great, and I’m always a fan of including fresh corn kernels in (or on top of) cornbread. The kids thought it was amazing, and Buzz didn’t mind the ketchup at all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28153783@N08/4515257701/in/photostream/
saltycotton on Flickr

A few weeks ago I blogged about women in the games industry. The article was mostly about the number of women in the industry, hiring and sexual harassment.

It’s been a hot topic recently and I wanted to share my thoughts on the subject. Another hot topic in the last months has been sexism depicted in the media we work with. How women are portrayed in games but not only that, I have also noticed a rise in articles, blogs,  Facebook campaigns and similar on sexism in the media in general. Films, TV shows and in particular in advertisement.

I was thinking a bit about writing about this topic, because stating an opinion, which might go against the current outcry for feminism and the crusade against what I think, is, in many cases, perceived sexism, means sticking my head above the sand. The opinion I have is shared by quite a few people I know (I think I stated before that most men are actually not chauvinist pigs). Few however will actually voice their opinion. Either because they simply can’t be bothered, or they have feminist friends and co-workers who they rather not antagonize.

But then I saw 2 things today, which prompted me to share my thoughts anyway. That’s the great thing about the internet and about living in western society – freedom to have an opinion and to express it. And if the radical feminists can do it, then I think many of us “moderate” men should do the same.

Sexism in Advertisement

This is what I saw when walking through my town today:

These are 2 adverts for Subways. One reads, roughly translated, “Go your own way”, the other slogan reads “it’s the details that make the difference”.

The spray painting over the ads read “No sexist shit, thanks”, the second one just reads “No thanks”.

This really made me think. Both people depicted on the ads are actual athletes. They are just fit people, and I had to look twice and actually tried to analyze the pictures, but I simply fail to see the sexist undertone in either of them. The ad is about a low calorie sandwich, suggesting that eating it will help you stay fit and provide enough energy to be sporty. Subways are sponsoring athletes (and probably spend a lot of money on that), so in return the athletes provide Subway with advertisement material. They don’t pose in a sexy way; they pose in their natural sports environment.

It might well be that I am desensitized after seeing advertisement for over 30 years featuring attractive people, often from the opposite sex. I don’t see this as sexism. Yes I am sure there are some advertisements which can be seen as sexist, but I think we have come a long way since the 50s and 60s. I think the aim of advertisement these days, with a few odd balls aside, is to portrait “attractive” people. And this goes for both sexes and across a wide range of goods.  And is there any question as to why that is?

Who does not like to look at attractive people in an advertisement? Why would we, as human beings (generally gravitating to things that we find attractive and beautiful), not want to see beautiful human beings in ads?

Personally I am probably not more likely to buy a Ford B-Max because a fit guy in swim trunks features in the ad, and I’d guess not many women would purchase the car based on that fact. But I certainly prefer to see a fit man do a dive from the 10m board than a guy who is not attractive.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, different people find different things attractive. But there is no denying that there are certain standard features which men and women alike are attracted to in the opposite sex.

In 9 out of 10 cases it is physical attraction (and this can be eyes, a smile, a gesture) that gets us interested in another person in the first place. Intelligence, sense of humor, personality – those come in once we get to know someone. Beauty draws the eye, and that is exactly what advertisement is meant to do. I am sorry if this offends people, but yes, a good looking woman, eating a magnum will turn my head and make me aware of the fact that there is 5 new delicious flavors of magnum icecream available. If it was an unattractive person on the ad, I probably not would pay attention. Keep in mind that different people find different things attractive!

Advertisements play on this fact, and in my opinion this is not sexism. Again, the whole sparsely clad model to promote a product? It goes both ways! There are just as many fit men modeling than fit women. On a personal level, when I see ads like this, I always promise myself to get back to the gym more often. I might well feel a pang of guilt above my body shape, about how I look and how I appear. But I don’t think they are sexist. Could it be that some people, who feel a pang of guilt when they compare themselves with a model on an ad, interpret that pang wrong, turn it around into a negative thing and call it sexism?

Yes, I feel a pang of guilt from time to time, but overall I am happy with who I am. I know I probably won’t be on an ad anytime soon, so fit men on posters don’t get me depressed, and that’s probably why I don’t think they are sexist. I see it for what it is: advertisement, trying to draw attention to a product. I don’t interpret it any other way. (remember this point for later)

Beautiful people in advertisement are either used to inspire us to become that person or to inspire us to desire that person, and thus the product. There are definite sexual undertones in many ads, no doubt about that, but what really is wrong with that? There is nothing wrong with sexuality, regardless of gender. There is nothing wrong using sexuality in advertisement (as long as it adheres to local laws and also does not expose children to things they should not see). Sexuality and Sensuality do not mean sexism.

