Product Placement, Propaganda & Public Opinion

Super'Obama!

2008-12-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

First of all this post has nothing to do with me expressing my political sides, however let me say a few things. I did not vote for Obama but I am actually enjoying the fact that he is our president elect (at least for now). Why? Well I have my reasons which are too extensive to list here right now. This purpose of this post is to display the images that I have come across in my research that depict with Obama. I have been preaching throughout all of my posts that it is time for change in the marketing mix and ideas. Obama stands for change no matter if you support him or not! I figured who better to compare to the changing times of marketing and persuasion than the man who actually is the poster child, literally, representing change. these images raise so many topics that surround all aspects of persuasion (public relations, marketing, advertising, propaganda, etc).

Superman & Obama

"this just wouldn't have had the same effect with McCain"

Product Placement & Obama

Obama: A Corporate brand?

Product Placement Chaos

2008-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Since this blog is entitled ProductPropagnada which plays off Product Placement and Propaganda and how Marketing and Advertising can be a propaganda technique let’s have some fun. I have already provided a little propaganda-WWII humor so now lets make fun of product placement with the help of Wayne’s World; Thank you YouTube. I know this is an example of blatant product placement within a program but is it really that far fetched? I mean think about it the more people indulge themselves in on-demand viewing via a DVR device the less effective the 30-second commercial spot is. If one of the alternatives to the traditional and old marketing is product placement could it end up like what Wayne’s World satirizes? Let us hope not! This obsessive product placement can only get worse with the concept of virtual placement. This needs to be regulated and thoughtful placed in programming or all hell will break loose. Can you just imagine this over use and misuse of product placement? It would defeat the purpose of DVRs and bring back interruption marketing full force. CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO VIEW VIDEO. If the link doesn't work go to Youtube.com and search for Wayne's World Product Placement.

Stereotyping Propaganda

2008-12-01T06:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know that the word propaganda automatically initiated negative thoughts of poster of WWII and political campaigns. I have even heard someone say that when persuasion is referred to as propaganda it is bad and negative. Most people think of politics and/or war so to satisfy the stereotype of propaganda I searched for visual examples. I came across a website that provided actual war propaganda that ironically satirizes that “war on terrorism” that is currently going on. Let me know what you think of when you see these posters. How do they relate and satirize the “war on terrorism”?

Risky Business

2008-12-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the saying that “you can’t be successful unless you are willing to take risks”? Well think about it, have you ever truly succeeded without first making some sort of leap? We live in an interactive world where people as consumers want to feel included and important in a world and society where they are empowered. We are a society of Internet, cell phone dependant people; Television and gaming, iPods and MP3 players, etc. Interactivity and consumer relationships are the dawn of a new era (to be completely cliché) in marketing and persuasion. It is not longer the focus of marketing to rely on the traditional and supposedly unwavering four P’s. Produce, price, placement, and promotion are not the only constructs that are important in marketing and persuasion today. Marketers must make a shift in order to include consumer relationships, interactivity, inform, and motivation. If it is all about making money then bluff. Make it seem that it is not, but in the long run just pretending is not going to work. Today’s consumer are smarter than ever, if they are being fooled or ripped off it won’t take them long to figure it out. There are so many ways in which we can find information these days and the Web has contributed greatly to that with its facets like Google and all of Google’s functions, the compounding amounts of blogs, Wikipedia, and informational websites.
Christian Gronroos of the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration writes that the marketing society must undergo a shift that is so major and dramatic in the “fundamentals of marketing that it can no doubt be described as a paradigm shift”. Society has already undergone a paradigm shift and it is still changing and fast. Gronroos, whose keynote paper can be found on Google Scholar, “demands a relationship-oriented approach to marketing.” If these ideals are being demanded by scholars as well as society then is it not time for the marketers and persuaders to jump on the same bandwagon?

