Being Cool

"Cool" can take many shapes and forms depending on a multitude of factors. If you're athletic, cool is probably sports. If you love fashion, then being cool probably means dressing good. And if you're Derek, then cool is probably Taylor Swift and Beyonce. However, one form of "cool" that a portion of society seems to always follow would be the mook.

Definition of "mook"- a stupid or incompetent person

  

 These are pictures of prime time mooks. We all see how dumb they are, yet so many continue to follow in their footsteps. We see them in movies and at concerts doing idiotic things such as smashing tables, shouting obscenities, and pounding tons of alcohol. You probably know a mook or two. . . I know I do.

Perhaps mooks are followed simply because they are glorified in our media (for some odd reason). Things such as Jackass and Jersey Shore are glamorized and this message of "if you act stupid, then you're cool" is projected.

But despite how dumb I believe mooks are, even I sometimes find myself enjoying and promoting the antics that they are up to. I'll admit it, sometimes I like to see guys do wild stuff like beat each other with rotisserie chickens or run through doors. A little mind-numbing entertainment is nice every once in a while. When I'm stressed and need to let anger out, *cough term paper* I empathize with people such as the rapper Tyler the Creator when he says "kill people, burn sh*t, f*ck school." I suppose it is the consumption of mook behavior by people such as myself that keep the cycle of mook-ness turning. But of well, crap happens.

That is all for tonight. But before I go. . .

In the words of Lil B. . .

"i love you (points at you) even if you do not love me back!"

'Revenge' for Eric Garner

This past Saturday, December 20th, two uniformed NYPD officers were shot dead while sitting in their car on a Brooklyn street corner. The perpetrator's motive for doing so? To get avenge the death of Eric Garner, a man whom who died at the hands of the NYPD a few months ago. The New York Post not only did a through job of covering the story, but it also incorporated the viewpoints of the authors, viewpoints that I also agree with.

The overall view of the authors is that the gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, was certainly in the wrong for randomly killing two innocent officers. The authors express this primarily through describing the policemen, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, and the gunman, Brinsely. "Liu, 32, a newlywed of only two months, had seven years on the force; Ramos, 40, dad to two sons, had two years on the job." This makes a connection with readers because it touches the emotions. It causes one to have sympathy for the policemen and their families while making them upset that Brinsley would take the lives of a husband and a father. 

Next, the Post goes on to say, "Brinsley was already a fugitive, suspected of putting a bullet in his ex-girlfriend's abdomen at her residence in Baltimore." After  painting this picture of a man who destroys families, the authors also state that he is suspected of killing his girlfriend. This makes readers perceive Brinsley as the villain, which he certainly is in this situation. After this, the New York Post outlines various criminal activities that Brinsley engaged in prior to his killing the two policemen, further adding onto this portrayal of him being the bad guy.

I'd argue that justice was not served concerning the Eric Garner case. Excess force was used on Eric Garner in order to arrest him, including a chokehold which was banned by the NYPD in 1993, and there was probably a better way to go about detaining him. However, I believe these two innocent policemen did not deserve to be killed because of other officer's misconduct. It is not right that it should happen to them, and crimes such as these simply create more tension between civilians and police. They are nothing more than fuel to the fire of terror and hatred that many are currently experiencing, and it is the last thing we need if we hope to solve the issues between police and the general population.

Link to the New York Post's article: http://nypost.com/2014/12/20/2-nypd-cops-shot-execution-style-in-brooklyn/

And in case you haven't seen the Eric Garner video: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2014/dec/04/i-cant-breathe-eric-garner-chokehold-death-video

Chittlins N' Thangs

                                                             
                                                    

If you haven't seen it yet, here is an advertisement for the Chittlins N' Thangs Restaurant here in Sacramento. This billboard uses the family image as well as its humorous restaurant title to appeal to customers.

First off, this image of the family that owns the restaurant could be an example of plain folks advertising. They just look like an ordinary family posing for a picture, looking happy and such. They make it seem as thought any typical family is warmly welcomed at the restaurant. It is as simple as that. A mother or father could also see this and feel as though eating at Chittlins N' Thangs will bring their family together, will bring them happiness like the family in the picture.

As for the name Chittlins N' Thangs, well, it can be seen as humorous depending on ones sense of humor. When saying the name of the restaurant aloud, it sounds like someone with a southern accent, and some people tend to mimic southern accents because they think they sound funny. The name is also unique and not typical like Mcdonalds, Burger King, or Wendy's, so this could draw new customers in. One might want to eat there just so they can utter the phrase "Yo I was at Chittlins N' Thangs today."

Do notice that "Soul Food" stood out the most due to its size. Perhaps this was done because it is essentially a summary of the rest of the billboard and if a driver sees this while craving soul food they'll think "Oh damn, I should read the rest of this sign to find out where this place is located."

