Ads, ads, ads

For my first ad I chose this Coca-Cola ad from the 1940's. Clearly the product being sold here is the soda itself, and I think they went about it in a clever way for the time period. During this time, the United States was in the middle of fighting in World War II, so what better way to sell a product that reminds soldiers of home? The message here is that Coke is a symbol of the United States and all of the memories back home that these troops have, so what better way to cure the homesickness than with a bottle of Coke. Even the people back home who aren't fighting might see this and want to buy it, merely because it reminds them of their loved ones. I think the target audience is mostly soldiers overseas, but it could also appeal to their loved ones at home.

For my second ad I chose this 90's-esque Sunny Delight ad. The product being sold is indeed Sunny Delight, and it is pretty clear who the target audience here is, mothers. Clearly this lady has her hands full with 4 children to feed, and she is doing so by giver her kids Sunny Delight. Even though this product is loaded with sugar, they make it seem like it makes you a responsible parent for giving it to your children, and you don't have to feel guilty about it, because it is supposed to resemble orange juice. It seems like it is kind of a guilt trip technique of: if you don't give your kids Sunny Delight, you are a bad parent. 
Both of these ads are similar because they are very specific in what their target audience is. In my opinion, they are a bit more spot on than more modern ads, and definitely not so sexually charged like most ads are today.

Six Word Memoir

Procrastination is the key to success. -at least for me it is. If I am not working under pressure, then I tend to not work at all, most people tend to deny their procrastination habits, but I embrace it!

What is Luxury?

In my opinion, luxury is something that is ultimately unnecessary. Anything that doesn't consist of ones basic needs of food, shelter and clothing can be considered luxurious, especially if you look at the world as a whole, not just the western world that most of us are used to. I believe it is unnecessary because I look at all of the people in the world who are homeless, or malnourished, and there are so many things that would be considered luxuries to them, rather then just thinking of nice cars or the latest and greatest kitchen appliance. I personally try to buy things that I don't really need as least as possible, but I think most all of us are guilty of doing it. I think it is because it is made so readily available to us all, and it is extremely socially acceptable to over-consume.                                                                                                                         
I think this over-consumption is socially acceptable because it seems to be embedded in the "American Dream" mentality of getting rich quick. America has often been seen as the land of opportunity because of ones ability to make a good living and buy nice things. I think the whole "buy nice things" aspect of this idea has been turned into the "Sudden Wealth Syndrome" that Twitchell mentioned. Material items are constantly being sold with the illusion that they are high-class or luxurious, at Wal-Mart or Target for example. Even with the downturn of the economy, people still seek out these luxurious items that they don't need at all, but they buy them anyway.

This ad is a good example of this hunger for "luxurious" but useless items that people are buying by the boatloads. It is an ad for a Lexus that ties in with the idea of the American dream and the need for the latest and greatest, and it says "I make my own dreams come true". Most people who buy new cars buy them simply because of the "new" factor, even if the car they currently have is perfectly fine. It is ads like these that persuade buyers into buying or leasing a new car even if they don't need one.