BOC Week 6: Chim Chim Cheree

Chim Chim Cheree

Lyrics by Allan Sherman

(Parody of "Chim Chim Cheree”, from the movie "Mary Poppins")

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim-chim-cheree;

Those are three words that don't make sense to me.

But I'm used to words that don't make sense to me,

From all those commercials I see on TV.

When I see an ad that can't be understood

I know that the product has got to be good;

Those words may be crazy, but I think they're great,

Like sodium acetylsalicylate.

(Sodium acetylsalicylate!)

I wake up each morning a most happy man,

I cover my Pic-O-Pay with Fluoristan;

I add Hexachlorophene, 'cause it's so pure,

And then GL-70, just to make sure.

Then I take a shower, but never alone;

I'm in there with Dermasil and Silicone.

I brush Vitrol-D on my Lanolin wave,

And I sharpen my Boo-boop, and use it to shave! (This is a tough one!)

(He sharpens his Boo-boop, and that's how he shaves!)

There's Tufsyn, and Retsyn, and Acrylan too,

And Marfac and Melmac and what else is new?

There's Orlon and Korlan, and there's Accutron,

And Teflon, and Ban-Lon, and so on and on.

These wonderful words spin around in my brain;

Each one is a mystery I cannot explain.

Like what does that Blue Magic whitener do --

Does it make blue things white, or make white things blue?

(His blue things are white, and his white things are blue!)

My Fastback has Wide-Track and Autronic Eye,

Which winks when a cute little Volvo goes by;

My tank full of Platformate starts with a roar,

But when I try to stop, it goes two miles more.

I measure my breathing with my Nasograph,

It's nice, but oh my, how it hurts when I laugh.

My chair is upholstered in real Naugahyde;

When they killed that nauga, I sat down and cried.

(He moved to Chicaga when that nauga died!)

I'm giving a party next Saturday night

And here are the friends that I'm going to invite:

The giant who lives in my washing machine,

That other nice giant, who's jolly and green.

The tiger who causes my gas tank to flood,

That handsome white knight who is stronger than crud;

The man with the eyepatch, who sells me my shirts

And that nut who flies into the front seat for Hertz!

(That daring young nut who goes flying for Hertz!)

I've lived all my life in this weird wonderland;

I keep buying things that I don't understand,

'Cause they promise me miracles, magic, and hope,

But, somehow, it always turns out to be soap.

And they might as well be Chim-Chiminey Cheree!

(Those words all could be Chim-Chiminey Cheree!)

Pic-O-Pay- Toothpaste

Fluoristan- additive to Crest Toothpaste
Hexachlorophene- Additive to Cleanser
GL-70- Additive to Gleem Toothpaste
Dermasil- Dermasil Body Wash or Lotion
Lanolin wave- Palmade
Boo-boop- Other Product
Tufsyn- Additive For Tires in Goodyear
Retsyn- Additive to Absorb Odor in Certs
Acrylan- Acrylic 
Melmac-  Melmac Dinnerware
Orlon- Acrlic Fiber
Korlan- Type of Fruit
Accutron- Accutron Watches
Teflon- Nonstick Cookware for Dupont Teflon
Ban-lon- Fabric for Sweaters in McGregor Clothes
Blue Magic Whitener- Makes Clothes Whiter in Cheer
Fastback- Vehicle Style for Ford
Wide-track- Tires in Rug Doctor
Autotronic Eye- Headlight Dimmer for Cadillac
Platformate- Additive to Gas for Super Shell
Two Miles More- Gas Additive
Nasograph- Device for Nasal Spray 
Naugahyde- Naugahyde Vinyl Fabrics
Nauga- Fake Animal for Naugahyde
Chicaga- Chicago 
The Giant That Lives In My Washing Machine- Salvo detergent
That Other Nice Giant Who's Giant and Green- Green Giant
Tiger Who Causes My Gas Tank To Flood- Esso
Handsome White Knight- Ajax
Man With The Eye Patch- Hathaway
Hertz- Car Rental

EOC: Week 5

We’ve all been on that awkward first date, wondering what the other person is thinking of us, and hoping we’re making the right impression. This Pepsi Max commercial has an answer to what the person across from us may be thinking.  According to Advertising by Design, "stories are a way for people to communicate and relate."  By setting up this scenario, Pepsi tells a story not uncommon to the average consumer in an effort to engage the viewer, and add a sense of community to their commercial.