Here is a definition of sexism:

Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on a person’s sex.^[1] Sexist attitudes may stem from traditional stereotypes of gender roles,^{[2][full citation needed]} and may include the belief that a person of one sex is intrinsically superior to a person of the other.^[3] A job applicant may face discriminatory hiring practices, or (if hired) receive unequal compensation or treatment compared to that of their opposite-sex peers.^[4] Extreme sexism may foster sexual harassment, rape and other forms of sexual violence.^[

I have looked at a lot of advertisement before writing this blog post and I have not just applied my own perception of it, but also tried to apply the above book definition. There probably were 1 or 2 borderline cases, but I have a hard time seeing sexism in advertisement, regardless of gender.  However I can see how someone who wants to find sexism will be able to do so. The question then is: does it make it real or is it just perceived sexism?

Sexism in Games

Sexism in games follows the same principles as in advertisement I feel.

This has been a very hot topic recently, primarily thanks to Anita Sarkeesian, who got to internet fame by running a successful kickstarter project, creating a video blog about gender tropes in video games. I am not going to spend much time talking about her kickstarter campaign and personally I don’t care much about how much money she raised or how some think she is skimming people. Whatever she delivers is between her and her sponsors, and since I am not one of them, I have no right to complain about quality or content.

The topic was raised on a lot of industry websites and prompted a flurry of articles, blogs and talks at trade shows and similar, IMO all riding the current “high” of the topic, all saying the same thing. People jumped on it, hoping to get exposure, of feel vindicated in their own views.

Are there stereotypes in games and movies? Yeah sure, I don’t think anyone can really argue that. But what can be argued is that women are always stereotyped badly, or that stereotyping women badly (when it does happen) is intentional.

Games (as well as movies and tv shows) are a form of entertainment, designed to allow those that consume it to let go of the everyday world, slip into a different world and be someone they can’t be or do something they can’t do in the real world.

Male characters are just as much stereotyped in games as female characters. One just has to look at Gears of War or similar games. Bulky, gun wielding, bad ass characters (note in the screenshot of GoW 3 I linked there, you will see Stroud – an equivalent female character, wearing identical outfits as her male companions).

Stereotypes help here, they help me (as a gamer) slip into the role, understand why I can curb stomp aliens or carry weaponry that no ordinary human being could lift. That’s why stereotypes are used in the first place: to create avatars for gamers, which they can quickly understand.

Games and movies are not like books, where 100 pages can be spent defining a character or a TV show, where a character is defined over several episodes or even seasons.

The main argument of the tropes stories seems to be that women are often portrayed as the damsel in distress. I have 2 lines of thought on this.

Firstly, looking back at a lot of games over the last 15 years or so I can see why this argument seems so appealing. But then again, looking at it from a commercial point of view, I see why studios and publishers would have chosen stories that feature this “trope”.

It cannot be denied that for the most part of the last 20 years the primary market for computer games was a demographic heavily centered in the 14 to 25 year old male group. If you deliver a game to that demographic and you use a story featuring the “person in distress needs rescue” element, you are better off using a female (often attractive) character in that position. Because the core demographic you aim the game at, will respond more to that than if the role was reversed.

It is interesting to see female gamers comment on male characters in games they like, because many of them react the same way to male characters as male gamers react to female characters. Men and women are not different at all. The only difference is that up until recently more games were made to cater to a male market, because that market slice was simply bigger.

But this is not necessarily sexism, deliberate or otherwise. It’s catering to the need and want of a paying customer. It is the same as advertisement. Why portrait something that finds little to no traction, that does not ring true with the audience you try to reach.

And there are also plenty of games which do not feature this story mechanic, a fact that must not be forgotten.

Secondly, gaming demographics are changing. More women than ever play games, and a wider variety of games. Thus games slowly, but surely, are changing. Game characters are changing – again games usually firmly rooted in the strong men section have introduced strong female characters. Gears of War, Bulletstorm and if the first trailer is any indication Battlefield 4 will follow suit. I believe we will see more female characters in games going forward, I also think we will see less of the “damsel in distress”.

