Conclusion

Creativity is the sum of everything in life’s existence. We drink water because someone, somewhere thought, “Hey, if I put this in my mouth and take a gulp, I’ll stay alive.” Imagination is one of my best qualities and one of the most important aspects of my life. It is with a creative mind, that all six journals were written. My basic opinion is that regulations for tobacco, alcohol and ASC Code, ruin creativity. There are still many creative ads that DO abide by all regulations however, many creative out of the box ads are banned each year, and it tends to be these ads that catch our attention most. Sex sells, sex catches your attention, but sexual ads are really hard to execute without 'demeaning' women (women demean themselves most of the time if you ask me). Then there's alcohol ads which can in NO way show people REALLY having fun with their alcohol, drug ads that have to bore people with the side effects, random ads that become overly sexual and get banned, and poor tobacco companies who have pretty much been cut out of the advertising loop in Canada altogether. Stepping away from regulations, product placement is equally as important to my creative mind as the former. When a television show can effectively place a product without red flags popping up, my brain exhausts a sigh of relief. Despite huge rises in technologies, advertisers have LESS to work with now ad all the rules and regulations put a halt to some of the most creative ideas.  Unfortunately, without regulations, many people would surely take advantage of a limitless advertising network and push boundaries too far, thus adding to a rise in complains by offended citizens. Freedom creates endless possibilities, sadly enough, we need these regulations in place.  

Review #2 Side Effects May Include Death!

Reviewed by: Dean Ross

Date: November 17, 2013

Dean Says:

It was an interesting observation because I also only really notice the side effects because like most people, we are not afflicted by the illness the drug remedies. I can however relate to diarrhea or upset stomach pains or headaches, which are common side effects of drugs. It's almost funny to think people would subject themselves to so much risk but another observation would be that we often do take risk in everyday life. In fact risk is part of life. Driving a car to work is a risk. Side effects of not sleeping enough well all know etc. Perhaps if people understood the downside of the illness more they could relate and understand the risk better but then only those with the illness remain the ones that the commercial can reach.

Review #1 Product Placement Not Always Taking Over

Reviewed By: Yvonne Dineen

Date: November 12, 2013

Yvonne mentioned that not many people chose to write about product placement, and some good points were made. We discussed my thoughts of the product placement in supernatural and the effectiveness it had on the show. I mentioned another occasion in which Sam had an iPod in the show. Sam is a more modernized character while his brother lives in the past, and was very quick to make fun of his brother for using the iPod. The product placement in Supernatural wasn't forced and actually compliments the characters instead of the characters complimenting the brand.  Yvonne agreed that this was an interesting theory and sounds accurate. 

Journal #6 Side Effects May Include Death!

It's no question that advertising is changing the way we look at products. But in a society where we avoid advertisements at all costs, how effective are ads at really getting through to us. Drug advertising is seen as deceptive, repeating key words they want you to remember and then squeezing in all the side effects in a way that is intended for you to not be able to remember them. Something like this: 

I gave myself a little test, I watched this once and only once to remember what I would get from the commercial. I remember some green wings, some people trying to sleep, and a long list of side effects. I think the product is to help people sleep but my attention span begins to drown out the long list of side effects, however, I do remember hearing something about people have been noted to drive in their sleep and not realize until they wake up.

Yes, drug advertisements may be deceptive. The ads have the list of side effects that become mind numbing to listen to, but does that make us forget about them - I don't think so. When the list is so long that I can't remember everything I heard, I think that's a huge red flag and a major issue. I've gotten into the habit of listening to the side effects list of drug commercials because at times it's actually funny that a person would even RISK taking the medication with all these known side effects in order to deflate a lesser issue. Take these ads for example, it seems the entire commercial IS the side effects. I find it funniest when the commercial mentions death as a side effect. 

At the same time a sometimes the medication itself can cause the problem you are trying to repair. If you take Tylenol for a headache, a side effect may be a migraine. Although society may not know the particular side effect, we know that all medication does have a long list of possible issues associated with it - we are not that naive. However, does that stop us from taking it - most of the time? No. We still want Advil for our migraines even though it may lead to ulcers, and use birth control even though it may cause blood clots or heart disease.12 Our society is not naive to the risks, we just seem willing to take them in most circumstances. If more people were like Phoebe, we might have a larger demand for Naturopathic Doctors and medicines. 

1"SHOULD I TAKE TYLENOL, ADVIL OR ASPIRIN? | The Science Creative Quarterly."SHOULD I TAKE TYLENOL, ADVIL OR ASPIRIN? | The Science          Creative Quarterly. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.scq.ubc.ca/should-i-take-tylenol-advil-or-aspirin/>.

2"Drug Factsheets - C-Health." Drug Factsheets - C-Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://chealth.canoe.ca/drug_info_details.asp?channel_id=0>.

Journal #5 Advertising with Alcohol

We are taught to be open to new possibilities, to be creative thinkers always going outside of the box. Yet in the world of advertising, sometimes thinking outside the box puts you and your client under the microscope. There is a very fine line between what's acceptable and what's not, especially in a controversial industry like alcohol.