What is soda really? I can’t speak for Pepsi, but most is just carbonated water with sugar added. And companies get consumers to pay for this? Absolutely. How? You may ask. They use the tactic of provoking an emotional response, allowing the buyer to think there is a particular benefit to buying their product. “It is a response that may derive from personal significance or reward and the desire to feel good. Emotional benefits are not based on a tangible characteristic of a product or service but rather on subjective experience.” With this commercial, the guy equates Pepsi Max with sex, thinking emotionally rather than realistically.

Soda is not something we need, but we buy it anyway. Pepsi is not a product we need. Or is it? The company would like to have you think you do. By equating it to sex in this commercial, Pepsi is saying you need their soda as much as you, pardon my French, need to get off. “The brand idea is based on an insight into the audience that makes the brand relevant to them. It must exemplify something—tangible or intangible—that people find compellingly relevant to their lives.” The relevance here is that people need Pepsi as much as they need their next…well you get my point.

EOC Week 4: The Role of Women in Advertisements

If you take the time to watch, or look at advertisements today, you might notice that they are largely targeted towards women. In the 1960’s, men were seen as the breadwinners, while women took care of the house. This image is still portrayed today through ads. The vast majority of cleaning products advertisements are aimed at women. For example, this Swiffer ad has a woman proudly displaying one of their products, “He made it in the kitchen, and ate it in the dining room. With Swiffer Wet Jet, both floors were clean before he was.” Women are not always happy at being seen as the maid though, and yet, advertisers choose to direct their cleaning products toward them because if she doesn’t clean up his mess, who will? In an article on ctworkingmoms.com, marie5k says, “…no, I’m not happily dancing around my living room in them while I Swiffer out dust bunnies and coughed up cat hair balls.  Nope, I’m hastily making my way around my house with that thing trying to break last week’s record of 13 minutes from one end of the house to the other”.

Another way women are portrayed as today are as sex objects. That’s right, I said objects rather than people. In many advertisements, parts of women’s bodies are shown to capture the viewer’s attention. Breaking their bodies into these distinguishable parts only serves to exemplify them more. The after effects only seem to reinforce the idea that women are here to serve men. In an article titled Sex and Relationships in the Media, the author points out that “Although women’s sexuality is no longer a taboo subject, many researchers question whether or not the blatant sexualization of women’s bodies in the media is liberating”. There is the idea that women need only concern themselves in attracting and sexually satisfying men.

Today, women serve many roles. The housewife, the perfect mom, the cook, the maid, the worker, the sex goddess, to name a few. We are expected to be every single one at any given moment. It’s time to choose one and stick to it. 

EOC Week 3: Thank You For Smoking

For years, tobacco companies have been trying to come up with new, intriguing ways to appeal to new, younger generations of smokers. In the ad below, Chesterfield cigarettes puts the cap on their target audience.

1. Determine the scenario: What happens in this frame?

     In this frame, Chesterfield shows a young woman, with a graduation cap and their

     brand of cigarettes.

2. What is the setting? What are the conditions?

     The setting is a simple background to better emphasize their product, and the

     conditions are the possible after effects of a graduation ceremony.

3. Who are the people or groups?

     The person in the ad itself is an attractive, typical American girl, or young woman

     rather, barely old enough to make decisions, and yet, she’s choosing Chesterfield.

     With this in mind, the company is trying to appeal to the same target audience.

4. What is their point of view around this specific experience?

     The company’s point of view around this specific experience would be to sell

     more cigarettes to a younger generation.

5. What are their goals?

     With the above answer in mind, Chesterfield’s goals would be to encourage

     growth within a younger demographic to be able to target more long term

     customers.

6. What are their assumptions? What are their perceptions?

     The company’s assumptions are that someone in the same age range is more

     likely to appeal to them. Their perceptions are that their target audience would

     be more accepting and willing to try something made cool to them.

7. Are there conflicts? Is there cooperation?

     There are always conflicts when it comes to big tobacco. Getting people to smoke,

     particularly those educated on the product itself and the health risks involved is a

     huge challenge. The girl in the ad has a graduation cap on, giving the impression

     that she is educated.

8. What are the outcomes?

     I think the outcomes of this advertisement, are that a younger generation became

     more willing to try cigarettes.

Ad campaigns like this are certainly not going to stop. Companies have found a way of reaching their targeted audience, and this is a perfect example of it. 

EOC Week 2: Questionable Ethics in Advertising

“Did you know there is lead in some candy from Mexico? It is true that lead has been found in some chili and tamarind candy from Mexico” (http://www.leadinmexicancandy.com/flyer.html). Ice cream trucks are a great resource for kids to have their treats brought directly to them, making it to where they don't have to ask mom and dad for a trip to the store. Unfortunately, they may have to start asking for a trip to the doctor if ice cream trucks keep providing Lucas, a product linked to having disturbing amounts of lead. Their colorful packaging is able to attract kids into buying one of the most harmful products available to them.

 

Sex and cigarettes don’t typically go together unless you’re thinking of movies and t.v. shows where the couple smokes after a steamy session. An ad from Paris changes this thought by posing a young boy about to give a man in a suit oral sex with the man’s penis replaced by a cigarette. The same is done with a young girl. Underneath, the caption reads Smoking means being a slave to tobacco. “The leader of the organization behind the campaign acknowledged the ads were meant to shock and said such provocative campaigns were the only way to reach young people” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35565815).


 

Using celebrities in ad campaigns is a popular way to gain attention, particularly within the younger demographic. Like it or not, they have the power to skyrocket a group or company depending on how they choose to view an ad. Shocking pictures tend to catch younger viewers eyes, allowing them to be influenced or opinionated by the ad itself and remember it better. This tactic was used for an ad to get 18 year olds to vote. “Declare Yourself’s campaign blankets the landscape of popular culture, as well as universities and high schools, with a simple, clear message: REGISTER and VOTE!” (http://www.kindaa.com/jessica-alba-and-christina-aguilera-new-controversial-ad-pics/).

About Me

Since a very young age, photography has always been a part of my life. My mother was a photographer, and often carted me around to work with her. Being in that environment helped shape me into the artist I am today. I recently graduated from Las Vegas Academy, an art school that helped me hone in my skills, and develop new ones. It was there that I realized photography was something I didn’t want to give up. I was faced with the challenge of figuring out how to make it a career. Let’s face it, photographers’ worth only increases after death. Although it’s not all about the money for me, I do want to be able to survive in today’s society, working at a job that I love. This is how I landed on the idea of going into the artistic side of advertising. I am currently studying this field at the Art Institute of Las Vegas. Here, I plan to spend the next four years learning the skills I need to make it in the advertising world. I know there is a lot more to it than just the creative aspect, and I know I have the patience to fulfill these extra requirements. Having the opportunity to create something will allow me to achieve my dreams of bringing photography to a modern day career. 

EOC Week 1: VW Lemon

The Volkswagen Lemon ad campaign is probably one of the most famous ads of the twentieth century. It’s simplicity and duality are able to capture an audience with a wide range of reactions. The ad itself includes a black and white picture of a Volkswagen beetle with the word lemon and an article underneath. If you proceed to read the article, it goes on to talk about the blemishes within the car itself. The model the ad designers chose was not their newest, swankiest model they had, but rather an older car that seemed just fine. The ad points out, however, that the chrome strip on the glove compartment is blemished and must be replaced, something not noticed to the average consumer (http://www.powerwriting.com/vw-lemon-ad.html). Volkswagen inspector Karl Kroner noticed, allowing marketers to proclaim that their team is top notch, and filled with some of the most detail oriented men in the inspection business.

“The Volkswagen ad campaign was unlike any before it, ushering in an era of modern advertising that truly changed how advertising agencies accomplish their trade” (Lemon Coleman). The advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach is responsible for creating this ad and changing the advertising world as we know it. Because the ad itself is so simple, it allows consumers to focus on one thing and one thing only, and that is the car (Volkswagen Ad Campaign Was Far From A Lemon Ogden). Why else have an advertisement?

To me, the Volkswagen Lemon ad allowed the company to show its product in a very innovative way. DDB ushered in a new revolution to reach its desired market and increase sales substantially. At that time, Volkswagen became very popular with this ad to thank. The creators influenced other ads, changing the way to appeal to the common man. We can still see this technique used today which makes them remarkably timeless.