BMW--Mid Autumn festival advertising

BMW advertising to give the best wish for the Chinese traditional festival – Mid-autumn Festival. The ad slogan is simple and creative, just only three lines “Best Mid-Autumn Wishes.” Not just to send a holiday blessing, but also we can see that each beginning of the letter is the abbreviation of BMW. The shape of the mooncake also likes the BMW logo. The entire advertisement is appealing and even in line with design aesthetics. The overall shade of blue gives a comfortable feel, and blue is also the primary color of the BMW brand. The copy of the advertisement is meaningful and straightforward, and it is an impressive advertisement.

Good concepts-Coco Cola international idea advertising

     Coca-Cola perfectly executes supermarket ad. in different countries. This concept is very nice, and the design of this advertisement is In three different countries, the similar convenience stores, similar things happened. The advertisement impressed those who had seen it once. I feel the idea also means Coca-Cola conveys happiness and love. Coca Cola in different countries is a very popular soft drink. 

Hut Weber Breaks Taboo

I chose an ad by the German Advertising agency called Hut Weber. Ever since the fall of the Third Reich, any public display or interpretation of Adolf Hitler is very taboo and is very seldom done. However, with this print ad, Hut Weber broke this taboo and displayed a very minimalist display of him. One side of the ad shows a silhouette of what looks like Hitler with his infamous mustache and haircut. On the other side, there is a depiction of Charlie Chaplain with his famous hat and mustache look. The only copy displayed on the Advertisement is the words- "It's The Hat"; meant to describe how close the images are to each other. I took the meaning of the ad to mean that one small detail can drastically alter the perception of not only an advertisement but any image or anything. I took it to mean that Hut Weber pays attention to the small details and how they affect the consumers. One small thing can change the perception from one of joy and laughter to one of fear and hate.

The Grinch Stays in the Picture

With 2018’s remake of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Universal Pictures purchased fairly minimalistic ads in major U.S. cities, such as the one pictured here. Interestingly, the title of the film is kept very small, in the lower left-hand corner. The ad relies on people’s familiarity with the Grinch as a classic character in order to sell the film.

Additionally, while much ad design relies on visual contrast to catch people’s attention, these ads place the green character on a green background. It is effective in its own right, as the near-solid block of bright lime green would certainly stand out from its surroundings, and perhaps take a bit more time to comprehend.

All of the ads were accompanied by simple white text, a light insult presented as a quote from the Grinch himself. These were parodied heavily online, and while I question the effectiveness of the copy of these ads, I think their unique approach to using a recognizable character and little else to sell the film is worth noting. As Hollywood continues to produce remakes with other classic characters, perhaps we will see this strategy used more frequently in the future.

The Show Mustn't Go On

Published in 2010 by the agency cOOkies, this print advertisement is geared toward garnering further public awareness of animal abuse and the animal rights advocates that seek to eliminate such behavior. The use of a rather disturbing image of a tiger that is tied to puppet strings serves as a poignant symbol for sentient animals who are forced into captivity and subjected to further emotional/psychological abuse in the form the likes of circuses and zoos. The sub-headline reads: "Support Animal-Free Circuses". LAV, founded in 1988, is an organization that specializes in spreading social awareness for animal rights and the unethical exploitation of wild animals. It's powerful, clever, and straightforward - several of the elements that make an advertisement memorable to me.

Just a Slice of Ketchup

In this classic Heinz Ketchup ad, we are exposed to a creative and effective method for Heinze to get their message across.  that message?  Heinz uses real tomatoes in every bottle.  They want the consumer to know that they can trust their product to be made with real ingredients they grow themselves.  Looking at the individual features of the Advertisement we can see the detail they used when creating this print ad.  Background is the classic red of ketchup with a gradient of light to the center.  The coloring can represent the tomato ketchup or be a psychological use of color since the color red is proven to make people hungry, that's why it is used so often with food and restaurants.  next, the bottle is represented by tomato slices with the label of the bottle where it would appear on a normal bottle.  Each slice is not aligned perfectly, showing the naturalness of the ingredients.  Lastly, apart from the words on the label, the only text in the ad reads, "No one grows Ketchup like Heinz."  The simple phrase communicates the message with the audience.  As I said before, they want the consumers to know they are able to count on Heinz to provide a product made with naturally grown ingredients.  I think that even though it is such a simple ad, it is effective and memorable.

