If there was one person out of the entire class composed of such talented individuals that I believed could really make it far in sales..it would be Brian Frank. His presentation of "Sudzee" was absolutely wonderful. The confident tone of his voice really put future consumers at ease with every word he spoke. Not only was his product both extremely innovative and practical but Brian really covered all basis in his presentation. It was evident that he put a lot of time, hard work and effort into making his product the absolute best that it could be. Brian thought about all elements of his production and researched far into his product, therefore enabling him to answer all questions confidently and correctly about his product.
Brian's final project and presentation was one of the most memorable ones thus far. One of the most successful elements to Brian's pitch was that he asked himself the very same questions that we were asking in our heads. For instance, at the beginning of his presentation Brian asked, "What is our approach?" He thought of potential questions that consumers would want to know and gave answers to those questions right off of the bat. Brian gave background information and insight as to which materials would be used in the production and manufacturing of his product, "Sudzee." I really appreciated how Brian decided to make his product very environmentally friendly-because that is a vital factor in saving our planet. His product could potentially change the way we, as a society, do laundry. Throughout his presentation, I really got the feeling that Brian was so understanding, caring and mindful of other people, In fact, he chose to design a second "Sudzee" which would be less expensive than his original model for low-income families who wouldn't be able to afford the first model. Brian also came up with a design for handicapped or old people who can't bend down to retrieve their own laundry. He designed a device that would actually lift the laundry to eye level, making it more suitable for all people-handicapped or not. Furthermore, he proposed that his company would remove consumers old laundry and dryer machines at no cost and recycle that material to be used for other things-once again reinforcing his environmentally friendly approach. The fact that Brian took all of these things into consideration when designing his product gave off such an emotional appeal to audience members and that sense of caring would ultimately lead me to choose "Sudzee" over old brands.
The first ad that Brian chose to display "Sudzee" on was a billboard. I really liked that fact that he cleverly placed this Billboard by Newark airport. By choosing this location, Brian has reached such a broad and extensive audience. The traffic by Newark airport from people traveling to and from is astronomical. The billboard itself was so cute! I really liked how Brian made a logo for himself out of old washer and dryers and make an adorable smiley face out of it. This shows the caring aspect of his brand and omits the feeling of being light and happy. For his second advertisement, Brian chose to use the Internet, specifically Facebook to reach his target audience. He researched where the best places to show his ad were and Facebook was the most appropriate forum to do so in. Advertising on Facebook is very cost efficient. Brian will save lots of money, while reaching such a large scale of potential consumers through Facebook. He will only have to pay per click, saving him lots of money to be put towards other things within his company. For Brian's final ad, he chose to use a magazine to get his product out there for potential consumers. Brian's elegant design for his magazine ads tied in perfectly with his campaign. He used the same logo as was on the billboard ad, as he wanted to let the images speak for themselves. Brian did not want to give too much away in his ads, but rather tease audience members and give them a hint of his product, so they would then want to investigate further into it. Displaying his ads in "O"and "Family Circle" magazines were a wise choice for Brian. These seem most fitting for the target audience he is trying to reach-middle-aged women who are most likely the one's doing laundry in the household. The design spoke to this age group and by advertising in a magazine, Brian is still maintaining his cost effective budget.
Brian's efficient use of materials and innovative technology make for one successful product and campaign. One of my most favorite parts of Brian's final project was that at the end, he ran through a list of reasons why potential consumers should choose "Sudzee." Here, Brian summed up the success of his product and highlighted why people should go out and purchase this. His confidence and knowledge were a highly successful component of his product an it is those two elements that would ultimately lead me to purchase "Sudzee."
Monday, May 2, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Second Final Product I Would Endorse
It takes a lot of guts to stand up in front of a group of people and make a successful oral presentation that is well received. From experience, I can tell you that those ten minutes feel like years, as each patter of your heart sounds like the bold beats of a drum. My second product that I would endorse is Larissa's Quick Clean. To be honest, I am quite surprised that this product hasn't been created yet. When thinking of all the innovative and creative gadgets available for college students now-a-day it makes me wonder why Quick Clean has yet to be discovered. Living in a fast paced society, you and I both know that there is little time to really do anything outside of work and school. So, to have a product that would not only save time but also energy seems so fitting.
Perhaps it is because I am a college student that I can really relate to the feeling that Larissa explained in her presentation. Regardless, I would sponsor her product, Quick Clean, because it is much needed in our world. She did an amazing job presenting her product to the class. Her energy and enthusiasm really motivated and inspired the class. There really was never a dull moment during Larissa's presentation, as she keep audience members entertained with her quirky comments and energetic ways of expressing her desires for us to purchase Quick Clean.
