As Halloween is approaching my friends and I have been discussing costume ideas for the big day. We ended up coming to the conclusion that this year instead of dressing up in the typical slutty costumes us girls seem to wear every year, it is time to go back to the days when we were kids and actually dressed up in Halloween costumes that didn't require a push-up bra. It is unbelievable how costume manufacturers make every Halloween costume for women into these "sexy" personas. I swear they have some ridiculous ones! I'm sure they can make the most un-sexy thing into a costume. I'm pretty sure I've seen a costume for a "sexy bee" before. In my opinion there is nothing sexy about a bee, or the fact that they charge you about $50 to buy a small piece of cloth that barely covers your body! Yes, I admit in the past I have fallen victim to wearing these sort of Halloween costumes, but not this year! I am starting a costume boycott! I don't understand why guys get to wear all of the funny/comfortable costumes and us girls parade around these skimpy uncomfortable outfits. I have been trying to find something funny that I can rent or buy, but I'm not sure what its going to be yet. A friend of mine has a hamburger costume I might borrow, but I am not sure how you would go about sitting down in it...lol. Anyways I will keep you all posted on any new fun costumes I can find online.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
We're best friends she just doesn't know it yet.
So this weekend I went to JAX for the game and had a great time, but this blog is not about the weekend but about Chelsea Handler. This weekend I bought her first book that she wrote in JAX and I was so excited. Then last night I found myself talking about her to my group members, so I thought that I should blog about her. Well if you don't know who she is (Susan I know you do!) she is a comedian and has a show on E! called Chelsea Lately every night at 11:30 and has two books out. I realized that I love her when her show came on over a year ago and me and my roommate had a wonderful ritual of watching her every night before we went to bed and would find ourselves cracking up. Her show usually has three parts to it, the first she has a round table where her and usually 3 comedians gossip about things happening, then the second part she usually does some type of skit, and she ends the show doing an interview with some type of celebrity (even though they normally aren't too famous). She just says things how they are and doesn't hold back, personally the reason why I don't think there are ever A-list celebrities on her show. She's never ashamed of saying something, she drinks, has a lot of sex, farts, drinks more, has smoked pot, and many many other things. She is also a fabulous writer. When I found out that she had a new book coming out I just had to buy and now its a Best Seller, its called Are You There Vodka, Its Me Chelsea?. Its a book about all of her life stories, from getting babysitting when she was 14, to DUI, to dating a red head, to having a trip with her father and many more. It truly a laugh out loud book and the more you read it the more you want to tell all of your friends about the crazy and insane stories that she had. Now I bought the first book she ever wrote this weekend called My Horizontal Life, its about her one night stands and I just can't wait to begin it! Most of my friends love her too. My friend and I are even considering going to LA for spring break so that we can go and see her show and (hopefully!!) meet her! So like I said I think we are best friends, but she just doesn't know it yet and encourage all of you to watch her show if you want to have a good laugh! Here is something from one of her shows that was a really funny skit. ( I was telling Amanda about this last night) So please check it out you will laugh promise!
Class Projects
After researching experiential marketing for my individual assignment, I have to say that I'm really surprised that companies don't use it more often. I think experiential marketing is an awesome way to reach the consumer. I don't want to give too much away before I talk about it in class, but lets just say I had a great time researching this type of marketing.
What's Your Secret?
So I'm 100% addicted to PostSecret.com It updates on Sunday's and I am on there at 12:01 checking for new postcards. For those of you that don't know the site-people from all over the world make anonymous postcards with their deepest secret on them. Sometimes they're funny, sometimes they're sad. Sometimes I read them and I honestly wonder what the hell is wrong with some people. It really shows the different aspects of humanity. There are no ads on the website so it makes completely no money (Frank Warren-the guy behind the idea-does the entire project volunarily). The visitor count is well into the millions, so I'm sure advertisers would love to get their hands on a forum like this. The site is so simple it's brilliant. Frank posts about a dozen or so postcards every Sunday, and sometimes some e-mailed in responses from people. Obviously with a project like this, Frank recieves 10 times the amount of cards he is able to post, so he has now published 4 PostSecret books, containing all the secrets he's recieved so far. It's an almost cathartic experience to read everyone's secrets, perhaps you will find that you share someone else's.