Lady in Red

2008-11-28T18:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been told, “Wow, that color looks great on you” or “that color brings out your eyes”? Have you ever had your colors done? Are you a fall color, a spring color, warm or cool color person? Well I am a huge fan of red. Not only is it my favorite color but I have been complemented on how good it looks on me. I was Goggling as I always do when I connect to the Internet and came across a study conducted on the color red and if wearing it actually increase sex appeal.
According to infoplease.com and color psychology the color red is “The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention”.
Well red is the stereotypical color of power, sex; some shades of this color are even referred to as “slut red”. My favorite nail polish, which is a shade of deep sultry red with glittery accents, is named ‘I’m not really a waitress’. This implication that if a woman is wearing red it means that she is not as innocent as she might appear (wink wink).
A new study found that men find women sexier if they're sporting a crimson hue rather than, say, blue or green. However, red won't make you look smarter or more competent, says study author Andrew Elliot, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester in New York.” We only found the effect for attraction, so males don't rate females in red as more intelligent, more likable, or as having a better personality; they only rate her as sexier and more attractive," he says. Men also were more likely to say they wanted to have sex with a woman and that they would be willing to spend more on a date if she were in red, according to the report in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. This same study also asks if wearing red as a female political candidate make them more attractive at the polls. This study suggests that red is a negative color that emits a condescending aura unless a woman’s goal is to be sexually attractive and nothing more.
Why is red so sexy?
What does it mean if you are like me and your favorite color is red?
How can colors truly affect marketing and political campaigns?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/28/red.sex.appeal/index.html

AFFLUENZA - Do You Have it?

2008-11-28T15:50:00.000-08:00

"AFFLUENZA" is a serious social disease - caused by consumerism, commercialism and obsessive materialism - that is having a devastating impact on our families, communities, and the environment. We have more stuff, but less time, and our quality of life seems to be deteriorating. We as consumers make more impulse purhcases now than ever before.
We have more junk than we know what to do with and it seems to compound from year to year. I know that looking around my house and analyzing my "stuff" I realize that I have been collecting since my freshman year of college and still collecting. What happened the good old days when people had one or two things they collected? Now collections seems to encompass our entire house, cars, yards, garages, and not too mention our livves. Are Advetsisers the only ones to blame for the excessive clutter....or have we, as consumers, taken on part of the blame?

By using personal stories, expert commentary, hilarious old film clips, and "uncommercial" breaks to illuminate the nature and extent of the disease, AFFLUENZA has appealed to widely diverse audiences: from freshmen orientation programs to consumer credit counseling, and from religious congregations to marketing classes.

Diagnose yourself using the key below.
1. I'm willing to pay more for a t-shirt if it has a cool
corporate logo on it.
2. I believe that if I buy the cocktail dress, the cocktail
party will come.
3. I have a shoe collection Imelda Marcos would envy.
4. When I'm cold, I take my clothes off and turn up the heat.
5. I'm willing to work 40 years at a job I hate so I can buy
lots of stuff.
6. When I'm feeling blue, I like to go shopping and treat myself.
7. I want a sports utility vehicle, although I rarely drive in
conditions that warrant one.
8. I usually make just the minimum payment on my credit cards.
9. I believe that whoever dies with the most toys wins.
10. Most of the things my friends/family and I enjoy doing
together are free.
11. I don't measure my self-worth (or that of others) by what
I own.
12. I know how to pinch a dollar until it screams.
13. I worry about the effects of advertising on children.
14. To get to work, I carpool, ride my bike or use public
transportation.
15. I'd rather be shopping right now.

For questions 1-9 and 15, give yourself 2 points for true and 1 point for false.

For questions 10-14, give yourself 0 points for true and 2 points for false.
If you scored:

10-15 No dangerous signs of Affluenza at this time.
Watch Affluenza to help build immunity.

16-22 Warning: You have mild Affluenza. Watch Affluenza to help prevent
a full-blown case, and see our handy tips for squishing the Affluenza bug.

23-30 Cut up your credit cards and call a doctor!
36 Watch Affluenza, and then watch it again.

Survey Research

2008-11-24T09:41:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
My name is Rebekah Gregory and I am currently a graduate student working towards my Masters of Science in Mass Communications. This fall semester I have conducted research based in forms of literature, motion picture, and Internet. I have formulated a 30 question survey-questionnaire that should only take about 15-20 minutes to complete. This survey is strictly for Graduate research and your personal identity will not be revealed, only your answers. The link that I have provided below will take you to a website called Surveymonkey.com that has allowed me to organize my survey in order to make it user friendly. If could you take a quick 15-20 minutes to answer the questions in this survey it would be immensely appreciated. Please remember to click the submit button at the end of the survey. Answers should be submitted no later than November 29, 2008. Survey Link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=qd08D5Gies00s1XltWzdxA_3d_3d

Reach Beyond the Stars!