Larissa's first advertisement, a billboard, was simple yet to the point. Her basic design caught passer-byers as they drove along the highway. I really appreciated the detail she put into this. Larissa clearly did her research about where would be the best possible place to put her billboard. I thought it was so clever that she thought of the Lincoln Tunnel because there is usually a big build up of traffic in that area. Her billboard itself was also creative. I really like how she used bold font and colors to grab reader's attention. She didn't use many words at all, which made her billboard all the more successful.
Her second advertisement, a magazine ad, was also so successfully executed. I really loved how she actually put her ad into a magazine. We got a sense of what it would actually look like from this. I enjoyed her choice of bright colors and again the fact that she let the images speak for themselves. It made me giggle that she chose to use the less than/greater than math symbol in her ad. That was super cute! Larissa really put a lot of hard work into researching what would be the best magazine forum for her to place her ad in. To me, her energy not only lit up the room, but pumped up the entire class.
We were all so excited to see Larissa's third and final ad. And I have to say, this was by far my favorite ad. Larissa's commercial was so well done. Because one of her target audiences is college students, Larissa filmed actual students at Ramapo College in a dorm room. Her script and execution were coupled so beautifully with the dialogue incorporated. Here, Larissa showed viewers just how her product works, as she appealed emotionally to those who watched it.
Perhaps the most successful element of Larissa's final product and the part that really sold me was her demonstration. No other presenter had done this before. Larissa showed a mock bottle of what her product would look like. She then sprayed her product, Quick Clean onto her black shirt and waited for it to dry. After her presentation, Larissa passed around that very shirt and asked audience members to smell it and make sure that the product had done its job. By showing us exactly how to use her product and the results from it, Larissa gained more potential consumers who were curious to see how and if this product worked.
I would sponsor Larissa's product because I really feel that it could become wildly successful. Who wouldn't want to cut their time and energy by at least half? This product could really go places with the help of some people who are willing to sponsor it. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of her product is that it appeals to basically any and everyone who does laundry-which is, in fact, many many people! Her charismatic presentation and vibrant energy only further added to the potential success of Quick Clean, all the while gaining potential sponsors...like myself!
Perhaps it is because I am a college student that I can really relate to the feeling that Larissa explained in her presentation. Regardless, I would sponsor her product, Quick Clean, because it is much needed in our world. She did an amazing job presenting her product to the class. Her energy and enthusiasm really motivated and inspired the class. There really was never a dull moment during Larissa's presentation, as she keep audience members entertained with her quirky comments and energetic ways of expressing her desires for us to purchase Quick Clean.
Larissa's first advertisement, a billboard, was simple yet to the point. Her basic design caught passer-byers as they drove along the highway. I really appreciated the detail she put into this. Larissa clearly did her research about where would be the best possible place to put her billboard. I thought it was so clever that she thought of the Lincoln Tunnel because there is usually a big build up of traffic in that area. Her billboard itself was also creative. I really like how she used bold font and colors to grab reader's attention. She didn't use many words at all, which made her billboard all the more successful.
Her second advertisement, a magazine ad, was also so successfully executed. I really loved how she actually put her ad into a magazine. We got a sense of what it would actually look like from this. I enjoyed her choice of bright colors and again the fact that she let the images speak for themselves. It made me giggle that she chose to use the less than/greater than math symbol in her ad. That was super cute! Larissa really put a lot of hard work into researching what would be the best magazine forum for her to place her ad in. To me, her energy not only lit up the room, but pumped up the entire class.
We were all so excited to see Larissa's third and final ad. And I have to say, this was by far my favorite ad. Larissa's commercial was so well done. Because one of her target audiences is college students, Larissa filmed actual students at Ramapo College in a dorm room. Her script and execution were coupled so beautifully with the dialogue incorporated. Here, Larissa showed viewers just how her product works, as she appealed emotionally to those who watched it.
Perhaps the most successful element of Larissa's final product and the part that really sold me was her demonstration. No other presenter had done this before. Larissa showed a mock bottle of what her product would look like. She then sprayed her product, Quick Clean onto her black shirt and waited for it to dry. After her presentation, Larissa passed around that very shirt and asked audience members to smell it and make sure that the product had done its job. By showing us exactly how to use her product and the results from it, Larissa gained more potential consumers who were curious to see how and if this product worked.
I would sponsor Larissa's product because I really feel that it could become wildly successful. Who wouldn't want to cut their time and energy by at least half? This product could really go places with the help of some people who are willing to sponsor it. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of her product is that it appeals to basically any and everyone who does laundry-which is, in fact, many many people! Her charismatic presentation and vibrant energy only further added to the potential success of Quick Clean, all the while gaining potential sponsors...like myself!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Rio (Experiential #2)
I must admit-there came a time where I realized that I was probably too old to go see animated films in the movie theater. I am one of those secret Disney/Pixar lovers who watches these films in the comfort and secrecy of my own home. So, when I saw the commercials for Rio on the television a few weeks ago-I came up with the convenient excuse to selfishly blame going to see it on my poor little cousin. I was long anticipating the release of this movie and was thrilled when asked to go see it for an assignment for Idea Development. Once I arrived at the theater and got ready to watch the movie, I looked around and noticed that I, in fact, was surrounded by people my age and even older. I then realized that you don’t have to just be a child to enjoy fun, animated films and that it was perfectly normal for me to enjoy a great film-at any age! (My embarrassment then subsided.)
