As I finish up my research paper, I find myself looking back at the beginning of the semester. The first few days of class I had no idea what I was going to write my research paper about, and I was worried that it just wouldn't get done, let alone be written well. Looking at the final copy of it now I am pretty satisfied. I'm glad that I chose the topic I did because it was interesting and it helped me to dig deeper into my major and I learned a lot.
I also think that the blogs were a great addition to the entire process. It was nice to be able to write about the sources, or just about whatever I had found throughout my research. It will be a nice thing to look back at in a few years and remember all of the work I put into this paper. It will also be funny to look back at it when the world of advertising has changed, and to find that my "future of advertising" has become the past.
History fascinates me to begin with, so the history of my major ended up being the perfect topic. I think I researched it well and found out many key points that were vital to the development of modern advertising. I am even more excited to take more advertising classes and to eventually start my career in the advertising business. One day you'll be flipping through the channels to find a commercial that I developed. This research paper is truly only the beginning.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Suggestions Received
My three classmates also had some suggestions for my paper and I took them all into consideration. I changed some of the things that they pointed out to me, but some things I kept the way they were to begin with. First of all, I fixed my citations that were incorrect, as well as my works cited page. Laurie pointed out that not all of my citations matched up with the page. She also pointed out a few places where things were inconsistent, such as my spelling of the word “Domino’s.” I looked it up and changed it to the appropriate spelling.
Molly found some of the same mistakes, and she also pointed out page numbers that were missing, and that my works cited page was not double spaced. Amanda suggested that a few of my sentences be worded differently, or moved to a different paragraph, but for the most part I left the organization of my paper the way it was. I also went through and edited my paper one last time, just to catch any small errors. I added a few commas where they were needed, and I took the time to really read each sentence separately so I would not miss anything.
I think peer review sessions can be tedious at times, but the end results are very helpful. The suggestions from my classmates were useful and insightful, and my paper improved because of them. I hope that my suggestions helped them in return, and that they were able to develop and refine their papers as well.
Molly found some of the same mistakes, and she also pointed out page numbers that were missing, and that my works cited page was not double spaced. Amanda suggested that a few of my sentences be worded differently, or moved to a different paragraph, but for the most part I left the organization of my paper the way it was. I also went through and edited my paper one last time, just to catch any small errors. I added a few commas where they were needed, and I took the time to really read each sentence separately so I would not miss anything.
I think peer review sessions can be tedious at times, but the end results are very helpful. The suggestions from my classmates were useful and insightful, and my paper improved because of them. I hope that my suggestions helped them in return, and that they were able to develop and refine their papers as well.
Advice Given
The two peer review sessions that were conducted for our final research papers were extremely valuable and they helped me to improve upon my rough drafts. I think all four of us were able to help each other immensely and it was definitely nice to see and hear the opinions of three other people. After looking at the same material for so long it is hard to find errors, so having a few sets of fresh eyes take a look at your work is very beneficial. I believe that I was able to give some good advice and suggestions to all of my classmates, and I also took their suggestions into consideration.
When it came to Amanda’s paper, I had a few suggestions for ways that she could improve her rough draft. I felt as if her paper was lacking logical organization, and that some things were just simply out of order. Her writing was good, and there were only a few grammatical errors, but I suggested that she move some of her paragraphs around. I thought that her paper was not flowing very well, and that some of the dates were out of order so it made it difficult for the reader to follow. She also talked about the same topics in a few different places in her paper, so I suggested that she put the related information together in order to cause less confusion. There were also a few things that were worded a bit awkwardly in my opinion, but they were not necessarily wrong. Overall I thought that the content of Amanda’s paper was very good and that her paper was well-researched.
Laurie’s paper on the other hand was extremely organized and it progressed in a logical manner. I felt as if it was easy to follow because the dates were in order and like topics were grouped together. The only major things that I found were a few inconsistencies. She had commas before and after “Jr.” in some places, and in others she had a comma only after it. Some of her citations differed from the others, so I just pointed these things out to her. She also used different tenses in a few places so I made some suggestions regarding that as well. Her paper seemed thoroughly researched and it was very interesting to read.
I also had a few suggestions for Molly and her paper. I found a few general mistakes, such as typos and simple word choice. There were a few places where she used “has” instead of “have” or where she left a word out. I also mentioned that some of her paragraphs were extremely long and indicated a few places where they could be broken apart. I added a few commas as well, and found a few sentences that I thought were fragments. I found very little wrong with the content and organization in Molly’s paper, and overall I believe that it was written very well.
When it came to Amanda’s paper, I had a few suggestions for ways that she could improve her rough draft. I felt as if her paper was lacking logical organization, and that some things were just simply out of order. Her writing was good, and there were only a few grammatical errors, but I suggested that she move some of her paragraphs around. I thought that her paper was not flowing very well, and that some of the dates were out of order so it made it difficult for the reader to follow. She also talked about the same topics in a few different places in her paper, so I suggested that she put the related information together in order to cause less confusion. There were also a few things that were worded a bit awkwardly in my opinion, but they were not necessarily wrong. Overall I thought that the content of Amanda’s paper was very good and that her paper was well-researched.
