Friday, September 30, 2011

Stop it, You Guys! Stop it, Mademoiselle!

I just heard this interesting bit about the phenomom of calling anyone and everyone "you guys."

It's more of a linguistic plaint from an aging journalist, but nonetheless, interesting:

We're all just 'guys'

Another Linguistic Gender Related Controversy Brewing in France:

That's Madame to you!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Bare Escentuals Campaign.

Pretty is not enough. Pretty is nice. It’s fine. Pretty can turn heads. But beauty? Beauty can change the whole world. Pretty is what you are, but beauty is what you do with it. Pretty lifts spirits. Beauty makes them soar. So Smile. Be Bold Show your Beauty Because When you put pretty into action, there’s no limit to what you can do.


The Bare Escentuals Campaign-don't ask me why they spelled essentials wrong; it's beyond me-launched a TV campaign to sell make up products. The actresses say the preceding quote as they whoosh their hair around dressed as firefighters or school teachers. The twist- they five actresses they hired were not chosen based on looks- in fact the company never saw their faces even when they were interviewed. They were inspired by their inner-beauty what they do.

Check out the campaign. I think it's effective. Personally, I don't find it too offensive. I don't buy the inner beauty bit because after all they are selling make up. But is there something subversive and rotten with utilizing this "inner beauty" mantra?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The video with Jay-Z & Cristal advertisement

Here's the link. There are other musicians and celebrities that discuss products and advertisements

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Got Milk? (thank god...now you won't be a bitch!)

The California Milk Board recently ran this campaign, complete with a website, to promote drinking milk. Print ads showed flustered men holding milk cartons. Text ran above with self-incriminating irony like, "I apologize for letting you misinterpret what I was saying." On the bottom, the hook: "Milk can help reduce the symptoms of PMS." The subtext being: "If you drink milk, you won't be such a bitch because it's your time of the month. (and your poor boyfriend can breathe a sigh of relief)."

While it may seem offensive at first, the California Milk Board does have science on its side, the website: "everythingidoiswrong.org" presented scientific evidence that vitamins found in milk (along with all dairy) can reduce symptoms of pms.

But it goes one step further! After the outrage over the ad campaign, the California Milk Board changed their tune and called the campaign "Got Discussion" creating online forums for a conversation about the campaign and the stigmas associated with "PMS." As well as an aggregation of news articles that critique the advertisement.

Now to really "meta" this up. Check out the news coverage of the ad campaign found on the "Got Discussion" website. It's coverage from CNN with two smiling made up female news casters laughing about the campaign and sharing dairy products. One says, "So you're looking a little grumpy one for you (hands over some dairy) one for me!"

CNN Coverage

Personally, I think it's a fascinating case study. The real question is: where do we draw the line between fact and offensive? Aren't all stereotypes based in facts? Isn't this just a clever ad campaign based in facts (packaged a little offensively)? Isn't offensive good advertising?

More Newsbits:

New York Times

Media Post

Jezebel

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Art or glorified violence?

    Art or glorified violence? A canadian hair salon displayed this ad in their window. Immediately the public reacted by vandalizing the store and blogging about it on line. The salon defends it as art. What do you think?
Sources: