Herbal Essences: The Only Shampoo to Give Bikers That Stunning Look They All Want

Ever think of showering in the middle of a park because some biker chick gave you a bottle of shampoo? Herbal Essences’ biker commercial tries to break the gender barrier normally associated with shampoo commercials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIs7OJ9FfGE

From humble beginnings as roaming nomads, men and women were assigned different roles in society. These nomads knew how to live off the land by using its resources to better their society. At some point, animal domestication turned horses as an invaluable method of transportation; a method almost always reserved for men. Jumping forward a few millennia, the “iron horses” of today typically provoke the same thought today - that men are the ones riding the motorcycles. Both then and now, these expectations held by the general population set different standards, telling how each gender should live. Herbal Essences wants to remove gender stereotypes from its products, by playing off society’s expectations and going against them through gender role reversal.

The commercial starts out with a girl dressed in leather getting off a motorcycle and showering with the new shampoo from Herbal Essences. After using the product, she has beautiful hair that any other girl would envy. As she walks back, she sees a rough looking male biker and passes him the bottle of citrus flavored shampoo, only to receive an odd glare, but the biker takes her unspoken advice and uses the shampoo to reveal incredible long hair that makes his fellow road warriors stare. Certainly, an element of humor comes into play with his final pose before the narrator ends the commercial with the company slogan.

The commercial is notable because Herbal Essences, one of the leading hair care products, is usually associated with women, but this time the brand tries to appeal to both genders. First, not all women have to be the stereotype, usually associated with superior hair care products. Here, the audience sees that the girl enjoys the rough life of a biker just as much as the guys do. When she decides to clean up though, she is not deterred by the feminine stereotype associated by Herbal Essences. Additionally, the rough-looking biker, one would think, would not care about his hygiene as much. However, not only does he take advice from a girl and uses the new shampoo, but he also makes his friends do a double take at his new look.

Such issues might prompt one to ask, “Why are these stereotypes around?” One explanation comes from the all too common homophobic nature of many Americans in today’s culture. Many men see competing shampoo/body wash products advertized with men who always get the most gorgeous date after using that product. As a result, the opposite idea that that using a “woman’s” shampoo could possibly make a man seem feminine, a trait wrongly deemed unacceptable by many Americans. Herbal Essences’ message reverses this notion because no one would question a biker’s masculinity. Similarly, there is a negative stereotype associated with “biker girls” who are, seen as being uncouth outcasts from society. However, the female biker in this commercial appears quite feminine, while still able to enjoy the open road on a bike. In all, it does not matter what a person uses, society has just skewed the ideas of what is acceptable. As the biker probably thought as he was showing off to his friends, while this is humorous, what in society says a man cannot be “pretty”?

IKEA Gay Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBQjz6OCa1Y

IKEA is a global ready-to-assembly, furniture store. It is headquartered in the Netherlands and it is known for its easy build and simple design. They put this commercial out on the market because they wanted to enhance their products and to make their products seem superior.     

This commercial shows negative stereotypes on straight man and positive stereotypes on the gays. Netherlands, being the first country that legalized gay marriage, appears to be more alert and concern about gays community and gays right. As such, the IKEA commercial that projects a more positive stereotypes on gays, to some extent, discloses the image of Netherlands as being a more liberal and respectful country for the gay community and it uses this stereotypes to gain the gays' attention to its product.


Another stereotype  that is portrayed is that straight men are usually dirty and unorganized. In this video, the stereotype is portrayed by the guy walking into his messy house with women he brought home. The scene of him walking into his house with a woman was repeated several times. The first two times, the girls left because his place was cluttered. This plays off the stereotype that a typical straight male does not pay attention to details or organization.


Soon, the guy realized that his messy house was the cause that annoyed the girls whom he brought home. In attempt from having the same problem again, he cleaned his place up and reorganized it using the products from IKEA. The third when he brought a girl home,  the girl was shocked at how clean and tidy his house was. She was smiling in the beginning but later on changed to a rather suspicious expression. When the man went in the other room to show the girl how neat he was, she immediately ran out the door. She was later shown talking to one of her friends about how she thinks her date was a gay.

The last part of the video plays off the stereotype that all gay men are neat, clean, and tidy. While some gay men are extremely neat and meticulous, it’s unfair to judge all gay men this way. The same can be said about straight men and being messy.

Because IKEA is based in such a liberal country many people are very accepting of the use of homosexuality in commercials. Many people would see this commercial as humorous. Likewise, many conservatives would take offense to this.

Some men find this humorous because they can relate to the man in the commercial. Personally, we have messy rooms so we fit the stereotype well. We understand why straight men are portrayed in this light. It can be offensive to some straight men who have clean rooms, but humor is used to diffuse the tension.

With all said, this commercial is up for discussion because some people take offense to this while others don’t. What is your stance on this commercial?