The Dirty Dozen
10 everyday pollution solutions- This is the list of the worst fruits and veggies that contain the highest amounts of pesticides. Although it does say that washing and peeling may help it will still not eliminate all pesticides. Choose organic fruits and veggies to avoid as many chemicals as possible! 1 (worst) Peaches 100 (highest pesticide load) 2 Apples 96 3 Sweet Bell Peppers 86 4 Celery 85 5 Nectarines 84 6 Strawberries 83 7 Cherries 75 8 Lettuce 69 9 Grapes - Imported 68 10 Pears 65 11 Spinach 60 12 Potatoes 58
"Massive Pillow Fight"
"It just started with me inviting about 100 people to the event on Facebook. It was originally just for a few friends and then it just exploded," said Rob Bliss wh
o organized the event.
I saw this on CNN and had to Google it because it grabbed my attention. Apparently this 19 year old guy from Grand Rapids started this event and over 3,000 people showed up for the pillow fight, including local media. Talk about going VIRAL! Amazingly no one got hurt and this guy intends to create another event next month because people had such a good time.
My idea of Viral marketing
In another Communications class I had a few years ago we had a case study on this ad campaign for the TV show 'Aqua Teen Hunger force' I thought this was a great idea and though it had some fallout, it remained successful. This has always stuck in my head as the definition of viral, or guerrilla as they call it. People spreading an idea by word of mouth in an nontraditional way.
Taken From:
http://lippard.blogspot.com/2007/01/marketing-campaign-for-aqua-teen-hunger.html
The strange objects that set off a scare in Boston and caused at least one of them to be blown up were magnetic lights set up by Turner Broadcasting to promote the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie. They had been in place for weeks before being mistaken for something dangerous and causing authorities to shut down bridges and access into the Charles River.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force is a usually entertaining short cartoon that appears on the Cartoon Network's adult swim.
This isn't the first time that a movie marketing campaign has resulted in this kind of hysterical over-reaction. In April of last year, a device that played the "Mission: Impossible" theme was placed into Los Angeles Times newspaper vending machines. One of the devices in Santa Clarita had exposed wires, was mistaken for a bomb, and the L.A. County Sheriff's Office arson squad blew it up.
UPDATE: CNN has a photo of one of the Aqua Teen light boards, which depicts the Mooninite named Err (the smaller one), extending his middle finger. (Correction--it's the bigger one, Ignignokt, in the picture above, though there are some of Err as well.)
UPDATE (February 1, 2007): Here's how an Associated Press story in the Arizona Republic described these devices: "The exact nature of the objects was not disclosed. But authorities said some looked like circuit boards or had wires hanging from them."
That sounds a lot scarier than the reality, doesn't it? It conveniently omits the fact that there's a clear pattern of lights depicting a cartoon character. That article goes on to say "At least some of the devices resemble one of the villains on "Aqua Teen," part of Cartoon Network's late-night Adult Swim lineup." Is there any evidence that any of them did not?
Nine of ten cities where these devices were put in place did not have a panicked overreaction, and the one that did waited two to three weeks before jumping into a panic. Had they been actual malicious devices, their reaction would have been too late.
One word of advice for future marketeers: put a label on your devices with a phone number that can be called so you can explain what you're doing before the authorities blow up your equipment.
Health remedies from around the world
Eel Soda
Forget Red Bull. In Japan, Unagi-Nobori soda isn't your ordinary energy drink --this tonic is infused with eel extract. Eating eel is believed to deliver extra energy during the dog days of summer. Think it sounds fishy? Daphne Miller, author of 'The Jungle Effect' says that "eel is a great source of vitamin A, D and E as well as omega-3 fats. Unfortunately, much like the energy drinks that are marketed here in the U.S., any nutritious upside to the drink is far outweighed by all the sugar, caffeine, food coloring and other additives," she says. The bottom line? If you want to get health benefits from eel, eat the sea animal instead of the soda.
Potato Halves for Headaches
A health tip from South of the Border? Rubbing potato halves on foreheads to relieve headaches. Is there any truth to this treatment? "A potato has lipoic acid, an antioxidant that may help," says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., and medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers. "Most likely rubbing anything wet, cool and firm over the muscles where the headache is coming from, while believing it will help, can work."
