Just when we think that all venues of promoting and advertising have been explored, something nude… I mean new catches our attention. Recently, FX’s adult animated series Archer promoted its 5th season, which premiered January 13th, in a surprising way. The Archer team posted nude photos of it’s animated cast to Reddit, an online “anything goes” forum where the photos were quickly viewed by thousands of members.
For those who may be unfamiliar with Reddit, it is a user-generated social news and entertainment website. Users can post anything they desire and rate other posts as well. The audience of the medium is predominately young males, which is also Archer’s target audience. I am certain that this is no accident. Reddit users were immediately able to recognize their favorite animated characters in these staged Reddit posts acting as actual Reddit users. The Archer photos were actually paid for advertisements placed on the sides of the gone wild forum, blending in with the rest of the posts.
The medium that the Archer team used to send out their humorous promotions was absolutely perfect for their purposes. All over the web people are taking the time to post and comment on how Archer has made a brilliant PR move and their inventive way of reaching their target demographic. The story of Archer’s recent brilliance relates to the theory of Media Ecology proposed by Marshall McLuhan in 1964. The theory can be best summarized in McLuhan’s words, “The medium is the message.”
Although the content of a message is important, it could not exist without the medium in which it is delivered. The same story could be told through many different mediums, ultimately making them different stories. The Archer team chose to use the internet and more specifically, Reddit, as the medium to promote their show. This story would not have been the same on a television commercial or a print advertisement in a news paper. The medium in which it was sent gave it identity and meaning.
When people are posting about these advertisements, they are not commenting on the nude photos or the plugs for the new season. They are posting about the fact that they were posted on Reddit waiting for their target audience to discover it. The medium was the message, and it was successfully recognized and received.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, people are confronted with the enormity of the Doctors actions. The “I have a dream speech” is remembered as one of the most powerful speeches to encapsulate the civil rights movement. On August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to millions of Americans on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. MLK spoke to the millions that marched about struggle and perseverance, about the importance of faith and non-violence. King’s speech resonated with the millions that attended and will be remembered for many years to come. “I have a dream” is in part so powerful because of how emotional it is. MLK spoke from his heart and from his personal experience. Emotion, however, is understood to be a powerful component to public speaking and persuasion in general. It is for this reason that marketing and advertising works to illicit an emotional response in the viewer. Now this doesn’t mean that the “I have a dream speech” is at risk of getting hijacked for marketing gains or that we can expect to see it in advertisements. We must however take time to acknowledge the ethical aspect of emotional ads.
Here we have a movie ad for the critically acclaimed film 12 Years a Slave. The movie takes place in pre-Civil War United States, and focuses on a free African American man who is abducted and sold into slavery. The hardships he endures are demoralizing, taking the film into deep emotional waters.On top of the piece’s obvious ties to the subject and content of King’s widely celebrated speech, the ad for the film took things a step further with implementing bits and pieces of the actual audio into the movie preview. But doesn’t this raise the question of ethics in these ads? Is it moral to use something as real and as powerful as King’s speech to pull at the heart strings and promote one’s product or service? With so many variables, the answer’s complexity leaves room for argument on both sides!
Pathos is a rhetorical appeal and universal form of persuasion that successfully gains the audience’s attention by appealing to the emotions. How many times are we motivated to support something simply because we find it to be “pathetic”? Organizations such as UNICEF, ASPCA, and the Humane Society seek donations by sharing shockingly emotional campaigns. Although we are free to advertise ourselves, our beliefs, and our ideas as we please, the thought of having to guilt someone into believing us appears unethical. As mentioned, 12 Years a Slave uses excerpts of “I Have a Dream” to capture viewer’s attention and obtain financial gain. The film industry is not a charity, non-profit organization, or public relations event… so does it seem to be deliberately toying with our feelings to gain another purchased ticket. Some might argue that with freedom of speech, these persuasive methods are ethical and simply a method to gain our attention, particularly if they are used for the non-profit organizations who seek to benefit society. What do you think? Is it ethical to buy our emotions for financial gain? Is it even ethical to buy our support for others in financial gain?
“If you wish to persuade me, you must think my thoughts, feel my feelings, and speak my words. -Cicero
Spoken nearly 2000 years ago, this statement still rings true today. Philosophizing rhetoric and the art of persuasion, Cicero understood the importance of connecting with an audience at the mental and emotional level.