Beating Your Kids

The link to video is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD6oijh-6DI&feature=fvst

Russell Peters is a Canadian comedian whose parents emigrated from India. His basis for his comedic act is racial stereotypes. Though he tends to focus on his Indian heritage, he still includes a wide range of races in his stand up.

This video is based on stereotypes of minorities versus the dominant white group when it comes to beating your kids. This was obviously a very controversial topic for clear reasons, but it did play on the common perception that white people are too soft on their kids whereas minority parents are not afraid to beat their kids.

One interesting issue that Peters brings up is how the minority groups tend to stick together whereas the white people tend to work together. That implies how people tend to stay in their in groups and didn’t associate much with the out groups. Peters talks about how it was a weird occasion when a white person would come to the group of Russell and his black friends.

One of the cultural differences which was discussed is how minorities get “ass whooping” whereas as white people get sent to their room. He also talks about how the kids have more privacy and independence with western parents such as having a room.

Towards the middle of the video, Peters begins to contrast himself with his friend Ryan. When Ryan cursed his mother, she simply shook her head and didn’t do much to change the situation. Peters said, “His parents never beat him or yelled at him. He could do anything he wanted.” Beating kids in India or other non western cultures is not viewed as abuse but as an act of discipline. In America and Canada, beating your children is a crime because it is viewed as a form of abuse. Peters brings this up when he talked about phoning Children’s Services.

I don’t think all white kids are like Ryan, rude and disrespectful, but many minorities may view him as that. Ryan has much more freedom than many minority kids by not having to deal with the same kind of disciplinary consequences.

A reoccurring theme throughout the quarter is how hyperbolizing stereotypes (like in the case of Ryan) which is why I believe this video isn’t racist. Of course some aspects of the video could come off as being offensive or stereotypical but the main point of the act was for comedic purposes solely. Using humor as a form of targeting stereotypes and racial and ethnic groups is a reoccurring event in modern days society and is seen all throughout youtube videos, stand up acts and standard comedies on television. The widespread audience and attention caught by such “jokes” is seen by numerous viewers and repeated by them resulting in the ongoing process of racial and ethnic targeting in the media. What are your thoughts?

White and Nerdy

Racism has been around ever since people were different colors. Even in our open culture today, it is no surprise racism is still present. A big difference with racism today is it is based less on hatred and more on stereotypes. Does this make it any less racist? Music videos help justify those stereotypes. Every black rapper that puts out a music video of girls dancing on them while they throw money and flash their jewelry solidifies that image of a black man. Weird Al Yankovich attempts to make fun of white people in his parody “White and Nerdy”.
The video opens with two black men driving in a very nice convertible with bobbing their heads to the beat. They both double take when they see Al mowing his lawn. He is wearing a polo, slacks, and thick glasses. His nerd status is solidified when he gives the black men an over enthusiastic wave and starts speed walking over to them. The reaction of the men in itself is a parody. They frantically lock the doors (in a convertible) and drive away as fast as they can. This is making fun of how white people react when approached by a black man in a bad neighborhood. They seem afraid of the stereotypical nerd that is approaching them while others are afraid when approached by the stereotypical gangster.
The role flip in itself is not racist. I do not think this video is meant to be racist at all. It does, however, make some assumptions that do stem from racism and negative stereotypes. For instance, every gangster in this video is black and every black person in this video is a gangster. This is a minor detail but a very important one. It gives the impression that in order to be gangster you have to be black and in order to be nerdy you have to be white. This is only important because it highlights how white has come to equal intelligent and well spoken, while black has come to equal gangster and illiterate. At some point in time we have all heard, “why is that white guy acting black?” or “at least that black guy doesn’t act black”. This might be one of the worst forms of racism because black people are the ones that use it most. It has become their identity to “act black”.
Literally every line in this song is a stereotype of white and nerdy people. He talks about how he loves doing calculus, how all of his friends come to him to work on code, and how he has a front lawn. The front lawn is a subtle stereotype. Ghettos are not known for their large front lawns so by the simple line of “they see me mowin, my front lawn”, he is flipping this stereotype. Even though he is talking about being white and nerdy, he is dressed up like a gangster in pieces of the video which is also funny. A big reason we find it funny though, is because a white person dressed as a gangster just doesn’t make sense.
This song and video were all made in fun and with good intentions. That does not mean that it is void of racism. It sheds a light on the type of racism that has been so engrained in our culture and society that it is no longer recognized. The main reason is because black people have accepted it as their identity. This does not make the stereotypes any less harmful to a culture or race though. The worst part is this music video and song are actually really funny. They make fun of the song “Ridin” by Chamillionaire perfectly. I suggest you listen to that song as well in order to get the full feel of “White and nerdy”.

Should More Women "Do It Like a Dude"?

Women have been striving to be considered equal to men for generations. Trying to be a part of politics, business, medicine and show business just as much as men. Feminist songs have become more regular. From “If I Were a Boy” by Beyoncé to “Superwoman” by Alicia Keys, these songs try to convey how men should act or how women should be stronger. Jessie J puts a new spin on feminism. Instead of asking nicely, in her song “Do It Like a Dude”, she mocks and amplifies specific, and not so good, traits of men. The song also reminds society that even when this song was released in 2010, women were still considered “below” men.

The music video starts with a group of women shown lounging around a club gambling, carving tattoos on each other’s skin and smoking cigars. These women, however, are all dressed as men. Their clothes consist of loose t-shirts, dirty tank tops, baggy pants, backward hats, large gold chains, and short hair. Making them look like a gang of guys. Their outfits amplify the actions that follow. Capturing the cliché version of males, the women pull their hats lower, grab their crotch, get in fights and slouch while walking. This classic image captures the black male “gangster” look that has also caught on with white males. Another small feature that keeps occurring throughout the video is the fact that each girl has some type of piercing. Ranging from ears, nose, lip and eyebrow, the girls find something that can be pierced. This could be a possible jab at the males who are getting piercings as well.

Outside the looks of the female dancers, Jessie J focuses in on the language that men use around each other. She uses the lines “pull me a beer, no pretty drinks I’m a guy out here” and “all my B-I-T-C-H’s” to show men’s main view towards women. Trying to put one gender over the other, profanity and name-calling are used to describe women and how they act. The line about beer is stating that men are above such fluffy activities that women take part in. The profanity used is in terms of a female dog. Thus, lowering women to a state of obedience and animal like qualities. Other terms such as “brother” and “dude” are used to describe how men greet each other. This is already showing higher levels of respect between men with less respect to women. The final vulgarity is brought up with the constant use of “d*ck” and “crotch” repeated through out the song. Referencing the sexual and physical aspect some men are obsessed with.

Around this gangster look and vulgar language of young males, is composed a video that has a shaking camera, jerky movements, black make-up and a dark set. Reminding the watcher that she is capturing the shady and confusing side of men or perhaps a side they secretly want to express. The dark coloring representing the inner desire to live like the people in the underground club, and the jerky movements a fight between basic male desires and what is appropriate in society.

The video falls short of the message Jessie J seems to be trying to convey. Instead of saying women can be strong and independent, she seems to hint at the adoption of male attributes. That for women to truly be equal and on the same level as men they must act and behave as them, or simply accept the lower level that some “dude” has placed them in.

Dr. Pepper Ten 'not for women' blog project

The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group has recently launched an ad campaign to market a new iteration of Dr. Pepper for the health conscious American man. Dr. Pepper 10 is a ten-calorie beverage produced for those looking for a healthier alternative to the sugary, full-calorie Dr. Pepper, but find the Diet Dr. Pepper to be too “girly.” The international soft drink industry grosses $74 billion, but has started to slow as more and more consumers are turning to healthier options such as juice and water. Sales of sugary soft drinks have fallen dramatically in recent years, but the attempt to produce diet sodas has fallen short as the sugar-free drinks cannot match the taste of their full-bodied counterparts. Dr. Pepper is exploring a new niche in the market by offering a low calorie soda as opposed to a no calorie drink, trying to satisfy consumers with a sweet tooth and a New Year’s resolution.

While the Dr. Pepper Snapple group is a global force in the market, they have chosen to produce an advertisement targeted specifically at the young American man. The commercial shows a scene from a stereotypical American action film with a clean-cut, no-nonsense hero presenting this new manly soda for one to drink while maintaining masculinity. Even if this commercial had been aired in other countries it is still directed at teenagers. Teenagers in other countries are mostly exposed to American action films and just like those teens in America, they aspire to be the next James Bond. Dr. Pepper Ten however, omits the elderly and other races.

Various details can prove the target to American men. At the beginning of the commercial, the American man strikes back at a snake with his arm, showing his powerful and manly behavior. Then he easily escapes from gun fire and jumps into a car. In the end, the secret of his strength is revealed. The power from Dr. Pepper Ten, a new product designed for men with 10 calories. The Dr. Pepper Ten also “helps” him to stop enemies by virtue of blocking the way. The powerful man in the commercial is featured with muscle, guns and Dr. Pepper Ten to attract men who want to be strong like them.

The Dr. Pepper advertisement not only targets men, but also women. Many women have created Facebook pages and written articles in order to spur reactions to this “sexist” commercial. In the beginning lines of the commercial, the main character directly addresses woman by saying, “Hey Ladies, “ and then rapidly dismisses them by turning his back and yelling, “of course not!” Women take no part in the commercial and would not because of the largely held stereotype played upon in this commercial; Ten calories are too many calories for women, as they are responsible for maintaining a thin and sexy look. If this commercial had not characterized Dr. Pepper as being for an active, adventurous man however, Dr. Pepper Ten would have largely and solely appealed to women. In addition, in a world that is mostly run by women, although indirectly, Dr. Pepper ten shows the power of man. This idea creates tension as to who are the real leaders of the world and controversial questions as to what qualities are best exemplified by what genders.

Another effect of the Dr. Pepper Ten commercial brings is its remarkability, everyone who has seen this commercial remembers this product. This “Not For Women” commercial does a wonderful marketing job. The most successful thing about this commercial is the controversy of the content. Because of this, teenagers talk about this problem frequently. Since more and more people hear about the ad, people are more likely to purchase Dr. Pepper Ten. When people are in the store, they would say, “Oh, I remember that commercial, why don’t I try it?” Then, they will end up buying Dr. Pepper Ten. What this commercial really does is put the product in mind of the new consumer, a feat this advertisement does very well.

boring outside view & vivid TV view

Firstly,the TV can bring visual impact.The TV open people's horizons,which let people learned a lot.The ad shows that things became perfect,in other wards,though the ad,the people feel that everything is very well.This is the effect of vivid television which brought us.The vivid TV can give rise to fresh.The boring outside view can give persons some vapidity.

Commercial Strategy

In this Samsung commercial, we can see different ethnic groups of people such as Asian woman, little white girl and India boy. This is revealing because it shows the target consumer of the product, as well as the ultimate goal of Samsung: become a world brand accepted and consumed by all people. In addition, the commercial further strengthens this point by producing two versions of outside the train, the city bridge and the countryside, which indicates this product is suitable for both big cities and small towns.As a matter of fact, it is quite common to see a commercial with ethnic element, and here the ethnic element means use different ethnic groups of people to create a universal image of the product. Global brands have to come out with good idea for commercials base on different cultures in order to open foreign markets. Using different ethnic groups of people in a commercial is not creative but very effective idea because it can be broadcasted in different countries without changing too much.

Binaries

In this Samsung Commercial, we were exposed to many binaries, or polar opposites portrayed to showcase a point or idea. One of the most striking examples was the difference between the little boy and little girl in the commercial. The little girl was in a startling different place than the boy, yet even though they were separate they seemed to “connect,’ which none of the adults did. This could tell us a lot of things, the difference in economic conditions between the boy and girl. The girl, even though she could see the boy, was only looking at a picture of him through a TV. Even when she could see him, they would always be separate by thousands of miles and time. In a larger perspective could show the separate between the “first-world’ and the “third-world.” We may see pictures in the first world, we’re still insulated from anything “real.” I think Samsung might be playing off that a bit in the appeal to first world customers. They could be trying to put the idea in your head that because you’re a first world consumer, you need their TV to do all the cool things the people on the train are doing, including gawking at a “third-world” bazaar. Another binary portrayed in the commercial is the unusual versus the mundane. It’s a mundane thing to see trees, or a city outside a train window, Samsun wants to portray that they can transport you to something amazing, such as watching a stampede or flying through space. These differences all add up to plant the idea in your head that this product is important to own.

Boring View outside Vs. View inside the Train

The first view shown by the advertisement is the vast, pale grey forest that seems to be endless and dry. On the other hand, the view inside the train is the running horses with clear colors in the white covered landscape that seems to be cold and peaceful. The next outside view is like the rural area of the city that is abandoned and seems like there is no activities happening there. Yet, inside the train, the bright and clear sky and the crowd of India catch the interest of the passengers. The dry and grey bushes in the last scene also contrast with the bright and glowing sun in the space that is shown inside the train. These contrast views shown give the idea that this TV can make everything becomes more fascinating and real so that it will definitely grab the viewers’ interest.

Boring Outside view vs. Interesting view from TV

At the start of the commercial it is an image of multiple people entering the train with a Samsung TV. These people install the televisions, replacing the windows for the TV’s; as if the TV’s are a new window with a view more interesting than whatever is being seen outside the train. The first scene shows a boring barren landscape filled with trees and some signs of human infrastructure, like train tracks and wires. The next scene is a view from the television that shows a group of horses running in a blissful place including mountains in the background. The significance of this is that the TV’s aren’t showing something like a show with a plot, or with a theme to it, they are showing an improvement to whatever these people are seeing. Supporting this idea are the next two instances of bleak vs. boring in this ad. Following this you see a view of the train entering a grey unconnected city, with the next view from the train being a lively bazaar. Some binaries in these scenes are grey vs. colorful and dead vs. lively the differences are the new view is more interesting and captivating, so much so that the little girl can even interact with the young boy in the bazaar. The next part of the commercial is the train headed into a dark tunnel, which is then followed by the people in the train looking the bright burning sun. The binary here is dark vs. light. What I believe is trying to be conveyed here is that when a person buys a Samsung TV you can take their “smart TV” and apply it to your life. Whatever a person is interested in it will take that idea and then improve it. In other words it will take your bleak boring life and make it better, so buy our TV.