From the moment the movie started, I knew the this film was filled with a colorful cast of characters and amazing vibrant graphics that help enrich the story’s true beauty. The first element that led to what I believe what is going to become a wildly successful movie is the usage of colors. The animation designers chose a very vibrant pattern and choice of colors to work with for the entire film. I feel slightly compelled to talk about the color palette in Ice Age because the director of this film, Carlos Saldanha was the director for that film as well. Unlike Ice Age, which consisted primarily of cool, grey and blue tones, Rio worked with a specific array of vibrant colors like bright blues, oranges and yellows. Each specific color was bright and summery, just like what you think of when you envision Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Something about this color scheme just makes people happy. In addition, the fact that this film is 3-D only enhances the perfect color combinations. The audience feels like they are a part of not only the film but also the journey the characters endure throughout the film. The vibrant colors got along beautifully with the bright and animated characters. The choice of bright colors was one of important particularly for this light and uplifting good time film.
The second extremely successful component of this film is the choice of sound. The soundtrack for this film is simply fantastic. Each song fits perfectly to the mood of the music and honestly made everyone in the theater want to get up and dance-the energy around the music-with each pound of the drum or flair of the song. The energy of the music was just contagious. An important element was to incorporate the traditional music of Brazil because this film is mainly set there- that is the origin country of Blu and the Macaw species. This zesty compilation of native Brazilian music really incorporates the flavor of Brazil into the journey. My favorite song throughout the entire movie is entitled, “Telling the World,” this particular song was a perfect match for Blu and Jewel’s journey together. The samba rhythms penetrate through your eardrums and finally go out with a bang in the incredible Carnaeval finale. The selection of audio in this film enhances the incredible story line while infecting audience members with the Brazilian culture.
From the beginning of the movie until the end, I could not take my eyes off of the screen. The animation throughout this film is impeccable. The rich and warm colors that enlighten the screen are seen throughout the course of Blu’s journey. The choice of characters was perfectly fitting. Each character has a certain “cartoony” look to them but overall looked like amazing pieces of art. There really aren’t any other movies that I have seen in the past few years with such warm and impeccable colors that I could compare this film to. My favorite animated character was by far Blu. He just was simply adorable! The way he moved, talked and his journey just makes me coo with adorableness. In addition, the rich backgrounds were so immaculate and did such an amazing job of capturing and animating the richness of Brazil. Two of the most successful production elements were the aerial views and action shots, which captured the scenery perfectly. The birds flying just showed the unity of the community and captured the essence of the Macaw family. I love how the director chose to show the characters in common tourist destinations and famous places in Brazil. The audience members were really able to feel like they were in Brazil, and got an adequate depiction of life in that country. It was so eclectic and coupled the animation and graphics perfectly. There was a non-stop stream of camera movements, angles and graphics. All of the different images blended together so successfully. Two extremely memorable scenes in this film were without a doubt the opening and closing. There’s something exciting and uplifting about the upbeat music and dancing and unity of the different birds singing and dancing together in the city and forest. The quality of these scenes is like no other movie I’ve seen. There was so much going on in those scenes and the animation involved was incredible- in my opinion showed the strongest display of animation in the entire film during these two scenes. The majestic scenes of Rio stick with the audience throughout the course of the movie.