The above quote points out three of his main claims. To persuade an audience one must “think their thoughts”. People are more likely to be persuaded when the rhetorician communicates in a way that embraces the individual’s own point of view. Focusing solely on changing point of view results in discomfort and suspicion. Rhetoricians must also “feel their feelings”. To do so, one must ask themselves what the deep-seated feelings are that drive the listeners. Asking this question and reflecting on the answers is an essential part in the pathway to connecting. Finally, according to Cicero, to persuade an audience, one must “speak their words”. People need to understand what you have to say in order to care about it. If they don’t care, they won’t do the ultimate goal – act.
In the age of advertising, these classical concepts are still prevalent as we transcend into the postmodern era. In postmodernity the “self” becomes the ultimate selling point. Marketers strive to persuade their audience that their product does more than whatever its mechanical purpose – the pitching point becomes that their product is an extension of oneself. As a result, individualization and customization are reigning themes. Furthermore, because individuals are immersing themselves as an object, consumers become an actual participant in customization. Products are increasingly less of a finished object, allowing consumers to provide direct input – ultimately and simultaneously becoming a producer as well.
Therefore, it is no coincidence products today are increasingly individualized. An example of this is the new Motorola Moto X phone. Check out it’s commercial, Customize below.
After watching this how do you feel? This is a pretty cool phone, right? You can make it however you want! Notice how this commercial mentions nothing about tech specs, mobile web speed, or how the phone will be used in your every day life. Its persuasion strategy focuses on “you” – “your ride”, “your pet”, “your body” and now “your phone” – the idea that you can be in charge of customizing your phone, just as you do everything else, as an expression of your self. You are the producer. No longer are the only options either black and white. Your options are whatever you think brands yourself best.
This commercial is the essence of Cicero’s idea of persuasion combined with post-modernism ideals. By knowing what its postmodern consumers think and feel about individualization, Motorola has created a product that speaks to every thing you as a consumer expects and wants – customization. Not only do you become a buyer of the Moto X, but a producer of it. Their persuasion hook is that you can directly produce their product as a means of your own expression.
Has this commercial persuaded you? What other brands and products use customization and self-expression as a persuasion tool?
We have all seen bands passing out flyers on the streets and flooding social media with their music trying to create a brand image, but when does this go too far? Self-promotion is the most inexpensive and quickest way for musicians to gain followers, but to make this work you have to differentiate yourself from others and attempt to be “heard by the masses” through all the clutter around you.
The first person who came to mind was Macy Gray at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards. She was wearing a dress stating when her album dropped and “buy it!” written across her backside. Was this a fashion faux pas or genius advertisement? Since Gray was already a well-known musician she knew she was going to be photographed in this dress, which of course would end up all over TV and magazines. Unfortunately, people must have felt some dissonance with this approach because this album only sold 593,000 copies in the US, compared to her On How Life Is album which has sold 3.2 million.
More recently, a female artist by the name of Amanda Palmer has promoted herself on the website Kickstarter. This is a website where projects of all kind are brought to life through the direct support of others. Kickstarter states, “Since our launch on April 28, 2009, over $800 million has been pledged by more than 4 million people, funding more than 45,000 creative projects.”
Here, you can see the video that Palmer made for the site, asking for money to create her first album after breaking away from a major label. While her original goal was only $100,000 she ended up with $1 million and counting. Palmer was successful because she broke through the clutter on the internet and did something different that people noticed. She is also fulfilling her fans needs by letting them contribute to the success of her music.
Musicians will keep using self-promotion weather it is passing out flyers, using social media, wearing dresses with album dates or even receiving money off Kickstarter. There will always be newer and better methods to promote music, and people like Macy Gray and Amanda Palmer have paved the way for these innovative ways.
Presentations are everything in life, and in a sense, we are always marketing ourselves to the public with our voices and actions. These components work together to create a brand image for each person as an individual. James Twitchell claims that a brand “is the application of a story to a product or service,” so it is important to realize what stories your life is telling and what images you are portraying. Many people tend to forget that online communication can be extremely harmful to a personal brand, and often diminish their brand images with common mistakes. The top 5 personal brand fails to avoid have been listed to help strengthen and build who you are as a brand.
# 1 – Oversharing
Although the tailgating and partying of your undergraduate days may be over for the most part, many forget that the pictures and posts that documented all those nights have not. Not only do people look at all of the bits of information people say and share, but posts remain in cyber space long after they are forgotten, and are easily and readily available for anyone and everyone to see.