The ASC Alcoholic Beverage Advertising Clearance Guide has six main clauses for what an advertiser isn't allowed to do in an ad. From the surface, these seem pretty reasonable: no drinking and driving nonsense, no encouraging alcoholism, no ads to minors, and no being a dumb ass (be responsible). However, once you begin to pick these apart, you really start to wonder how a government that makes nearly $2.5 billion PROFIT each year on our alcohol consumption can be such sticklers.1

The advertising regulations for alcohol take away the realness of what alcohol really brings to the table. If you think about it, creating an alcohol ad without drunk people is kind of false advertising. If you're at a bar, drinking, chances are you're going to get drunk, and maybe you should kind of get an idea of what that's like, but clause 2.3 doesn't allow for anyone to display the effects of alcohol.

Alcohol may not 'bring people together' but realistically we drink everywhere from restaurants to tailgate parties, why not show alcohol in all its glory. If advertisement were allowed to actually show alcohol in the proper use, it wouldn't be misleading and it wouldn't imply that alcohol is necessary for fun, it would just tell a story and show that alcohol isn't always a bunch of guys standing around holding full beers. What's so wrong with showing a person drinking a beer, it's not purchased to be looked at after all.

This ad for Tuborg beer in Denmark gives an exaggerated view of what alcohol does - makes your vision of the situation different than it may really be. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. A guy watching this ad might think, 'Cool I'll take what I can get', or he might think 'I better NOT drink or I'm going to make a horrible mistake like this'.

With all this being said, advertising must always be in good taste and its ads like these that may be the exact reason we have regulations in place.

1"LCBO | Media Centre." LCBO | Media Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/media_centre/faq.shtml>.

Journal #4 Tobacco Advertising to Children - So Cool!

Camel Snus 'break free' campaign is completely geared to the tween/teen demographic. If that wasn't bad enough, a quick glance at the actual ads might just be enough to make you shake your head, roll your eyes, and be disgusted with the entire Camel brand. Why? The Camel ads not only target children, they BULLY children.  Words don't break bones but they definitely have an impact on vulnerable teenagers trying to fit in and be cool and Camel knows this and uses it to their advantage.

If you're no longer in high school, these ads might just make you feel like you've gone back in time. They completely focus on what high school is all about - fitting in, dealing with social norms, and peer pressure. If you don't do what the 'cool' kids are doing you're a loser - even Camel says so.

Camel Snus is a new and innovative way to get tobacco into the blood stream, there is no smoke and it's not a chew tobacco where you need to spit it out. The innovative idea itself is something that applies to teenagers who don't want to get caught smoking cigarettes.1 Currently 3.4 million high school students smoke and 17.2% of high school students in the US use smokeless tobacco.2

Smoke itself might be out of the question with Camel Snus, but all the risks associated with tobacco are still the same. Approximately 400,000 people die from their own tobacco use in the United States and if these underage children continue to use tobacco, 6,000,000 of them will ultimately die from smoking.3

 The smoking industry spends $12.8 billion each year to market its products, and Camel decided to invest their money in today's youth.4 You should be ashamed of yourselves Camel. We all know grandpa isn't going to be using camels to fit in at the seniors centre. Your ads bully young children into using your product, thinking it will make them cool. Pick on someone your own size.

1Guilfoyle, Jessica. "Toll of Tobacco in the United States of America." Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 8 Oct. 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. <https://slate.sheridancollege.ca/content/enforced/92666-1139_3452/Module2.3/M2-U3-R1TollOfTabacco.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=bDgogl6QXQtsE2QK0pYkE6gxL>.
2 Ibid
3 Ibid
4 Ibid

Journal #3 Advertising Yesterday vs. Today

Sometimes we're so busy nit picking about every little thing we see in entertainment today, that we forget about how things used to be, and how, as a society, we have grown so much. Take about ten steps back and have a really good look about what you're complaining about. What was acceptable once, obviously no longer is, and we should be happy about that. It seems like an injustice to creativity the way we tear apart every comical, out of the box idea, because, you have to admit, a commercial like this Kia Spectra one for example, is funny, creative, and catches your attention.

 It's commercials like this one, that STOP you from changing the channel. It's commercials like this that you actually remember and its commercials like THIS that effectively communicate a message, which is what advertising is all about.

It's understandable that sometimes an advertisement can be insulting to a large number of people, but often times, all it takes for an ad to get banned is ONE person. One person who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, spilt coffee on her new white outfit, got into a car accident on the way to work, lost a huge client and put her job in jeopardy, burnt dinner, then sat down to relax and saw YOUR ad. One pissed of person can make a pretty convincing case and it seems 'totally' unfair.

It's funny because, you know, if you type in banned ads on YouTube, there are over 829,000 videos, with millions of hits. Why? Because people LIKE banned ads, because they're funny, they make you laugh. People watch commercials on YouTube so they can get to watch videos of banned commercials (which is kind of ironic). By banning an ad from television, you're actually kind of promoting the cause more. Think about it, you are the sole reason an ad gets banned, and suddenly EVERYONE wants to know why. People who had never seen the ad before want to see it and suddenly the ad becomes a viral sensation, all thanks to you and your petty ideas of what's right vs. Wrong.