In any film, the character development is one of the most influential factors on the success of the storyline of a movie. In this particular film, the development of Blu was an exceptional one. First, the audience is able to get a glimpse of his happy life in Minnesota with his owner. We see how content he is with his life because he really doesn’t know any better. It kind of pinpoints just how domesticated Blu has become because he was sheltered in Minnesota and not in the wilderness of Brazil, his native land. However, one day his life is turned upside down. When the scientist finds Blu and realizes that he is the last male of that species, Blu becomes concerned with leaving the only life that he knew in Minnesota and his beloved friend for life, Linda and moving to Brazil to mate with the last female Macaw species. Audience members are able to see the interaction and true journey and relationship Blu and his new mate, Jewel have. At first, Jewel was completely uninterested in Blu-all she wanted to do was escape. I couldn’t help but feel bad for the poor guy because all he really wanted was to kiss her, and she couldn’t be any more uninterested! When they are held hostage by the smugglers, the journey of their relationship really climaxes. Both Blu and Jewel had to fight to escape and really only had each other throughout the journey-they needed to rely on one another just for survival. It was so adorable how Blu kept trying to help Jewel escape-he put her before himself-and that showed me how genuine he was. When they finally escaped, Jewel and Blu search for housing in the jungles of Rio de Janeiro. Since Blu has become “humanized” so to speak, he is unable to fly. While they search for housing, Jewel climbs with him (even though she is able to fly) because she doesn’t want to abandon him. The nest day, we see Blu struggling to fit in. The other birds attempt to teach him how to fly but to no avail. Blu meets many new friends, but can’t seem to connect with any of them like he had connected with Linda. All he wants is to resume his life back to what it used to be-to have this unbreakable bond like he has with Linda. I was at the edge of my seat as Linda searched for Blu-and the missed opportunities she had. I felt hopeless because Linda couldn’t get to Blu-he had already been captured and sent on a place. At the end of the film, while Jewel and Blu battle with the other birds that have held the Macaws hostage, Blu (who cannot fly) jumps out of the plane in order to save Jewel. This was a heart wrenching moment-my emotions of fear and anxiety were overtaken by the incredible care and love Blu has for Jewel. As they fell to the ground, Jewel kisses Blu-something that he has wanted for so long! He is so blown away that he held out his wings and cradled Jewel-saving both of them at once. The ending of the film was the cutest part of the entire film. By the end, Jewel and Blu start a relationship together and eventually have three children of their own. The happy family now all lives together in the open rainforests of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Blu sacrifices a lot for the woman that he loves-but to him it is all worth it.
The storyline in Rio was one of the cutest, most adventurous and thrilling story telling that I have seen in a while. The writing of the script was one of the key elements of the movie that led to its greatness. It really made me think to myself that no one is really ever too old to have an imagination. I really enjoyed how the journey was written-from Blu’s domestic life and through his encounters with Jewel in his new territory. I really enjoyed Jewel and Blu’s relationship-and even though they are just Macaws, it is one relationship that I think many people can relate to. I loved how it was a chase; a longing of Blu’s to try to be with Jewel. She, wanting no part in it, developed throughout the film and came to love him at the very end. I really enjoyed the action of the two “love birds” while they were caught several times and held hostage and very constantly fighting for their own freedom-when other people got I the way of their living. My favorite part however, was in the very end when Blu and Jewel start their relationship together and start a family in the jungle. I thought it was so adorable and was really happy that I could leave the theater with a smile on my face because the fact that Blu and Jewel were so happy made me just as happy!
I would absolutely recommend this movie to people of all ages. Even though it is an animated movie, it is one of my favorite films that I have seen in a while. The incredible camera angles, the scenery and animation along with the extraordinary audio and the superb storyline all attribute to how successful this movie is. This film goes above and beyond the expectations of audience members and delivers a truly amazing film to be proud of. People of all ages need to see an uplifting, clever and witty film that will leave them feeling good after seeing it. Follow these two lovebirds on their adventurous journey to their new lives!
Presentations Week One
I can honestly say that everyone this week brought something truly unique and amazing to the table. The ideas were all so creative, but the way they were presented was even more commendable. However, I can only choose one presenter whom I thought did the best job of conveying their product to potential sponsors. This student, Megan, did an outstanding job of pitching her idea to the audience members. I believe that the most successful part of her presentation (which was hard to come up with) was her amazing presentation skills. You could tell that she really took pride in her product and she used her sense of humor during her presentation in order to break the ice. She made everyone in the classroom laugh with her wittiness and her bright and bubbly personality. Even if her product was not really successful, her presentation skills are what would win potential investors over.
Aside from her outstanding public speaking skills, Megan had a product that I truly wish would be created. Her Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream flavor is so simple-yet so delicious and I can't comprehend how Ben and Jerry's haven't created this flavor yet. Not only did Megan create the product, but she also thought of a clever slogan to go along with it. Her "Strawberry Fields Forever" is the perfect name for her product-as it is a kind of play on words with the Beetles song and the other witty catchphrases for flavors that Ben and Jerrys has. In fact, she incorporated the Beetles into her radio advertisement. One potentially successful element of relating a product to another group or product is similarity. Perhaps by using the Beetles as a component of her ad, Megan is attracting a broader range of potential consumers. I think it was very smart for Megan to advertise to all spectrums of her target audience-from kids to adults.