Regardless of all this though, one thing MUST remain true. The same principle which applies to hiring in the industry I talked about a few weeks ago: the best CHARACTER needs to be chosen for a game. Gender is irrelevant. If a story or game works well with a female character, use a female character. But don’t ever force a female character into a game just to meet a quota or to placate a few people who see gender inequality and sexism everywhere, in every conversation or in any media product.

The question really, same as in advertisement, is how the consumer interprets it. I can find sexism everywhere, if that is my mind set and my agenda. I can take any comment, email, image, video clip, music lyrics and twist what I WANT to hear from it. Religions have done this for centuries. If I want to find sexism, I can. But if one is truly objective, and looks at things how they are meant to be seen, then I would question just how much sexism truly is present. It’s about attitude. People project things all the time. People who are generally happy with their life, are positive and open minded are less likely to be fanatics, are less likely to find flaws and faults everywhere.

And those fanatics need to understand that not everyone sees things the way they do. And just like religious people I think they need to learn not to constantly try to force their view on others. Because were you see a damsel in distress, I might see a strong woman. Media and art can be interpreted in many ways and the mind is an amazing tool, allowing us to weave our own stories on top of what we see, hear and feel. I look at Zelda or Mario and I never saw it as a Damsel in Distress trope. I had my own stories about that. So please don’t assume that your interpretation of something is more right than my interpretation.

Another question then: is the media to blame if people interpret stories or stereotypes as sexist? If it is truly the fault of the industry that people who play our games develop sexist attitude and discriminate women then we can’t stop there. Then we need to also take responsibility for killing sprees by people who play shooters. We need to take responsibility for people crashing cars after playing racing games. We need to take responsibility for people become plumbers after playing Mario.

If we truly believe that games, advertisement, film and TV have that influence, on a wide range of people, then we need to step back, moderate and censor everything. There is no middle ground. Either we admit we have that much influence, and people are such sheep that they change their personal view based on media they consume, or we continue to make art the way we want and trust that people can see it as that and have are clever enough not to let them be influenced in their world view.

I will be looking forward to Anita Sarkeesian’s next video. Some images at the end of the last hinted that Dante’s Inferno might be on her list, and it will be interesting to hear what her thoughts are on this. I am curious if she lays the blame for this classic damsel in distress trope at the foot of the game developer, or if she acknowledges the fact that the game merely uses a poem written in the 14^th century as a basis.

For me the last few weeks and months, it has been interesting to read some of these articles and comments. But it is getting slightly tiring to hear the same things over and over again. The common consensus seems to be that the games industry is (for the most part) run by chauvinist pigs, making games for chauvinist pigs. And personally I feel this can’t be further from the truth. I think many of the more vocal people celebrating the message Sarkeesian is sending out are simply people who feel vindicated in their view, celebrating that someone else on the planet see the same slights that they themselves perceive.

Personally I think there are issues; there are stereotypes, not all of them good. But we are a young industry and we still lean heavily on traditional storytelling, we borrow from film and TV to try and hit a certain demographic. I feel that as we evolve as an industry, as we grow and learn to develop our own way of telling stories, create our own stories and as the gamer demographic changes, it will become more apparent that the games industry is not full of sexist men. And we simply cannot let the opinion of a few change entirely what we do and how we do it. As I said above, if we want to do this, we need to look at a lot more things than potential sexism. If we start taking responsibility for that, there are other things we need to censor as well.

In closing let me make one thing absolutely clear though: if there is a case of sexism, if there is a case of sexual harassment  if there is case of inequality, then it needs to be exposed, addressed and stamped out. I fully believe in equality. I fully believe that men and women are capable of the same things, and should be treated the same way. But i also believe that a lot of people at the moment see sexism around every corner. And that just creates a very bad atmosphere, where people have to watch what they say, how they say and who they say it to, because people are worried it might be interpreted the wrong way. And that is just as bad as actual sexism.

Because, to be honest, QR codes weren’t that popular amongst consumers. There are many reasons offered as to why, and they all sound plausible. Like the fact that in order to use a QR code on most mobile devices, you would have to go through a lengthy process of launching an app dedicated to capturing QR codes. Dedicated in that it probably didn’t do anything else. No cool filters for pictures, no word searches, no voice-enabled searches. That just made it an unnatural process. Another is that QR codes aren’t all that pretty.

However, I think that both these suggesting for the death of QR codes are weak. For an example, it doesn’t take that much effort to integrate QR search functions on an OS’s camera, or native search app, as Microsoft did in Windows Phone. And QR codes can, in themselves become a form of art when done right, done creatively.

