The Most Racist Ad of 2016

Damn, Chinese advertising has really crossed the line on this one. Very recently, a detergent company in Shanghai began airing a new, blatantly racist ad. The clip portrays a black-skinned male who is shoved into a washing machine with the brand's detergent, only to come out seconds later a "clean," light-skinned Chinese man. (Go ahead and watch the video for yourself below)

Regardless of your culture or what part of the world you're from, the ad is clearly giving Chinese men the image of being cleaner and super to dark-skinned men. While I don't live in Chinese society, I've still tried to understand the various techniques and appeals being targeted by the detergent company. There is definitely a need for sex present, as suggested by the good-looking young people, along with the whistling and almost kissing. This ad may be suggesting that the product will enable men to achieve some sort of cleanliness that will attract women. I wonder how Chinese civilians view this ad, as opposed to people of foreign countires and cultures. There is definitely a snob appeal that targets not class, but bias towards ethnicity and skin color. I wonder if people in China find the black man being "cleaned" into a good-looking Chinese man is humorous. Although it is impossible for a detergent to change skin color, the ad makes it seem like using the product is a simple solution for women to make their partners become more attractive.

Surprisingly, especially for an ad in China, the clip seems to be empowering women. The fact that the girl had the ability to change the man's appearance, and dominantly force him into a washing machine, provides female viewers with a sense of  liberating strength. In a society such as China's that is notorious for sexist discrimination, such an advertisement will undoubtedly win over female customers.

During a press conference, Chinese Foreign spokeswoman Hua Chunying claimed that the ad was not at all racist, nor did it intend any discrimination toward Africans. She said that foreign media is "overamplifying" the advertisement, and making it more of an issue than it needs to be. While countries and governments do maintain different beliefs, views, policies, etc. from one another, I still believe that the image of a dark-skinned male being "cleaned" into a pale-skinned male will inevitably ignite racial tensions. I'm very interested to see how the controversy over this ad will continue to grow over the media, and how different countries may react to it.

A New Image for Female Super Heroes?

Very recently, Marvel announced that in 2018 it would release its first film in which a female hero would be the main protagonist. Captain Marvel has the potential to paint a new image for cinema heroes, and also provide children a female crusader to look up to, as opposed to dominant, muscular male characters such as Captain America, Superman, Thor, etc. Aside from a poster, very little advertising has been done for the film since its announcement. As summer of 2018 draws closer, more ads and images will surface, but in this blog I will be examining the appearance of Marvel's newest hero. Will Captain Marvel's appearance target the sex appeal of men, or will it be a more modest, empowering figure that will appeal to all genders?

My initial thoughts upon first seeing Captain Marvel's portrayal for the first time: Besides the head, no skin is showing. The heroine's outfit isn't too sexual, despite it emphasizing her large breasts and hips. I can see how the actress' body will attract men, but the costume for Captain Marvel is definitely looking in the right direction. As opposed to Wonder Woman who boasts a fair amount of cleavage, and an incredibly high skirt, Captain Marvel's attire only shows her face. Another point to note is the length of Captain Marvel's hair. The more sexual Wonder Woman has long, flowing black hair, while Captain Marvel's is short, and gives her a more masculine appearance. With a look of confidence (smug grin, and dominant stance), it looks Marvel may finally be delivering a strong, independent heroine that will set a new standard for female cinema protagonists.

In the comics, this character wears a much more revealing costume, and traditionally goes by "Ms. Marvel." The company's choice to brand her with the title of Captain, is another sign of the push Marvel is giving the female protagonist. The company could have easily named the film Ms. Marvel, and decked the character out in a more sexual outfit, but it looks like Marvel has taken the more independent path for this character.

Whether or not the internal qualities of Captain Marvel will prove as empowering for women as her name and appearance can only be determined once the film is released. However, its safe to say that Marvel is beginning to put more and more trust in giving females the role of the main protagonists in its films. Another upcoming Marvel movie that will include a woman as one of its lead roles will be Ant Man and the Wasp. As a diehard Marvel fan, I'm very eager to see how dominant the company decides to portray its newest female additions to the world of cinema super heroes. 