The third most successful component of Megan's Final Project was her three different ads. Her first ad, a Billboard, was simple yet successful. She used bold colors that appealed to children and adults alike. I like how she really researched as to where would be the perfect location to place her ad. I thought it was really clever for her to place it on the highway, by an elementary school. One of the most important and influential group to advertise to is children. I thought it was adorable how the chocolate was falling from the sky and just how detailed Megan got with all of her ads. She really took the time to make everything perfect and add her little details that put a special touch of every piece of advertising she created. For example, even though her Billboard she presented was too small to see it, Megan added hearts and they eyeballs on the cow for her ice cream. That right there shows just how special she made all of her ad and how detail oriented she got. Her next ad, a magazine ad was just the perfect way to get her product out there to potential customers. She used bright colors that popped and really grabbed the reader's attention. Her ad was so cutesy-and it will go much appreciated amongst parents who primarily read the type of magazine that Megan will be placing her ad into. The final ad, which is my personal favorite was the radio ad. I could not believe just how professional sounding the ad was. It must have taken Megan forever just to put it together-I think it could be aired on the radio just like that! The actors that she hired to do her radio campaign were so talented. The fact that Megan used the Beetles song really made such a difference to the ad overall. It added that special touch to an already extremely successful ad campaign.
I really appreciated just how much effort and hard work Megan put into her presentation, yet just how effortlessly she executed her oral. The most successful products come about from people who are really passionate about what they are pitching-and the passion was really just flowing from Megan. Her personality just lights up the room and she got all of the people in the audience excited about what she had to offer. After her presentation, Megan really convinced me to buy her product so much so that I went home and made chocolate covered strawberries with vanilla bean ice cream. Megan really set the bar high for the other presenters with her outstanding work!
Aside from her outstanding public speaking skills, Megan had a product that I truly wish would be created. Her Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream flavor is so simple-yet so delicious and I can't comprehend how Ben and Jerry's haven't created this flavor yet. Not only did Megan create the product, but she also thought of a clever slogan to go along with it. Her "Strawberry Fields Forever" is the perfect name for her product-as it is a kind of play on words with the Beetles song and the other witty catchphrases for flavors that Ben and Jerrys has. In fact, she incorporated the Beetles into her radio advertisement. One potentially successful element of relating a product to another group or product is similarity. Perhaps by using the Beetles as a component of her ad, Megan is attracting a broader range of potential consumers. I think it was very smart for Megan to advertise to all spectrums of her target audience-from kids to adults.
The third most successful component of Megan's Final Project was her three different ads. Her first ad, a Billboard, was simple yet successful. She used bold colors that appealed to children and adults alike. I like how she really researched as to where would be the perfect location to place her ad. I thought it was really clever for her to place it on the highway, by an elementary school. One of the most important and influential group to advertise to is children. I thought it was adorable how the chocolate was falling from the sky and just how detailed Megan got with all of her ads. She really took the time to make everything perfect and add her little details that put a special touch of every piece of advertising she created. For example, even though her Billboard she presented was too small to see it, Megan added hearts and they eyeballs on the cow for her ice cream. That right there shows just how special she made all of her ad and how detail oriented she got. Her next ad, a magazine ad was just the perfect way to get her product out there to potential customers. She used bright colors that popped and really grabbed the reader's attention. Her ad was so cutesy-and it will go much appreciated amongst parents who primarily read the type of magazine that Megan will be placing her ad into. The final ad, which is my personal favorite was the radio ad. I could not believe just how professional sounding the ad was. It must have taken Megan forever just to put it together-I think it could be aired on the radio just like that! The actors that she hired to do her radio campaign were so talented. The fact that Megan used the Beetles song really made such a difference to the ad overall. It added that special touch to an already extremely successful ad campaign.
I really appreciated just how much effort and hard work Megan put into her presentation, yet just how effortlessly she executed her oral. The most successful products come about from people who are really passionate about what they are pitching-and the passion was really just flowing from Megan. Her personality just lights up the room and she got all of the people in the audience excited about what she had to offer. After her presentation, Megan really convinced me to buy her product so much so that I went home and made chocolate covered strawberries with vanilla bean ice cream. Megan really set the bar high for the other presenters with her outstanding work!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Final Project Paper
Kelly Russell
Idea Development
Professor Sanchez
April 15, 2011
Final Project
ATD Connect
Being a college student, I know first hand just how difficult it is to prioritize and complete all work assigned within a tight timeline. One of the most difficult things to do is to sit in a lecture and take notes while actively listening and participating to all of the important information being said by a professor. So, when thinking about a product that I could create, I knew whatever I chose to invent had to be something that would be beneficial to students who struggle with note taking and listening, just as I do. And so, ATD (Audio Texting Device) Connect was born. This simple pocket-sized device is truly the product of the future. It not only captures audio, but also converts it into Word format. This innovative product uses an SD Memory Card that can be easily removed from the device and imported into a computer and then translated into a Word document. No more worrying about sloppy note taking or missing important information-let the ATD Connect do all the work for you! The success of my product is going to be based on the advertisements created. The three mediums that I chose to advertise my product in were Newspaper, the Internet (specifically Facebook) and a Billboard. I decided these three ads would be most effective in campaigning to get people to buy my product. My target age group is college students, and these ads were placed in areas where this target audience would most likely be found.
Although there are products on the market that are similar to mine, none are as advanced or efficient as ATD Connect. My first competition is VBA Access. This product uses a microphone to capture audio and translates the audio into Word format. (visualbasic). Unlike my product, this product is not portable. The large microphone is bulky and not practical to bring into a classroom. My product is sleek and easily mobilized. My second competition is a product called ALSA Audio API. Although this product is not a recorder and translator, it ‘s only function is to be a gateway between the two. It is a software that a person inserts into their computer and can easily translate voice recordings from outside sources (voice recorders) into Word Format. Although this product is similar to mine, it does not incorporate all elements like ATD Connect. Users have experienced slowness and difficulty with program. (equalarea). In addition, the software itself is not compatible with different computer operating running systems; like Macintosh. This here limits the amount of people who are able to access the system. My product not only utilizes both the audio and translating components into one, but is also compatible with all different types of computer systems. ATD Connect is easy to use-simply take out the SD Card Chip and insert it into a laptop or computer..within seconds your audio will be converted into a Word Document.
My first advertisement will be on a billboard. Compared to other forms of advertising, using a billboard is one of the most cost effective methods. This ad will run 24 hours a day for 6 months, as opposed to a short spread in a magazine, commercial or newspaper ad that lasts for only a few days or so. Since my target audience is college students. I decided to place my ad along highway 287 right by Ramapo College. This is a wise business decision because many people traveling that route will be going to Ramapo College and my target audience is college students. My particular billboard will cost approximately $2,000 a month and will run for 6 months-adding up to a grand total of $12,000. This may seem like a lot of money, but when compared to other types of advertisements it is one of the most affordable. (gaebler). My billboard will be 14X48, which is large enough to catch the eyes of drivers and is the standard size for most highway billboards. (ehow). I-287 in New Jersey is one of the most heavily trafficked routes in the state. I will place my ad right after exit 17 for New Jersey-this will be right before the exit for Mahwah and prior to Mahwah and Morristown splitting. I chose a bright but not overpowering blue color for my background-this will become my first layer. Then, for my second layer, I typed up my website; www.atdconnect.com in bold, black letters at the top so drivers can clearly see it. Finally, for my third layer I have two images. The first picture is of the device itself, and the second image is of the facebook slogan, “You like This.” I included this image because most of my target audience uses facebook and I believed that it was a clever way to incorporate what they would be interested in with my ad. Since my billboard needs to catch the attention of drivers within ten seconds, I kept it basic and to the point. The biggest component of my billboard is the website at the top. I chose to only place that because drivers will be curious to see what exactly my product is. Therefore, in order to find out more information about ATD Connect, they will want to go to my website, where it explains in detail about my product. Using a billboard is not an efficient means of advertising, but more importantly an effective one.
For my second ad, I chose to advertise my product in a newspaper because I felt it was most appropriate for my target audience-college students. This black and white ad will be featured in the New York Times newspaper. I decided to advertise ATD Connect in the New York Times because it is one of the most popular newspapers out today. I believe that my target audience would normally be using the newspaper, specifically the New York Times in order to receive their news and information. This specific newspaper reaches 150,000 homes per day. (businessweek). I got the idea for the New York Times from the free copies available for students and faculty here, at Ramapo College. After researching online, I discovered that many colleges in the tri-state area supply the New York Times for free to their students. (nytmarketing). In addition, this specific ad will be 3X7 and will run on weekdays, for twenty days (2 ads a week for ten weeks) during the months of July to October. This ad, which is in black and white all together will cost roughly $5,000 to run. (nytimes). In my ad, I used simple, yet bold fonts to make a statement but not be overbearing or chaotic. Unlike my Internet ad, this newspaper ad uses words in order to convey the point I am trying to make-which is that consumers should purchase my product because it is in high demand and is necessary. I didn't want to give too much information away within the ad because I want to leave individuals curious as to find out more about my product. I included ATD's website so that people are able to log on and discover more about my product and will want to buy it. At the end of my ad, after describing whom this product was for, I stated that people should go out and get their ATD Connect now before supplies last. Here, I create a sense of urgency. I want people to want to go out and buy my product because they feel like it is in high demand. When a product is wanted and is popular amongst people, everyone wants it-it's hot. That's exactly what I envisioned for ATD Connect. I also said that this is the device of the future because I want audience members to feel like they need this in order to keep up with the times. ATD Connect is going to change the way people think and learn-and everyone should own one because I think my product is great! In addition, rather than putting a picture of my product on the ad, I chose to use an image found on Google of a small boy who seems annoyed and overloaded by the coursework in front of him. I felt like this picture gave off more of an emotional appeal and is going to make reader's want to discover more about the product and they will be curious as to why I used that image for ATD Connect. This image is meant to show people that they don't need to feel like this anymore-ATD Connect is here to help.