I’d like to propose alternative cause to the demise of QR codes: I think they failed because they were a marketer initiative rather than a consumer one. They were associated with advertising. It isn’t that advertising is necessarily bad, but consumers usually go out of their way to avoid.

These days, consumers are leading the way in creating touch points. Successful apps, content, and/or services are consumer centric. They are designed to solve a consumer problem, rather than a marketer problem. Marketers then have to figure out a way to reach the consumers with other products in that environment.

That’s how it has always worked. TV programs were not created for marketing, they were created for consumers, and marketers figured out that they could slip in commercials since the consumers were already there.

But QR codes were blatantly commercial. They were introducing a new way of being targeted, something that consumers don’t generally look for. They didn’t offer to solve any real problem for consumers.

Marketers are having to relearn how to take a backseat, listen and observe consumer behavior before speaking up. And when they do speak up, it must be in the consumers language and relevant to the consumers conversation.

So what will life be after the death of QR codes? I’m not sure. But whatever it is, it’s going to be up to consumers.

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wattpad.com/Absent_Minded

Hey guys!! long time no post hahaha and I know some of you wouldn’t really read this or something but HAH I don’t know what to really say LOL. I’m weird like that. But here I am again editing my photo in a “CHANEL” ad hahaha. LOL. As you should know I really want to become a model. Why? I HAVE NO IDEA. Maybe because they look so awesome and thin and beautiful and gorgeous and I’m nowhere near that definition *sigh* *le cries*. Do I even look like one? A model?

Well, a dream is a dream – make it or leave it =}

In the case of avoiding ads we have the app that can be added to select web browsers known as adblock.Now what adblock does is fairly straightforward. It blocks ads. Many enjoy this option simply because you can now listen to pandora or watch videos on Hulu without dealing with pesky ads ruining your experience.

However this little short cut raises a slight problem, How do they make ad revenue if the users aren’t seeing the ads? Well the truth of the matter is a lot of ad money comes from the websites selling their user information and analytics to ad companies and not so much selling of ad space. However the money being lost from ad revenue has not gone unnoticed. It’s a big reason why services like Pandora and Hulu+ have been moving to the subscription model.

It’s harder for services that have gone through ad revenue to adapt to a subscription model because their user base is not used to having to pay for their services and they will often lose viewership because most people won’t be willing to pay. But remember as previously mentioned there is more money coming in from the selling of user information than there is the selling of adspace.

Where Adblock really becomes a problem is on services like YouTube where content is being not only being created by everyday people but it’s also letting the content creators benefit off of ad revenue. The amount of money youtubers get from ads varies depending on the views they get and whether or not they are using copyrighted material, but it’s still important to leave that in mind that it’s not just google benefiting from the ads on youtube.

Like many other services before it YouTube is trying out the paid subscription market by releasing channels you pay a monthly fee to watch. Personally I don’t see this model succeeding on youtube simply because YouTube is a place where users are not going to willing pay to view content.

I’m not going to tell you not to download adblock because I know that on many sites ads have a tendency of ruining the experience but I would at least say air on the side of caution when using adblock simply because if content creators can’t make money off of ads they will be forced to find other ways of monetizing. One thing I would recommend if you do use adblock is to disable it on the websites that you wish to support. For example I disable adblock on YouTube simply because I want the YouTubers I watch to benefit from me watching them. But just realize that by using adblock you might be bringing about some long term consequences.

The four major broadcasters have suffered a collective 7.2 percent drop in traditional TV viewers this season. According to The New York Times, all four major networks ad revenues slipped this last quarter. And it will continue to get worse as evident by the “Zero TV” group … that is the growing five million homes in the United States that don’t subscribe to traditional cable or satellite viewing and find alternate ways to stream content such as Netflix and Hulu.

Let’s face it. How many people watch live TV (besides sports events)? Are we all skipping the ads and fast forwarding on DVR? Even when watching live program TV people are finding ways to skip ads. It has gotten to the point where I start to watch some 60 minute programs 20 minutes late and just speed through the commercials and then finishing viewing at the top of the hour.

While I presented current data, the audience behaviors I described are not anything new. As more and more people shift to new viewing patterns, and streaming content and webisodes become more prolific, the TV advertisement methods need to change. Consumers never really liked push-in-your-face branding, and now they have ways to avoid it. This means that brands need to adopt softer marketing approaches leveraging TV as opposed to straight up ads.