Cigar Smoke for Back PainDoes rubbing cigar smoke on a sufferer's back help relief pain? Some practitioners in Central America believe it does, but our expert, Moore, disagrees that smoke can get to the real cause of this problem. "No way," he says. "Back pain is ninety percent muscle spasm and ten percent based on spinal root pain."
Fish for ExfoliationIn Malaysia, spa-goers have been undergoing a unique exfoliation process incorporating fish. People immerse themselves in tanks and allow a unique breed of fish to nibble away at their dead skin. Although it sounds pretty crazy, this treatment might not be so out-there after all. "This could be effective since there are a lot of fish that clean and preen other mammals," says Moore.
You've probably heard of the Australian favorite, vegemite: a dark brown food paste made from yeast extract used primarily as a spread on bread and crackers. What you may not know is that eating is considered by some to prevent birth defects. "It is a rich source of B vitamins and chromium but one serving has only twenty-five percent of the recommended daily amount of folate," says Miller. Studies show that folate is critical in ensuring healthy brain formation in babies. "It is fine for women who are pregnant or who are planning a pregnancy to take brewer's yeast plus a daily prenatal vitamin, but I would not recommend that they take this instead of a prenatal vitamin," Miller says.
Frog Skin for DiabetesResearchers from the University of Ulster and United Arab Emirates University have been experimenting with skin secretions from a South American shrinking frog, which they believe could be used to treat type 2 diabetes. Apparently a compound from the frog which grows when they're tadpoles stimulates insulin release.
Leech Therapy for Tissue DamageThe ancient ritual of placing leeches on an affected part of the body practiced in Egypt and medieval Europe is being embraced once again by modern medicine. When leeches bite a person, their saliva helps promote blood flow to damaged tissue, while preventing clotting. Leech therapy has helped surgeons in the reattachment of limbs and breast reconstruction. As long as leeches are clean and raised in a sterile environment, the treatment is considered safe, says Ann Engelland, pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist.
RESUME TIPS FOR GRAD SCHOOL!
I was in the same predicament as Anna is in about a month ago. She had kindly reminded me that the deadline for UM applications is Dec. 1, as opposed to Feb. 1 like all the other graduate schools in the nation!! I had minor breakdown (sugarcoating a bit), rescheduled my GRE for a closer date (now exactly 4 weeks away!), and panicked for answers of how to gear my resume for graduate school. I was actually a bit confused of why graduate schools even needed resumes. Mcclung says its just a reference for them just in case your GRE score or GPA aren't too high. If they see you have a ton of experience, internships, and positions, it's an explanation.
So, I decided to head over to the Career Center for someone to take a look at my resume and guide me in some direction. Here are a few tips they told me:
- NO RELATIVE COURSEWORK: they can see that in your transcripts
- Put any volunteer projects instead- schools like to see community service
- Avoid as much white space as possible
- Put any relative experiences (internships) and jobs you've had in undergrad
- Don't put languages unless you know more than one
- Don't put computer skills unless you know Photoshop, Illustrator, etc
- If you have languages and computer skills, combine the 2 under "SKILLS"
- Put dates for activities and positions held
- Don't put "references:available upon request"- there is no need and they have recommnedation letters
- Putting an objective is optional- you could personalize it to the school and program but not neccessary
- Nothing from high school
- Remember that they have your transcripts, recommendation letters, admissions essay, and GRE scores- the resume is only a supplement, unlike for a job
the freshmaker!
I don't know what it is about Mentos commercials, but I absolutely love them! I think it's because I remember watching them on tv while growing up in the nineties, and I recently came across a ton of them on YouTube. They are the cheesiest commercials I have ever seen, and the annoying song immediately gets stuck in your head! I guess this song is pretty effective because everytime someone says "Mentos" the song is quickly followed or the catchy slogan.. "the freshmaker!"