My third and final ad is an Internet ad. This advertisement will be presented for my target audience on Facebook. made the SD Card, which holds all of the information and put my products name, ATD on it. I then made a slogan; “This Is The Future.” The bottom line, “Who Am I?” is going to be a link that will bring the Facebook users to the website for my project. I chose to use Facebook (the internet) as one of my mediums because my target audience, which is college students and business people are more likely to be using social networking sites, like Facebook during the day. Using Facebook allows me to zoom in on my target audience. Ads on facebook can be payed for per click-as my ad will be. This way, I only pay Facebook for the times a person or people click on the link to my website from the ad. This is a cost-saving way to get my ad out in a forum where my target audience is often found. Because I decided on paying for my ad per click, it is hard to estimate a budget for myself. However, I will set aside $2,000 for Facebook advertising. This ad will run from the months of July to October because I believe during these months, students are preparing for college and getting their supplies. It would be most effective for me to run my ad during this time period. People who use social networks often divulge a plethora of personal information in their profiles, which can prove useful to advertisers. Facebook lets you pick and choose which groups you would like your ads to reach. (inc). Because I can choose specific audiences who will be able to see my product, I will select college students simply by linking to the network they are under (for example Ramapo College ’14). I chose a simple approach for the ad on Facebook because much of the ads are simple and grasp the audience’s attention. I didn't choose a lot of words nor graphics because I wanted to audience (who are Facebook users) to click on the link to learn more about the product. This link will then send potential customers to ATD Coonect’s home page, which contains a lot of information and detail about the product and enables people to purchase it. By giving little information on my Internet ad, I lure potential customers in by sparking their curiosity.
I believe that the success of my product is going to be reliant on the advertisements I choose and the newspaper, billboard and Facebook ads are most fitting for my target audience. It is important for me to choose the most relevant places to advertise my product, because I want the most people being able to access ATD Connect. All together, my advertisements are going to cost approximately $20,000 to run. I know that the money is worth it because the amount of people purchasing my product and the revenue from it will far exceed the cost of advertising. My product is going to cost $19.99. I priced it very affordably because, let’s face it-most college students are on a tight budget and pricing it correctly is only going to make it more available for potential customers to purchase. ATD Connect can only be purchased through the website, but as it becomes more successful, I will branch out and sell it in stores, like Bed, Bath and Beyond. My device is practical and is the product of the future. For me, it will become as necessary as a laptop for a college student. ATD really is changing the way we learn, and will only help individuals succeed. In a hectic world full of stress and worry, why add more unnecessary work to our daily lives? ATD Connect is here to ease all worries. There really is no product like mine and if anyone knows how to create a product for college students-it is a college student herself! ATD Connect is going to take over the world.
"Billboard Advertising Costs - How Much Do Billboards Cost? - Billboard Pricing - Entrepreneurial Resources - Tips for Entrepreneurs - Gaebler Ventures - Chicago, Illinois." Entrepreneur Resources - Resources for Entrepreneurs - Gaebler Ventures - Business Incubator - Holding Company - Venture Capital (Chicago, Illinois). Gaebler, 2001-2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.gaebler.com/Billboard-Advertising-Costs.htm>.
Contributor, An EHow. "How to Advertise on Billboards | EHow.com." EHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | EHow.com. EHow, 06 Apr. 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/how_4453989_advertise-billboards.html>.
Davis, Paul. "A Tutorial on Using the ALSA Audio API." Equal Area Records. 2002. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.equalarea.com/paul/alsa-audio.html>.
Del Ray, Jason. "How to Advertise on Facebook." Small Business and Small Business Information for the Entrepreneur. Inc.com, 01 Feb. 2010. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100201/how-to-advertise-on-facebook.html>.
"The Future Of The New York Times." Businessweek - Business News, Stock Market & Financial Advice. Businessweek, 17 Jan. 2005. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_03/b3916001_mz001.htm>.
"The New York Times - Advertising - Newspaper Ad Rates." NYTimes.com Marketing and Circulation Services. The New York Times, Jan. 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.whsites.net/mediakit/newspaper/rates/ad_rates.php>.
"The New York Times in College - Get The Times." The New York Times Marketing Portfolio. Marketing.com, 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nytmarketing.whsites.net/incollege/?page=gettimes>.
"VBA - Accessing Access." About Visual Basic. About.com, 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://visualbasic.about.com/od/learnvba/l/aa030803b.htm>.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
My Second Ad for Final Project
Photo Credit to: Google Images
(I had to resort to taking a snapshot of the ad I made on photoshop because blogger could not recognize the photoshop project. For my final project I will print out all of my ads. Because it is a snapshot, the font appears very small so I will list what is typed on the ad below. "Introducing the New ATD Connect. No more cramping hands and sloppy pages from note taking. No more worries about not hearing important information. This pocket sized device not only captures audio but converts it into Word format. Perfect for college students and business people! (www.atdconnect.com) Get yours today before supplies run out! ATD...the device of the future).
