Love Your Body in Victoria Secret

Victoria Secret has monopolized the industry of lingerie. That much is clear. Many brands sell themselves on sex appeal but there must be more out there to be hooking all these women. This commercial was an example of Victoria Secret's master marketing, of making the product seem alluring, yet comfortable. They combined the sexy, seductive pieces with comfort and individuality. While the women are only posing in the lingerie, the commercial goes into "loving your body" and being comfortable, while still being alluring. This message therefore reaches out to women who may not be a size 0, and just want to feel sexy, while also reaching out to those who are just naturally thin. Victoria Secret carries with it an essence of female pride and confidence. While people may not be able to see the underwear under one's clothes, the owner may feel a serge of confidence just by knowing that they are on her.

Dove has done commercials that also focus on loving your body, for any shape or size. I feel that Victoria Secret is emphasizing that the lingerie, will transform you to love your body, whether you did or didn't before. It makes consumers feel like they need to go out and buy the product while Dove commercials may not force the women to crave the product, but does force them to respect the product. Victoria Secret has reached out to both genders, where the men are attracted to the models, while women want to be those models that the men love. Surprisingly, Victoria Secret doesn't include any extras in the commercial, but rather put the models on stands and in single shots, implying that women don't always need to show off to attract someone else, but can be alone and still confident and alluring. Victoria Secret can be sexy, cute, bold, and classy all at the same time.

Snuggling with Snuggle since 1983

 A picture can be worth a thousand words. Many companies focus to have a face to the name, or a mascot for their brand. Since 1983, Snuggle, the cuddly soft bear, has been the mascot for the Snuggle line of fabric softener. I think this commercial exemplifies the importance of having a representative of a brand. Snuggle is soft and sweet and has a voice so high pitch that you just want to grab him. The company does a great job at emphasizing just how soft the fabric softener makes your clothes and towels. The great thing about the commercial is that it reinforces at the end that it is less expensive then  the other leading brands, so there is hope that even though it is less expensive, it isn't a cheap product that won't perform.

By showing the Snuggle Bear in all of their commercials, the Snuggle Fabric Softener industry affiliates teddy bears with their fabric softener. It reminds consumers of heartwarming childhood memories with their favorite stuffed animal. It reminds the consumers that this brand is a warm, soft, clean brand that they just want to snuggle with, regardless of the name. One can snuggle with their child, their significant other, or just with themselves. Whether it's loving, intimate, or relaxing, snuggling doesn't have many negatives. I think the brand did a great job at branding the Snuggle Bear as the mascot, and I think it has worked well in their favor as to helping consumers remember the brand and receive a real visual of the amount of softness in the product. This is one mascot that exemplifies the product beautifully, and has been since 1983.

This Season's Must See is a Shocker

Advertising companies are constantly trying to make their product, the product that catches our attention. The product that we take a double take to get one more look. In a world of excess, it can be tough. Sears does a great job of stunning their consumers with this commercial, "Connecting Flights".  The commercial is portrayed as a seasonal romantic comedy trailer, of two individuals falling in love in an airport. As they part their separate ways, they realize they can't live without each other and run towards each other's arms. Then, out of no where, they're stopped by a giant refrigerator! Consumers, stunned, are hit with a smack of confusion, comedy, and interest. Sears plays on the idea of while you may fall into love, you could also run into love. This emphasizes the love for the refrigerator line at Sears, but you won't find it just anywhere.

I thought that this commercial was hilarious. In an industry of so many unique products, it could be difficult to advertise refrigerators, but Sears made it memorable and funny. We enjoy looking at trailers for upcoming movies, but the love stories can tend to get corny, so when the couple slams into the refrigerator, it's shocking, and hilarious. The element of surprise was key to this successful advertisement. It intrigued the consumer, and ended with an extreme ending acting like a wake-up call to the viewer. I really enjoyed this commercial, and it made me want to watch it over again. It was pretty cute and really added to my enjoyment and respect for Sears.

Hair Epiphany Changes Image of Shampoo

Women are always on the search for the best new make-up and hair products. While the chemical ingredients are often very similar in shampoos, women often believe the disappearance of split ends and dandruff differs greatly, and that their hair can transform into healthy, strong hair by a specific product through advertising. With so many different shampoo and conditioners, it's important to stand out, be different, and better then all the rest. Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy shampoos  preach about focusing on the roots of hair, rather than the split ends to transform hair quality. Heidi Klum is a famous model known for her beauty. Having Klum as the spokesperson using the product, consumers trust the product because they trust Heidi Klum. This concept of focusing at the roots rather than the ends to produce a well nourished head of hair, is compared to the concept of healthy soil producing a strong tree.