There are several things I do when I'm having a bad day, and watching Mentos commercials is now one of them. They always make me laugh no matter how awful I'm feeling. So for anyone else who is having a bad day, watch these old school Mentos commercials and laugh a little:)
Here are some links to awesome old school Mentos commercials:
The Car Movers
Girl With Dress
Toy Boat
Don't Walk (MY FAVORITE)
Heels
Striped Suit
Lunch Date
Kindergarten Mandy =)
So this is my blogger profile pic. I decided to put up Kindergarten Amanda shortly after Tom's speech about Kindergarten and how it's cool when we have profile pics on here. This is the only one I have up here in Tally. I think its so great how easy it is to remember everything about a part of your life, just from a picture.
I remember that day this picture was taken, I got one of the 'big stickers' from my teacher for being most responsible student. I also remember that the black and white polka dot outfit that I was wearing was one of my faves...but that my friend Sara had one just like it. But even as a 5 year-old I knew that mine was awesome because it had a skirt attached to the leggings, and that my sister picked it out for me in the store.
So if you have a pic of Kindergarten You, please share! I think it would be amazing to see who we all want to bring out when we're being creative. =)
Feel good blog
I've blogged about it before but I feel the need to say it again. I LOVE advertising. I really don't think I've ever considered changing majors. Last night, my best friend called me telling me how she hates advertising. I was shocked, not only because I love it, but because, until then, she loved it too. Apparently she is now going to ADhouse in New York. She hates it, according to her, they just hired some random guy to come in to the agency and tell them they suck everyday. I can really see how that is really discouraging. I come from a completely different advertising platform. My interest in this field has been nurtured by many, from Catch Your Limit, to AD Club, my advertising peeps to AAF. I really think the bulk of the reason I can love every moment of it is because I choose do surround myself with people who love it as much as I do. That's what I told her. Her new assignment is to find her local AAF chapter and get herself a mentor. I'm not sure whether of not she will do it. But I think I gave her pretty decent advice. Any ideas on what else she should do?
PS.. Thanks everyone for being positive and dedicated to this crazy business!
Bring out your inner child!
Tips by Artella on how to get wild at home and bring out your inner child!! 10 Ways to Cultivate Creativity (#5, #8 and #10 are my favorite):
1. Color. Buy crayons and a coloring book, and purposefully, intentionally, color outside the lines. Scribble, break the crayons in half, smash them into the page.
2. Spend some time thinking about what you loved as a child. What colors, clothes, games, toys, activities, dreams do you enjoy? Which are currently in your life? Make a plan to rekindle some of your childhood loves in your daily life, today.
3. Create with your body. Take a break from the gym and work out at a local playground. Playing hopscotch, pumping legs on the swings and climbing jungle gyms aren't just for kids!
4. Draw your goal. Grab some crayons, markers or colored pencils. Imagine a goal that you'd like to meet, and draw a picture of what it will look like when you've reached this goal. This isn't about drawing skills- it's about representing a vision in a fun and uninhibited way.
5. Make a set of "trading cards." Cut out images that you love from catalogs, magazines or greeting cards. Focus on images that make you feel full, alive and truly happy. Glue these images, collage-style, to an old deck of playing cards. This is a project you can work on a little bit at a time until you have a whole deck of cards that inspire you to dream big and live your fullest life!
6. Redecorate, kid-style. Walk through your living space and find areas- even small ones- that could use some Wild Child whimsy. Maybe a children's book belongs with the serious coffee table books.
7. Imagine new pictures. Find an image from a magazine and tear it out. Place it on a flat surface and turn it upside down. Try to find an image, activity or story in the lines and spaces of the upside-down image. If you're having trouble seeing anything, ask, "If I were a child, what might I see in this picture?"
8. Write your to-do list on poster boards taped to a wall. Write with markers, and with your non-dominant hand (or put the marker in your fist and make broad, childlike strokes). On one poster, write a list of things you need to DO. On the other, write a list of things you dream to BE.
9. Find a board or card game from your childhood and change the rules. What if CLUE became a game about decorating rooms in Fun House style? What if Twister was a massive canvas for art? If possible, alter the actual game board and pieces to celebrate your rebellion against the rules.
10. Go on a nature walk with child's eyes. Challenge yourself to make each of your senses more open and aware, in the way that a child takes in the world. Gather interesting leaves, rocks or little flowers. Bring them home and arrange them to create your own little nature shrine.