And at the same time, we need brand sponsorship. Advertisements are what pay for the content. So what is the solution? Marketers must be more subtle and apply new ways of getting their product in front of an audience – otherwise, the audience will just ignore their presence.

To give you some examples, I will start with a guilty pleasure of mine – American Idol. (I don’t know why I am hooked. I am not part of the pop audience. I much prefer bands like The National, Wilco, Arcade Fire, Leonard Cohen, etc, but I am sucked into the talent and competition.) As a start, look simply at product insertion on American Idol. It is by no mistake that those big red Coca-Cola cups sit smack in front of the judges and we can see them take sips every now and then. Coca-Cola also did an excellent crowd sourcing marketing program with their Perfect Harmony Contest. The contest provided an interactive experience where viewers had input on Carly Rae Jepsen’s new single “Take a Picture” including lyrics and what back up dancers would wear. All this was done on a Coca-Cola sponsored site. Was it a success? I would not “Call it Maybe”, but call it yes.

Another marketing example on American Idol comes from Ford. Ford was very active in a number of segments that went beyond standard TV ads. Sponsored segments included a fun soccer game by Idol contestants using Ford cars, nice footage of corporate social responsibility showing trips by the contestants to schools. Ford also ran a vote on which car the two finalists would receive.

In another move from Fox Broadcasting, a partnership with Twitter will allow them to sell sponsored tweets with short video clips from TV shows or featuring highlights from live events starting this summer.

Marketers and TV execs must acknowledge that audiences are turning a blind side to TV advertisements. Brands must find new innovative ways to integrate their product into program sponsorship. As digital and second screen technologies and audience usage evolve, there are even more innovative opportunities awaiting marketers.

Make It Happen,
Social Steve

I guess these are technically promos, since they’re advertising later airings, but these cards were also used as bumpers. Or are these supposed to be called “slides”? I’m calling them cards. Anyway, the tape cut in during a late night airing of Cheaper To Keep Her on Cleveland’s WEWS TV-5, and this card for Strange New World aired during that. I’ve never seen Strange New World, and this recording ends when the tape does, roughly halfway through the first commercial break of the movie, but it’s a sci-fi TV movie from 1975 starring John Saxon. I’m a sucker for local late night airings of old horror and/or science fiction films, so complete or not, this is right up my alley.

Immediately after Cheaper To Keep Her ended, the following cards were used to advertise the next late night movies on WEWS.

McQ! I’ve mentioned what a big John Wayne fan I am, and McQ is definitely a very cool later Wayne film. It’s sort of Duke’s version of Dirty Harry, certainly an interesting moment in Wayne’s filmography. Wayne reportedly turned down the starring role in the actual Dirty Harry a few years prior, which I guess provided the catalyst for accepting McQ.

The McQ card dissolves to this one for, obviously, The Poseidon Adventure. I know it’s considered a classic of it’s genre, but it’s never a film I’ve been particularly fond of. Just not my thing. But, I do love seeing this old card for it.

But these promo cards weren’t the only thing used to advertise these movies; there were also legit commercials. During Strange New World and the single commercial break I have from it, the following two promos for the aforementioned The Poseidon Adventure and (a bit later in the break) McQ, aired.

The full 30-second spot for The Poseidon Adventure survived on the tape, but McQ ended when the tape did, only making it 10 seconds in. Figures the one I really want would end up being cut-off, but it’s better than nothing, and hey, I’ve still got the card promo.

This find was awesome, but it’s by no means the only material from late night WEWS movie airings I have. At some point, we’ll probably look at some more.

Financial Specialist Shares Ways to Help Your Child
 While Protecting Your Retirement

From $20,000 to $65,000 a year – that’s the tuition cost for one year of college, says John McDonough, a money expert who helps retirees and parents plan for their families’ futures.

“For the 2012–2013 academic year, the average cost for an in-state public college is $22,261. A moderate budget for a private college averaged $43,289,” says McDonough, CEO of Studemont Group College Funding Solutions, www.studemontgroup.com. “But for elite schools, we’re talking about three times the cost of your local state school. Either way, your kid’s higher education can easily shoot into six figures after four years.”

