Online+Ad+Critique


 * Online Ad Critique**

1. Online Advertising Critique (due Feb 7, 15%) Pick two instances of an existing online advertising/marketing campaign and critique their design and approach. Who is their target audience? What are they trying to advance? When did you see this campaign, and where? What techniques did they use? Do you believe they were effective? Why/why not? Post this on your personal wiki.


 * Stride Gum Campaign in Japan**

This is a Japanese campaign that has recently started to advertise the gum brand Stride. This campaign started last summer (2011) and it is still on going. This is a campaign only through Facebook which has caught many peoples attention. This Japanese Stride gum page has a mascot character which is the monkey you can see through out the page. They used the mascot monkeys before they even had the Facebook campaign to promote the Stride gums. The monkeys started from television commercials to symbolize that we have evolved to become human beings from this gum. It also had the meaning that once you have consumed this gum, it will make you go crazy like the monkey. The name Yabaland comes from, "Yaba" in Japanese means crazy and added "land" on to it. In english it would be known as crazy land.

They target the audience range anywhere from teenagers to adults since its on a social networking site where anyone can view. However the page is in Japanese, with some english explanation, therefore it is mainly focusing on Japanese users of Facebook. The stride gum is trying to advanced the long lasting taste in the gum as well collaborating with the social network industry. By collaborating with Facebook, it allows them to show constantly on the news feeds to remind the consumers the new products. They also use a technique where you have to "like" the page for further information. Every so often they have different events over Facebook in order to win great prizes. Currently shown in the picture right now is an ongoing event to win cash prize of $100,000 to solve a certain mystery held by the Stride gum. This also advertises the new flavor, the "mystery" flavor in which you get a clue to the story every time you buy a pack of gum. The first event that came on the Stride Gum Facebook page was post a video of you chewing gum and doing something crazy. The top 5 who get the most votes get to be in a commercial for Stride Gum as well as winning a cash prize of $10,000.This was the first time I saw it on a television commercial last summer in Japan and lead me to the page. I was really interested in this contest and tried out for the fun of it. But in order for your friends to vote on Facebook, they also had to like the page. Once the video is submitted, the video then goes on the page as well as on youtube so the viewers of youtube can also see whats happening. They use the techniques to get more viewers by opening new contests and making people like the page so it will constantly show up on the news feeds for reminders of new products or new events.

I believe this was a very effective campaign since its advertising on Facebook, one of the biggest social network sites where many people use. People who are in the contest get their friends to vote for them as well as asking referrals from their friends to vote, etc. This makes a big chain of referrals, collecting more "Likes" on the page and a great way to catch many consumers attention. Currently the page has over 100,000+ "Likes" and has the potential to still grow every time a new contest comes out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G35qxJaItw <- This was the Video I submitted for the contest which I went into Top 3 but in the end came in 11th.


 * Sexy Sumo - 2011 Subaru Forester**

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In 2011, Subaru has launched one of the funniest commercials in Canada for the Subaru Forester using Sumo Wrestlers. They were once used in a different commercial for the Subaru Forester in 2008 and have made a return back to the media in 2011. Their Motto is "Sexy Comes Standard"

They taget the audiences who drives a car, usually towards adults, Subaru lovers or SUV lovers. They are trying to advance the next level powerfulness of the Subaru Forester. They are advertising the product by adding humour throughout and seriousness in the background. They use the technique to emphasis the power of the Subaru by using Sumo Wrestlers. Sumo Wrestling is a national sport in Japan, symbolizing "Manliness" and "Power" in the sports. By having sumo wrestlers on the hood of the car lying down being all comfortable emphasizes its reliableness and the stableness even if the big sumo wrestler is relaxing on the hood. As well shows how big inside the car is when theres a sumo wrestler and the kids sitting inside together. They also use the motto "Sexy comes Standard" to relate to the muscle how SUV should be. They combine the muscle power and being relaxed portrayed by the sumo wrestler to create a new metaphor for the car.

I first saw this commercial on television and then few weeks later, a friend of mine showed me on youtube that theres a really hilarious video with Subaru. I think this was a really effective commercial they have made for a automobile industry. Instead of having a serious commercial with just the car driving and explaining the new innovation, Subaru added humor to catch more viewers and consumers. Currently this video has over 1 million + views on Youtube as well as having positive comments such as thinking about purchasing the Subaru Forester or wanting a Sumo wrestler with their car. I think this commercial has brought a new entertainment to the car industry which will catch many peoples attention.