Samsung's "The Future" Ad Campaign

       Samsung came out with a new campaign this month called "The Future" and it gives us a preview of all the new technology we will hopefully have in the not-so distant future. The ad starts with a child gazing into a screen displayed on a window while playing at home. Then a tattoo artist draws out a design for a robot to tattoo on a woman. A man is able to design his own clothing on a mirror, foldable smartphones are displayed and the phone-operated ultrasound came to life. "What we create today, lets you create the future #DoWhatYouCant"(Samsung). Is the future really going to be like this? Well, according to Samsung, yes. At the end of the ad there is a giant life-like monster displayed in a parking lot while people destroy it with their smartphones. The ad by Leo Burnett Chicago is directed by Sam Pilling via Pulse Films and continues the brand's "Do What You Can't" campaign. The agency used Doris Day's original 1956 recording of the song "Que Sera Sera" which was remixed with cymbals and bass by Human Music. The remastering of the song and the actors singing their own parts really fits the idea. This inspiration of the future is hopeful and is only coming from Samsung's point of view.

Art All Night: Pittsburgh Facebook ad

This advertisement was from a year ago from the Facebook page of Art All Night: Pittsburgh. Art All Night happens once a year when as many local artists come together to display their artwork to the general public. The event lasts for 22 hours starting in the late afternoon to the mid-afternoon the next day.



This social media and has many things going on that do not seem to go with the theme of the event. The ad does inform their audience well about when the event takes place and where their new location will be. However, the image they have chosen to use is a little confusing.



As you can see, the image has the Pittsburgh skyline covered in gold with a purple backdrop.  Along the skyline, there is an image of a soldier appearing to be looking over a hillside looking down to the city. The picture is beautiful, but there really is not a bright display of the image having anything to do with the art event. Even when looking at the post that the ad is connected with, there is still not a clear connection as if the image is what the theme of the event is or if the art that will be displayed during the event will feature soldiers or a military theme.



As an image, it is a very eye-catching image that would make a random person walking around town question what is art all night. Maybe this we the plan for marketing the event to make it a mystery for people to come an explore. It just would have been nice to be given a little more context as to how a soldier is connected to art.

Commercial ad of McDonald's. Attract your stomach

    As every people know, McDonald's is always our first choice of fast food because it is popular. On the other way, McDonald's can't succeed without the help of advertisement. Its advertisement can always attract people and even attract people's stomach. As is shown in this print advertisement, it directly shows 3 most famous food in McDonald's  and uses 3 vocabulary which all starts with "B". These 3 "b" shows the three main features of McDonald's food which are big, beef and bliss. Bliss here also means that these hamburgs can make people happy and satisfied. Also, these 3 B makes the ad more visually and more harmony. Red background makes the ad more marked and attractive. When we combine these features together, these 3 hamburgs with the red background attract people to buy them immediately with no doubt. 

Apple's Genius Advertising

When Apple puts out a print advertisement, it primarily has this idea. A white background, a photograph of usually their product, but in this case an apple, and a couple of words. When we first learn about advertising, we're told to not have a lot of white space. However, Apple's simple designs and corresponding tag lines are what make their advertisements so memorable and successful.

When we take a look at the advertisement to the right, all it is is their product, the tag line, and a small excerpt explaining the product. Not only does the simplicity of the design of this advertisement have an effect on the success of it, but it is also the tag line specifically. This advertisement was put out in the 1990s. At this time, computers were just starting to become a regular thing in people's homes. However, the internet was well known as something that was incredibly geeky and not many people used it until other software came out to make it more visually appealing.

To get right on this train, Apple made their computers more visually appealing and promoted them with the tag line that this specific computer is not geeky but "chic." The simplicity of this design causes the consumer to focus mainly on the message, which was very prevalent to the times and was a major problem many consumers were facing with owning a computer and wanting to use the internet. Because of their design, they were able to send a very important message to customers, which ended up being an extremely successful advertisement and a design that they still stick to today.