Couch Potato Chip
The internet is addicting. The saddest part about it is that the internet is boring as well. The internet makes me lazy. Every morning I wake up and go to cnn.com, then I check a couple hip hop sites to see if any new music is being released. I stop by the blog hoping to be inspired by somebodies blog for my blog, then I check facebook, fsu webmail, and myspace. But after these things are done, I am hooked to this bright lcd screen and can't leave it. I was hungry around 11 o'clock, but I couldn't leave the computer. So instead of getting up and making food, I watched "Where in the world is Osama Bin Ladin?". Now its almost 2 o'clock and I still haven't eaten. Thank god for school and work, if I had everyday off I'd be a couch potato chip (they have more flavor than couch potatoes).
Come to the land of living dreams....
So I decided to take a little change of direction with this blog and introduce a link to everybody. It's
Little Steven's Underground Garage
PS. Also If anyone checked out the Margot West link it might not have worked so here it is again.
Grad School.....REALLY?
Chelsee's blog became inspriation for my bolg.
I attended a seminar the other day: Senior Experience. It was hosted by a few alumns in my sorority who are now working at the career center on campus. The hour long meeting discussed how to contruct a resume and how to look presentable during an interview...all of which I have learned much about through Ad Club trips.
However, I was shocked to remember that I am applying to graduate school within the semester. It will still be for a Communications program; however, my concentration will be vastly different. I keeping hearing the voices of many agencies in my head telling me to list relevant course work and to keep education toward the bottom. Although, I am not sure that is the best advice for my graduate program. All of the course work I have done for Advertising may or may not bolster my ability to be a Broadcast Journalism student. I also have more I would like to add to my resume, but I am not sure what to cut.
Needless to say, beyond my admission essay, I am in a crisis. If anyone has any feedback, opinions, where to find the answers, etc. PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
It's a small world after all....
Ok it's a scary thing how small this world we call advertising is. I have recently been submitting my resume for numerous positions, many of them not even in advertising. I found myself really early to the Ad Club meeting yesterday so I sat down and started replying to some emails in the hall. Andy Jorishie, VP of Advertising at Zimmerman, was the guest speaker for Ad Club and arrived early like me. He was talking to some people and all of the sudden blurted out "who is Chelsee MacDonald?" Surprised I peeped my head out of my laptop and said "that would be me!" He pulled me aside and told me a friend of a friend had emailed him today and said that my resume had slid across their desk and asked him for a recommendation since I work at Zimmerman. Not even knowing who I was Andy gave me a good recommendation. Awesome! Today that employer that asked about me called me. I'm super stoked about all of this. It's exciting to see that my hard work job hunting is paying off. I haven't gotten any offers yet, or even interviewed with anyone yet, but the simple fact of how this incidence happened got me excited. Every position you get the opportunity to take can help you in more ways than you know. Just thought I would share this networking story since networking is the essence of our industry!
So get out there people!
See you tonight!
Persepolis
This movie could be described as a coming-of-age story during the Islamic Revolution; it deals with personal as well as historic issues. What’s interesting is that it is told from the perspective of a young girl that doesn’t fully grasp what is going on around her. It’s based on a comic book that’s actually an autobiography of the narrator. I bring this up because 1)it’s playing at the Student Life Building tonight and tomorrow and 2)because she is forced to leave her country to live in France (anything French related catches my attention!).
These next few weeks are going to be so stressful as I decide what my plans are after graduation in the spring. It’s so scary not being able to picture where I’ll be exactly one year from now. Originally, I always thought I’d end up in grad school in the north. But now, I’m about to organize my paperwork to apply to teach in France for a year. Grad school or France? Sure it sounds like a simple decision, everyone I ask is quick to say France. I would be too…until I remember that I’d be living in a region I’ve never been to, adjusting to food and customs that are different from what I’ve grown familiar with, seeing faces that I don’t recognize, and forced to speak strictly French…all by my lonesome.
Luckily, I still have time to freak out. A decision doesn’t need to be made for a couple more months so…until then, I suggest you watch the movie if you get a chance!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Stock Market Crash?!