Laurie’s paper on the other hand was extremely organized and it progressed in a logical manner. I felt as if it was easy to follow because the dates were in order and like topics were grouped together. The only major things that I found were a few inconsistencies. She had commas before and after “Jr.” in some places, and in others she had a comma only after it. Some of her citations differed from the others, so I just pointed these things out to her. She also used different tenses in a few places so I made some suggestions regarding that as well. Her paper seemed thoroughly researched and it was very interesting to read.
I also had a few suggestions for Molly and her paper. I found a few general mistakes, such as typos and simple word choice. There were a few places where she used “has” instead of “have” or where she left a word out. I also mentioned that some of her paragraphs were extremely long and indicated a few places where they could be broken apart. I added a few commas as well, and found a few sentences that I thought were fragments. I found very little wrong with the content and organization in Molly’s paper, and overall I believe that it was written very well.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Can Sky Save Saturn?
Recently Saturn has been struggling in sales, so GM is hoping to revive the brand with the new Saturn Sky. Instead of pulling the brand off of the market, GM is taking a huge risk with the Sky roadster in hopes that it will turn things around for them. They know that Saturn does have brand loyal customers, so they're hoping that the new sporty look of the Sky will spark some interest.
The new vechicles are supposedly a big upgrade from the Saturn. They're steel-bodied cars instead of plastic, and the Sky's are coming with a pretty hefty price tag. But will it be enough to revive the brand and get them out of the hole?
In my opinion, some serious marketing skills are needed if GM thinks that they can make up for their losses with the Saturn in the past few years, but it definitely can be done. Their biggest obstacle will be to transform the idea of a Saturn from a cheap car to an "affordable luxury." A tough task, but not impossible.
I think the Sky looks like a really nice car, and yet it is still affordable to those "young professionals" who are just finally making enough money to buy their own car that's a little nicer than the one they learned to drive on. I can see that being the biggest target market.
This is just one example of the issues that advertisers are faced with. It is also a great example of repositioning the brand or product in the eyes of the consumer.
The new vechicles are supposedly a big upgrade from the Saturn. They're steel-bodied cars instead of plastic, and the Sky's are coming with a pretty hefty price tag. But will it be enough to revive the brand and get them out of the hole?
In my opinion, some serious marketing skills are needed if GM thinks that they can make up for their losses with the Saturn in the past few years, but it definitely can be done. Their biggest obstacle will be to transform the idea of a Saturn from a cheap car to an "affordable luxury." A tough task, but not impossible.
I think the Sky looks like a really nice car, and yet it is still affordable to those "young professionals" who are just finally making enough money to buy their own car that's a little nicer than the one they learned to drive on. I can see that being the biggest target market.
This is just one example of the issues that advertisers are faced with. It is also a great example of repositioning the brand or product in the eyes of the consumer.
Commonly Misused Words
Once upon a time there was a princess, whose skin was fair and hair was long and blonde, who was in search of her prince. A wise old woman had told her that if she were to ever find him, she must first trek through the forest, in stormy weather, to the site where an altar had been made by a witch.
"It's there that you will find your prince," the old woman said.
The princess accepted her mission, except she had just one question. "Is there a track that I can follow through the forest?," she asked the old woman.
"Tracks do not come for free. You will have to pay a fare of two golden coins," she replied.
"Well that's not fair," said the princess, "Who's going to be able to afford that?"
"You're a smart girl. You'll do the right thing." And with that, the old woman vanished.
It wasn't about doing the right thing, it was the principle of the matter, the princess thought to herself. She felt she had the rite to travel without paying a fee. After all, she was royalty. And as you can imagine, the princess did not know whether or not she would do the right thing. However, she did not lose sight of her goal.
She thought about how the journey would affect her, as well as the positive and negative effects of finding a prince. Advice from her old principal came to her, but she tried not to let that alter her feelings. She knew what she wanted and she knew how to get it. She even jotted down some thoughts on some stationary, and went as far as to cite the sources. This girl meant business. She dreamed of becoming a playwright one day.
The princess finally set out on her journey. She left in the middle of a thunderstorm, and she listened to everything the old woman had said. As she walked her shoes were either too loose or too tight, and she had to stop to adjust them. Eventually she arrived at the altar.
In front of her was a stationery witch, and she was not budging. The princess tried to talk to her but she wouldn't respond. The witch wore a cape, and its ends were frayed. Frustrated, the princess began to dance around the witch, trying to make her move or to atleast make some affect. Her dancing finally effected the witch, and she began to laugh.
With one flick of her wand the witch made a prince appear. The prince and the princess fell instantly in love. (Well what else were you expecting? It was their destiny!)
But do you really think they're going to live happily ever after?
"It's there that you will find your prince," the old woman said.
The princess accepted her mission, except she had just one question. "Is there a track that I can follow through the forest?," she asked the old woman.