Glossier: consistency and aesthetics

Glossier is a brand that sells not only makeup, but also a lifestyle and a new beauty standard based on natural, clean and minimalistic values. In this ad, "the supers", they are able to incorporate those ideas, while having a lot of visual and aesthetic quality. As much as it is a very simple ad, with little to no effects apart from editing and color filters, it shows the customer the company's statement very effectively. The light pastel shades, short texts that go straight to the point written in a minimalistic typography give the spectators the idea of sophistication and relaxation. The ad also shows a dedication towards diversity, showing different girls with different skin tones and different skin conditions. The ad also tries to show the consumer how Glossier skincare products fit their lifestyle, different situations and needs. Another interesting thing to notice is the consistency in quality and visuals throughout the YouTube channel. All their videos have the same color palette and minimalistic aesthetics, which creates a solid image for the brand, so the consumers have the desire to follow Glossier's message of low maintenance, high confidence, independent women.

In Which Ikea Actually Makes Things Simple

The cliché “less is more” is a cliché for a reason. It’s an overused phrase, but the execution of “less is more” still packs a punch.

This Ikea print advertisement grabs your attention right away, from the dual toned color scheme and a pop of yellow in the copy to the effective use of white space. The copy pops not only because of the yellow “kitchen,” but because there is so much white space. The audience is invited to read because there is nothing else in the ad competing for their attention. 

In fact, the copy is so short, the audience can probably catch what it says with a only quick glance. If not, the copy is still short enough that the reader to can commit to reading the whole advertisement without feeling like they’re wasting their time. The text in the bottom left corner and the logo in the bottom right keeps the focus of the minimalistic design on the ad’s main copy. 

The artwork also works really well with the message. The complexity of building Rome — and even setting up an entire kitchen in under one day — is juxtaposed by the simplicity of the ad’s design. This drives home the ad’s message that building a kitchen in one day can be easy with Ikea. Overall, this ad’s design and message have a lot of clarity, which implies that Ikea's products will have clear instructions, too. Although that’s infamously almost never the case, the ad’s simple design grabs your attention long enough to make you think that buying a kitchen's worth of Ikea furniture and appliances will be easy.

OkCupid and a lesson in typography

While there is no question that this OkCupid billboard would catch anyone's eye, would most people understand it?

OkCupid is an online dating website that has been around for almost 15 years. As a precursor to Tinder and other dating apps, OkCupid has generally been a service with an older userbase than mobile counterparts. To rebrand itself, they've chosen to stylistically present as an alternative, trendy, hipster-esque service that's meant for young people who've been disillusioned with the "hook up" culture of other dating services.

This billboard is a perfect example of designing for current Millennials. The bold colors and fonts, and even the models' wardrobes, seem to throw back to the 70's and 80's. The minimalistic design and simple message avoids getting cluttered with unnecessary information that a Millennial would just Google anyways. Even the content is geared towards young people. The inclusion of a same sex couple, which is much less controversial than it used to be, is even more of an obvious choice for young people who would likely either have no issues with it, or even think more positively about the service for its representation. As this billboard is part of a larger campaign, other ads reflect other pairings like two men, a man and a woman, and multiple interracial couples. The eye catching "DTF" is also likely to translate with almost ever person below 35, as it's an extremely common text abbreviation.

Now, the issue that plagues this billboard stems from a formatting issue, as well as a typography issue. While most people understand the meaning behind the letters "DTF", very few people can quickly understand that the "F" does not mean a curse word in this scenario, and is instead supposed to connect to the "All Head Over Heels" to make the copy read "Down To Fall Head Over Heels". I personally know that this ad has issues, as I saw this exact billboard while on a trip to Portland, Oregon, and my friend and I spent at least five minutes trying to decipher it.

While the copy isn't a nail in the coffin for this ad, it's amazing to think how easily this could have been solved if the F and the "all" were somehow connected through color or font, and it's difficult to understand how this passed through so many people's desks without a single one pointing it out.

Did you understand this ad, or did you DTFail to understand it like me?

Airbnb Print Ad

 Airbnb is a home sharing application where people can basically rent out their home to travels or you a can stay in one as a guest. This newer service has taken off in recent years becoming more popular than hotels for some people. This is a relative modern idea, so it is no surprise they would design eye-catching, simple ads to draw attention. Of there ads, the animals fitting into surprising spaces to their normal environments comes to mind as a great ad campaign.

Some of the ads include a pig in a fishbowl, an octopus in a hole in a wall, and a spider in a crab shell.  Typically, these types of animals do not live in such habitats. That is what makes this ad really creative and consistent with the Airbnb brand.

Airbnb's slogan is "Belong Anywhere" and this makes sense with the animals and seemingly odd locations. They can belong anywhere when they use Airbnb. It is a cute and fun way to showcase their slogan and way they operate.

