Final Illustrator Image

Above is the Pepsi Logo that I recreated. First I used the rectangle tool, and then placed an ellipse inside the rectangle. Next I used the divide tool within the pathfinder tool to separate the individual shapes. I used the eyedropper tool to make my recreated image the same color as the original. I used the direct selection tool to make the circle fit perfectly into the square. Then I used the pen tool to create the shapes inside the circle, and the type tool to write the word Pepsi. I tried to find a font closest to what is seen in the authentic Pepsi logo.

Wikipedia Update

I revisited my Wikipedia entry and all my changes are still up. I think this is because the facts I posted were true.

Illustrator Progress

This is a picture of the ad that I am going to recreate

Wikipedia Assignment

For this assignment I researched my hometown, Manhasset, New York. This article contains useful information; however, some parts are incomplete and others are incorrect. I started my research on November 26th:

Here is an example of false information I found within the article: 

Below is a picture of the revision process:

Here is the new section of the article. The altered section is highlighted:

In the section entitled Television references, I noticed there was missing information. This summer a portion of the show "The Good Wife" was filmed in Manhasset. I added this show to the list:

I checked the Wikipedia article on November 26th, 27th,28th, & a final time on the 29th. All of my revisions were left unchanged.

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Midterm Assignment Part 1

The memory pill is a future invention created to support long-term memory. This pill could also be used to permanently erase painful traumatic memories that are too difficult to forget. The creation of this pill raises many scientific, ethical, and moral questions. Even so, advertisers will still see this as an opportunity to market something new and innovative. Many of the things we see advertised have become so common that there is no longer any shock value. This pill is unlike anything that has ever been on the market. Because it is something that is so new to us, advertisers will have to carefully select the methods they will use to reach the public. Narrowcasting and emotional branding are two techniques that would help make this product appeal to a wider audience. The moment this pill is released it will undoubtedly have an effect on the lives of individuals, as well as society as a whole.

 Doctor Andre Fenton of the SUNY Health and Science Center in Brooklyn has been leading the research on the memory pill. The research shows that memories may have a physical structure, which would mean people have the power to control the things they want to remember. The research is centered on PKM Zeta, where are molecules that cluster around synapses. It is believed that these molecules create and submit long-term memories. To test this theory they performed an experiment on a rat in a cage. When the rat first enters the cage it walks around and is shocked when it enters a certain location. After being zapped a few times, the rat has learned not to enter that part of the cage. At this time the rat is injected with DIP, a substance that blocks PKM Zeta from binding with the synapses. The rats’ memory of the pain is gone, and when it reenters the cage the rat travels back into the area in which it was zapped. The scientists believe that learning to erase memories is the first step in learning to revive them. Although so far the research has only been done on animals, scientists believe the results will be identical on humans.

Today the life expectancy of humans is much higher than it ever was. For many people the thought of living to an old age is ideal as long as their mind stays sharp. Unfortunately diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other dementias are also becoming more common. Until now, there has been no promising cure for these diseases, but the memory pill is a step in the right direction. This pill will not only improve the quality of life for the elderly, but it will also benefit younger generations. This pill is designed to enhance the area of the brain needed to retain memories and information. That means that a student who has taken this pill will have be able to remember every thing they learn in the classroom. If a person has a big test and the information just isn’t sticking, this is the perfect cure. Although there are many advantages of this pill, there will also be repercussions.

In the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the characters Jim Carey and Kate Winslet undergo a drastic procedure to erase the memories from their devastating breakup. Today, the ability to erase memories has become a part of reality and is longer something that will just be seen in a movie. Many people would look to this pill as a coping mechanism, to help them get past a traumatic event. This could be looked at both positively and negatively. Most people would agree that the easiest way to help someone get through a great deal of pain is the best way, but is this really true? Sometimes it is the terrible things that happen to a person that will make them stronger. In many instances, people who have been a victim go on to raise awareness about what happened to them. In doing this, they have the ability to affect the life of another; to prevent what happened to them from happening to someone else. The distribution of this pill should be extremely carefully moderated. People who wish to purchase these pills should undergo a series of tests to determine whether or not they are qualified. If this drug got into the wrong hands it could be a disaster. Criminals could use this pill to erase memories from their victim’s minds and prevent themselves from ever getting caught.

             Narrowcasting is a method of advertising used to target specific groups of individuals. By separately marketing this pill to the people who need it most, society will realize that the pill is not something to be taken lightly. The most obvious group that this pill would be marketed to would be people in nursing homes and other senior citizen facilities. This pill would bring hope to their families in loved ones. Another group would be people in rehabilitation centers. Because it is believed that addiction is a learned behavior, this pill may be able to stop addiction to drugs immediately. Many times people who have witnessed or experienced something tragic will turn to illegal narcotics, and the memory pill is definitely a better alternative. The pill would also be advertised to psychiatrists would then recommend the pill to patients who have been assaulted, raped, abused, or people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Emotional branding is a method of advertising that could be used to market this product. This product will definitely appeal to the emotions of millions of individuals. Some people will look at this product as a way to remember something forever, some as a way to forget. Either way, advertisers can show that this pill can be used to change a person’s life for the better. For example if an agency created an ad centered on Alzheimer’s, it would reach the emotions of people who know someone who suffers from this disease. People would definitely respond to an ad that reaches their emotions and desires.

The memory pill is a scientific breakthrough that supports memories and retains information. Until now, there has never been another product with these capabilities. The advertising strategies of narrowcasting and emotional branding will help to make this product known.  It is difficult to say whether this product will do more harm then good. This product offers people a new life, and new opportunities. On the other hand, our memories make us who we are. It is important to remember that once a memory is gone, it is gone forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Persuaders

1. What in "The Persuaders" surprised you (or not)? Name one new thing you learned about marketing or politics from watching the film. Name one new thing you learned about yourself from watching the film, or one thing that the film reiterated about yourself.

Being a communications/advertising major, I am not surprised by the amount of thought and research that goes into an ad campaign. On the other hand, I was not aware of the extensive research that goes into targeting different demographics. I didn't know that advertising played such a large role in the 2004 election. Advertisers were able to use new technologies to use the technique of narrowcasting. Individual voters received different messages based on their personal views. Even people who do not participate in polling or research are still used in demographics. There are other ways for companies to keep track of your interests. For example, if you buy something at a store and give your area code, or if you purchase something on the internet. This film reminded me that advertising is everywhere and reaches everyone, even if you are not aware of it.

2. "The Persuaders" begins by questioning the increase in the amount of advertising we typically encounter in our daily lives. How would you assess the amount of advertising you see? Too much? Too little? Just right? In your view, what difference does it make to know that people today see much more advertising in their daily lives than people 20 or 30 years ago?

As much as I support advertising and the industry as a whole, I do believe that it is a bit overdone. It is literally impossible to go an entire day without seeing or being influenced by an ad. There are different levels of advertising that people see, but there is definitely no way to get around it. If you live in a city you will not only see more, but also different ads than someone will see in a rural community. Something that is hurting the advertising industry is TiVo, or DVR. This new technology enables TV watchers to pause their shows and later fastfoward through commercials. Although this does somewhat limit the amount of advertising that people see, this just makes the companies work harder. New technologies will eliminate old forms of advertising, but it will also create new ones. I believe that the extreme amount of advertising has created a generation of smarter consumers because people are more aware of what else is on the market. I think that 20 or 30 years ago people would have been more likely to purchase an item based on a catchy jingle.