Susan Adams wrote an article on managing online reputation, one of her key points was this: “Keep private things private, while assuming nothing is truly private.”
Everything about you on the Internet comes together to form a picture of your personality, even if you feel this picture may not be true to who you are. Think treating the Internet as a diary doesn’t matter? Oversharing has been linked to: self-incrimination, break-ins, loss of employment, and failed relationships.
Having trouble entering the workforce? You may need to examine what’s on your social media sites. Employers routinely search applicants to see what type of information, pictures, and statuses pop up. Besides not being able to land you a job, oversharing can also get you fired from one. Monster.com shared how an employee took the day off from work, telling his boss he had a funeral, however, later that day the employee posted pictures of himself at a party. His boss found out, and naturally he got fired.
Every time you go to post something whether it be as a status, tweet, wall post, share, picture, whatever- think to yourself, “Is this TMI? Would I want my employer to see this? Would I be proud of this years from now?”
# 2 – Underestimating Technology
We’ve all heard of Snapchat , the application that allows you and your friends to take ridiculous photos that once viewed, are immediately deleted… until recently. Not only can people screenshot your snap, but a counter-application called Snaphack has brought into question whether or not the photos you are sending are truly being deleted. Snaphack allows users to save screenshots of snapchats. Once saved, these photos can be uploaded to social media outlets such as Facebook or Twitter. One of Snapchat’s original uses was for sending racy photos, and Snaphack could easily lead to some very personal pictures being published for all to see.
Snapchat is just one of the many applications that at face value seems harmless and fun, but could easily affect employment opportunities. Being aware and responsible for everything you send via any technology medium is essential to keeping your personal image a good one. So next time you think it might be funny to send a Snapchat of you and your friends doing something questionable, make sure you would be okay with seeing it on the Internet the next day. What you might think is funny during the time, won’t be funny if it is found on your employer’s desk the next morning.
# 3 – Not Staying Up-to-Date With the Latest Social Media Sites and Apps
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Vine, Instagram, LinkedIn, -the list is constantly growing and evolving when it comes to social media sites and apps available for public use. One of the biggest PR fails that people tend to overlook is not taking advantage of these social media techniques as a way to catch employer’s eyes, and to network.
Understanding and taking advantage of social media sites is essential in a world that is each day growing more reliant on technology. Where in the past employers only had a resume and a portfolio to judge a candidate for a job position, now the possibilities for judgment are endless. So why not take advantage of it? Take for example LinkedIn, a social media site that caters specifically to people to network professionally and allows users to connect with one another and build and maintain a broader network of professionals you can trust. It is a smart way of getting your personal name and brand out there for employers to see.
The website is helping people get jobs, so make a great move for yourself and join if you haven’t already!
# 4 -Talking Badly About Your Boss… Or Anyone For That Matter
In order for anyone to be happy with his or her job there must be a positive work environment. Most of us have had that one job we hated because of co-workers, company standards, the work itself, or the boss. In these sort of situations, trash talking seem to come with the business. So, for future and recent graduates we want to warn you, one of the biggest fails you can make in your career is talking trash about your boss, company, or coworkers online.
Recently, this video, featuring Marina Shifrin quitting her job, went viral on YouTube. You have probably seen it, but please feel free to watch it again and laugh.
Funny right? Except for the fact that her past boss knows how she really feels about him and her future employers will undoubtedly see her as unprofessional. So, as a rule of thumb, always save your rantings and trash talkings for your parents and close friends because if you share your personal (and most likely unprofessional) opinions and the wrong person sees it , you can kiss recommendations good-bye, as well as turn your personal brand image into that of a spiteful person.
(Also, take a look at her ex-boss’s response.)
# 5 – Poor Grammar
Poor grammar can affect your brand and your career. Anna Underhill, a consultant for a HR firm, said poor spelling and grammar has become a serious issue for employers. Writing is the main way communication takes place via employers and employees and clients. Having poor correspondence in writing undermines the professionalism of yourself as well as your company.
Communication skills are consistently rated in the top 10 things employers look for. Knowing the difference between affect/effect, their/there, its/it’s, should be common sense not consistent mistakes. While shorthand and abbreviations are the norm in social media, that type of writing should never be integrated into business composition.
Erik Deckers asks for you to think of it this way: If you receive a cover letter from a perspective employee filled with errors, would you hire that person? What sort of message are you sending to potential business partners when your initial email is riddled with mistakes?
