Advertising is Evolving

New media and different forms of technology afe making marketing and advertising very appealing and affective. Companies are staying connected with their consumers with social media sources such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and others. Advertisements are not just posters and commercials anymore. With the help of technology advertising has turned into moving billboards and a lot of interactive media. For example, for the movie Despicable Me 2, an interactive video was made and put into malls to make viewers tell the little Minions to do a dance through texting. The custom video was then sent to the viewers phone for personal use. 

Another newer form of advertisement is with the use of a QR code. A QR code is a square barcode that people can scan with their smartphone and links to a website, opens an app, or does some sort of action. QR codes are a good form of marketing because people are always walking around with their smartphones. The advertising and marketing industry is changing everyday with the evolution of technology. 

H.O.G. Riders Assemble!

Harley-Davidson is a motorcycle company that established the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.). The group consisted of Harley owners getting together and riding as a crew. I believe that brand communities such as Harley-Davidson do greater things and are more involved with the brand. The Posse Ride has elements that enhance the meaning of the Harley-Davidson brand for the riders. The Posse Oath and crew tour activities help the crew build a stronger bond with each other and with the Harley brand. Harley-Davidson should not get more involved with the ride so that the participants create their own bond and meaning with the ride. Other ways the Harley-Davidson could increase involvement with the brand is, obviously, using social media to connect with their riders and the Harley community.  Social media is a great way to promote a company's products and events.

The Surfrider Foundation

The Surfrider Foundation uses campaigns to protect the oceans and coastlines in the US. They are starting a campaign in November 2013 to start a ocean desalination facility in Huntington Beach, California. Desalination is the process of removing salt and other bacteria from seawater to produce fresh water. 

The Surfrider Foundation uses social media resources such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to help promote their campaigns. Using social media to promote ideas and communicate with other people is a great way to advertise their campaigns. There is a whole list of all their different campaigns around the nation with descriptions on the Surfriders website. 

www.surfrider.org

Rose Petal Cottage: Let's Rewind

The commercial for the Rose Petal Cottage is obviously targeting little girls, showing all the house chores a typical woman would have done back in the day with playful music and light and fun colors.  If the commercial were to be remade to target both boys and girls, it should have, first of all, boys and girls playing together in the playhouse. It would have fun children music playing in the background, a neutral colored playhouse, and it would show the boys helping out the girls with the chores around the house, like helping them cook or put the house together. The boys and girls should all have the same "duties" and "responsibilities" to show that girls aren't being stereotyped into certain gender roles.

Gender Stereotyping

Even in today's commercials you see gender stereotyping taking place.  For example, children toys commercials target either to only boys or girls.  A commercial advertising a new car racing kit might have dark and strong colors with rock music playing in the background.  A couple boys yelling and jumping around having fun playing with their cars. Now, a commercial advertising a new doll for little girls would probably have bright and soft colors; maybe a lot of pinks and yellows.  The music in the background would probably be a sweet and fun song with girls laughing and dancing around playing with their dolls.

Even if it might make sense to advertise gender targeted toys separately, there's no problem with showing girls playing with toy cars or boys playing with dolls...or is it?