caroingalls-blog

[caroingalls-blog]

Skol beer consider themselves advocates of inclusivity, and they attempt to show this by debuting “Skolors” which are cans sold in a range of skin colors. This caters to those to want to show off their social-awareness by toting a product that supposedly represents support of people of all colors. However, buying this colored can really does nothing to help the cause, there is no concrete effect of this issue; there isn’t even money donated to any kind of cause with the purchase of one.

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This Old Spice commercial creates an ad that uses humor (the situation presented is so unrealistic it’s amusing) that would appeal to youth, in an attempt to market “coolness”. Sturken and Cartwright state that someone who is “cool” would have an innovative style and not care what others think (294). The character shows off with ease, seemingly ignoring the photographers who can’t get enough, which is a clear projection of this concept of coolness.

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Chocolate is a kind of product that is often paired with strong emotions of attraction. This ad for Lindt chocolate presents the product in a way that seems mysterious. Through commodity fetishism, the chocolate is glorified, and has an exaggerated use value. Chocolate is often produced in poor working conditions, but this advertisement does not reference its manufacturing process. This makes it easy for consumers to ignore the labor that went into their product, which causes the workers to be continuously devalued. The chocolate loses the context in which it was produced, and instead a new connotative meaning is attached to it to make it seem mysterious and desirable. The Lindt chocolate is visually appealing which entices the consumer and feeds into the wanting that occurs in commodity fetishism.

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This Perrier advertisement seeks to attract consumers by associating their product with a luxurious, high-class lifestyle. This attribution to cultural value is called cultural capital. Through this method of giving products new connotations, companies infer that consumers will gain intangible benefits like affluence and good taste. The models in the advertisement are clearly well dressed and high-society, and the added location only increases their apparent social standing. By labeling Perrier as their drink of choice, it seems like purchasing the product will raise your own status, just as it raised the featured couple. The advertisement infers that buying Perrier will award those who drink it with cultural knowledge that will allow them to join the ranks of an elite group of people.

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This ad featuring toothpaste, a product that everyone uses, sets their brand apart through therapeutic ethos. By marketing their specific product as “the sex appeal toothpaste”, it gives Ultra Brite users not only clean teeth, but also an advantage in relationships. In fact, this can cause those who don’t use that brand to feel anxiety about their personal appeal. By presenting a beautiful woman using the product to attract the man, Ultra Brite shows that you need this product as an additional aid to win over a significant other. Though it seems ridiculous that toothpaste could make or break a relationship, many people could opt for this potential solution rather than continue the use of another product. Using Ultra Brite seems to offer self-fulfillment for those looking for love, which is a major appeal.

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This ad is an example of sponsored offers that appear in social media feeds. In the Information Era, the Internet has become a way that people consume knowledge, so services and products must be marketed on these platforms. Vivid and to the point messages draw in viewers with slogans (in this case “boredom is not an option”) and an enticing visual such as this colorful picture of San Francisco.

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In this advertisement, there is a pineapple and a watermelon pictured. The denotative meaning of this image is the fruit being sold by the Calgary Farmer’s Market. However, the ways the fruit is craved with sunglasses and a swimsuit (as well as the reference to being “fresh all summer”) suggest an association with summer and feelings that we relate with summer, like being youthful and carefree.