Revealing

Jeff Stagnaro
9 January 2012
Viewing the Samsung commercial reveals the capabilities of the product as well as the intended qualities that Samsung wishes to be attributed to the product. Throughout the commercial, Samsung creates an image of the product that is designed to reveal its capabilities. The monitors are placed over the windows of a train and as the train rolls through an English landscape, the passengers are gifted with an entirely different experience. The scenery of the ride reveals that with a Samsung television the bounds of entertainment and exploration are unlimited. The opposites of fire and ice reveal the power of the product. The initial scene is of horses galloping through frozen icy tundra and by the end of the advertisement, the passengers gaze upon a blazing sun. Perhaps unintended revelations about the product can be noticed by the setting of the commercial. Because the train only loads once and never stops, it is given that that particular train ride is exclusive. No matter the price of the ticket, only an exclusive number of people can enjoy that train ride. If a person cannot get on the train then he cannot look out of its windows. This reveals that the product is exclusive only to those who have access to it. Whether it be financial or physical access, the product is exclusive. The advertisement further reveals the exclusive nature of life. Access to things in life often is strongly correlated to class and social status. The boy in the Indian marketplace does not seem to have equal access to the pleasures of the “train ride” that the young passenger has. Likewise, individuals lacking possession of a Samsung smart TV do not have access to the universal entertainment that the passengers are experiencing.

A Train Without a Destination

In the Samsung commercial the train has no destination. People are seen entering the train at the beginning, but no one exits the train for any reason, and there is no stated destination. Samsung has created the paradox of a beginning with no end. Also, the people on the train do not seem to be worried about this fact; indeed, they are totally engrossed by the TVs. Many people who are shown watching the TVs have what appears to be work on the tables in front of the TV (even the little girl appears to have some homework that needs to be done), but no one is even paying attention to what they were supposedly supposed to be doing before the TVs entered the picture. Samsung has brainwashed these people into forgetting that anything else except the TVs even exists. On the train, many people crowd around the TVs as they watch, but they do not interact with each other in any way because they are engrossed with the TVs. The only apparent show of any human interaction is with the little girl and the little boy, except that boy is a creation of the TV. Samsung has enslaved these, perhaps unwilling people, on a train that will travel on forever showing them, perhaps, everything that they will never again be able to experience for themselves. Samsung shows people this way, without thought of anything except the TV, in the hopes that the viewers of this commercial will, like the people on the train, become “lost” in their new television from Samsung, and will in turn also become a prisoner of non-reality.

No Destination

Samsung poses a unique aspect in their new commercial advertising the new Smart TV. As the riders enjoy their ride on a train, they experience the lifelike picture of the TV, rather than the actual scenery outside. One interesting aspect is that the viewer only sees the beginning of the trip, not the end. One possible interpretation of what Samsung attempts to convey is how their new TV creates an endless “journey” to places far away that otherwise would go unseen. Upon leaving the station in London, travellers experience the majesty of wild horses, the bustle of a distant city, and even appear to see the sun. Samsung wants to show how their product will allow the viewer to see places in a way never available before on a TV.

Binary:Different views from the windows with the people. The younger kids looked at more lively scenes and the older people looked at the more interesting peaceful scenes

When viewing this commercial one may just see people on a train looking at what looks to be a window but is actually a television. After viewing and analyzing this commercial it came to my attention that there were some unique characteristics about the placement of images and people on the train. Throughout the entire train ride, the scenes kept switching from older people to younger people looking out the window. The views outside of the train matched up with the age group of the people on the train. For example whenever there was a younger person looking out the window there would be a younger and more lively picture out of the window. When there were older people looking out the window, they saw more of a peaceful scene.

This was very intriguing to me because Samsung is trying to show that all age groups can find something that they like and will use their TV to the best of its abilities. I like that this ad tried to do it secretly because the ad goes so fast. The ad also connects the people on the train to the other people of the world and the product actually does this. The television has access to the World Wide Web and allows users to interact with the people and or websites universally.

Taking into consideration how short the ad is, they do a great job at displaying what the TV does; from accessing the web, to a perfectly clear picture, all the way to accessible to around the world.

This topic could also relate to fantasy vs. reality. It is fantasy because the people inside the train are using their windows as a TV screen and not a single train in the world would do that. Also a lot of the images that are displayed on the TV cannot be seen from a train. The scene where the little kid outside of the train is touching the window and walking with the train is totally fake, but we get a strong sense of connection through the boy and the little girl watching. It depicts a great deal of reality because the picture on the TV is so clear and it is actually one of the clearest and crispiest pictures in all of the television markets.

Binary: A Littel Girl vs. A Boy

This is an advertisement about Samsung. In the advertisement, there are a little girl, who sits in the train, and a boy outside the train. It looks like that they are in the similar age; while the lives are quite different. The girl in the train enjoys the views outside it and feels comfortable. However, the boy plays on the laddar and is curious about the train, as well as the girl in the train. There is no doubt that they are all naive and friendly to each other, but not the same as their life stlyes. Figuring out that the boy is poor while the girl is in good living standards, they will have different lives in the future. We get this information about children in different countries via Samsung TV. You can enjoy and know more about the world through our TV, so buy it.

