I carefully chose these advertisements because they all relate to things that negatively impact our lives. All of these ads portray the consequences of our bad habits, such as drinking, smoking, and unprotected sex. The artists is trying to tell us something. All these ads are warning us, but at the same time, helping us prevent the images they're depicting from happening to us.
1. The first ad shows 2 cigarettes in smoke. The image show a beautiful blue sky, but also 2 lit cigarettes. If you pay attention to the image, it reminds you of the World Trade Centers in flame on 9/11. The caption under the image says: Terrorism-related deaths since 2001: 11,337~~~Tobacco-related deaths since 2001: 30,000,000... Basically, since 2001, more people have died in the cigarette's hands than in terrorist hands. You look at this image, and it's unbelievable. We all see terrorists as bad people, but never see the cigarette as being worse in its own way. The artist is trying to tell us that the things we least expect to harm us are the ones that harm us the most. This ad makes you think. At the bottom of the add, there is a number to dial if you need help to quit smoking. Maybe the artist knows that after looking after image, you'll start thinking twice before you light another cigarette.
2. Although the first ad seems like a more threatening and scary way to get smokers to put down the cigarette, this add is more encouraging. It's the Adidas sign replaced by cigarettes. These cigarettes are burning out by the number. Under the sign is the Adidas slogan "Impossible is Nothing". Everything is possible, and so is quitting smoking. This ad might not be as convincing as the first, but it's a start. If you're a cigarette addict that just can't quit smoking on your own, this ad may encourage you. Adidas is a very high marketed brand that many athletes wear. Adidas represents strength, durability, impossibility, and every other positives out there. Many celebrities wear Adidas, and market Adidas. Unlike the Nike Slogan "Just Do It", with Adidas, "Impossible is Nothing". Quitting smoking is nothing.
3. When I first looked at this ad, I laughed. It's a very humorous ad put out by "Miller"to advertise their beer. The ad shows 2 people, a man and a woman. The woman is wearing red, and the man is wearing blue. These are the brand colors of Miller. The artist's message in this ad is that Miller can make anything look good. You just have to buy it. The story in this ad is a woman who left her husband because he needed to drink Miller to see her beauty. I'm sure many women would feel the same way so already the ad is brainwashing men into buying Miller beer because it'll make your wife look good to you, and it's also genuine.
4. This one is an add that speaks to many people. It speaks to teenagers who want to have sex without consequences, and adults who want to have sex without getting their partners pregnant. This is an ad by Durex to destroy its competitors and make them seem weaker. This ad comes in the form of a purple Father's Day card. Anyone who is familiar with the Durex products know that the brand color is purple. Most people are scared of being fathers, especially when a pregnancy is uncalled for. The Happy Father's Day message is written in a small font to catch the reader's attention, and at the bottom right corner, the brand sign is there to also be the last thing to catch the reader's attention, and be the last thing ringing on the reader's mind. This ad will make you think twice the next time you have unprotected sex.
5. This advertisement was put out by Durex to prevent unprotected sex from occurring. It shows a happy guy being followed around by his happy numerous sperms. The guy is going to meet his girlfriend. As soon as he gets there, he is so excited that the sperms following him rush towards the girl but as they were getting close, they were boxed in by a condom. Basically meaning the guy was protected, or was planning on being protected during intercourse. Durex is showing the importance of using condoms by using visuals, and men dressed in sperms outfits to make the outcome seem more real.
In conclusion, these 5 advertisements convey positive brands, and corporations doing their best to prevent addictions such as smoking, drinking, and unprotected sex. At the same time, they are marketing their own brands by putting their names on all the advertisements. They are trying to sell their brand, making a profit, and also saving lives.
It seems like your organizing theme is, in a sense, ethical advertising -- or advertising that incorporates social good as a goal. Important distinction to make here is likely between the pure "public service function" advertisements, like the anti-smoking ones, which are nonetheless sponsored by corporations, and the ones in which the product is linked with the public good that it presents (like the condoms).
ReplyDeleteNote that the use of irony, either funny or horrifying (as in the case of the 9/11 ad), also seems very prevalent in these ads. It'd be interesting to chart the specifics of how that functions.
I really like the culture jam that is representing Adidas and smoking. It uses the qualities of adidas we are used to seeing- the 3 stripes as well as the companies main slogan "impossible is nothing" and ties it to quitting smoking. I think this is an excellent ad.
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