Valley Fair: An advertising warfare.
Have you been to Valley Fair this holiday season? I've never seen so much advertising in a single location. I would say it's comparable to Times Square in New York. It's a mad house, but I love it. We're not talking just posters and billboards. What always tickles my brain is creative advertising, and it's everywhere in the mall. Parking near Macy's, I enter the shopping mall on the second floor and proceed down the escalator. The first thing I noticed when going down was a business man who appears to be fainted on the floor. Everyone looks at him, but no one seems to be helping him up. As I got closer and closer to this stranger, I realized it was a sticker plastered on the floor. Oooh, that got me so angry since I was fooled! Next to the feinted man was a sign. It read: "Don't feint. The new Palm One is only $199." I gave it a chuckle and proceeded to the Apple Store to get my computer fixed.
As I was leaving the Apple Store, I took the stairs up to the second floor. Puma has decided the best place to place an ad would be on the border of each step. If you're standing at the bottom of the floor looking straight at the stairs, the stairs become a wall for the advertisement. Very cool.
There were plenty more which is currently evading my mind, but creative advertising was everywhere. it's a shame they only come up with these ideas during the holiday season.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Fish Out of Water
Fish Out Of Water Experience
First and foremost, I am a very heterosexual guy. I have only dated females since my first girlfriend at the age of 15. I have never had any homosexual thoughts or dreams. So for my fish out of water, I thought it would be a good idea to go to a gay bar. I’ve been to many straight clubs and have always enjoyed myself. Aside from what I hear, gay clubs are a lot more fun and upbeat. I decided to look into that. My first initial thoughts and feelings were that Clubs started out as a place to meet up for sex. But now, at heterosexual clubs and bars, people always come with friends and rarely do people pick up on others and take them home. Rarely. Well, what about gay bars? Are they as sexually driven as the straight bars/clubs once were? Time to find out. I had made time to come to Splash, a gay bar, with a female friend. No particular reason as to choosing a female, just that she was the only one willing to go. When I first stepped in, it looked like any average bar. You have the essentials, the stage, and a crowded bar. It was karaoke night. Then you start to see it: The couples, the groups of friends, gay partners, dykes, and so forth. Everyone is eager to sing and when a friend of a group begins to pour their heart out into a song, their friends would encourage them by being backup singers and dancing along with the songs. It was quite an event. Although I had pondered how interesting it would be if I got picked up by a gay guy, it never really happened. Maybe I just wreck of straightness. If anything, it was just really fun. Everybody is so loose and in a good mood. You don’t really have anyone arrogant or bigheaded walking around thinking they can screw anyone, like in the straight bars. I had fun, but probably won’t be returning.
Words: 348
First and foremost, I am a very heterosexual guy. I have only dated females since my first girlfriend at the age of 15. I have never had any homosexual thoughts or dreams. So for my fish out of water, I thought it would be a good idea to go to a gay bar. I’ve been to many straight clubs and have always enjoyed myself. Aside from what I hear, gay clubs are a lot more fun and upbeat. I decided to look into that. My first initial thoughts and feelings were that Clubs started out as a place to meet up for sex. But now, at heterosexual clubs and bars, people always come with friends and rarely do people pick up on others and take them home. Rarely. Well, what about gay bars? Are they as sexually driven as the straight bars/clubs once were? Time to find out. I had made time to come to Splash, a gay bar, with a female friend. No particular reason as to choosing a female, just that she was the only one willing to go. When I first stepped in, it looked like any average bar. You have the essentials, the stage, and a crowded bar. It was karaoke night. Then you start to see it: The couples, the groups of friends, gay partners, dykes, and so forth. Everyone is eager to sing and when a friend of a group begins to pour their heart out into a song, their friends would encourage them by being backup singers and dancing along with the songs. It was quite an event. Although I had pondered how interesting it would be if I got picked up by a gay guy, it never really happened. Maybe I just wreck of straightness. If anything, it was just really fun. Everybody is so loose and in a good mood. You don’t really have anyone arrogant or bigheaded walking around thinking they can screw anyone, like in the straight bars. I had fun, but probably won’t be returning.
Words: 348
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Microsoft's Zune catching up.
Let me point out that I'm not a fan of Microsoft at all. I don't like the Zune, their "iPod-killer" or any of its features. Microsoft's CEOs said the Zune would destroy the iPod pre-launch only to get slapped in the face by poor sales. It's hard to take any representatives from Microsoft seriously, but I admire their new efforts. Microsoft ditched their old ad agency and revamped their new image for the music player. Have you seen the new commericial? Unbelieveably cool. It's getting a lot of buzz because it's quite unique. I'd say it might even be better the iPod commercials. It sends off a vibe of uniqueness and originality with one's self, instead of "be trendy."
But will the new hip website and commericals do justice? Will it increase Zune's sells? It's tough to say. Zune's entry into the marketplace was poor and instead of re-targeting audiences and sending new messages, they are doing a second entry. "The All New Zune," they say, even thought theres not much new about it other than lower prices to be competitive with the new entries of iPods.
In short: they have great new ads and I admire the effort, but they still have much work to do.
But will the new hip website and commericals do justice? Will it increase Zune's sells? It's tough to say. Zune's entry into the marketplace was poor and instead of re-targeting audiences and sending new messages, they are doing a second entry. "The All New Zune," they say, even thought theres not much new about it other than lower prices to be competitive with the new entries of iPods.