Quick Write from Samsung Commercial- Brenna Hallum

Strange: train view vs. TV view

We discussed the strange parts that occurred in the Samsung commercial. The commercial compared experiences that are rare for a human or hard to experience with a normal and in some cases everyday experience of riding a train. The TV showed that it is able to take you away from the everyday life into a more extraordinary setting. Also, those who board the “Samsung train” never get off because they are so enraptured in it. Many TV’s try to make an unattainable reality more and more reachable through the use of 3D TVs and high definition. This seems so normal to people today that TVs should be more advanced and make us feel a part of the action, but when even movies just came out they were extremely strange to people. The first movie created, made people believe that the train on the screen was going to actual come through the wall and run them over. So, looking at how fear was the original reaction to TVs to a “make it more real” mentality is strange in-and-of-itself. Beyond that we go see 3D movies and even some roller coaster rides have a hologram mechanism that works with that shows that society is driven to having the unreal, real. That what we can't live we must in some way experience. This can be both good and bad, letting us "live" our fantasies, and pulling us from the world we are in for a few hours, but this can also be detrimental. Causing us to losing ourselves in what we can't have, yet what we perhaps truly want.

TVs vs. Windows

TVs are more globally expressive than the ordinary windows on a train. If one would like to get to view and experience the world in one long train ride, a Samsung SMART TV is the only way to go! In the commercial the people begin by walking across an ordinary train station in which the colors where somewhat along the gray scale. But after the individuals were comfortably seated in train with their tvs installed in the windows, the tvs brought color and awesomeness to their ride. Every shot outside had a calm, and ordinary scenery, but inside the tvs brought the excitement to you. There were horses galloping across snow covered fields and the luminous sun spreading light in the dark train room. The young girl on the train seemed fascinated to see the young boy in India climbing down the ladder and following the train where as the crowds at a local baazar are just passing by.

Repetitions

The repetitions in this commercial are used to show the possibilities the new tv provides. In the commercial, the outside of the train is shown multiple times. The view of the outside of the train is always immediately followed by an amazing visual image on the screen inside the train. This contrast shows how much better the tv is than the real world outside. Not only did the people bring tvs in for every window, but they seem to be enjoying them immensely. Another repetition is huddling around the tv. For every scene, the people are completely enveloped by what is happening on the screen. At one point, the little girl reaches out to touch the little boy that is not outside her window. At the end of the commercial, everyone in the train is huddled around the two screens that are displaying the sun. This is used to suggest that the tv will bring people together which is a good sales tool for families.

Boring view outside vs. interesting view inside:

Samsung seems to have made it a point to demonstrate the ability of their product to liberate the viewers from the drudgery of everyday life and open a portal for the viewer to escape into the world not normally seen, in high definition of course. The harsh and monochromatic image of an urban and industrious scene being replaced with the vibrant and social image of a bazaar provides a much more pleasant sight for a world-weary traveler, in much the same way the view of the sun from an astonishing closeness sparks the curiosity of one involved in an arduous situation much more than the blur of a rectangular building in the middle of the flat, grass-covered country side. This separation from reality is used as the main selling point in this advertisement. It is as if Samsung were saying to viewers, " If our product can be so beneficial to a group of strangers in some arbitrary location on a simple train ride, just imagine what it can do for you in the comfort of your own home with near unlimited access."

boring outside view & vivid TV view

The verse outside of the window is limited, because it depends on where you are and where you are going to. However, the advertisement of this sumsang TV shows that things becomes unlimited and vivid through this product. Through this TV in the train, you can see the horse, the view from different country, and even you can watch the sun so closely in the universe. Boring and vivid are existing as opposite words, but the amazing verse happens to this trip by the magic of this TV, and it brings both happiness and visual enjoyment to passengers at the same time. This creative idea is brilliant, because it enhances the two great characters artfully, which are the smooth visual enjoyment and the powerful internect connection of this TV .

something about samsung ad

After watching the samsung ad, the most impressive scene is that the 2 children gravitate to each other, one is inside the window and the other is outside. They have directly eye contact and it seems that they can communicate with each other if there is no window between them. The lovely child, the crowd market, the busy passerby, all the things outside the window is so vivid that we almost belived this is the real. But we all know that the window is not just the window but the smart TV screen which producted by samsung. Everything outside is not realistic, it is visional. That is so interesting because this scene truly and directly reflects the speciality of a smart TV. And all of us was attracted by the ad so much because the interesting originality.

Reviewing of Samsung ad

The Samsung ad from class is very creative. The train keeps moving in the ad; it goes through many places in the world which gives us an ideal of universal. The product is obviously targeting the world marketing other than just one region. The train starts at a train station, then moves to somewhere like polar region where horses run with the train. Then the train comes to a big city where many people are buying and selling products. Everyone seems very happy there. Next, the train becomes a spacecraft. It takes us out of Earth and get into galaxy. The train keeps moving and never stops. It always makes me exciting about where to go next. Just like Samsung TV, we are able to stay at home and create a wonderful experience traveling with samsung TV. I like this ad.

