Future X Box developments

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2331985/Xbox-One-track-EVERYTHING-watch-TV--reward-watching-ads.html

An article which goes through the features of the X Box One.  Interesting to read about how the machine will be able to potentially monitor the way audiences react to particular adverts (using their facial movements and heart rate) and will also reward users for watching adverts.  Perhaps a way of drawing advertisers in by guaranteeing them an audience?

Facebook and the misogynistic pages urging people to attack women

Facebook in trouble this week for allowing people to set up groups about raping women.  Lots of companies that advertise on Facebook are withdrawing their adverts after finding out that the ads for their products could appear down the sides of these pages.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2332028/FBRape-campaign-Companies-pull-adverts-Facebook-refuses-remove-anti-women-content.html

Fashion brand criticized for racist photo shoot

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325295/Designer-racist-photo-shoot-called-Be-My-Slave-white-women-dressed-high-end-clothes-waited-young-black-boy.html

A fashion brand has been criticized for their apparently racist depictions of black / asian child slavery in their recent campaign photos released online.

Controversial ad campaign for dating website

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2325042/Incredibly-offensive-billboard-Cougar-Life-dating-website-shows-breastfeeding-woman-question-Jealous.html

US dating website Cougar Life has been criticized for using a picture of a breastfeeding mother and sexualising the act by using the word "jealous?" as a slogan.

American Apparel - Objectifying women?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2325474/American-Apparel-branded-sexist-degrading-ads-unisex-shirt-featuring-half-naked-women-g-strings-fully-clothed-men.html

Fashion brand under fire for advertising the same product to both men and women but in all the ads aimed at women, objectifying them in a sexual way.  Why aren't both ads representing people in this way?

Advertising Campaign - teen pregnancy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325100/New-billboard-campaign-launched-Chicago-features-images-pregnant-boys-remind-baby-isnt-just-girls-responsibility.html


New shock advertising campaign designed to raise awareness of teen pregnancy

Ad campaign laughs at women's weight struggles

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2320442/Try-romantic-body-shapers-New-ad-pokes-fun-torturous-extremes-women-try-rid-cellulite.html

An advert that pokes fun at the lengths women will go to in order to look thinner and more toned.

Child Abuse Ad Campaign that is ONLY viewable by children

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2320324/The-anti-child-abuse-poster-seen-children.html

A new ad campaign which uses new technology so that ONLY children (or people the height of children) to view the advert.

Advert trivialises drug addiction?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301770/TV-advert-E45-cream-parodies-interview-drug-abuse-addict-accused-trivialising-abuse.html

New advert for E45 moisturiser has been criticised and complained about for making a joke out of drug addiction.  What do you think?

Twitter's change of advertising opportunities

Read more about how Twitter is adapting to offer new opportunities to advertisers so they can target specific people.  This could be to compete with Facebook who do a similar thing already.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2282216/Twitter-insists-users-affected-new-targeted-timeline-adverts.html

New Diet Coke advert

So this is the new Diet Coke advert..

1)  How does the advert represent men and women?  Does it challenge conventional representations or not?

2) What institutional values are present in the advert?

Representation of women in Asda Christmas Ad - UPDATE

After several complaints were investigated, the advertising standards authority have said that Asda were NOT being sexist to suggest that women do most of the work at Christmas around the home!  Apparently they are just reflecting reality

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2270411/Asda-Christmas-advert-showed-exhausted-mother-looking-family-sexist-rules-watchdog.html

Viral ads December 2012

An article with links to the most popular viral videos of December 2012.  There's a big variety on the list from speeches from political figures, a fake viral of a bird snatching a toddler, to film trailers.. which have you seen?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/dec/21/viral-video-chart

Shock advert for anti smoking

This is the new UK government's anti smoking advert.  It uses shock advertising to explain that cigarettes cause tumours to grow in your body.

1) Why would audiences engage with this advert?

2) How does it represent smokers?

3) Why does the government rely on shock tactics for campaigns like this?

4) How have they used mise-en-scene to communicate a message about the lifestyle of a smoker?

Shock Drink Driving Advert

A really shocking anti drink driving advert brought out by Australian authorities this Christmas.  This advert is a montage of all the adverts they have produced over the last twenty years.  Things to think about..

1) How does the use of editing contribute to the shocking nature of the advert?

2) How have the advertising company tried to create a sense of narrative in the advert?

3) What about the advert would engage an audience?

4) How does the advert represent people who drink drive?

Fiat's Motherhood Viral Advert

So Fiat have made this new viral advert to advertise their car.  It features a woman doing a spoof gangster style rap about motherhood.

Things to think about:

1) Name 3 reasons why audiences would like this advert?

2) Discuss how the mise-en-scene, camera, editing and lyrics communicate meaning

3) How is the life of a mother represented overall?

4) Why do you think Fiat chose to do a viral advert like this?  Why this style?

5) How do Fiat use and challenge the conventions of a typical Gangster Rap music video?

Christian Dior Adverts and Airbrushing

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2221757/Natalie-Portman-ad-Christian-Dior-mascara-banned-misleading-women-thinking-gave-lusher-lashes.html


The latest Christian Dior mascara advert has been banned for misleading audiences due to the extreme photo manipulation (digital retouching) of the eyelashes.   Should adverts be retouched?  What effect do you think this retouching has on an audience?

Representation of gender in Christmas Adverts

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/17/asda-christmas-ad-gender-stereotypes


So what do you think about the representation of men and women in the recent array of Christmas adverts from the likes of Asda and Morrisons?  Do you agree with this journalist?  Are men often represented as lazy, stupid, and incapable of looking after a family?  Are women often seen as the leaders of the household?  Workaholics?  Why do you think these companies rely on gender stereotypes likes this in their adverts?