Make your personal brand an effective one that highlights all of your best qualities. Don’t be afraid to jump into the cyber world to “sound [your] barbaric yawp,” but be cognizant of the do’s and don’t when it comes to establishing and maintaining a great image.
From his first infamous trip to purchase a 10 piece nugget meal, to now being featured in a full scale McDonald’s advertisement, Joe Flacco is now not only representing the NFL scene, but the fast food scene. Many companies have harnessed and benefitted from the use of the pathos and emotion in their advertising campaigns to attract current and future consumers. McDonald’s has started a new advertisement campaign with Ravens’ quarterback and recent Super Bowl XLVII MVP, Joe Flacco. With the Ravens’ latest win in Super Bowl XLVII, Flacco has become a household name, contributing to a rise in Ravens’ supporters and fans. As the new football season revs up, McDonald’s is appealing to the crazed fans young and old alike who have a passion for their team and what it believes in.
Although Flacco is a respectable and genuine role model who is described by many as humble and “the guy next door,” this is not just a question of the effect of pathos being used in this campaign, but also ethos. By doing the commercial for McDonald’s, which is well known for their appeal to younger consumers, Flacco could be seen as ethically responsibly for the image he puts out for young children. Young boys and girls may look up to him because of his celebrity appeal and athletic status and think they should eat McDonald’s because he does. In the advertisement, Flacco is shown eating McDonald’s new “Mighty Wings” which are (480 calories and 31 fat grams). As a well known sports icon, Flacco is constantly in the limelight. He is a fit and healthy individual, which will create the image of eating McDonald’s as an attractive and healthy option. This may cause misleading perceptions about the health benefits of McDonald’s and in Flacco losing credibility as a professional athlete.
Logic (Logos) may be factored in when looking at the obvious benefits that McDonald’s will gain from having Flacco in their advertisements. Having a well known athlete sponsor your brand is a sure fire way to bring in revenue and was a good marketing move by McDonald’s. On the other hand, logic also tells us that McDonald’s does not provide the healthiest food that we can put into our bodies. The nutrition facts cannot be hidden by a super fit athlete. Do you feel as though Flacco lost or gained credibility by endorsing McDonald’s? How do you think McDonald’s credibility has changed or stayed the same, knowing the type of people they feature in their advertisements (particularly athletes)?
We can almost be certain that aside from the ethical questions that this ad brings up, there will be a rise in support of McDonald’s by a deeply rooted Ravens’ fan base. This brings about a win-win situation for McDonald’s and Flacco off the field. So, who knew that a simple 10 piece nugget meal from McDonald’s would land him yet another win?
-Aaron Love, Kara Zimmerman, Rachel Clay, Rebecca Hobbs
“What up y’all, it’s dem kids again” is the intro to the newest Kmart back to school commercial. The commercial, which is in the form of a music video, is being called racist by it’s viewers and is causing a stir among consumers. The ad features a young hip hop group called “Da Rich Kidzz” who rap about the newest back to school trends. Kmart’s attempt to appeal to the popularity of today’s hip hop culture has actually done the opposite of what their marketing strategy intended to do.
The design of the commercial targeted a small demographic, causing their brand image to be misconstrued. With the majority of the children in the video mimicking stereotypical rap video dancing and using incorrect grammar, it is easy to see how the message of the commercial could be misinterpreted. Although it is safe to assume Kmart did not intentionally create the advertisement to bring negative light upon themselves, they are now faced with rebranding and reevaluating their marketing strategy.
With all of the current back to school advertisements out at this time of year, it makes us wonder why Kmart chose to go this route with this campaign. With lyrics containing slang and grammatical errors such as “dem” and “can’t no one pass,” Kmart made the attempt to draw in the youth who listen to hip hop. Instead of making themselves stand out in a youthful way among the traditional back to school commercials, they further narrowed their consumer base.
According to an article on Business Insider, Kmart’s brand has been suffering for the past six years. After viewing the advertisement, would you be inclined to shop at Kmart for back to school items? Could this be Kmart’s last attempt to gain back a significant customer base? Seeing as how they have not made a public statement in response to the racial backlash, it will be interesting to see whether or not this campaign will pay off for Kmart. To have a successful marketing campaign strategy, a business must always be able to recognize who their publics are. They must also know that by alienating a certain demographic they have to expect that there will be positive and negative effects.
When all is said and done, Kmart was successful in being memorable. However, will their sales, in turn, reflect in a positive way?
-Aaron Love, Kara Zimmerman, Rachel Clay, Rebecca Hobbs
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