Ch. 13 ~ Billboards

I think that the reason for the increase in outdoor advertising spending is due to the fact that this is where marketers can really be creative. Not only is it more likely that a person will look at a billboard, due to the fact that they can't turn the channel or flip a page, but it seems like extremely creative advertisements become a part of our culture. There have been so many times when I am talking to my friends and family, and they ask if I have seen a specific billboard, or tell me to watch for it the next time I am traveling. I still remember the outdoor advertisements that I saw in New York City 10 years ago! I also remember how people just stopped and stared at these billboards and displays, because places like Times Square were, and still are, THE place for creative outdoor advertising. I think another factor that plays into this increase is the fact that more and more people are working, specifically more two income families. Now that people are spending more time outside of the home, they may have less time to watch television, or read a magazine. So, this leads to more outdoor advertisements. This increase also leads to an increase in the number of total people that will see this display, which makes this form of advertising well worth the cost. I think that as technology advances, we will see even more outdoor advertising, perhaps with an emphasis on interaction with the viewer. With items such as smart phones and iPads, the sky is the limit.



I also just wanted to include this video by Nokia that was shown at this year's SXSW. It is an outdoor video advertisement on a building, to promote the new levels of Angry Birds the company was going to be offering. I think this really demonstrates just how creative some companies are in utilizing outdoor advertising.

Chapter 14 Direct Marketing Piece

Well, this is the only direct marketing piece I received in the mail in the past week. It is for Furniture Studio's Twilight Tour of Homes. The piece did capture my attention. The weight of the paper used for this piece is heavier than a lot of the mail I receive, so it stood out from the stack. The picture on the front also captured my attention. It shows a very beautiful home, and I really like when a picture is black and white, with a few pops of color, in this case, it was the items that were a burnt orange or brown color. However, this piece did not really reach me, or anyone in my family, as a consumer. Nobody in my family has ever gone to Furniture Studio, which is made obvious by the fact that this was sent to "Current Resident". Also, we've never really been interested in attending the tour of homes since we've been up here, which has been five years now. I think if my family was looking for something to do on this date, we may consider going. However, this piece of mail would most likely be thrown away by this date, so if we were to go, we would be more likely to be influenced by a radio ad or billboard that we hear or see closer to the day of the tour of homes.

Magazine Advertising

The consumer magazine that I chose to analyze from an advertising perspective is Vanity Fair, specifically, the March 2011 issue.
The target audience for this magazine is women, most likely in their twenties. They are likely to have a high disposable income, and have an interest in fashion, especially high end brands, as well as celebrities, but not necessarily celebrity gossip.
Out of the magazine's 353 pages, 194 of them are advertisements. Even though that means over half of the magazine's content is advertisements, it did not appear to be cluttered. This is due mainly to the placement of the ads. The advertisements are more towards the front of the magazine, amongst the table of contents, current events, beauty and fashion tips, and lighter, shorter stories. As you make your way through the magazine, the ads are further apart, and then nonexistent once you hit the cover stories, which are 7-10 pages long.
With over half the magazine devoted to advertisements, there are a lot of different companies and products showcased. One major category or ads is beauty, which features Covergirl, La Mer, Balenciaga, MAC, and Lancome. Another major category is clothing, which includes Dior, Gucci, Prada, Giorgio Armani, and Chanel. There are also ads for travel destinations, such as New York and Dubai. Jewelry is another category, with companies like Omega, Cartier, and De Beers. I feel that these advertisers are attracted to Vanity Fair because their readers have a higher disposable income, as well as a interest in fashion and particular brands.
The editorial climate of the magazine displays famous actors, but in a more relaxed and personal environment. In this particular issue, the editorials are focused on actors and their recent film accomplishments. There is also an editorial on the lives of legends, as well in a posh, exclusive neighborhood in California. I think that the editorials make the lifestyles of celebrities seem attractive, yet down to earth. I think this causes the readers to want emulate those lifestyles, and this causes them to seek out high end brands. These higher end companies are then attracted to place advertisements in Vanity Fair.
I think Vanity Fair magazine positions itself as a vehicle to reach women who have an interest in higher end labels and exotic vacations and fashion. It's a place for advertisers to be a little more editorial with their advertisements, while still being able to push the envelope in order to be noticed.

Commercials and Cable Television

I chose to analyze the commercials that appear on the cable television channel ABC Family. I analyzed the channel in three one-hour segments during the shows "Still Standing"' "My Wife and Kids", and "Gilmore Girls", which air at 11am, 1pm, and 4pm, respectively.
The commercials during the eleven o'clock hour were very heavily oriented toward the stay-at-home mom, as this is who is home during this time. The commercials consisted mainly of food, beauty, and family. The Scott toilet paper commercial showed parents dropping their daughter off at college. The Welch's Juice commercial was informative and focused on family health. There was also a large number of commercials for cleaning products such as Swiffer and Clorax.

During the one o'clock hour, the commercials slowly started to shift toward a younger demographic. While the majority still consisted of many of the same commercials seen in the 11 o' clock hour, ABC Family began to introduce "younger" commercials. These commercials include Ice Breakers gum, electronic Scrabble, and a commercial for the new PG-13 movie "Red Riding Hood".

When "Gilmore Girls" aired at four o'clock, the majority of commercials shifted to the younger demographic, with the smaller portion of commercials devoted to parents. The commercials geared toward the younger demographic included: Extra dessert gum, Nike, iPhone, an anti-drug psa, Butterfinger, and a commercial for the new PG-13 movie "Beastly".

The commercials I viewed on ABC Family were 30 seconds in length, focused on giving a large amount of information, and were family centric. They were not flashy, and were relatively straight forward, and simple.

I do think that the commercials that appear on cable networks, such as ABC Family, differ from those found on major networks. ABC Family had very limited network commercials, about one during every commercial break. Also, there were no local commercials, which often appear on major networks.

Learning Plan #2: External Influences on Consumer Behavior

The first category is Culture. I have chosen a commercial produced by the Got Milk? campaign.



I think that this commercial demonstrates the values of the United States. It shows building strong families, helping one another, and volunteerism. I believe that people are more willing to support and buy from a company that reflects their own values. The marketers have developed this campaign to correspond with Facebook, which has become a huge part of the American culture.

The next category is Subculture. I have chosen a Dove commercial.



This commercial focuses on the subculture of women, as well as, presenting what is happening to young girls, to the older women in their lives. Dove is presenting the values of feeling beautiful and accepting who you are, which sets women apart from a larger cultural audience. I think that women would be more likely to purchase Dove products, knowing that the company is providing opportunities for young girls to learn they are truly beautiful.

Third is Social Class. I have chosen a Hyundai Equus commercial.



This commercial is targeting the upper social class. By giving the purchaser an iPad as an owner's manual, the company supports the product and shopping habits of the upper class. While other classes may see this as not essential, members of the upper class may see this as a way to demonstrate their lifestyle, income level, and status to the rest of the world.

Fourth is Reference Groups. I have chosen a Nike commercial for this category.



I believe that this commercial demonstrates an aspirational reference group. People may use this commercial as motivation to be better, and to be able to say that they are better than the next person. While they aspire to be better, people may decide to wear Nike clothes, the clothing that the "better" wear.

Finally, there is Situational Determinants. I have chosen a Campbell's Soup Commerical.



This commercial tends to run once the temperatures start to drop. I believe that this demonstrates situational determinants, because people tend to buy more soup during the winter.

Commercial

Introduction

Hello,

My name is Kayla Rhyner. I am a marketing major, and will graduate in December. I am originally from Milwaukee, but currently live in Wisconsin Rapids.