On October 29th, 1929 the Stock Market Crashed, beginning the Great Depression of the 1930's.
On September 29th, 2008 the Stock Market Crashed again, with an end to be determined.
I, had no idea any of this was happening. Today I was walking to my car to drive home from school when my dad called to tell me Congress didn't pass some Bail Out Bill and then the economy took an even further plunge into the depths. It made me reailze just how out of touch I am with the world of important current events. I knew the momnet Clay Aiken officially came out, but I was completely oblivious to the impending doom of our nation's economy. I guess I just figured since there was nothing I could really do to change it, I didn't need to know about it. Bad plan. I don't know how many college students there are out there who, like me, have turned a blind eye to things which effect our country. It is interesting, when Heath Ledger died it was all over facebook and other popular sights, people who were in no way affected were playing their hommage to thei decceased actor, but as we watch our current way of life slowly die we seem to notice nothing. Not one of my friends online have mentioned a thing about the crash today. It is a real shame. From this I have decided it will be my new mission to be more informed on the world around me. I'm not yet sure how I will accomplish this, but it will happen. No more "crashing" suprises for me.
I believe...
In my first blog I mentioned that I like quotes... in fact, my sister and I actually started a quote board - so, when we find inspirational quotes or one of us (or our friends) says something funny we think is worthy of remembering, we put it up there. I recently stumbled across a quote from Audrey Hepburn and it just really spoke to me, so I wanted to share it. :] I like it for its simplicity and naivety. It seems almost child-like in its straightforward nature, which I felt related to our class. As Justin mentioned earlier, it is sometimes hard to let go and just appreciate life and I think that believing in miracles can bring something truly lovely to our day to day existence.
Flu, Colds, Sinus pain...anyone else suffering??
This week has been one of the most unproductive weeks for me...and it's been driving me crazy! It started early last week when I felt like I was getting the flu (fever, etc.) but I figured I was just tired and burnt out from work and lack of sleep. Seven days later...no improvement.
After contemplating allergies and sinuses are to blame, I've self-diagnosed myself with a sinus infection. (I'll find out at my dr. apt Wednesday). While my stomach feels fine, I've hardly any work done do to the "fogginess" in my head...not fun! I have a new found respect (and empathy!) for people with chronic sinus issues.
I know the flu, colds and allergies are going around. Here's a little help in deciphering what you are feeling.
Cold Symptoms
Cold symptoms include:*
Slow onset.
No prostration.
Fever Headache is rare.
Runny nose, Sneezing.
Mild Fatigue.
Cough, chest discomfort.
Sore Throat.
Flu Symptoms
Flu symptoms include:*
Swift, severe onset.
Prominent Prostration.
Flushed, hot moist skin.
102-104 degree temp.
Chills, body aches.
Extreme fatigue,
can last 2-3 weeks.
Cough, sore throat.
Sinus Infection Symptoms
Sinus infection symptoms:*
Facial pains.
Tenderness of the sinus areas.
Headaches.
Nasal drainage that is thick and colored.
Cough (may be itchy).
Postnasal drip.
Bad breath.
Upper jaw pain.
Sore throat.
Eyes are sensitive to light.
General fatigue.
Eye lids swell.
* Source: National Institutes of Health, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Growing Up in Advertising and The Reverse Graffiti Project.
Now that graduation is looming right around the corner for me (December). I have increasingly ran into the issue of explaining to my family and friends what exactly my major is and what my professional goals are. If your family is anything like mine, you would almost bet that they took part in some unexplainable time warp that took them from the 19th century and plopped them in the midst of new media technology without their knowledge. Facebook and MySpace are not merely social 
networking tools but rather a covenant for all the identity thieves, pedophiles, and overall criminal scum that is targeting vulnerable, unsuspecting users. You can only imagine the struggle I face when trying to explain to them I would like to start my career in Account Planning with an Advertising firm that focuses on new media and technology.
“Oh oh advertising, like television ads?”
“ No, I don’t want to create TV ads.”
“Like Sales?”
“No, that’s more Marketing. ”
“You’re a business major then?”
I’m always quick to correct them on this one, anyone who has taken Business courses (I suffered through an entire 18 credit minor) knows that communication courses are 10 times more interesting than anything the business school offers.