Brand Names' Control Over Society

They're everywhere. Look around you, there's bound to be at least several in the room that you're in. I'm looking at one right now as I'm typing this entry. What is it exactly that's flooded society for hundreds of years now? Brand names. We all have our preferences, Adidas over Nike, Apple over Android, Target over Walmart. As consumers in society, brands are completely unavoidable. Purchasing items from food, to clothing, to household appliances day in and day out causes us to build a natural preference towards certain companies. When shopping, we almost get a sense of comfort and reassurance when we see a name or logo that we are familiar with.

Every single ad technique and consumer appeal is made by these brands. Modern advertising is constantly being defined by the marketing ploys launched by these various companies to prove that their product is superior to that of its competitors. Imagine a world without brand names. Cars on the road would all still look different, but you wouldn't be able to say "There goes a Camaro!" or "Look at that Buick!" One of the most dominant ad techniques utilized by companies is that of testimonial. When people see athletes and celebrities wearing certain brands across all forms of media, we automatically begin to associate quality, fame, and status with those brands. I am positive that if certain brands such as Nike didn't have the star power that they do to back their products, then the prices for their items would be significantly more affordable.

In the Frontline film that we are currently watching in class, one main topic is the idea of what teens think is "cool." Brand names have a profound impact on what teens define as cool and not-cool. Teens wouldn't show nearly as much praise for the Adidas Yeezy, if Kanye West wasn't promoting it on social media 24-7. I definitely would have never purchased a Gucci if people didn't associate the glimmering G buckle with status and wealth. I wish that brands didn't matter so much, yet often times I fid myself getting caught up in the race to look "cool" by buying and wearing certain name brand products.

I guess that in an effort to at least step away from constantly buying brand name clothing, we can look back to Macklemore's "Thrift Shop." Go to a thrift shop, and you'll be spending less money on good quality money. However, this is way easier said than done for most, myself included. I can't remember the last time that I went to a thrift store. People have grown so accustomed to the brands that they use on a daily basis, that its hard for them to break out of their comfort zones. If you're reading this, try out a different brand of a clothing or food the next time you're out shopping, you may be pleasantly surprised. Regardless of which brand we buy from, at the end of the day we're still constantly spending hard-earned money on items that we both do and don't need.

Anti-Cigarette Ads: The Fear Factor

Everyone's seen them. They can be perceived as scary or flat-out weird, but regardless they leave the viewer with a negative, uneasy feeling. Anti-cigarette ads have been on the air since the late 20th century. As technology and special effects have improved in the advertisement industry, so has anti tobacco company's ability to frighten people into avoiding cigarettes. For this entry, I will be examining a tobacco ad on a closer level, to try and find the appeals and techniques being utilized to get the message across.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Q5qGgfz_Q
I'm sure anyone reading this has already seen the above ad before. The seen opens up with an eerie-looking convenience store. Dark lighting and an evil-looking clown already provide an unsettling feel. The clip seems more like a horror film than an ad at this point. As the customer pulls out his money and id, he guiltily asks for, "A pack of menthols." The cashier looks totally unwelcoming and evil, and not once does smile throughout the entire ad. When he tells the customer that the cigarettes will cost more just the money, the customer conveniently garbs a pair of pliers from his pocket. What young person going to a convenience store casually carries pliers in their pocket? The most cringing moment of the entire ad is the crunching sound of the man ripping a tooth from his gums. The fact that the man so willingly rips out his tooth to get a pack of cigarettes really emphasizes the seriousness of tobacco addiction. The cashier ends the exchange with "see you again," which delivers the idea that cigarette buyers have to go through the same traumatic experience whenever they want to purchase a pack of smokes,

People have the need to feel safe and nurtured, yet this ad makes viewers feel vulnerable and insecure. The FDA closes its advertisement by saying that cigarettes not only costs you money, but also your teeth. While the clip doesn't show the customer suffering from gum cancer, it still rattles viewers with him ripping his tooth out. The image and sound played in this climatic moment are ingrained into the minds of viewers. Personally, every time that I see a convenience store, I now think of the deafening crunch of a customer tearing a precious tooth from his mouth. I urge the reader to watch this ad, even if they've seen it before, and really take in the sound and image of the tooth scene. I personally cannot stand tobacco. If it takes an ad attacking a person's feeling of comfort and safety to end smoking, then I support it 100%.

