Reflection Time

            Throughout this whole experience with digging deeper into the media it has really opened my eyes.  Before, I thought that ads and media were just there to be in the way, but now knowing the different techniques, I have noticed things that I didn’t before.  Things that I have noticed are possibly something that they are doing wrong, like not paying for a drink in a movie, or if the commercial is tricking you into buying the product.  These things have been brought to my attention and have made me “smarter” in the media world. 

            Honestly I consume a whole butt load of media whether it is from reality TV or magazines it is literally everywhere.  After this unit of media I haven’t changed the way I consume media but I do change the way I see it.  I understand the techniques and frankly I have actually been looking out and noticing billboards and ads everywhere.  But this overload of media is too much. The average amount of media that we see per day is about three thousand or more.  That is just too much, and personally I don’t even know that I’ve seen over three thousand.  It is ridiculous and absurd.  I don’t think that it is necessary to spend all that money on advertisements where it could go to plenty of other good things like the economy, government, or charities.

            Being educated when it comes to being a consumer is really important.  If you don’t know any techniques or notice that the advertiser is tricking you into buying a product, it will not be good for you.  You will get a crappy product most of the time and it will just frustrate you.  Knowing if a product is good or not can be really helpful.  Especially in this media center where there are so many advertisements for practically the same things; if you really want to buy the product you have a variety to choose from to see the good and bad ones too.  Just overall understanding what the advertiser is trying to get at it the most important thing when being a consumer and buying their products.

            From this class, I have noticed and have understood the media world.  From the three thousand advertisements that we see a day I can tell what is good, bad, right and wrong with a little bit of thinking.  Noticing these things within ads helps with buying products that you know that are good and worth it.   

Nike

The main target audience for this ad is athletic people both male and female.  Both genders can buy this because everyone has a different style, which does not aim this ad towards anyone in particular.  One thing that i noticed with this ad was that it grabs your attention because it forces you to read what it says.  Yeah, its the shape of the shoe which represents nike itself but it draws in the viewer to see what it says.
By advertising nike it is also advertising the world of advertising.  It sounds weird but its true.  The most famous logo in the world was created by an art student for thirty-five dollars.  Another thing that I see in this ad is the simplicity of big things that come out of so little.
The needs used in this ad are the need to achieve, need to dominate, and the need for attention.
The need to achieve is used because this is a sport shoe.  In sports you want to move forward and achieve at what you are doing.
The need to dominate is also like the need to achieve.  You want to beat down your competitors and with the nike shoe you can outrun and/or out jump the person going against you.
Lastly the need for attention is simply added into this ad.  Just like an art student make the most famous logo, nike, by wearing these shoes you get attention because the brand nike is popular.
The advertising techniques used in this ad are weasel words and plain folks.
Weasel words are in this because the "most famous" might not be totally true.  Nike might be a famous brand but not the most famous.
And plain folks in used because nike products aren't overly expensive and most people can buy their products.    

Master EVERYTHING Target!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LplGs54ZT1Q
In this commercial the main point that they are trying to get by is that you can get things at Target and beat everything in life.  The major thing that popped when I first saw this was that everything was white.  It emphasizes cleanliness.  Cleanliness in this commercial really works because it is for baby wipes and diapers; mothers want that cleanliness for their children in their young years.
Target always has their colors in the commercials or magazine ads.  Red and white are always there no matter what.  In this commercial the woman in it has red hair and lips which says "hey there is red in here and this is target."
The main target audience is mothers.  It's mothers because there are babies in the commercial and mothers want very good products that do not harm their children.
The needs used in this commercial are need to nurture, the need to feel safe, and the need to dominate.
Need to nurture is the obvious one because there are babies in the commercial and women want to see good products for their children.
The need to feel safe is used in here to show that up & up baby wipes and diapers are good and "healthy" for your children.
The need to dominate is used because at the end of the commercial the woman is like "YES! I did it."  This shows that you are in control when you use the target brand diapers and wipes.
The advertising techniques used in this commercial are plain folks and weasel words.
Plain folks is used because anyone can buy up & up brand of diapers and baby wipes.  
Weasel words in contributed into this commercial because the words master and legend are used, but in reality are you really a master after you use baby wipes?  You might be good at cleaning your baby, but doesn't mean that you are a master.
Anyways another thing that popped out to me when watching this was the music in the background.  It is really upbeat and like a victory music kind of thing.

This as really stands out to me because its focusing on how cool and fast the car is.  It's only focusing on the car and in the ad the background is blurred showing how fast the car is going.  With this it emphasizes the speed, and also it also emphasizes the style of the car.  All sports cars have a different look and appearance to them, putting them into a category that is different from all the rest.
The different needs used in this add are need for  guidance and the need to dominate.
The need for guidance doesn't really seem like it but the thing that i got from it was that it was kind of popping out and directing you towards this car.
The need to dominate is shown here by using Daniel Craig's name, because he is the kind of guy that is rough and tough so he could be driving this car.  So if you get this car you will be scared because it is to fast for Daniel, the big guy.
The different advertising techniques used in this ad are snob appeal and testimonial.
Snob appeal is used because no person off the street can go up to car dealership and buy this sports car.
Testimonial is used because Daniel Craig is mentioned in this ad.  Although his face is not shown, he is still in it.  It, again, just shows that he is a badass and can't handle this even more badass car.
One thing that i noticed was that the main target audience that they i are trying to get at is wealthy men.  Women can also buy this car but they didn't say "Megan Fox was scared too."  Because Megan Fox isn't tough enough.
Another thing to make it appeal to men is the colors.  They are kind of dark greys, blacks, and silver.  Those are "manly."
One last thing that I see is the lightning.  To me it also emphasizes the speed of the car most likely saying, "Oh this car is as fast as lightning!!!!"