Goodbye fellow organisms.
                                               

Rudy Project: Print Ad

L.A. Dodgers outfielder, Yasiel Puig

I found this print ad in one of my grandfathers magazines. It is an advertisement for sunglasses, featuring Yasiel Puig of the L.A. Dodgers.

This advertisement utilizes certain techniques and appeals in order to get people to buy the product. Specifically, it appeals to achievement, uses bribery, and also uses testimony.

The appeal to achievement is demonstrated through the phrase "Elevate your performance." It encourages the readers, if they play baseball, to enhance their performance on the field by wearing these sunglasses that apparently succeed in blocking out the big bad sun. And if their performance is enhanced, then they will win their games, thus showing the appeal to achievement.

Bribery runs rampant in this add, "Buy these, and get these FREE." "Score a FREE casual sunglass!" "Free Shipping." "90-Day Money-Back Guarantee." It doesn't take rocket science to see the bribery in this ad. All of this "free" talk and "money-back" gives a desirable extra something. It makes the reader want to buy the product because they'll be getting more than they asked for.

The testimonial advertising technique is shown through the usage of Yasiel Puig. "L.A. Dodgers rookie phenom Yasiel Puig prefers Rudy project sunglasses - on & off the field." Puig is a famous baseball player, so if one were to see this ad they would think "A famous person is wearing this so it MUST be good."

One Word: iPhones

One of the most popular devices in the world is the Apple iPhone. Famous beyond imagination, loved more than words can express, the iPhone is everywhere and it is virtually impossible to get away from. Year after year, Apple introduces another iPhone to continue their series of creations. As of September, the iPhone 6/6+ has taken the spotlight and has been accompanied by an arsenal of commercials and other advertisements.

In this iPhone 6/6+ commercial (look at their hands), Apple highlights the new "Health" app they've added to the phone. This little app simply provides an easy-to-read dashboard of the owner's health and fitness data, telling the owner things such as their heart rate, calories burned, blood sugar, etc. The commercial is simple and it primarily uses an appeal to wit and humor in order to make consumers want the phone.

Although the commercial is a dialogue between the owners of the iPhone 6 and 6+, it looks more like a dialogue between the phones themselves since they are the only images shown throughout the commercial, aside from the hands of the owners.

 In most cases we just naturally find this humorous or interesting. We like to see inanimate objects with feelings or emotions, it draws us in. The humor and wit of the commercial is demonstrated through the dialogue between the two phone owners, somewhat emulating that of a friendly competition between an older, mature brother, and his younger, somewhat goofy brother. The owners take a few shots at each other, going back and forth with various health statistics their phones have gathered about them throughout the course of the day. The owner of the iPhone on the right wins in the end because he had a lower calorie count than the owner of the iPhone on the left. But the owner on the left doesn't seem to mind, after all, those 1,230 calories of funnel cake were "delicious." This portrays the typical scene of a younger brother and his crude, simple comments that he makes towards his older sibling during a debate.

The actual voices as well as the hands used in this commercial are of some significance. The voices are pretty even-tone throughout the commercial. They are calm, sound natural, and they enunciate their words just as they should. These things come into play when selling a product. Admit it, we're a shallow society, and sometimes we can be bought over by attractive people or pleasing voices. So the usage of ear-pleasing voices could help persuade consumers to buy. I hope you looked at the hands of the men holding the phones. Their fingernails are clean, smooth, and nicely trimmed. Their skin is smooth and free of any blemishes.We'd hate to see some ugly nub fingers with barbecue sauce slathered on them, we wouldn't want to see jagged fingernails or scarred hands. Notice how they hold the phones and how calm their movements are, their scrolling and screen-tapping. You as well as I know that it is quite rare for anyone to operate their phone in such a way, we typically hold it in one or both hands and use our thumbs to scroll and select.  These hands were used in order to make the commercial more appealing.

Although it was a seemingly simple commercial, there was certainly more than meets the eye in order to persuade consumers to purchase the iPhone 6.

Lovemarks: Rice Krispies Cereal

The lovemarks marketing concept was first publicized by Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saattchi, in his book Lovemarks. Roberts believes that love is what's needed in order for companies to flourish, that extreme loyalty for a brand is created through emotional connections with the customers that evoke love and respect. In our media today, we unknowingly see plenty of lovemark advertising. An example of this marketing concept in application would be this Rice Krispies Cereal commercial. What better way to reel in some customers than by tapping into their emotions?