In short: they have great new ads and I admire the effort, but they still have much work to do.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Weekly AD Blog
Verizon: If This is Anything Like the IPhone, We Want In
Search engine giant, Google, have announced that they're currently in the process of not only producing a mobile phone, but providing a google user interface as well. The phone service would be free (what Google service isn't?) and the user interface is drawing interest from Verizon Wireless. To provide background information, Verizon and Google have had some trouble getting along in the past. But Verizon is putting aside their differences, according to officials. After passing up on the iPhone, Verizon is looking forward to what Google has to offer. With the staggering success of the iPhone, Verizon is trying to get their hands on the next killer product--hopefully in this case, something sweet from Google. There's nothing more funny and sweet then to see a major corporation, such as Verizon, get slapped in the face. We've all seen the youtube video of the CEOs of various competing companies laughing at Steve Job's face for trying to sell a 600 dollar phone. Now, they're heightening publicity about their involvement with Google as if this was what they had in mind from the beginning. I wonder where the official representative of Verizon who turned down the iPhone is now...
Words: 210
Search engine giant, Google, have announced that they're currently in the process of not only producing a mobile phone, but providing a google user interface as well. The phone service would be free (what Google service isn't?) and the user interface is drawing interest from Verizon Wireless. To provide background information, Verizon and Google have had some trouble getting along in the past. But Verizon is putting aside their differences, according to officials. After passing up on the iPhone, Verizon is looking forward to what Google has to offer. With the staggering success of the iPhone, Verizon is trying to get their hands on the next killer product--hopefully in this case, something sweet from Google. There's nothing more funny and sweet then to see a major corporation, such as Verizon, get slapped in the face. We've all seen the youtube video of the CEOs of various competing companies laughing at Steve Job's face for trying to sell a 600 dollar phone. Now, they're heightening publicity about their involvement with Google as if this was what they had in mind from the beginning. I wonder where the official representative of Verizon who turned down the iPhone is now...
Words: 210
Friday, November 2, 2007
NPR Interview - Fresh Air with Terry Gross
My interview analysis is from the NPR program, Fresh Air, with Terry Gross. This interview was with Brad Bird and Patten Oswald regarding their new movie, Ratatouille, by Pixar. The movie is about a rat named Remy, who has a keen sense of taste and wants to become a chef, but rats are not accepted as such in the human culinary world. The interview opens up with both Bird, the director, and Oswald, the voice actor for Remy, talking about their experience with the movie.
I don’t feel that Terry Gross knew much about the subject prior to the interview. She knew the basic information regarding the movie but nothing in-depth that is trivial or interesting that refreshed the interview. Every question she asked was based on what either Brad or Oswald had previously mentioned. For example, Gross asked, “How did you feel when they called and said you were perfect to play a rat.” Prior to this question, Oswald had just mentioned how Bird said to him, “you’d be perfect to play a rat!” While the interview was still very good, it’s just that the interview felt more free-flowing than it was structured. If Oswald and Bird hadn’t been so talkative and open, I don’t think Gross would’ve been able to pull off that style of interviewing.
She asked very open-ended questions to make sure the interview wasn’t “Yes” and “No” answers. How did you know Patten Oswald would’ve been good for the role? In your search for restaurants as research for the movie, which one was very interesting? They were all very good questions.
Gross did not appear to have a strategy with Bird and Oswald. Both Bird and Oswald took over the interview. Gross did not say or mention anything unless it was a question or a chuckle. She was very free-flowing and went where Bird and Oswald took the interview. Their relationship was very smooth. Nothing was obtrusive and no personalities clashed. Everyone was polite and funny. Oswald is known for his very offensive type of humor in his comedic routines, so it was weird to hear him as such a polite speaker on the interview.
The main thing I learned was that the best thing to do in an interview is to adapt to your interviewees. If peers amongst you are all on the same level, you get more out of the interview, and sometimes even get them to reveal interesting facts that gives your interview more depth instead of forcing structure upon the interview.
Words: 424
I don’t feel that Terry Gross knew much about the subject prior to the interview. She knew the basic information regarding the movie but nothing in-depth that is trivial or interesting that refreshed the interview. Every question she asked was based on what either Brad or Oswald had previously mentioned. For example, Gross asked, “How did you feel when they called and said you were perfect to play a rat.” Prior to this question, Oswald had just mentioned how Bird said to him, “you’d be perfect to play a rat!” While the interview was still very good, it’s just that the interview felt more free-flowing than it was structured. If Oswald and Bird hadn’t been so talkative and open, I don’t think Gross would’ve been able to pull off that style of interviewing.
She asked very open-ended questions to make sure the interview wasn’t “Yes” and “No” answers. How did you know Patten Oswald would’ve been good for the role? In your search for restaurants as research for the movie, which one was very interesting? They were all very good questions.
Gross did not appear to have a strategy with Bird and Oswald. Both Bird and Oswald took over the interview. Gross did not say or mention anything unless it was a question or a chuckle. She was very free-flowing and went where Bird and Oswald took the interview. Their relationship was very smooth. Nothing was obtrusive and no personalities clashed. Everyone was polite and funny. Oswald is known for his very offensive type of humor in his comedic routines, so it was weird to hear him as such a polite speaker on the interview.
The main thing I learned was that the best thing to do in an interview is to adapt to your interviewees. If peers amongst you are all on the same level, you get more out of the interview, and sometimes even get them to reveal interesting facts that gives your interview more depth instead of forcing structure upon the interview.
Words: 424
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