As well, the design is relatively simple with a mostly white background and the animals have a pink/red color too them that ties in with the logo. The background being such a stark white space really draws attention to the odd locations the animals are in. At first, the ad is funny and cute but then once you look at it more it really drives home that you can really go anywhere with Airbnb.

Overall, the simplicity of the design makes a big impact. The color of the animals tie in with the logo for a seamless look and it really shows that you can truly "belong anywhere" when you use Airbnb. Using cute animals as well makes for a more interesting ad and that is why it has been successful.

Going to the movies with Google

Google is on top of their game when it comes to ads for their products. This ad is just as impressive as their previous ads. Google has a spree of "Google Assistant" or "Hey Google" commercials which are consistent in showing relatable problems that someone might need help with from the use of a voice recognizing devices and efficient electronics. But, for this ad Google steps into movies, solving some problematic situations. The purpose of this advertisement is to illustrate the purpose of Google devices and their voice commands. All you have to do is say “Hey Google” and your problem is solved! So if you had a rough night and you just can’t seem to remember how you got to the place you are now just like Stu from “The Hangover” then you just have to ask your Pixel 3 phone, “Show me my photos from last night”. Or if you get a strange call from an unknown phone number from someone inside your house asking which door they’re at, all you have to do is look at your Google Home Hub to see that a masked murder is at you patio door. It’s as easy as that! So why risk it, get a Google device and make your life easier with a simple command. “Hey Google, wasn’t that easy?”

                                                         Coca Cola: Forever Forward

For my first blog post, I wanted to highlight an ad by one of my favorite brands, Coca Cola. A similar version of this ad ran last February during the Super Bowl broadcast, but I was recently re-introduced to it while waiting for my film to start at a local movie theater (contracted to sell Coca Cola products). It's also a 30 second TV spot airing this February in honor of Black History month.

Coca Cola does an excellent job paralleling the evolution of their distinctive product packaging with some key moments in black history. The tone for me is inspiring and optimistic and the ad itself evokes nostalgia; resonating with those that have a strong loyalty to the brand. From the music, to the use of white space, paired with the visuals highlighting the changing shape of their recognizable glass bottle (protected 'trade dress'); this ad succeeds in conveying its intended message. It closes with a reference to the year 2008 (when President Obama made history being elected as the first African American president) and with the last frame switching from the glass bottle to the distinctive red and white Coca Cola logo with the Tagline, "Forever Forward".

The Pancakes and Booze Art Show

This Saturday, February 23rd, 2019, an event for local artists will be happening in the Burgh. The Pancakes and Booze Art Show is an event that goes on all year round in more than 35 cities around the country. The focus of this event is to give local artists a space to show their art, even if they are not 'famous' yet. One of the mottos of this event is "Why does it take dying to gain recognition in the art world?" This pop-up art show is celebrating its 10th year anniversary. The main idea of this event is to bring local artists to show their art providing the attendees 'all you can eat' pancakes and alcohol. This is a good way of attracting people and making them stay while they discover new artisans and new art.

 The ad portrays every detail of this event. It explains all of the activities that will go on during the event like live art, body painting, live performances, free pancakes, and booze. The pictures of pancakes in the back with the 'syrup' that is actually alcohol explain the idea of the event. Along with the colors that are very bright and catches the viewers' attention. It also provides time, place, date, cost and where.
The ad is nice and I like it, but the only problem I see is that it doesn't really promote an art show, it promotes the pancakes and the booze. Since the main idea of this event is to bring a space to local artists to show their art, they shouldn't promote as much the pancakes and booze, it should be more like The Art and Pancakes. This way the viewer will understand right away that it is an art show, not a party where you have pancakes while you drink.

Sources:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-pittsburgh-pancakes-booze-art-show-tickets-51167942694?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
https://www.pancakesandbooze.com

Walk for the Animals!

Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving Palm Beach County in the state of Florida. It does not receive funding from city, state, or the federal government and relies solely on the generosity of individuals, foundations and corporations to provide quality programs and services to the community. Donations directly support programs and services to help animals in need in Palm Beach County.

For the past 17 years, Peggy Adams ARL has organized a Walk for the Animals to raise money and awareness for homeless, abandoned, and injured animals in need. On February 23, 2019, they will hold their 18^th walk. Two advertisements were created for the event this year. One advertises the event and the other does not only advertise the event, but informs the public on how to form a team and/or donate to the cause. Still, they are both clear and concise.

