The Future of Advertising

This is the kind of stuff that boggles my mind! The fact that something can grow so big so fast is unbelievable. Social Media is taking over, and if companies don't jump on this train soon, they will be left way behind. By building an online community with their products and brands, companies are ensuring repeat visits and therefore more business. Using these online media sources allows buyers to get connected to your business without doing much work. I, along with the vast majority of the world, use social media every single day. So, if companies can find a way to spread the word about their products through popular sources like facebook, SEO, blogs, websites, ect, they will already be ahead of most of their competitors. Imagine the expansion of your business if people can go online and view feedback and information on what your are offering 24/7. It is amazing what the internet has brought to the world of communication, and it is up to businesses to become a part of this phenomenon. It is even more important for advertising students, like myself, to stay updated on all the different kinds of media out there because this is where the future of advertising is headed.

Jack Frost Nipping at My Nose

I have lived in Texas all my life, therefore, I have an excuse to say its cold when its 65 degrees outside.  To be quite honest, I think its cold even when its low 70's....so you can imagine how horrified I was in when I woke up this morning to see that it was 38 degrees outside!!! WHAT IS HAPPENING?  I know its December but seriously, I can't handle this weather!


One of my best friends lives in Kansas and over Thanksgiving break she sent me this picture of the fountain outside of her house...

Um, excuse me?  Hi, hello...are you for real right now?!?  Who in there right mind would want to live somewhere were it is so incredibly cold that it can freeze running water instantly?!?!?!  I was once asked if I would ever consider moving to a place like that....:/ um that would be like asking me If I want to live in a freezer?  Gee, thanks, but no thanks...feel free to come visit me though when it gets so cold that you can't even leave your house.


To top it all off, the wind makes the cold even more unbearable, because now we're talking runny noses and watery eyes.  This is simply not the way to live people.  In fact, I am going to go ahead and call everyone who likes that kind of weather NUTS!  I'll stick to living where is 85 and sunny.

Take Me to Pedicure Heaven :)

As embarrassed as I was to put a picture of my feet online for the world to see, I felt that it was necessary...The semester is coming to an end which brings with it a ton of stress and pressure.

finals = stress
and

pedicures = stress relief

All the things that I put off all semester long seem to be haunting at this point, causing me major stress and anxiety.   So that I don't drop dead from the mile long list of things to do, it is important for me to take a few moments and try clear my head.  For me, personally, there is only one thing in the world that will allow me to do just that and it is getting a pedicure.  It can literally take everything off my mind, and although they only last 60 minutes, it's enough time for me to relax and recoup.  Soaking my feet in warm water, getting a leg and foot massage, listening to tranquil music...there is no better way for me to unwind.  Also, having beautifully groomed feet afterwards doesn't hurt.  I am literally in heaven during the whole process.  A scrub here, a file there, paraffin wax making your feet as soft as a baby's bottom---it's simply w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l.!

Good Ad's

I am a HUGE fan of this Kia commercial. Not only is it funny and unexpected, but it is gets the message across. Recently, in one of my advertising classes, we had gone over the differences between good and bad ads...this one is definitely qualifies as a good one! The standard car commercial will usually have some type of scene in nature where they can show the vehicle driving really fast and smooth (somehow never getting dirty); it has all become so typical. But this Kia commercial is like a breath of fresh air! It has creativity and originality, which is probably the number one reason it took home the Nielson's Automotive Ad of the Year award. These hamsters are making waves in TV advertising and have shown to be very beneficial for Kia, because the car is doing very well in the market.

I wish every TV advertisement could be as entertaining as this one; it would make for the perfect remedy for boring commercial breaks. That, I think, should be the goal of every creative team; make something that viewers want to stop and watch as they are flipping through channels. Not only will it benefit your clients, but it benefits everyone having to sit there watch these commercials.

Making A House A Home

...or in my case, making my apartment my home.  When I was a freshman in college I began to look for an apartment.  Things like space, security, and proximity to campus were up there on the list of importance.  Over the years though, I have come to realize that it's not those things that make my apartment my home.  I have learned now that the following are the things that are must-haves wherever I live:

1. A big kitchen- I cook ALL the time!!!  I need a lot of extra space in the kitchen because I want room to cut, chop, bake, fry, mix, grill, and the list goes on and on....If I don't feel comfortable in my own kitchen, odds are I won't feel comfortable anywhere else in the house.
2. Warm colors- especially having spent 2 falls (my favorite time of year) here in Dallas, I need warm colors to make me feel cozy and comfortable.  I want to be surrounded by oranges and reds...colors that scream fall!!!  It makes my apartment feel like a place where I can retreat and get away from all of life's daily stresses.
3. People I love- I live with my twin sister, and although we have our differences sometimes, it means more than anything to me that I can come home to family after a day at school.  Wherever I live, I need to be surrounded by family and friends.  I don't ever want to live by myself or with people I don't get along with.  If your not comfortable with your roommates, you will never feel comfortable in your home.
4. Pictures-  This is a must!  No matter what corner I turn in my apartment I want to be reminded of all the great times I have had over the years.  These are the things I can look at to make me smile and laugh; little reminders of how lucky I have been to have had such a great life.

Add all these up and thats how I make my apartment my home. 

Is Chivalry Dead?

If its still alive can someone please send it my way?!?!  No longer are doors held open for women, no longer are ladies first...I find something way wrong with this picture!  I am an old fashioned woman living in a world of modern men.  My question is "when did it start dying and why!?!?"  Somewhere in history things must have went terribly wrong...are fathers not teaching their sons how to treat women?  Are mothers simply letting them get away with it?  Some might say that we are perfectly capable of opening our own doors and paying for our own meals...well, that may be true but it doesn't make it right.  The fact is, its those little gestures that make women feel special and secure.  We want our men to take charge and really "treat us like ladies".  


I can't put all the blame on men...women did/still do have something to do with this fatality.  I have to address all the feminists out there. We say we want to be treated equally, but are we really ready for that to happen? Yes, we are capable of doing anything and everything men do and yes, we need to stand up for our rights as women, BUT there are certain things men SHOULD do for us!  Just because we are able does not mean that men shouldn't be willing.  Sometimes I think women put men down for trying to take care of us (i.e., open doors, pay for meal, ect.).  It's not right, and, frankly, when you get mad at them it's unfair to the rest of us girls who appreciate those gestures.


I don't want chivalry to die, so my solution is simple---Men need to be chivalrous and women need to accept it.

Rewind

What if we could rewind time to go back and watch the ways we interact with people?  Those who have been on reality shows, who literally have this opportunity, always admit that they didn't realize the way they came across to other people until they were able to watch themselves on TV.  What if everyone had this chance?  It might be hard to see things about our personalities that are different from the views we have of ourselves, but in many ways this could be a good thing.  1) You could see yourself overreacting, jumping on people, being impatient, being unreasonable....and then you can work on changing those qualities about yourself.  2) If you have an argument with someone, you can go back and try to see both sides of the story instead of just your own.  3) Maybe we would start noticing the little things people do for us that get overlooked...the list really goes on and on...Picture it as if your seeing a movie for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time...you see something different each time you watch it.  Same would go for getting to see yourself over and over, I would think.  This would be an amazing gift, because it would allow people the chance illuminate the things they like and dislike about the ways they interact, making it so much easier to become our "best" selves.