I really enjoyed this commercial, because it made me remember the product when I was buying shampoo and conditioner. Without this new concept, I do not think I would have selected this shampoo, that I hadn't heard about before then, to buy the product. Also, the commercial features multiple, beautiful women, also admitting that they were unaware of this new concept, making the epiphany brought on by this product more reliable. The commercial was chic, innovative, informing, and glamorous, and as far as grabbing their target market's attention, it was a job well done.

Reinvention Done Right

There are many reasons for reinventing one's self, or one brand. It may be to differentiate one's brand from others or to broaden its appeal .Nintendo DS has been around for a decade and Nintendo corporation has been around even longer. As other brands such as the Xbox or PlayStation become serious competitors, Nintendo reinvents its image in a very unique way with a unique spokesperson, Dianna Agron, artist and actress of hit show, Glee. Nintendo 3DS introduces a unique appeal of an "art academy" where one can become an artist from the product. Nintendo 3DS is no longer just for the gamer, but for the artist; the unique, on the go, aspiring artist. Its versatile for beginners to intermediates helping one creative unique pieces out of everyday items. The commercial focuses on the idea that the Nintendo 3DS can be for anyone, anywhere, reinventing the idea of traditional gamer.

Having a female spokeswoman, such as Agron, who plays a sweet, conservative, accomplished high school girl on television, gives the product a unique impression that reaches out to a group beyond traditional gamers, and to people who many not know anything about video games, but interested in improving their artistic skills and sketching capabilities. The setting of the commercial, in a diner, with Agron sketching apple pie, shows the easy it is to use this product anywhere, any day. By using Dianna Agron, this commercial reaches out to all the viewers who follow the successful show, Glee. There are many cases where a brand should reinvent themselves, and there are many cases where a brand risks losing their following or their business by attempting to reinvent themselves. I don't think Nintendo lost consumers by this commercial, but definitely became more attractive to aspiring artists and those alike.

Volkswagen Invisible No More

In the new Passat, passengers and drivers are no longer invisible. This commercial really caught my eye because it is something most people can relate to. The feeling of rocking out to one of your favorite songs, or doing something ridiculous, only to find people were watching you. The feeling is one that you can't help but laugh to yourself. While the intro is entertaining, I think that the important feature of this commercial is saying that in this vehicle, you are no longer "invisible". Where Volkswagen used to be an average competitor, this commercial initiates the idea that this new generation of cars are not just average, but sleek, impressive, striking new cars, worth stopping to stare at. This commercial gives off the impression that the Volkswagen industry is initiating a new stance on the way they present their products to the market, by giving the impression of the elite car being the center of attention out on the roads.

Volkswagen does a very nice job in this commercial to recognize their product's status within the market and playing the commercial in a way to set this new product apart from the rest. Growing up, I believed that Volkswagen created normal, affordable cars, but nothing spectacular. While the Beetle model was an iconic car, Volkswagen sometimes lacks in jerking the memories of new car owners when looking at competitors. This commercial implies that this is the car that everyone on the streets will stop to stare at, stop to admire. While the commercial doesn't say much about the numerical facts or safety tests, it intrigues the consumer, and forces them to remember to the commercial while also making them laugh.

Fine Print Fuels Concerns

"Is 5-Hour ENERGY Right for You?" Commercial

This commercial is a perfect example of "weasel words", where the manufacturer suggests a positive meaning without making any guarantees. At first the ad seems positive with the large stack of reviews on the product, but who can tell if those are actual reviews or just a stack of paper with a couple reviews printed for the top. The spokesperson said, "Over 73% of doctors would recommend a low calorie energy supplement to their healthy patients who use energy supplements". She didn't say that 73% of doctors would recommend "5-Hour Energy". Also, the suggestions were focused towards "healthy patients who use energy supplements". Who would be considered healthy? A person with a respectable BMI and works out regularly? Not only do they recommend them to healthy people, but to healthy people who already use energy supplements.

It gets really interesting when we look into the fine print. 73% of doctors may recommend a low calorie energy supplement, but only 56% would actually suggest 5-Hour ENERGY. Of primary care physicians, only 47% would suggest 5-Hour ENERGY specifically to healthy patients already using energy supplements. Basically, the ad is stating that for people who already use energy supplements, 3/4 of doctors surveyed said they should use a low calorie supplement rather than high calorie supplements. Focusing on the calories also veers the consumer away from looking at the ridiculous amount of sugar in other energy supplements. Only 1/2 of the doctors would actually suggest 5-Hour ENERGY, meaning the other half of doctors suggested an alternative to 5-Hour ENERGY, and again, that's to people who already use supplements! For me, this ad was a horrible representation of the product, causing consumers to wonder and worry, rather than relax and find reassurance. Consumers prefer statistics to be in the 90th percentile towards A quality, not at a C- or F, like the commercial is implying. Rather than sparking interest in consumers, this ad fueled concerns.

Simplicity is Key

Consumers are attracted to great design, and products that make life easier. The Whirlpool Duet washing machine isn't just a normal washing machine, but a psychic product that dispenses the correct amount of detergent and water per load and is "designed to simplify". All the consumer needs to do is put their clothes in, and press start. No need to measure out detergent, or pick a cycle, or pick a drying level. This ad informs the reader about the smart washer and dryer duo, not on every advance but on the main point, that Whirlpool Duet washer actually "senses and adapts to your clothes". The Whirlpool Duet is an example of innovation in the home.

Furthermore, the advertisement is chic and and reaches out to the target demographic. This was found in a magazine focused towards men and women who care about their home. People who are interested in arts and crafts, tips for good housekeeping, and recipes. While the goal of laundry is to clean clothes, finding a washer and dryer that requires less effort and offers less damage towards clothes is a big part of a homemakers needs. Whirlpool's focus is to simplify everyday activities so one can have time for other things. They focus on providing efficient, modern household machines. The Whirlpool Duet really do respond to whatever comes next and this ad does a good job and releasing a sneak peak at the main benefits of the washing machine. This is an ad which portrays stylish design with efficient quality. Well done, Whirlpool.

iPhone 5 is all ears

Apple iPhone's have been known for their futuristic, top speed phones, capable of doing the above and beyond. While their phones are the leaders in the market, their headphones lag behind other competitors. The white ear buds are iconic in their relationship to the popular iPhones, but as far as purpose, they fall out of the ears of runners, and don't have the best quality. Well ladies and gentlemen, Apple has heard our cry and has come out with a product that is the first of its nature. Headphones shaped to fit in relationship to the geometry of most ears. The ad get's straight to the point, putting the primary focus, the ears, in target on the white background, memorable from previous Apple advertisements. The innovative headphones are displayed as engineered, high end products, being rotated carefully on display.

This ad reaches out to the eager buyers, on the edge of their seats ready to jump on any new product. This ad reaches out to the athletes and runners tired of constantly pushing the ear buds back into their ears over a long distance. This ad reaches out to the individuals who might be satisfied with their current phone, but admire the sleek, crafted ear buds admired for movies, music, and phone calls. I thought this was a great ad showing a product that is the first of its kind, serving a purpose that is almost too obvious, a headphone that actually fits the shape of your ear. The ears of different individuals helped enhance the target audience to anyone who uses headphones. The product and the ad are simple yet modern, stylish yet practical. This was another great ad by Apple.

"Get happy. Get GEICO."

GEICO Bodybuilder Commercial

What is the key to happiness? Is it love? Is it a large bank account? According to GEICO, it's as simple as saving 15% or more on car insurance. GEICO is a famous auto insurance company known for its amusing advertisements. This commercial was a success, not in the fact that it told me previously unknown information about a service, but because I found myself immortalizing the commercial in everyday conversation. There are so many advertising techniques around everyone, that many of them become a blur. The decisions of consumers may not be based on efficiency, but when two products have similar effects, the option that first comes to mind is more than likely the option they will choose.

The idea of a bodybuilder directing traffic is totally absurd, yet hilarious. Most guys enjoy flexing their muscles in public, and even though I never thought of it before, a bodybuilder probably LOVES showing off his muscles, as well as allowing drivers to effectively and safely maneuver around town. Could auto insurance really provide such happiness? While the events within the commercial are unrealistic, the comedy behind it was entertaining and memorable, immortalizing the GEICO name through conversation. The two musicians at the end help tie up the purpose of the ad, and provide some clarity to the confusion felt by most viewers Also, the memorable voice of . While not everyone will remember what GEICO does from the commercial, most will remember that their customers are happy. So switch to GEICO and save the money you planned to buy happiness with, and more!

Just add water?

What stands behind the image of Smart Water? Is it just a hydrating, low calorie beverage... or something more? Jennifer Aniston has been the face of Smart Water ads lately, which focus on the chic and stylish celebrity in casual situations with one important addition, Smart Water. This ad caught  my eye because the unique layout of the ad that seperates it from its competitors. Most water and sports drink industries focus on hydration and performance, while this ad focuses on success and style. Jennifer Aniston is smart, successful, healthy, and beautiful. Consumers may think that whatever she is doing, or drinking, is working. However, not just any water will do. Smart Water is the key ingredient.

This ad states, "good taste travels well", meaning multiple interpretations. Jennifer Aniston could embody what most people define as chic and stylish, and if she is traveling well, then she is traveling with Smart Water. This could be reversed with the Smart Water representing the good taste, as a purified, healthy beverage, traveling well with the high class celebrity. The brand doesn't necessarily represent "just water", but a timeless, stylish beverage that encompasses success and intelligence in a simplistic manner. By keeping the water bottle in color, the ad keeps the product as the main focus.