"Tracks do not come for free. You will have to pay a fare of two golden coins," she replied.
"Well that's not fair," said the princess, "Who's going to be able to afford that?"
"You're a smart girl. You'll do the right thing." And with that, the old woman vanished.
It wasn't about doing the right thing, it was the principle of the matter, the princess thought to herself. She felt she had the rite to travel without paying a fee. After all, she was royalty. And as you can imagine, the princess did not know whether or not she would do the right thing. However, she did not lose sight of her goal.
She thought about how the journey would affect her, as well as the positive and negative effects of finding a prince. Advice from her old principal came to her, but she tried not to let that alter her feelings. She knew what she wanted and she knew how to get it. She even jotted down some thoughts on some stationary, and went as far as to cite the sources. This girl meant business. She dreamed of becoming a playwright one day.
The princess finally set out on her journey. She left in the middle of a thunderstorm, and she listened to everything the old woman had said. As she walked her shoes were either too loose or too tight, and she had to stop to adjust them. Eventually she arrived at the altar.
In front of her was a stationery witch, and she was not budging. The princess tried to talk to her but she wouldn't respond. The witch wore a cape, and its ends were frayed. Frustrated, the princess began to dance around the witch, trying to make her move or to atleast make some affect. Her dancing finally effected the witch, and she began to laugh.
With one flick of her wand the witch made a prince appear. The prince and the princess fell instantly in love. (Well what else were you expecting? It was their destiny!)
But do you really think they're going to live happily ever after?
Monday, April 23, 2007
Another Prominent Figure
Although Rosser Reeves is one of the most influential figures in the advertising business, in my opinion Leo Burnett comes in as a close second. He started one of the greatest advertising agencies that still holds his name today.
Leo Burnett's advertisements emphasized visuals as opposed to long drawn out body copy or explanations. The pictures got the message across and the copy just simply backed the original message up. Burnett is also known for creating some famous brand icons such as the Pillsbury Dough Boy, Tony the Tiger, the Jolly Green Giant and the Marlboro Man. These, along with many others, are images that almost anyone would recognize, even today.
Burnett started his career at an advertising agency called the Homer McGee Company. It was here where he worked on several accounts for automobile ads. He later was hired at Erwin, Wassey as the head of their creative department. It wasn't until 1935 that he founded the Leo Burnett Company, Inc., in Chicago. This was a risky move because most of the big players could be found in New York City, and there was not much in the midwest as far as advertising went.
One of Burnett's most famous quotes is, "When you reach for the stars, you may not get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either." I think that clearly shows his ambition and thought process. He truly believed that anything was possible and he strived for the best in each and every campaign he worked on. Without the work of Leo Burnett the advertising business certainly would not be where it is today.
Leo Burnett's advertisements emphasized visuals as opposed to long drawn out body copy or explanations. The pictures got the message across and the copy just simply backed the original message up. Burnett is also known for creating some famous brand icons such as the Pillsbury Dough Boy, Tony the Tiger, the Jolly Green Giant and the Marlboro Man. These, along with many others, are images that almost anyone would recognize, even today.
Burnett started his career at an advertising agency called the Homer McGee Company. It was here where he worked on several accounts for automobile ads. He later was hired at Erwin, Wassey as the head of their creative department. It wasn't until 1935 that he founded the Leo Burnett Company, Inc., in Chicago. This was a risky move because most of the big players could be found in New York City, and there was not much in the midwest as far as advertising went.
One of Burnett's most famous quotes is, "When you reach for the stars, you may not get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either." I think that clearly shows his ambition and thought process. He truly believed that anything was possible and he strived for the best in each and every campaign he worked on. Without the work of Leo Burnett the advertising business certainly would not be where it is today.
Back to the Beginning.
I found another source that will help me in the organization of my paper. The website for Advertising Age had a timeline of major happenings in the world of advertising.
This source is extremely organized, and it is easy to take information from. It allows you to click on any time period and lists the major events that were going on in the world of advertising at that time. It is very helpful when it comes to dates of major events and I think it will be helpful to organize my paper chronologically.
I will definitely be able to use some of the information in my final paper. I don't know if I will use the actual information, or just the dates and other things to keep my paper organized, but either way I'm really glad I came across this.
Also, Advertising Age is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest magazine in the business, so it is definitely a credible source. One of my advertising professors even suggested that we subscribe to the magazine because it always has the most up-to-date information, and interesting stories about what is going on in the world of advertising.
This source is extremely organized, and it is easy to take information from. It allows you to click on any time period and lists the major events that were going on in the world of advertising at that time. It is very helpful when it comes to dates of major events and I think it will be helpful to organize my paper chronologically.
I will definitely be able to use some of the information in my final paper. I don't know if I will use the actual information, or just the dates and other things to keep my paper organized, but either way I'm really glad I came across this.
Also, Advertising Age is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest magazine in the business, so it is definitely a credible source. One of my advertising professors even suggested that we subscribe to the magazine because it always has the most up-to-date information, and interesting stories about what is going on in the world of advertising.
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