Along with worrying about rising tuition prices, parents also fear for their own futures if their retirement savings are drained by children’s college costs, McDonough says. Only 14 percent, for example, are very confident they’ll have the money to live comfortably in retirement, he says, citing a 2012 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

“Families feel they’re faced with conflicting goals, but there are numerous ways to pay for college while investing in your future retirement,” says McDonough, who offers insights for parents to keep in mind while planning for their child’s education:

• The ROI of a college education: At a time when so many American families are financially strapped, college is an especially stressful topic because parents know higher learning will help their kids succeed. College graduates earn 84 percent than those with only a high school diploma, according to Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce. Here is how earning breaks down over one’s life time, based on education: a doctoral degree-holder will earn $3.3 million over a lifetime; $2.3 million is estimated for a college graduate; those with only a high school diploma can expect $1.3 million.

• Move retirement assets to qualify for grants: Most parents know about the 529 savings account, but that’s not necessarily the best or only option. Reallocating your retirement assets, such as 401(k)s, can better position a child to qualify for grants and scholarships. This legal and ethical maneuvering may be the single most important factor when considering how to pay for college.

• Know your student’s strengths and weaknesses: Consider independent and objective analysis of your future college student. Assessment might include a personality profile and a detailed search for a future career. Also think about a more nuts-and-bolts approach, including scholarship eligibility, SAT and ACT prep courses, review of admissions essays and an in-depth analysis of chances for enrollment in a student’s top four choices of colleges.

• Make a checklist of financial aid forms: In order to maximize a fair price of higher education, remember there is plenty of data to review. McDonough recommends a checklist with a timeline and notable deadlines. Be ready to troubleshoot the “alphabet soup” of data forms: FAFSA – Free Application For Federal Student Aid; CSS profile – College Scholarship Service; SAR – Student Aid Report; and more. Think about this process as a second job, or find professional help you can trust.

About John McDonough

John McDonough is the managing member at Studemont Group, which is primarily focused on helping retirees gain peace of mind with unique market rescue and recovery programs. He is also founder, president and CEO of Studemont Group College Funding Solutions. His experience in the financial services industry includes managing partner at Granite Harbor Advisors in Houston and divisional vice president of AXA Equitable/AXA Advisors, the third largest insurance company in the world. McDonough is a member of the prestigious Forum 400, a qualifier at the Court of the Table qualifier for Million Dollar Round Table, an active member in National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and Society of Financial Service Professionals, as well as American Association of Life Underwriters. He has completed the course work to sit for the Certified Financial Planner® professional designation exam from Rice University.

• How powerful Carmellia green leaves extracted reduces the risk of heart diseases
• How the green leaves extract turn into tea or powder fights breast cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.
• Helps with unstable heart rhythm
• Reduce blood levels of lithium, a medication used to treat bipolar disorder
• lower cholesterol and raises good cholesterol in both animals and people

Green tea extract is delightful when it is hot.  Or , when green tea is extracted and broken down to

powerful, purest powder form, it can be mixed within other wellness and health drinks.

Green tea can cost anywhere from $8.00 to $30.00. However,

when included in zeal wellness health drinks, it is less expensive but

effective.  You want to try products that have all the necessary

organic ingredients that also have a long history of providing

effectiveness when it comes to your health.  Other than that,

why bother?  Remember, take the zeal steps to good health !

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Above link is CNN’s news on Middle Eastern’s anti domestic abuse campaign advertisement…

“Some things can’t be covered”
Fighting Women’s Abuse Together

We like to see differences especially in such a private society and such conservative country. WHY MEN can abide the law freely? Women on the other hand are regard as inhuman, receive countless abusive treatment, rape and emotional neglect from the country. Besides that, speaking out their dilemma does not help them but they have to receive societal judgement. We are living in a country where we have the freedom and the rights to voice out any abusive action that violates the law. However for Saudi Arabia, we need to give the people some time to realize the equality of gender and the laws should protect the women who have to continuously encounter such traumatic domestic violence and abuse. 

The domestic abuse campaign advertisement is said to be quite successful. It is moving closer to the direction of the campaign’s goal. A campaign is never easy to be implemented especially the cultural differences that organizers have to consider carefully. However, the target audiences and victims are the main priority. The key message has to be persuasive- “Some things can’t be covered” is a very powerful and strong message that can be taken as a warning to the men who have treated their wives (women) badly. 

Hi peoplilla! I’ll show you a few pics of the last week’s Reebok shooting. It was a bad idea to not carry the tripod with me but at the end, thanks to McGiber, it all went smooth with the assistance of Jordi and Jotapé. Now there’s just.. the edition. Death. Kisses people!