To summarize, the commercial was basically a cute little daughter getting excited over her bowl of Rice Krispies that her mother was feeding her. A heartwarming scene, but as for the contents of every advertisement, there is a reason the advertisers used this as their commercial (I'm sure you knew that, champ). This commercial was primarily targeted at parents and arguably, small children. So if this didn't exactly strike you in the feels then don't be surprised, you're not the emotionless monster you may think you are. But I digress, this commercial forms a clear emotional connection with parents because after seeing this, a parent is likely to reflect on how deeply they love their diabolical offspring. A parent may think, "Wow Rice Krispies, you really care about the wellbeing of my relationship with my child. You understand. I need you in my life." The parent respects the brand for caring so deeply, for caring on such a personal level for the parent and their child. Never again will parents buy those godforsaken Cocoa Puffs or those demonic Fruit Loops. Not today Toucan Sam, you're out of luck. It's Rice Krispies's time to shine.

As for small children, they may see this commercial and think that by eating Rice Krispies, they'll instantly have a deep bonding experience with mommy or daddy. Of course they will, the happy mother and daughter in the commercial promise such an event. And because of this emotional connection being made with said child, because it causes the child to think about how much they love mom and dad, it brings the child to be loyal to the product being advertised.

I won't lie, as a small chid I would see commercials such as these and I'd wish that there was a box of the cereal in the house so that my mom and I could make Rice Krispies Treats. Sure, it sounds silly, but we all fall victim to advertisements here and there, and as for myself, these Rice Krispies lovemarks would definitely get me.

Deviating from a focus on lovemarks, there is an obvious advertising technique I'd like to address in this commercial. This technique would be the clearly illuminated box of cereal sitting in an all grey scene. Plain and simple, this illumination draws the viewers in and makes them focus on the Rice Krispies. And although the cereal may be figuratively brightening up the mother and daughter's morning by bringing them joy, the contrast of color literally brightens up their morning as well. So this commercial is just conveying the idea that Rice Krispies will bring you happiness.

Thanks for reading and may you also be exposed to some form lovemark advertising today. And remember, give into the craving. It's always the right thing to do.

2008 Chevy Truck Advertising

Although it was 6 years in the past, the 2008 "My Truck" Chevy commercial is a prime example of advertising techniques that companies use in order to sell their product. Whether it be an appeal to tradition, the utilization of devices that evoke patriotism, or making an emotional connection with the audience, these are all some of the many ways that Chevy tries to sell its truck in the commercial.

The commercial starts off with a man standing in a field, accompanied by some of his working dogs and in the background there are big, snow-capped mountains as well as hills. This scenery sets the very typical country, hard-working-honest-American tone. The audience thinks, "Wow, what a guy. He probably has calloused hands and that means I can trust him." The man seems genuine in his talk about enjoying the adventures that life takes you on. Soon after, the song "Our Country" starts playing, further adding onto the whole country/ working American vibe of the commercial and adds a taste of patriotism.

Next, the commercial switches to an African-American man talking about how he really values the days where he can help move people from shelters, to permanent housing by way of his Chevy Silverado. Although it is a small change, the incorporation of an African-American man fosters this idea of diversity, this idea of, "Hm, this truck isn't only meant for Caucasian countrymen, but it also suits middle-aged Black men." It opens up the broadcasting to another group of people, another demographic in order to draw in more customers.

After this, a Rodeo Announcer shows up and makes claims regarding the reliability of his truck. The fact that he's a Rodeo Announcer yet again adds onto this broadening of the audience. First it's just some working countryman, then an African-American social worker, and next a Rodeo Announcer, so it makes the viewers feel as though this truck is meant for anyone and everyone. One interesting point, however, is that the Rodeo Announcer wasn't even shown driving his truck. The closest relation he had with the truck was merely closing the tailgate of it. Other than that, it was just a piece of the background.

Further opening the audience is the integration of a firefighter and his experience with his truck. He talks about how his truck started up despite the fact that much of it was melted and singed from a fire. Apparently the fact that it still ran perfectly fine inspired him and the rest of his fire fighter buddies to not give up on what they were doing, this made them feel "If that truck can keep going, then we could all keep going." The use of an instance such as this creates a deeper, more humanitarian feeling. It makes the audience recognize that, "Hey, he's an average person like me and I can relate because sometimes I too need a pick-me-up."

Following, are two more men that begin to take a shift to a traditional appeal and really emphasize the reliability, as well as longevity, of the truck. The first is an elderly man saying how he has had his truck for over thirty years, and it has racked more than 2,000,000 total miles of driving. The usage of this old man and his truck omits a sense of, "Wow, such a long time and it's still running fine." Lastly, there's a Hispanic man that mentions how his grandfather owned a Chevy, his father owned a Chevy, and then he himself eventually owned a Chevy. This highlights the idea of following the tradition of your family, or in other words, as we've learned, appeals to tradition.

In addition there is about two seconds of narration in a manly voice to instill that sense masculinity, that "You're a man if you buy this bulky hunk of metal."

Overall, prominent in this piece of advertisement was the encompassing of various types of people with the same truck, as well as emphasis on how long lasting and reliable it is.

Link for the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qriNbVCIsow

Until next time, and if I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!