2008-11-13T14:43:00.001-08:00

Okay, I have to vent. There is no possible way that a human woman of 24 can stuff her nose in a book and redundantly click away on a keyboard supplementing the keyboard action with mouse action. My eyes hurt, my rump hurts, my nails are in desperate need of that lovely (bank account enemy) service of solar full-set. It is the middle of Novemeber and this schloarly little grad student must contain her sanity for at least the next 3 weeks (anyone want to take bets on when the breaking point will pop up?). Hmmm, sanity, now that is a word that references a stress-free envioronment and if anyone knows where to find that in the year 2008 you will be my new best friend.
Do you ever stop to think why such empahsis is placed on certain things in society. Everything is a trend and some trends loose their punch way before it is realized and acknowledged. I compare this concept to a star. Yes, a star! When a star burns out it can still be seen miles and miles away by us earthlings. This means that the pretty stars that we ooo and aaaah about may have burned out a long time ago and we are just seeing the remains.
IF we can acknowledge that we may be living in trend or experience that has already burn out maybe we can move on and become individuals that actually look for change rather than only analyzing what we see. Everything we see, hear, touch, taste, smell we need to question.
There! I have vented and successfully made only part of this post about the Blog's topic!

Reach Beyond Vertical to the Lateral

2008-11-13T11:14:00.000-08:00

A man walks outside on a rainy day. He has no umbrella. He carries no hat, newspaper, or other form of protection to shield him from the heavens, and yet not one hair on his head gets wet. Why?

Human logical nature automatically tries to rationalize this riddle but maybe we need to re-train our brains. We need to step up to Taco Bell's challenge to "Think Outside The Bun" and stretch our minds 'beyond the horizon'. Consumers are already doing this and this year's election has proven the case. Same thing applies to the world of persuasion, in this fast paced and rapidly innovative society marketers must keep up and run the hop on the train before it passes them up. Take a moment and lose your logical side and greet the infinite imaginative side, everyone has one its just a matter of tapping into it.

The Work, The Play, and The Lazy

2008-11-12T11:43:00.001-08:00

Comedian Steven Wright said “Hard work pays off in the future and laziness pays off now.” This is quite intriguing. With the increasing transparency of persuaders comes the increased demand and necessity for innovation and change the traditional advertising is considered “old marketing” (Jaffe 29). I wonder, just how does Wight’s comment target advertising, marketing, and the rest of the persuasion industry today? My curiosities lead me to Google (how original) which led me to a blog authored by Brian Clark, the editor of Copyblogger and co-founder of DIY Themes and Lateral Action.
Wright’s wise cracks provide wisdom for content marketers. These ‘wise’ comments actually emit the ideas that have surfaced for the new age of marketing and persuasion. If you want to read more for yourself visit www.copyblogger.com/steven-wright/.
I am a quote person so when I see a quote that I like I write it down on the nearest ‘writing’ surface. The following quotes are from Steven Wright, I want to know what you think each one has to so with Modern Marketing:

"To steal ideas form one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.”

“Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don’t have film.”

“Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.” (Okay, those of us who are students can relate to this quite specifically as well as those of you who remember just how you got your “start”)

“Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.”

To Busy to Squeeeeeeeeze!

2008-10-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Pop-Ups, now that's a blast from the past! How long has it been sense you have really and truly been bombarded by pop-ups? This so called marketing is one of the worst forms of "interruption marketing". Why does marketing and advertising always have to be an "interruption"? Why can't it catch our attention in a way that doesn't tend to be so intrusive? I am not talking about simple creativity and innovation. I am talking about revolution, a "communication revolution".

Not only do we use technological filters we somehow set up biological spam blockers in our brains and become completely immune to persuasion. Oh, and need I mention the lovely DVR so cleverly well known as TiVO? Isn't this the most wondrous innovation in modern TV viewing? Where our programs used to be an appointment squeezed, yet ingrained into our already intensely busy lives, now we have control. Appointment programming has miraculously transformed into the luxurious sanction of On-Demand Viewing!

Only if On-Demand was the way it was...! Maybe if marketers and advertisers actually cared that consumers DON'T CARE then consumer just might start caring. Marketers need to rid themselves of the dirt old notion that they need to reach the imaginary "mass audience" NEWS FLASH: Mass anything does not exist anymore in the communications world, unless we are talking about mass chaos.

