Ratings..

After reading up on certain films that have been banned, its got me thinking about the similarities and differences between films and advertising.

The argument is that a film could "promote" something e.g. "Clockwork Orange" promotes "Ultra-violence" yet when it was banned this just encouraged people to want to see it. Therefore banning a film has an opposite effect.

Advertising on the other hand, we all argue cannot physically force someone to do something, for example if we were advertising a new chainsaw that was strong enough to cut through a skull, this does NOT mean that people would automatically go out and buy a chainsaw and start hacking people's heads off. Yet it would mean we were "promoting" violence, hence the ad would get banned. Similar to films, this technique is often used in advertising e.g. Benetton Ads, we all know about although they have been banned! Weird.

So as we would not want to be advertising rape or murder, do we as designers have an upper hand on the directors and writers of films who do in some ways "promote" these things. Should these people be more responsible about the power of persuasion and promotion that they have on a large audience?

Sex and The City - Product Placement

So we are all talking about product placement, this is an example of  the eccentric product placement that happens in America. This fictitious ad created specifically for a scene in SATC, where Samantha "creates" the ad to boost her toyboys struggling modelling/acting career.

This ad produced a huge amount of positive publicity for the brand, would this be acceptable here. I think it definitely would obviously not on Coronation Street but something more appropriate.

""This is product placement taken to new heights," said Patrick O'Neill, the group creative director of TBWA, the agency responsible for the work."

The actor Jason Lewis later sued Absolut because he says the company cashed in on the publicity by using it online, they marketed the ad as actual and that the company created a "absolut hunk" cocktail without his permission.

Admirably Lewis stated he has always tried to avoid work connected to  advertising "alcohol, guns, tobacco and nudity" he says the ad should not have been used outside the show. Unfortunately I think SATC advertises all those things bar guns, so maybe this statement is slightly hypocritical, although I do believe they should have gotten his consent before slapping this image everywhere.

Despite all this I think this product placement is amazing, it is so appropriate for the show and for its viewers and aslong as the product placement here is appropriate to the programming it should all work out for the best

Is Advertising to Blame for Binge Drinking?

After watching the news yesterday and doctors asking to bring about a ban on advertising alcohol and drinks promotions, I've been asking myself is advertising to blame for young people's binge drinking?

I can't see why advertisers should take all the blame, I mean its not like we as humans don't have any self control. I do also believe that not all advertising is effective so it is convenient that the government has decided it is all to do with advertising and not to do with the fact alcohol can be bought so cheaply, or that by putting age restrictions on these products they entice young people.

Today the BMA has made reccomendations that the branding of alcohol not be so specific to young people or to "not appeal" to young people.

In my opinion the anti-drinking: Alcohol Know Your Limits: "you wouldn't start your night like this so why end it this way" are much more effective and I actually take more note of these adverts in comparison to the smirnoff moscow mule circus themed adverts.

What do you think?