Wearing Black Makes You More Aggressive

Click to go to the actual article.

"[The experiments in this article] outline some pretty interesting facts on human aggression.  The first alarming finding is that we make quick judgments  about people and what they are wearing.  We automatically assume that individuals wearing black are inherently more aggressive than individuals not wearing black.  But, as it turns out, we may be doing this for good reason because when individuals are wearing black they seem to feel, and certainly seem to act, more aggressive."

• "Black is the color of authority and power. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil." (Source http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html)

What does this all mean for advertising? 
Color psychology plays a big role in decisions concerning the design of an advertisement, or even a brand logo. Color psychology may determine why one color may be better suited than another for an advertising campaign based on the feelings and emotions that it evokes in the consumer.

    It all has to do with the emotion, feeling, and subliminal connotation that we, as humans, attach to certain hues. For example, whereas a color like blue is generally known to evoke a sense of relaxation and calming in humans, a color like red does the opposite by getting us worked up.

*According to studies made at Northwestern University, men change their minds 2 to 3 times more often than women. The experiments fount that women take longer to make a decision than men do, but once they make a decision, they are more likely to stick to it.

"People want to be told what to do so badly, they'll listen to anyone."

                      -Don Draper, Mad Men on Advertising

"Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay. "

          -Don Draper, Mad Men

Become a Character from Your Favorite TV Show/Movie!

Applications which allow the viewer to become a character in their favorite TV show or movie, simultaneously create a greater connection between the product and its audience. It is a fun marketing tool, targeted mostly to younger audiences. 

Here are some websites which let you create your own character based on your favorite TV show/movie..

MAD Men

"Mad Men Yourself"

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/

MTV's Jersey Shore

"Jerzify Yourself"

http://www2.jerzifyyourself.com/?fbid=VoXhYRQu510

"Jersey Shore Yourself"

http://www.mtv.com/games/arcade/game/play.jhtml?arcadeGameId=10256275

Avatar

"Avatarize Yourself"

http://www.avatarizeyourself.com/

South Park

"SP Studio"

http://www.sp-studio.de/

Brand Obsessed- Chanel Cupcakes

Brand Obsessed.. 

The consumer is so attached to the brand's image that she incorporates it in her daily life and extends it to  aspects well beyond those intended to uphold the the brand name.

Chanel and Burberry cupcakes anyone? I doubt Chanel will be opening up a bakery anytime soon.. but I bet these creations taste (psychologically) 10X better than any ordinary unmarked cupcake ;)

Old Navy: Dehumanization of Humans, Humanization of Mannequins

 

The new Old Navy ad campaign brings a new meaning to the Mean Girls' "Plastics". Everyone is familiar with the talking mannequins that have dominated Old Navy's advertising for some time now. A new campaign puts a twist on Old Navy's mannequin idea, but this time humans are also being presented as mannequins. In a reality show themed contest led by talking mannequins, humans compete to be the best mannequin, on criteria such as..

• who can master the "art of standing"
• who will be the best at "wearing clothes"
• who can hold a big "plastic smile" the longest

And quotes such as..

• "get in touch with your plastic side"
• "never give up your dreams of being fake"

This commercial, which dehumanizes humans as wanting to be the perfect mannequins, encourages people (especially young girls) to be "fake" in order to be pretty by placing emphasis on "perfection". Furthermore, it literally removes an element of human spirit which was prevalent in Old Navy ads before, and turns humans into objects and palettes for the clothing.
        Personally, I think this ad is not only creepy but also sends out the wrong message to young girls. Old Navy, enough with the creepy mannequins. Bring back some life to your brand!

Doggie Dentures

A really funny advertisement from Pedigree. How can you not love it!? Enjoy!

Aside from the apparent humor, I like the approach of this commercial because it gets the viewer's attention right away by introducing a ridiculously funny product- Doggie Dentures. It quickly grabs the viewer's attention only to dismiss the fake product and reintroduce the actual product- Dentastix, while the viewer is still engaged and amused. 

The Kotex U Beaver

Absolutely hilarious "Kotex U" commercials for its Australian advertising campaign. Surprised I hadn't seen these ads sooner because they've been around since 2008.

And, YES the beaver represents exactly what you think.
A little different than your average tampon commercial, isn't it?

"The Last Ad Agency On Earth"

The Last Advertising Agency On Earth from FITC on Vimeo.

Personally, I'm going to have to disagree. Advertising is here to stay. As long as businesses want to stay ahead of their competition, you bet they will invest whatever money they need in order to make people pick their product over another.