Thank you technology, (TiVo especially) for giving us the opportunity to tune out those annoying persuasion tactics. I, for one, record all my shows and watch them later making sure not one annoying prehistoric, zombie like persuasion technique gets through (FYI: I am referring to that thing we call the 30 second commercial spot). I am thankful for pop-up and spam blockers. My advice to you is just because you want to run an experiment to attempt to supplement a paper topic, do not turn off your pop-up block and then go surfing.

Just Your Opinion

2008-10-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

What is good Advertising?

PROPAGANDA: Global Entertainment Marketing

2008-10-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

In all my Google searches for how product placement and propaganda relate to each other and all the other persuasion material and techniques. I stumbled onto a Branded Entertainment interview with Daphne Briggs, the Managing Director for Propaganda: Global Entertainment Marketing. Propaganda is a company that produces product placement and promotions into film, TV, music videos, and video games. A major concern for viewers is the oversaturation of traditional advertising will carry over into the world of product placement. Ms Briggs explains that Propaganda prides itself on “natural integration” which is a cooperative effort among the company and the clients in order to create a placement that makes sense for all parties. It is essentially “marrying the movie and the brand, it’s a little bit of art and a little bit of science”.

Companies, especially ones of this nature, strive to have a product or service that makes all parties content. Product placement has become a huge business in many different Medias. So what exactly constitutes a successful and effective product placement? Is it simply avoiding the “cease action” technique in order to create a “commercial” for a brand inside the program?

Listen to the interview and get a taste of how Propaganda is doing its part with product integration in modern media without disrupting the plot!
www.insidebrandedentertainment.com/bep/interviews/propaganda/propaganda_audio.jsp

I Want You!

2008-10-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

I want to follow my first blog post with an explanation of what the purpose of this blog site is. For the last year and a half I have rigorously worked on researching product placement as the future and the survival tactic of advertising and marketing. Along the way I have learned a great deal about the subject matter, however as research tends to take the researcher on a ride, I found myself speeding towards many other interesting topics. I figured out that the future of the persuasion world (i.e. marketing, public relations, advertisings, propaganda, etc.) lies in the hands of the increasingly empowered consumer, which is you.
So as a person intrigued by the empowered consumer and priding myself to be in that category as well, I have become extremely interested in how that average ‘blogger’ and average consumer thinks about advertising and marketing today and what place does it hold in the future. I understand that we are in a “clutter crisis” of ads and it doesn’t seem to faze many anymore, we have developed immunities and evolved into a culture that frankly doesn’t care.
I would greatly appreciate any and all the insight that you want volunteer whether it is clever ranting, cynical ranting, or intellectual expertise. This blog will hopefully serve as a opinion piece that will hold more water that opinions stereotypically get credit for. Let’s face it we don’t have enough true, raw, uninfluenced opinions these days. So let your hair down and let your fingers go and your mind wander. Tell me what you really think about ADVERTISING, MARKETING, PROPAGANDA, AND PRODUCT PLACEMENT, I want the Public’s Opinion.

Product Placement v. Propaganda

2008-10-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

Product placement (otherwise known as embedded marketing) is a type of advertising of promotions value placed or injected by the persuaders of society (the advertisers, marketers, propagandist, etc.) using real commercial products and services in media. This media can consist of: television programming, movies and films, cell phones, Internet, novels and books as well as other print media, campaigns, sporting events, gaming, etc. The possibilities are essentially endless as long as new media is formed or current media is continuously updated. The presence of a particular brand is integrated straight into the plot line and/or script of the production or programming. Some say the future of advertising lies in the constructs of innovation, product placement, and the rebuilding of client-consumer relationships.
Propaganda is a specific class of communication that attempts to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. By studying propaganda and a communication approach it enables up to isolate is communicative variable, to determine the relationship of message to context, to examine intentionality, to examine the responses and responsibilities of the audience, and to trace the development of the propagandistic communication as a process. Propaganda is commonly referred to as “organized persuasion”. Sproule refers to propaganda as an “organized mass persuasion with covert intent. Propaganda represents the work of large organizations or groups to win over the public for special interests through a massive orchestration of attractive conclusions packaged to conceal their persuasive purpose”.

What other forms of media embrace product placement or have or will have the functionality of product placement.

Where do you see advertising in the future?

How does product placement identify itself as a propaganda technique?