When Marketing Crosses the Line: Calvin Klein

Recently, underwear brand Calvin Klein took to Instagram to post several images advertising its new campaign "I ___ in my #calvins." The image above is edited, as I didn't want to promote the offensive material found in the actual post. The unedited image on Calvin Klein's Instagram account includes an upskirt shot of the above model's CK underwear. The ad has sparked the outrage of thousands. Usually Calvin Klein's posts only receive about 100 comments, but this post is currently at 2,440.

An ongoing, heated debate has ensued social media over this post. With many protesting this image, a surprising amount are supporting it. The controversial ideas that come to mind are that of sexism, and prostitution. To those angered, the ad is making the model look like some sort of sex toy, and the upskirt angle only catches the attention of perverts.

Calvin Klein has gone all-in for the sex appeal in this ad. The upskirt shot gets the attention of a lot of men, but I'm not sure how this gets women to purchase the underwear. I can't think of many of my friends who would ever post an upskirt shot of themselves just to show off their Calvin Klein underwear. This ad could be trying to meet some women's need for attention. People will take notice if a person posts an image of themselves in their underwear, though I'm not sure if this would give that person a good reputation.

Aside form the obvious angle of the shot, the ad also utilizes subliminal persuasion with the filter and lighting that it uses. To some consumers, their aesthetic sensations may be satisfied by the light, gentle colors of the ad.

I personally am not too deeply enraged by this ad, but then again, I'm not the gender being portrayed. If Calvin Klein wants to continue a campaign that has upskirt shots of women, then I think that they have the right to do so. However, this doesn't mean that I support the ad. I love Calvin Klein's products, yet I don't think that they have to push the sex appeal so hard to sell their products. What this ad in particular boils down to, is those who are sex-negative vs. those who are sex-positive. I'm just interested to see how much farther CK will go in this sexual direction to sell its underwear, the publicity that will generate in response to it.

The Supreme Scheme

For three years, my Thursday morning routine remained the same: Wake up, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and then sit on my phone with angst. My hands would break out into a cold sweat, anxiously waiting to click the refresh button right at 8 A.M. Like thousands around the world, I had become a slave to the clothing brand Supreme. With  "drops" of new, highly-desirable clothing every Thursday at 8 A.M., thousands sit on Supreme's web store in hopes of being able to purchase just one item before the weekly inventory sells out in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. It was only just recently that I finally broke away from this terrible habit. Now that I am no longer obsessed with Supreme, I've decided to look into how a tiny skate shop in New York grew into the marketing monster that it is today.

Through social media, and skating magazines, Supreme delivers slick marketing that is viewed by millions. All the brand has to do is post a simple image of a model wearing its clothing, and people will immediately begin anticipating the release of the advertised items. Celebrities, rappers in particularly, will post images of themselves wearing the brand, which adds star-power-endorsement to Supreme's already efficient marketing techniques.

Supreme's most successful angle has been its utilization of the time pressure technique. When the brand releases its items right at 8 A.M., thousands rush to add items to their cart, and check out as fast as they can in hopes of claiming a highly-coveted piece for themselves. The problem with this rush is that many purchase things off of pure impulse. Some Thursdays Supreme will only release ugly and impractical clothing, but people purchase it anyways due to the adrenaline rush and focus on simply checking out and paying. Supreme's clothing is overpriced ($50 for average cotton t-shirts, and $140 for hoodies), but people are too focused on buying the item in the limited amount of time that they have, and fail to as themselves if they really need or can afford the stuff they're buying. My wallet fell victim to this panicked rush plenty of times, and this is one of the reasons why I decided to stop purchasing Supreme.