Interesting facts.

The most significant scene of the commercial is the presence of different ethnic groups. This subsequently reflects the target audience of Samsung, which is global. The idea of displaying the tv in a train across the world without any destination reflected the intention of the company in selling the product worldwide. Apart from that, various ethnic groups present in every scene also cast out the stereotyping among different kind of races. It is significant in a way that everyone are unite. Another appealing scene that vividly captured the presence of different ethnic groups happily interacting among one another is the scene when the girl in the train illusionally smilling to the small boy in the tv, which looks like it is outside the train. The eye contact is genuine and full with excitement. Apart from that, the TV which is displayed in the train is vivid. The vividness of the TV creates fantasy and illusional effect to audience in a way that it is like the background or scenic view outside the train across the nation. This also shows the clarity of the product.

Binary

Samsung commercial


Haksoo Kim
Eng 110

• View out side VS view inside the train

:View out the train is desolate with few buildings and flat color of plain. However, inside the train, views where people can not easily access are shown. For example, Antartica, countury of distinct, orient culture, and the space out side the earth is not accessible to all human kind. It accomplishes the human's universal fantasy.

• Little girl inside VS Boy outside

I can guess that the little girl has affluent background in that the girl took luxury train from the station in one of the most affluent countries and she has tidy appearance. However, the boy is in the flea market-looking place, and just walks. In this commercial,they are sharing the positive emotion beyond the border, ethnics accross the time through window.

• Other elements in Universe integrated into one

In human society, human is often set apart from other kinds of anymals. In reality, most human only cares their matters in daily routine. So does they from other planet in the perspective of space. However, in this commercial, in the train where people can be relaxed with the routine tasks forgotten for a while, people pay attention to the other species, other planet. It is not only the contrast but also a integration.

Visuals vs Music

In many advertisments such as commercials and even in movies and television shows, music in correlation to the actual visual aspect of what is going on in whatever you are watching plays a huge role in the mood and actual concept of what the show,movie or commercial is trying to convey. In commercials such as charities and foundations trying to acquire donations, the visiuals are usually very persuasuive and very eye-opening to what it is they are trying to sell to you, along with that music is usually added to further amplify the emotions you are feeling to even more persuade you. When you see images of abused animals and a host speaking in a slow soft tone accompanied by "sad" and slow music they are succesfully changing the mood you had prior to watching the specific ad, sometimes becoming succesfull in persuading people to donate to their specific cause. In a movie, music is added to set the mood or even foreshadow what is to come. Even though the scene may be very calm and empty, when that rising and dramatic music starts playing you know that something is about to happen and makes you feel uneasy and is often very difficult to divert your attention. Sometimes the music doesn't go along with the visuals on the screen at all, sometimes the visuals are very lively, bright, and active while the music is very slow and calming, but there is no doubt that that is not unintentional. The calming sense of the music may be further persuading you to purchase the product in an advertisement or keep you interested, it serves a purpose or it would not be present in the first place. When the music is lively and exciting and the ad at hand conveys happiness and fullfillment your mood is pushed in the same direction and then your mind is very capable of thinking that this product can bring you that same happiness conveyed on the screen. Music and correlation with visuals is very relevant in todays media and huge part of anything that is put on a screen. It has definitely been successfull in creating desried moods and grabbing the attention of the viewer.

Windows of the train are the TVs.

The windows offer a view that would not usually be seen. The TV gives images that are exciting and convey different emotions. The horses running are peaceful. The sun is powerful and the indian scene is interesting and fun. The different scenes appear to different people who seek different forms of intellectual stimulation in their lives. Same idea as the "eyes are the window to the soul." The images aren't real. People want to be in a fantasy sometimes and escape life. People want to be entertained and transported to a different place. The train transports people to different places literally and the TVs transport people's minds. The TVs show nothing that is sad or upsetting. When we look out a window we sometimes see things we want to see and other times we see things that we would never want to see. The TVs make life better. If you have the TV in your house you will always view beautiful things with clarity. The TV doesn't have graffiti on it and the windows are not scratched. Initials aren't etched into the windows. The screen is perfect. Who wouldn't want to live in a perfect world? The TVs seem just like reality because the little boy and the little girl seem to make contact. The TV is not just something to watch. Watching TV is known to be a passive activity, but in this commercial the little boy runs after the train to stay in contact with the little girl and the little girl moves her hand. Her face lights up when she looks at the TV. Her brain is working. The windows could be anything you like. You can choose channels. The TVs can even offer you to be in your favorite movie or watch your favorite movie unfold outside your "window." You can teleport. The destination is unkown because the TVs are always changing scenes. This makes it seem like the train ride is adventurous. Everyone wants some adventure. The destination however will probably be somewhere magical or somewhere dull and depressing, because you will have to be in the real world and not be viewing the world through a TV. Plays on the way modern society uses TV. People sit and watch TV programs to better understand the world.

TVs showing things not visible through window.

