Tegan and Sara Music Ad Disguised

I was bored on this Sunday afternoon and decided to start a new show on Netflix called "Young and Hungry".With my recent knowledge on advertising I was blown away at how many placed products appeared throughout the show. I can't tell if critical thinking has ruined my ability to appreciate television and media or opened my eyes.

In this scene the main character puts on the perfect song to "set the mood". She sings the lyrics and dances to show she enjoys the song. It seems like it came off her everyday playlist and her character genuinely likes the song. This advertisement is so subtle yet gets the point across so effortlessly.

After hearing the song, Josh says "Tegan and Sara? I karaoke to this song all the time!" Gabi replies with "Me too!" Viewers react by thinking "Hey this is a catchy I want to buy it!" This advertisement uses the technique "Plain Folks" because it is showing a romantic song that everyday people can use for dates or even just hanging out. The songs comes off as upbeat and fun, something that makes you want to dance. I don't think I would've thought of this scene as an advertisement prior to my class which makes it effective.

It is directed to teenagers and young adults ranging from (16-25). The people in the show are young and attractive and live desirable lives. The sing along between the characters and hinted popularity make the song very appealing to people of this age group.

Progressive// FLO

       Flo is a character that I have adored for many years now. Her quirky features and distinct humor always made me laugh. She is the perfect face for progressive because she creates a lighthearted face for an insurance company which too most people is boring and not an upbeat idea. 

      She advertises saving money and package deals which uses the bribery technique. Her average everyday worker look is very appealing and makes the company seem very trustworthy and friendly. Flo has become a well known figure and used on many commercials, Progressive stresses the repetition technique. As soon as you get Flo's voice you automatically know who the commercial is for. Her name is also significant because it is unique. If her name was Amanda or Courtney the commercial may not be as effective or memorable.

REAL

      Real women with real bodies. The everyday women is not going to look like she walked off the runway although she may aspire to be. Sending out the message to love yourself the way you are is a great way to appeal to the masses using the "plain folks" technique.

     Victoria secret advertising  thin women saying "love my body"  upsets many people and causes them to feel poor about themselves. People come in all shapes and sizes and are equally beautiful. Advertising diversity is almost always popular.

    Aerie shows smiling giggly girls who instantly make the viewer smile back. Although not perfect their beauty is unmissable. As a girl myself, a genuinely happy person is more welcoming and lovable than a Victoria secret model making a sexy face. I would rather feel secure with my image while viewing an advertisement than thinking I'll never look like that.

  Aerie did an excellent job with this advertisement and I was completely impressed with the message they stand behind. I hope the fashion industry will follow this example and preach self love. 

(Victoria Secret advertisement)

(Aerie ad campaign)

Easy Breezy Beautiful

Katy Perry is known for her fierce and beautiful lashes so she is a perfect fit for this mascara commercial. The use of an icon like Perry is the advertisement appeal "need for attention". Everyone wants her perfect lashes so if she uses it then everyone else's eyelashes can look like her's?

The commercial is centered around poetic verses and flowers( hence the name Full Lash Bloom). The words  create a rhythm that fit perfectly with the upbeat music in the background. They tell a story about how Perry's lashes got so long which grabs people's attention because viewers want to hear what happens at the end. The pinks and florals create a girly vibe and beautiful aesthetic.

Covergirl  includes "Easy Breezy Beautiful, Covergirl" at the end of every commercial which creates a trademark for the company's advertisements. This is the ad technique of repetition because these 3 words are directly associated with the company and are memorable . The words all have positive connotations with them and are very light and flirty which women of all ages wish to be.

Do a Dollop Daisy

The famous "Daisy" jingle has stayed in my mind for the past five years. I will never forget these classic commercials for they are memorable and effective. The advertisements target families and have the "plain folks" appeal. By showing average families people are gravitated to use the sour cream for simple kid friendly meals. The advertisements also use the advertisement technique of repetition. Almost every commercial has the jingle in it so right away the audience knows that it is a Daisy commercial. The repetition of the song results in a memorization by viewers and eventually they will sing along and get it stuck in their head. 

I think these commercials are very effective because although I haven't seen a commercial in quite sometime I could still recite the whole jingle. When I think of sour cream the only brand that comes to mind is Daisy because the song has stuck with me. I think creating a jingle for a company is an extremely smart way to advertise. Stanley Steamers, education connection.com, and Empire also went down the same route. Conclusively, a catchy tune can make for a successful advertisement and it has definitely worked for Daisy. 

Got Milk?

The Got Milk? advertisements are based off the the "need to achieve" appeal. Celebrities ranging from Tyra Banks to Tracy McGrady are all photographed with a white mustache with the ultimate goal of encouraging more people to drink milk . In the photos they look powerful and beautiful both things that the average person strives to be.

In this specific photo Chris Bosh is dunking for the United States olympic basketball team. There are tons of people in the background taking photos and cheering as if he is a God. Then at the bottom of the page it says "Power Up", implying that milk will lead to great things such as being an Olympian.  The emphasis on his muscles and the intensity in his face all scream strong.

These advertisements were on every school cafeteria for many years, although I rarely see them these days. I always hated milk, but I loved celebrities. I thought that by drinking milk I could one day be like them. Celebrities are effective spokespeople because they are a clear definition of success and are easily recognizable establishing credibility.

Disguised Advertising

The popularity of Youtube has significantly grown in the last 5 years.  People across the globe are able to find guidance, comedy, and tutorials all through videos. The Youtube community makes you feel like there are 500 close friends giving you advice or telling you a joke, this is one of the biggest appeals. In beauty videos specifically, companies will send Youtubers their products in exchange for a shoutout in a video. The Youtuber will recommend the product as one of their "favorites" or "everyday products" then leave a coupon code down below. For many years I would buy a product just because a Youtuber said that it was great. This form of advertising is very sneaky and it took me many years to realize the hidden advertisements.

This video is titled "What I Ate Today" and this specific Youtuber is known to have a very toned body.  People are constantly trying to change  their bodies and get into shape, so by showing us what she eats many hope that if they eat the same they will look like her. After taking you on a short step by step guide on what she eats everyday, she proceeds to talk about this "food box" that she is obsessed with. This advertisement is conveniently placed after every viewers mouth waters from the clips shown previously. Polina describes each of the snacks in the box and says how much she loves everything. By the end of the video, I'm really hungry and want to click the link below to buy the box.

This form of advertisement is effective because it is personal and focuses on health. She keeps eye contact with camera as if she's recommending the box to a close friend. It doesn't seem like an advertisement because she's reviewing it (although the reviews will never be negative).