I’ve settled for just telling them I would like to work for an ad firm and quickly change the subject. So if anyone has mastered the art of advertising job descriptions to those of the cave men era (aka my family)…Holla back!
Also as a side note…. In light of our past assignment, the Clorox Viral campaign, (which Jeff said the majority of us failed miserably at…yea that one! j/k hehe) I have included a link a video Green Works sponsored Reverse Graffiti, a man who has created art from dirt and grime. I think this was the idea behind Viral campaigning, since this was sent to me by a coworker who just found the project really intriguing and had no idea of my previous assignment. Its actually kinda cool....take the time.
School of Photoshop
Being someone who is always trying to learn new things with design and Photoshop, I figured I'd try to share some of my knowledge with some people in class. Well, not so much my knowledge as much as pointing people in the right direction. I know of some great tutorial web sites that can help start some people with Photoshop.
There is a great tutorial set over at a site called Tutorial 9. They call it School of Photoshop and it takes you from "Pre-School" all the way to "Grade 9" (Grade 10 coming soon they say).
And here are a couple tutorials to learn how to create print product advertisements.
Energy Drink
Create Water Drops/iPod Ad
Phone Advertisement
Laptop Advertisement
Sunday, September 28, 2008
It means literally, Saint Beautiful.
I'm sure you have all seen the commercials for San Bonita by now, but I felt as if it deserved a blog to discuss it's wonder. Yesterday I was at my friend's apartment watching the game (GO NOLES!) and I saw the newest commercial by San Bonita, one discussing San Bonita Farms. Have any of you seen it? Well, I'm not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed! I know I know, the original San Bonita commercial is probably the creepiest thing I've ever heard, but EVERYONE talked about it! At first I thought the concept of showing pictures in a slide-show format was horrible, but now I am re-thinking my opinion. Although the commercial stunk, whoever did their media planning, in my opinion, is a genius! For whatever reason, every single channel on TV I would watch would show at least one San Bonita commercial an hour. People even started making Facebook groups about the "unique" commercial.
The thing that cracked me up was the line talking about how San Bonita was a mere 15 minutes from Downtown Tallahassee. Hmmm, really? I was on Facebook awhile back and looked at one of the groups dedicated to San Bonita. Members of the group actually carpooled and traveled to the location! Although these college students would never be able to afford a lot on "beautiful San Bonita", they still took the time to check it out! It made me laugh because if students are willing to drive out there to see what the big deal is, I'm sure potential customers will definitely take the time to drive. Maybe San Bonita is smarter than we all thought...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Google Gadget
I’m an early adaptor when I can afford it…and even sometimes when I can’t. And wouldn’t you know, Google’s new phone, G1, is coming out so soon to my cell phone contract expiring. It’s like they knew! While it’s a cool gadget and I’ve read up on its features, the most exciting thing for me has got be the application, Shop Savvy. It’s a comparative shopping application that let’s you scan a product’s UPC code with your camera and compare prices at other stores. How awesome is that? For someone like me who likes to get a bargain, it definitely has an appeal.
I also see this as a huge opportunity for advertisers. I mean, how long will it take companies to jump aboard. Say you scan something at Target and what do you know, Wal-Mart pops up with an ad for $5 off the same product. Granted, if you’re already in a store, driving to another just for $5 off might not be worth it. But then again, it might. And I’m sure at some point Shop Savvy will sell their data. What company wouldn’t love to know what products people are considering purchasing, or at what price will people pay for a certain item. Or even, suggesting other products you might like, or reading customer reviews right in the store. I mean, marry Google Maps Street View and Shop Savvy and you could have an application that will tell you exactly what aisle a product is in! (Turn left at Greeting Cards in approximately five steps…)
I think that the Android operating system is also going to open the flood gates for advertising and marketing. I’m actually really excited to see what comes out of this. (I know, I’m a nerd!)
I think though I’ll hold off on this phone for awhile. Not that I don’t really want it (because I do!), I’m pretty sure there will be bugs to fix, and cheaper, better versions soon to come…and seeing as I didn't invent Google and thus am not a billionaire, I've got bills to pay.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Fall