Samsung is using the interesting idea that these TVs make it possible to see the impossible. They show passengers of the train viewing horses stampede through snow, a village in India and the burning sun. The passengers seem astounded by this and therefore the TV becomes appealing to the audience viewing the commercial. It seems strange that Samsung would use this technique to sell televisions. Whenever we watch TV, we are seeing things that could be impossible to see at that moment in time. For example, when one is on a couch in Columbus, they cannot look outside their window and see the Empire State building. However, they could see it on their TV while watching the news or a movie. Samsung, in my opinion, did not choose a clever way to attract consumers. This did not make their TVs seem any better than another television brand. It would appeal to an audience intended on using train travel. Someone trying to decide which train line to travel on would most likely be more inclined to choose this brand with televisions as windows showing unimaginable scenes.

Reality Versus Fantasy

It is a commercial advertizing for the Samsung Start Television. The setting of the advertisment takes place in a train in London. All the windows in the train are covered with Start TV. The scenes show in the televisions are more of fantasy, which are things that can hardly be seen in daily life. For instance, the first scence shows a herd of wild horses running freely (aminals), the second scene shows the market place in India (people and culture) and the third scence shows a close view of the hot burning sun (the universe). These scences are very contradictory to the condition in the train which appears to be more of reality and ordinary. The people in the train are impressed by what they see in the television and they crowd at the television for closer view. It shows how often people are drawn from reality to fantasy as fantasy appears to be more interesting and inviting. In comparision, the condition inside the train, which is the reality world, is boring and dull and no one pays much attention to it. Instead, everyone's focus is on what are showing on the screens.

Contrasts: Both Visual and Cultural

This advertisement uses several examples of stark contrast, both visual and even cultural. As the passengers are loading on to the train, you can see a very dull train station and even the passengers are moving in strict lines as if they are just going through the motions. When the train starts moving, that all changes. Suddenly the vibrant images of the TVs make the passengers snap out of their routine and gather in groups. The TVs almost create a kind of unity among the passengers because they are seeing such beauty. Another contrast is the bland images outside of the train compared to the vivid ones produced by the TVs inside the train. You As the passengers are traveling through an uninspiring countryside, they see a stunning view of horses running through a beautiful snow covered tundra. When they enter the city, there is nothing that catches the viewers eyes on the outside, but the passengers see a vivacious city full of color and joyful people. Finally, when the train enters the tunnel, the passengers see a view of the surface of the sun burning brightly instead of the pitch black tunnel walls they would normally see.
If the video is examined on a closer level, you can see that the contrasts that exist are not all visual. There is a subtle indication of class disparity among those riding on the train and the people that are seen on the TVs. The people on the train seem to be somewhat wealthy, while the people seen on the TVs living in the city seem to be living in relative poverty. While the overall message of the advertisement doesn't indicate any tension between the two sets of people, it is still interesting to note. Overall, Samsung was able to grab the viewers attention by using such clear contrasts, both visual and cultural.

Blog project Groups and Schedule

Blog project groups:


Group 1

Alvarez, Carolina, Yao, Xiang, McSharar, Patrick, Jin, Qing

Group 2

Ang, Mei Er, Yao, Ouning, LeVay, Nathan, Hallum, Brenna

Group 3

Bennett, Benjamin, Ezawa, Justin, Xu, Xiran, Wu, Shuangqi

Group 4

Flatt, Cassandra, Stagnaro, Jeffrey, Singhal, Swati, Huang, Liang

Group 5

Gartner, Brian, Schweickart, Nicholas, Kim, Haksoo, Ng, Chee Ling

Group 6

Platko, Steven, Meister, Kassandra, Lasch, Mark, Irene, Angela


Blog Project schedule:

Blogs are to be uploaded by 11.59 pm on the due date.

1. Group 1 blog to be uploaded by Jan 14th, Comments Jan 16th by 3.30pm, Presentation Jan 18th

2. Group 2 blog to be uploaded by Jan 21st, Comments Jan 23rd by 3.30pm, Presentation Jan 25th


3. Group 3 blog to be uploaded by Jan 28th, Comments Jan 30th by 3.30pm, Presentation Feb 1st

4. Group 4 blog to be uploaded by Feb 4th, Comments Feb 6th by 3.30pm, Presentation Feb 8th


5. Group 5 blog to be uploaded by Feb 11th, Comments Feb 13th by 3.30pm, Presentation Feb 15th

6. Group 6 blog to be uploaded by Feb 18th, Comments Feb 20th by 3.30pm, Presentation Feb 22nd

Welcome!

What's the Purpose of the Blog Project?

English 110 hones analytical habits of mind that are meant to be naturalized and used outside of the classroom. Therefore, the Blog Project takes the analysis you use throughout the ARP and Commonplace, and gives you the chance to practice applying it to the public writing you already interact with in your everyday life. As you become accustomed to making this analytical move on your own, you will develop into a more aware, critically thinking citizen of the world.