Product Placement

A few months ago I was watching Coronation Street when Ofcom (Britain's communication broadcast regulator) said that product placement has now been given the green light in the UK to place products in popular TV programming. Product placement can be anything from a subtle bottle of Fairy Liquid on the side of Deirdre Barlow's kitchen top and Ronnie Mitchell mentioning a Rolls Royce, to a brief review of a Rustlers Microwavable Burger by David Plat.

They told the audience at home that they would be responsibly informed of this by the display of this symbol (at the beginning, ad breaks and the end) if a program had done this.

http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2011/02/product-placement-on-tv/ 

Products that are placed have to be relevant to the programming (for instance advertising Heinz beans during Ground-Force wouldn't be permitted). 

People in the public eye are considered Icons and the spokespeople of today and therefore, if a person is using a certain brand then people will be influenced by this. Examples are:

1. Cheryl Cole walks out onto the x factor stage wearing the latest Vivian Westwood dress. Consumers that see this now think it is the new fashion must have.
2. Hayley Cropper is working hard scrubbing the Cropper sandwich shop counters with the new Mr Muscle formula. Maybe this will boost sales of the certain product playing on the stereotypical housewife consumers?

The first product placement in the UK was this:

There a strict guidelines on what is deemed acceptable to be advertised on UK TV by Ofcom. And therefore these products:
Alcohol
Baby Formula Milk
Weapons
Gambling
Medicine
Unhealthy

Holidays Are Coming...

Okay so we're no strangers to the Christmas Coca Cola advert and it common knowledge, in today's youth certainly, that it isn't Christmas until that Coca cola wagon pulls into your living room while watching a prime-time show like X-factor (no doubt). This year the Wagon made an appearance on the University campus and other areas of S-o-T, spreading the image of 'Christmas' perhaps?
Was Santa's image changed with the aim to market Coke? According to "http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html" no it wasn't, images of the overweight and lovable Saint Nicholas in a red suit was being used in publications long before to push out the image of a rather creepy looking, skinny, tall and green chap.
So who's this Jesus fellow again? It appears that over time the image of Christmas has changed from the maternity scene, the star and the virgin to extravagant lights, expensive gifts and excessive flapping in the supermarket.
I am incredibly interested in how a much loved Christian part of a year has become manipulated into what it is now, and how people have just accepted this to the demise of there wallets (and sometimes their health) and the success of consumerism. I think that maybe the change in scientific development and the serge of views being changed from the religious faith to the faith of actions and reactions, may play an important part in this exploitation.
What's brilliant is that Coca Cola is a drink that is to be served cold and refreshing on a summer day at best, so when we're all wrapping up warm or the Winter, what's its purpose? Coca Cola knew this all to well in the 1922 coined the Slogan: Thirst Knows No Season. Absolute Brilliance!

http://www.cokezone.co.uk/home/assets/xmas11/main.jsp

Selling sex... and how I love it!

As times have changed so have people's views and sex is always hot topic. Sex has gone from an intimate act of love between a married man and a women to what it is today: a hobby, media entertainment, a consumer product, personal experiments e.c.t. Sex has been recognised by most businesses as one of the most powerful fishing baits for consumers, reeling them in on there desires to be sexually appealing and/or obtain sex. In the past century some would argue that the intimacy has waned away and everything is up for grabs whereas others would argue that there is nothing to be afraid of and it is just another part of life as natural as eating. Religious views are certainly on the decline as science prevails (in my experience) and with this change in thought, sex has been revolutionised (and in some opinions, peoples views have been freed). Sexuality and gender, amongst other things, are not traditionally set and this becoming more accepted every day.


Personally, I relish the Idea that "sex sells", use of sex appeal (after all why not give people what they desire), and I have noticed so much consumer communication that sells sex in research tasks for this university course and as a male consumer in his 20's. Lynx is a pioneer of this movement. In fact I actually half expect to be swept of my feet by irresistible women angels every morning I apply it, but I never arrive at my Uni lectures with the smuggest look ever, I'll keep trying though! Anyway enough rambling, here are some examples that I think are brilliant....


http://themill.com/work/axelynx/even-angels-will-fall.aspx

Music Influencing Fashion

I am a huge fan of Nirvana and over the past two decades, their second ground breaking album 'Nevermind' still inspires and attracts new audiences and other artists with its alternative rock/grunge sound. Kurt Cobain was considered as a spokesman for the youth of the early 90's with his image, powerful lyrics and performances and still today is considered an icon. Even 20 years after this album was released and 17 years after the lead singers death I have noticed that he has not been forgotten. I see him on t-shirts, posters and even hair styles, much like Bowie. Due to the 20 year anniversary i have noticed that this merchandise is hitting the shops again, being repackaged in newer designs and forms. Here is an example of a t-shirt that I brought from Primark two days ago with the original album cover next to it. This really made me question: why did I buy this t-shirt? I noticed that many music fans have T-shirts of their favourite bands. Do I want people to see me and instantly know I'm a Nirvana fan? How much does a persons fashion sense or image tell you about their personality and do people knowingly convey this to the world to be maybe pre-judged?

On another point I noticed my bedsheets (also captured in the picture) follow a New Wave colour scheme. Guess that I'm starting to see a lot of influences in the things I buy :/

London Trip Post Modern Exhibit (01/11/11 - 03/11/11)

Okay, I used to have no idea about what post modernism was or is and very little about the art of this either. From what I've gathered post modernism is an art form that doesn't like to conform and likes to oppose the social norms, in art, fashion, sex, gender e.c.t. It does this in many ways which sometimes can be seen as controversial and/or funny. It can also be a 'feast for the eyes' visually and can be very theatrical or theological . Post modernism is freedom.
What I found interesting in the museum was how Annie Lennox pushed the boundaries of social dress between men and women in the 80's and dress and scenery from the film Blade Runner, which is also seen as a post modern view bringing old ancient structures such as pyramids and temples into a futuristic world.  

Suspicious Stickers?

Okay, so ive noticed some of these stickers popping up in and around Stoke Town, one on the 6th form college and one outside the train station. I'm intrigued to what 'Electroshock Therapy' means. Is it a club event?

Hello World

Hey Im Mark and this is the first blog that I've ever created, lets hope i find some interesting shizz to fill it up with :)