Both ads are consistent in design which is important when creating an ad campaign. They both use the same design elements and create a feeling of balance. The typography is easy to read and the most important text is emphasized. The color palette works nicely with the light green background complimenting the copy and graphics. The colors and the Peggy Adams logo are also appealing when combined.

The ads are targeting people who want to help animals and have animals of their own in the Palm Beach County area. The ads do a nice job of targeting those people in a friendly and happy way. The graphics are high quality and make sense. One graphic displays buildings like those in Downtown West Palm Beach where the event is taking place. The other graphic is a man and woman walking a dog and cat. The graphic can be viewed as humorous since walking a cat on a leash can raise eyebrows. It is nice to see that the ads do not display animals in distress and desperately needing help even though that is what the event is raising money for. Ad campaigns should spark emotion, but some can be too sad. These ads are more cartoony and exude a happy feeling which is the feeling Peggy Adams ARL wants their participants to feel. It is a happy and fun event.

The top ad provides basic information on when and where the event will occur, the logo, the sponsor’s logo, and the website where those interested can view more details. The bottom ad provides the same information, but includes a little more. This ad includes the time, address of event, telephone number, how to form a team, and how to donate. While the bottom ad gives more information, the top ad would make more sense for a transit ad due to it being easier to read. It gives just enough information for someone in a hurry or just passing by to read quickly. The bottom ad would be more helpful as a hanging flyer, direct mail piece, or postcard handout. One idea that might be helpful is turning the website provided into a QR code. That way people on the go can scan the code rather than typing the website.

https://www.peggyadams.org/

https://www.classy.org/event/2019-walk-for-the-animals/e190287

RXBar: "Anti-Ads" Ads

RXBar: "Anti-Ad" Ads

RXBar has revolutionized protein bars for consumers. The bar has become highly popularized by people everywhere: athletes, on-the-goers, students, even kids (RXBar has a kid’s line with more proportional-friendly servings). The bars are health conscious, with only 5-6 ingredients per bar. The ingredients are all naturally occurring with no added sugar, dyes, preservatives, etc.  Some of their most popular include chocolate sea salt (made up of egg whites, almonds, cashews, dates, and spices), peanut butter (egg whites, peanuts, dates, spices), mixed berry (egg whites, almonds, cashews, dates, spices) and chocolate peanut butter) egg whites, peanuts, dates, spices). Besides their health and clean classification, the bars popular for their satisfying, filling, and easy to grab-and-go nature. 

But the marketing team for RXBar wanted to create an ad campaign that was different from other protein bars and granola bars in the industry. “No B.S.” has been stamped on each RXBar product packaging, creating a sort-of brand stamp for the company. The “No B.S.” is listed right under the simple ingredient list of the packaging. In looking at the packaging of the bars and RX product line, everything is simple and clean with no overly-stylized colors, fonts,  or vectors. Much like the product itself, the packaging is simple. And that’s what the marketing team wanted with its ads. So, they ran what they called a “aggressively simple” campaign. Thus was born print ads that are anti-ad in that they are showing the consumer what they already know by telling them precisely what they are looking at.   

            These ads are incredibly engineered for brand consistency. Like the RXBar products, they are telling the consumers and viewers exactly what they are looking at. It’s a genius marketing move. The fonts are consistent with the brand packaging, as are the colors. And of course, they include the tagline “No B.S.” tucked away small, but visually in the corner of each ad. 

Visually, the ad is not overwhelming: it has simple typography and includes only the text and a small picture of an RXBar. Simultaneously however, it is eye-catching because it is so simple. And the text itself (i.e. “This is a headline” and “This is the word ‘Maple’ really big.”) is satirical, comical, and connotes a fun-loving nature behind the brand. They know the truth of their marketing and commercializing; they want consumers to laugh along with them. 

The marketing team mixed large, bold, simple fonts with colors that are vibrant and coherent with the product packaging. It makes for a consistent brand image and message: clean, simple, understandable, no hidden agenda. 

Wohl., J., Wohl, J., & Jessica. (2018, August 08). 'I'm famous and this is a commercial': Ice-T tells it like it is in protein bar ad. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/cadent/ice-t-delivers-rxbar-s-b-s-message-campaign/314531/