Snickers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MixNh9L7G5M
This commercial is one of my favorites because it is funny but also gets the point across that they are trying to make.  One thing that all of the snicker commercials do is over exaggerate the "grouchiness" of the people who are hungry.  When they do that they make the commercial funny and more enjoyable.  When they do that it sticks with you and its hard to forget.  
The advertising techniques used in this commercial are weasel words, transfer/association, plain folks, testimonial, wit and humor/sex appeal, and simple solutions. 
Weasel words in this commercial, there aren't a lot but one that stuck out to me is satisfies.    You don't know for sure, it is just a candy bar, does it really satisfy?
Transfer and association the saying "you get a little angry when your hungry" and then later it says snickers satisfies.  So the positive in this commercial is that when your angry and hungry, eat a snickers.
Plain folks is simple, anyone can buy a snickers because it is like less than a dollar. 
Testimonial is used to bring a little more umph.  And the famous people in the commercial are Joe Pesci and Jon Rickles.  
Wit and humor/sex appeal, my favorite part in the commercial, I think brings the whole commercial together.  The humor of course comes from the famous actors but my favorite part is when Joe says, "What do you model, gloves?"  It just made me laugh and then i remembered it.  And of course Jon said something too, "So losers....I'm sorry."  It just brings it all together.
Simple solutions, is really simple.  If you were to eat a snickers bar, it would result in satisfaction.  
The main target audience is all ages and both men and women because in the commercial one guy and eventually one girl were both "hungry."

Outsmart Mother Nature

There are many ads that say that their product is better than the others, stronger etc.  This one really sells that it is better than the others. To me it creates a mental image of "winning," so once it gets down to the monthly gift it makes more sense that Tampax Compak Pearl is the "winning" brand.  I particularly like this ad because it isn't showing some model and how happy there are when they're using the product.  Because periods aren't happy when using a tampon, it doesn't make it go away, its just more, you could say, "controlled."
The different advertising techniques used in this ad are facts and figures, weasel words, plain folks, simple solutions, and repetition.  The only need in this ad is the need to feel safe.
Facts and figures i think is good in this ad because you need some proof to tell you that this product is better than possibly the one you are using.  So in this ad is says "With a 40% smaller applicator Compak Pearl still stops leaks better than Playtex Sport."  It's comparing two brands saying that this is much better and that you should get it.
The weasel words in this ad are "You win" and "Only cuter."  With "you win" it's not really guaranteeing that you will win.  And with "only cuter," is a tampon really cute?  It's just not a guarantee.
For plain folks, anyone can buy this product and for really cheep even.  It's not put into a certain class.
Simple solutions works well in this ad because the "monthly gift" can be somewhat complex but using a Tampax tampon, it's a simple solution to periods.
Lastly repetition is winning.  It doesn't clearly say win or winning, it's just the picture of winning three times in a row, twice with ro sham bo and then with a tampon.
The need to feel safe is kind of based on the customer using the product.  In this ad, instead of safe i think it would be more appropriate to say secure about yourself because, like the ad says, you want and need protection.
The main target audience is obviously women of any age.          

Clearasil?

Personally I think that all acne ads are kind of funny in the way that they are all the same.  They all guarantee fast results, but in reality most do not work that way.  They all try to compete to get the best results and especially with this ad it is trying to tell teenagers that this "new formula" makes your pimples go away in four hours.  Easily teenagers fall for this because most of the time they don't know if it will work until they try it.  

In this ad there is a lot of vagueness going on because they don't explain how or show any before and after shots.  For all we know they could have just gotten a picture off the internet and just touched up his face making it look like he has no pimples.  Therefore proving that this product works really well, making you have clear skin.  

Throughout this ad the advertising techniques used are weasel words, plain folks, simple solutions, and repetition.

The phrase that represents weasel words is "as little as."  This says that it will take four hours to make your pimple reduce in size but it could take longer.  I see it as the minimum time for reduced pimple size.  

Plain folks is here because, although it doesn't name a price, it is not very expensive and anyone can buy it.

Simple solutions is used; "visibly reduces...as little as four hours."  It is saying, buy this and your pimple will soon be gone.  

Repetition is used quite a bit only to advertise the number of hours it takes for your pimple to be smaller in size.  They use the number four, three times and a clock just to emphasize it even more.  

The needs used in this ad are the need for attention and the need to satisfy curiosity.  

The need for attention is really obvious because this a product that helps "make you look better."  When someone has pimples they obviously don't want to show them off but if they were to use this then they wouldn't have to hide there pimples and be the "center" of attention.

The need to satisfy curiosity is here because teenagers don't know if the product will work well unless if they try it out for themselves, and see if it really works in four hours.