Supreme preys on teens' and young adults' needs for autonomy and attention. The brand has reached the point of standing out in public, and being easily recognized by some. To wear flashy, expensive, and rare clothing makes the wearer feel like a stand-alone individual. Freshman I went through the flashy Supreme phase when I would come school wearing big headbands, and bright clothes that didn't match. Through the media, Supreme had convinced me that I needed to stand out, and that the only way to get attention was through wearing the brand.

For many, buying from Supreme is not only part of their Thursday routines, but also one of the addictions that they struggle with as consumers. For three years, I wasted a lot of the money that I earned on clothing that I didn't need. Seeing this year's freshman class dressing and almost worshipping Supreme the way that I used to provides a fresh perspective to how others must have viewed me last year. I recently gave away and sold my Supreme clothing, and feel no different without the items hanging in my closet. Supreme is a brand that has built such a strong, almost cult-like following, that continues to drink the hard earned money of thousands world-wide. At least now I understand the brand's slick marketing, and have overcome any need to purchase from it. My wallet and I can take a breath of fresh air.

The Evolution of Coca-Cola Ads

It is quite possibly the most popular carbonated beverage in the world. Nearly every vending machine, gas station, and restaurant offers it. When it comes to the media, advertisements for it pop up everywhere. Ever since its birth in 1886, Coca-Cola has ruled the beverage industry.  Being around for 130 years now, I wondered how such a drink has managed not only to remain relevant, but also in high demand. After some research, the answer became clear: Changing and adapting advertising to keep up with modern appeal.

I began with taking a look at the history of Coke's various marketing techniques and appeals. In its early years, one of the brand's main slogans was "Coca-Cola Revives and Sustains." The drink was presented as an energy boost when a person felt tired or sleepy. Marketed almost like medicine, posters claimed that Coke was the "lifter of fatigue" for weary, hard-working men and women. The ads appealed to plain folks, and claimed to provide a simple solution. Any working-class American could beat out exhaustion with a cool glass of Coca-Cola.

A number of Coca-Cola's slogans have centered around quenching thirst. Coke have been advertised for over 100 years as the best way to satisfy the physiological need of thirst. With ads having words like "ice-cold," "crisp," and "refreshing" in bold, one of the company's target appeals is obvious and clear.

Coca-Cola has never shied away from the appeal to an American's patriotism. Slogans such as "Red, White, and You," and "America's Real Choice," attempt to connect to an individual's national pride. The brand has managed to become the number one soda in the country. To some, you aren't completely American until you indulge yourself in a Coke, which goes back to the drink's patriotic appeal and influence. 

An emotion that Coke has been heavily pushing since 2009 is happiness. The motivation behind the ads is to have consumers believe that happiness can only be achieved through drinking the beverage. Some coke posters simply say, "Open Happiness." Again with the simple solutions technique, the idea being communicated is that if you need to feel happiness then simply drink Coke.

With 2015's "Share a Coke" campaign, the need for affiliation was being directly targeted. Commercials would portray a gloomy looking outcast being invited into a lively social group by being handed a bottle of the drink. It was as if the only way to make it into a social would be by getting invited with a bottle of Coke. Consumers began giving bottles of Coke to others, with the name of the recipient printed on the label. Coke was making consumers feel like they had the power to satisfy other's need to be affiliated.

The most recent Coke ads seen across all platforms have made it seem certain things can't be achieved or experienced without the drink. In one commercial, a boy and girl discover true love when they reach for the same Coke can at an amusement park. Another ad has a father and daughter get into an intense fight, yet they immediately make up when the dad gives the girl a bottle of Coca-Cola. The drink is effectively trying to have consumers associate its product with essentials such as love and family. At this rate, I'm truly wondering how far Coke will go to make itself part of Americans' everyday lives, feelings, and conflicts.