Monday, June 22, 2009
Discussion Question for Chapter 9. Interest Groups
Find an example of institutional advertising on television, in a newspaper, or on the web, that illustrates some company trying to create a positive public image of the company or product so that they will have an easier time in dealing with government regulations/policy. Remember, the point of the ad is not to sell the product, but to sell the company as doing good things for the public--of course this fits under grassroots lobbying. Please do not just do one that you see someone else did--try to find new and original ones! Describe the product/industry and how the company tries to present a positive image in the ad. Hint--the easiest ones to find are often companies that produce things that many people find of questionable moral value. Bob B
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GM has been airing radio commercials trying to get their old image back. They call this campaign the "GM: Reinvention." They are promising to be stronger and more efficient. These ads started to air right after filing for bankruptcy. I cant find the actual commercial's words only sites about the commercial and the reactions to it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105381725
http://www.gmreinvention.com/?brandId=gm&src=sch&seo=goo_|_2009_GM_Project_Blue_Branding_|_Project_Blue_|_GM_General_|_gm
Alison
Georgia Power has been airing commercials stating that are trying there best to help us at all times in our lives to make everything more efficent and keep our electricity prices below the national level and to keep our environment clean. But i think that this is a good thing for us to know becasue of the status of everything going on in our enconomy. it is nice to see where our money is going!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buwSgOHYUW4
Sarah Cartrett
Dow Chemical Company began airing television commercials last year which referred to the "Human Element" and which were presumably aimed at showing Dow's commitment to humanity.
ReplyDeleteDow "Human Element" Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3byt7xMSCA
Dow has been in the news recently as well. Some of it seems good, such as Dow's announcement that they will be working towards global greenhouse gas reduction. Some of it's not so great, such as the news that waterways which have been contaminated with dioxin runoff from Dow plants will take DECADES to clean up.
Dow and Gazprom Link for Carbon Reduction: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/87/i26/8726news1.html
Dow Dioxin Cleanup in Mid-Michigan Could Take Years: http://www.freep.com/article/20090618/NEWS06/90618065/1008
I am really hoping that these stories mean that Dow and other large companies are finally starting to realize that the "human element" really is the most important thing and that they need to preserve it.
Intel have been airing a commercial this year called an "intel star" which focuses on the 2009 "Sponsors of Tomorrow" ad campaign which celebrates what makes Intel different culture, personality, heroes -- and ways Intel has helped change the world for over 40 years.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqLPHrCQr2I
-Amber Jamison
An example of institutional advertising can be found on the Philip Morris USA website. It is the largest tobacco company in the United States. The website includes important information regarding tobacco, but it also includes health issues and a link for those who want to stop smoking.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pmusa.com/en/cms/Home/default.aspx
Morgan Lockett
The company LogiCig introduced a new product called the E-Cig. They have advertised heavily this new electronic device as a healthy alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. The E-Cig is advertised to provide a safe vapor water mixed with menthol flavoring to those that inhale from this battery operated device. There are many concerns associated with this device. Doctors feel that they can still be addictive and contain harmful substances. The company has focused on numerous angles to make this method appear favorable. They claim smokers that switch will feel better, sleep better and have less respiratory problems and diseases. They rave that this electronic gadget will decrease the desire of tobacco cigarettes.
ReplyDeleteShelette Johnson
www.Ecig.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch
An example of institutional advertising would be Smirnoff, the liquor and malt beverage. Both are obviously promoting drinking; however their ads state “Drink Responsibly.”. The Smirnoff Ice website also advertises drinkiq.com which contains facts about alcohol, raising consumer awareness and talking about alcohol misuse.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.drinkiq.com/en-US/pages/home.aspx
http://us.smirnoffice.com/?RhCountry=US&RhYear=1988&RhRemDetails=False
Melanie Ellman
An example of institutional advertising is Phillip and Morris because they are one of the largest tobacco compaines in the U.S. and still they promote trying to help stop people from smoking. They try to tell people that cigarette smoking is addictive and also will cause cancer, heart disease, as well as other serious diseases. They also try to warn people about second hand smoke. Their website also gives information about trying to help smokers who want to quit smoking to become more successful.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pmusa.com/en/cms/home/default.aspx
Elizabeth Haynes
A good example of institutional advertising can be seen in several alcoholic beverage commercials. For example, take the bud light lime commercials...they show a bunch of people having a good time and go into details about how refreshing their product is. Also, at the end of the commercial that add that you should "drink responsibly."
ReplyDeleteKatherine Edmonds
Institutional advertising can be seen in the U.S. Army commercials. The purpose of the U.S. Army commercials is to recruit volunteers to become the positive image of becoming like the other members by becoming “Army Strong.” Within the commercial there are flashes of Army leaders doing good things for the public.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlzdZqSVbJ4
Noemi Bauer
Trogan condoms commericals are a good example of institutional advertising. They promote premisciousness and the freedom to express your sexuality but they lastly promote the safety with the use of condoms. Within the commerical a guy and girl were being premiscious then noted "lesson learned" and lastly mentioned the lesson was "to always keep condoms in your car and be safe"
ReplyDelete~Dretecia Pearson~
The classic Coca-Cola commericals are an example of institutional advertising. The commercials illustrate people of all ages having a good time while drinking the product. The people span from kids, to young adults and couples, to ederly grandparents and include a sense of love and family. The commericals disscus how the product has been around for generations, and how every generation as loved it, and that you should too.
ReplyDelete-Michelle R.
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/marketing/article_3730.shtml
The American Red Cross commercials are an example of institutional advertising. They promote blood donations, community service, cash and good donatons to help the poor. The commercials are intended to bring us closer as a community.
ReplyDeleteAshley Wheeler
First of all, I don't think I've ever had a school assignment in which I was supposed to watch TV. So after doing ample research, I saw and Exxon Mobil commercial that explained an innovative drilling technique that would provide us with more oil and do it in a more eco-friendly manner. These advertisements by Exxon Mobil are designed to give viewers a better image of the company and let them know that they are trying to be more environmentally friendly.
ReplyDeleteJason Hoffman
An example I found was the Farmer Insurance Group commercial which shows their agents passing out food to hurricane victims and how they have a distaster team to watch for storms so they can be the first ones there to help. Another one of their commercials tells about their history and how they been here since before the economical crash and how claims were paid with I O U's and Farmer Insurance paid cash. They also say that they follow a Conservative Investment Approach.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O8eQoKU8Gk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkKT86ybja0&feature=related
Nancy Mills
The recent antidrug commercials from abovetheinfluence.com are a good example of institutional advertising because the website is promoting people (especially teens) to not give into the pressure to do drugs because it's "cool". The website tries to present a positive image by promoting viewers to be themselves instead of letting someone else be in control.
ReplyDeleteLeanne Josey
The example I found of instiutional advertising was the new Toyota Prius. This commercial has the car driving through a scenery that comes to life as the car passes through it. The voice over the commercial says that the car gives the world fewer smog forming admisions, and also adds that the car is harmony between man, nature, and machines. This commercial is clearly aimed at making the audience believe that Toyota is very concerned with how their products affect the environment. This is a smart move for the company considering the nation's recent obsession with "going green", and by adding that into their products they are giving the company a positive, caring image. This as tries to make people believe the company is doing what is best for the nation.
ReplyDeleteLynlee Satcher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq4nrmnqY9o
Dow Chemical made napalm that was used in Vietnam, sadly sometimes on civilians and children, something that gave them a very bad image for a long time. E-sig and virtual smoking—that’s interesting, though it would be a better example if it were being marketed by a tobacco company! It would seem that the tobacco companies have a product that is so addictive that they can get away with advertising against the product and people will still use it. Many are shifting their market focus to foreign countries where laws are not so restrictive, especially third world countries. Katherine’s observation that seeing people having fun drinking with only words of warning in beer company ads illustrates something that advertisers have known for a long time—images and pictures are a lot more powerful than words. Michelle saw something similar in the Coca-Cola ad, though they do not have to say that consuming all that sugar is also bad for you—though most people know it. Glad you enjoyed an unusual assignment, Jason. What the oil company does not tell you is that no matter how you get it, burning the stuff is bad for climate change. Of course they do something like that in other commercials where they tout new forms of energy they are exploring. The Prius commercial is a real eye-catcher!
ReplyDeleteWhile all your examples worked ok, the most relevant ones are for companies/products that have a bad reputation to start with. These are the interests that have to at least try to neutralize the image of the stuff they make for profit. Hope you will be sensitive to this as you are going to be inundated with it the rest of your life! Knowledge provides you with some protection from being conned!
Bob B