Monday, April 27, 2009
PRODUCT PLACEMENT IN TV SHOWS AND MOVIES...SNEAKY GENIUS? OR JUST PLAIN TEDIOUS?
Hmmm...what's the word on my mind about product placement? Well, I think it's kind of wierd. When you watch a show or movie, unless its one thats mocking certain ads and commercials, its different to see another brand obviously marketing a product to you. For me, when I watch a show or movie I'm focusing on that main product being sold to me and to have another product thrown in there is a little overload..As if commercials inbetween the show, and the advertisements before the opening credits before a movie weren't enough! I think that our generation (about 15-25...27 yr olds) are very much aware that we are being targeted and for the most part a lot of us can recognize a commercial when we see one. So, in my opinion, shoving more advertisement into our faces isn't really going to increase nor ignite a desire to purchase or use a product. It almost makes the ad a little hackneyed and annoying.
ADS!! ADS!! AND MORE ADVERTISEMENTS!! GET YOURS NOW!!!
In the last few weeks our media class has been observing many things in the media, as this is a media literacy class. We have been assessign how we as a society should be a media literate people and learn how to decifer the important things from the fluff. Everyday we see so much advertisement that has leaked into every single aspect of our lives through media.
We see commercials on TV telling us what to wear, what to listen to, what to snack on, and even how certain images can get us to the social class we've always wanted to reach. I personally have observed some commercials, magazine ads, a few billboards and other forms of advertisement. I think that advertisement companies are doing a great job at sucking us into their hype!!! We hear the catchy toons, and the familiar mascots and thats it! WE ARE SUCKED IN!! For example, look at the Axe, Tag, or Old Spice body fragrance commercials. When we see the "dirty boy" getting clean and having sexy women attack him we are classically conditioned to know that its because of that product. Also in these commercials these sexy women are used as a reward for using the product..use the product, get attractive women all over you..it makes sense...and before you know it every male is cementing our halls at school with these lethal fumes! But thats besides the point...
Back to comercials: I also observed ads in magazines that feature propaganda and weasel words such as "new and Improved", and "the best ever", also "Now 25% more for the same price." These words catch our attention and makes us look at that ad, and before you realize it your actually contemplating purchasing or trying a product that you absolutely don't need but because you think its "better, and improved" you want to use it anyway.
Going back to the whole conditioning devices used to "catch us", I have a testimonial.
I went to Subway the other day and went about ordering as usual (the chicken, bacon, ranch) and I was about to pay when I realized that instead of my foot long sandwich beign five dollars it was $6.70..outrageous right?! Well here's where it ties in, the whole way to Subway I was singing the "Five, five dollar, five dollar foot long...Any foot long.. song." I was associating the song with what I expected to get, and thats the art of advertisement, they had me sucked in. well turns out the "Any foot long" part doesnt apply anymore. I know..sad.
We see commercials on TV telling us what to wear, what to listen to, what to snack on, and even how certain images can get us to the social class we've always wanted to reach. I personally have observed some commercials, magazine ads, a few billboards and other forms of advertisement. I think that advertisement companies are doing a great job at sucking us into their hype!!! We hear the catchy toons, and the familiar mascots and thats it! WE ARE SUCKED IN!! For example, look at the Axe, Tag, or Old Spice body fragrance commercials. When we see the "dirty boy" getting clean and having sexy women attack him we are classically conditioned to know that its because of that product. Also in these commercials these sexy women are used as a reward for using the product..use the product, get attractive women all over you..it makes sense...and before you know it every male is cementing our halls at school with these lethal fumes! But thats besides the point...
Back to comercials: I also observed ads in magazines that feature propaganda and weasel words such as "new and Improved", and "the best ever", also "Now 25% more for the same price." These words catch our attention and makes us look at that ad, and before you realize it your actually contemplating purchasing or trying a product that you absolutely don't need but because you think its "better, and improved" you want to use it anyway.
Going back to the whole conditioning devices used to "catch us", I have a testimonial.
I went to Subway the other day and went about ordering as usual (the chicken, bacon, ranch) and I was about to pay when I realized that instead of my foot long sandwich beign five dollars it was $6.70..outrageous right?! Well here's where it ties in, the whole way to Subway I was singing the "Five, five dollar, five dollar foot long...Any foot long.. song." I was associating the song with what I expected to get, and thats the art of advertisement, they had me sucked in. well turns out the "Any foot long" part doesnt apply anymore. I know..sad.
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