When you compare ads banned in today's society, vs. free thinking- vintage ads of yesterday, you probably want to laugh. So let me give you something to laugh about. Check out the following vintage ads vs. their banned modern day counterpart.

Not Banned but still interesting to compare: 

My final thoughts are, we, as a society, need to take our anal thinking caps off for a moment to enjoy what the universe has given us - a world of creative, innovative, imaginative, and unique thinkers who genuinely make the world a better place for all of us.

Journal #2 Product Placement Not Always Taking Over

After tapping into the world of advertising, it's nearly impossible for me to watch TV without having something to say about the ads during commercial breaks. Likewise, as I sit with my boyfriend quietly watching a show or a movie a little squeal goes off in my head as I triumphantly notice the subtle product placement that just appeared on the screen. I suddenly forget about the show as my mind trails off, "I wonder if he noticed the product too," "I wonder who approached who to get that placement spot", "I wonder if they got their brand noticed for free".

There is also those times when a clip seems like it NEEDS a product placement and doesn't have one. Like when someone's at a bar and all the bottles are meant to portray some obvious brand name but the labels are not on the bottles. Would it have killed the producers to use real bottles of booze for their show even if the company wasn't willing to pay for the placement?

An article from Jared Paladecki aka 'Sam' from Supernatural said in an interview that the actors and producers don't want to take away from the story or characters and Supernatural will never sell out.1 They have even turned down companies like Coca-Cola.

But alas, every show swings one way or another and I can remember a few times when my advertising eye has caught product placement in the show. Rufus Turner's favorite drink is Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Dean was instructed by Bobby to bring him a bottle when he first meets him in season three, and when Rufus dies in season seven, the boys pour a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue on his grave.

Jared's comment has some back bone too it, other than the Johnnie Walker brand, I can only think of one or two other known products I've seen in the show. Sam and Dean are so distinguished with an individual old school style and not many brands would fit into the show, however, after hearing Jared's comment, implementing the Johnnie Walker brand into a few episodes seems like a natural fit and rings well with who Rufus was as a character.

When a product can fit as naturally as it does in Supernatural, advertisers are doing it right. Unfortunately there are many times when a product is so forced and in your face that its almost a turn off and can have a negative effect on a brand. This Josie and The Pussycats TRAILER has product placement out the Wazooo, imagine what the movie is like. On The Voice, even Christina Aguilera's water is in a Starbucks cup. REALLY?  We get it, stars drink Starbucks, give it a rest. 

1 Jeffrey, Morgan. "Padalecki: 'Supernatural Won't Sell Out'" Digital Spy. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2013. <http://www.digitalspy.ca/ustv/s6/supernatural/news/a271628/padalecki-supernatural-wont-sell-out.html>.

Journal #1 Sex Sells!

Miley Cyrus’ music video We Can’t Stop is filled with sexual imagery and a girl who just discovered her body and tongue and is not afraid to flaunt them – a hundred times over.  Miley’s video aired online June 19, 2013 and today has just shy of 204 million hits, with 955,805 likes and 867,062 thumbs down. Some people hate some people love, but EVERYONE has seen this video. Miley may be over the top but she knows that for people to stop and look you need to get naked, and be sexy (she might need to work on that part). All in all, Sex drives our culture. Sex Sells.

Humans by nature are sexually driven. Advertising latches on to that. Axe does a good job of using a sexual theme or idea and making it funny to attract users. Calvin Klein ads are banned all the time for exploiting children and using over sexualized content. Advertising has the power to influence one of our greatest instincts but is also responsible for the morality and ethics in our culture in shaping what is socially acceptable. If it’s acceptable in an advertisement it’s acceptable in society. Once an ad is banned, like Calvin Klein, it can be even worse for society, because the ad ends up getting even more exposure because people want to know why it’s banned and look it up on YouTube. Calvin Klein makes society feel like teens having sex is acceptable which could have a negative impact on teens in high school struggling with peer pressure and society.

Also ads like that of Calvin Klein which spark so much media attention, doesn't really say anything about the sales of clothing. An ad with a lot of media exposure (for a negative reason) may not generate sales as expected. Would you see an ad with a child’s underwear stuffed and think “my kids gotta have that”?

Some ads however, use sex in a way that society can recognize and accept. Companies like this respect that there are boundaries as far as sex is concerned and that our society must have some standards in protecting the innocence of youth and corruption of a sexually driven society. 

Intro

Advertising rules and regulations are set to standardize what is socially acceptable to the general public. Although these individual rules at times can seem unjust, at some point in time, people took advantage of a silent code of ethics when engaging the public, and made these rules and regulations completely necessary. My journal tackles some of the most controversial aspects regarding advertising to the public like sex, drugs, alcohol and tobacco while also leaving some space for product placement and advertising past vs. present. As a creative thinker, my journals focus on my opinion and interpretation of the laws from the ASC code and how it effects advertisements on a creative level. In short, many of my journals reflect on the lack of creativity due to overbearing strict laws by the Advertising Standards Council. In a world where we are taught to think outside of the box, creativity and imagination are extremely important and must never be forgotten.