I chose to advertise my product in a newspaper because I felt it was most appropriate for my target audience-college students and business men and women. This black and white ad will be featured in the New York Times newspaper. I decided to advertise ATD Connect in the New York Times because it is one of the most popular newspapers out today. I believe that my target audience would normally be using the newspaper, specifically the New York Times in order to receive their news and information. I got the idea for the New York Times from the free copies available for students and faculty here, at Ramapo College. After researching online, I discovered that many colleges in the tri-state area supply the New York Times for free to their students. I used simple, yet bold fonts to make a statement but not be overbearing or chaotic. Unlike my internet ad, this newspaper ad uses words in order to convey the point I am trying to make-which is that consumers should purchase my product because it is in high demand and is necessary. I didn't want to give too much information away within the ad because I want to leave individuals curious as to find out more about my product. I included ATD's website so that people are able to log on and discover more about my product and will want to buy it. At the end of my ad, after describing who this product was for, I stated that people should go out and get their ATD Connect now before supplies last. Here, I create a sense of urgency. I want people to want to go out and buy my product because they feel like it is in high demand. When a product is wanted and is popular amongst people, everyone wants it-it's hot. That's exactly what I envisioned for ATD Connect. I also said that this is the device of the future because I want audience members to feel like they need this in order to keep up with the times. ATD Connect is going to change the way people think and learn-and everyone should own one because I think my product is great! In addition, rather than putting a picture of my product on the ad, I chose to use an image found on google of a small boy who seems annoyed and overloaded by the coursework in front of him. I felt like this picture gave off more of an emotional appeal and is going to make reader's want to discover more about the product and they will be curious as to why I used that image for ATD Connect. This image is meant to show people that they don't need to feel like this anymore-ATD Connect is here to help. I believe that the success of my product is going to be reliant on the advertisements I choose and the newspaper ad is fitting for my target audience.
Wall-E !
When it comes to movies- I consider myself to be pretty particular in terms of genre. I like romantic comedies and don't really explore much outside of that category. So, when I initially found out that our class was going to watch a Sci-Fi movie needless to say..I was not so thrilled. However, as soon as the movie came on and the credits started rolling, I discovered that this was not a typical Sci-Fi movie; but rather a Pixar film that I sincerely could not keep my eyes off of. This movie, Wall-E had it all; an incredibly touching and creative storyline, amazing computer graphics and special effects. However, it was just lacking one thing. This one thing-dialogue- or in this case lack of it, was the single most effective element of the entire film. It is truly amazing to me how such a powerful storyline can be conveyed simply through images and not communicated through words. The lack of words in this film only enhanced the storyline that is reliant upon the amazing real-life graphics created on the computer.
It is mind-boggling to me how this Sci-Fi animation is presented. Each image is so closely examined-with nothing being left behind. You can tell that this film must have taken a long time to produce-with each image being closely linked together with precision and detail. The real-life computer images really make the entire film. It is evident that the director, Andrew Stanton uses lighting as one of the key components in the success of his animation. In watching the film, I noticed that the lighting changed within the three acts. In the first act, when Wall-E meets Eve on Earth, the lighting is rustic and a bit romantic. Stanton used "earthly" (no pun intended) tones like browns, greens, mustard and tans. When the two lovers enter space, the lighting changes. Here, in the second act, Stanton used darker tones like navy, blacks, silvers; very cool tones. When the third act came around, and Eve and Wall-E returned back to earth, Stanton referred back to the romantic colors that he began the film with. The realistic lighting only further paints a more realistic picture of a Sci-Fi film for young people. ( and college students!) Because the film makers decided to use live action shots for their film, the rest of the scenes also had to be live action in order to make everything come together smoothly and create the most realistic pieces of footage.
Another successful and vital component that adds to the success of Wall-E is sound/selection of music. The audio was totally in sync with the animation. Each character, whether it would be Eve or Wall-E had their own distinctive noises, which ultimately made them unique. For me, one of the most clever and memorable sounds was the Macintosh noise that Wall-E's body made when it was fully charged. I just thought it was so creative and adorable (not to mention awfully funny) to incorporate that into the film. One of my most favorite parts to Wall-E was the song choices. I absolutely adored the older, more classic adventure and love songs throughout the movie. For me, the music really painted the picture of Eve and Wall-E's relationship-adorable and fun. The music, whether it was light and playful or deep and mysterious allowed the audience members to really ride along the journey with the characters. My favorite piece of music in Wall-E was the song where he and Eve join hands at the very end of the film. The audience is finally able to understand their love and it is conveyed not only through their simple hand holding, but also through the incorporation of the song-which was pure genius.
One of the major themes in Wall-E was humanity and the environment in which we live in. Wall-E's job was to collect garbage and compact it into small squares so it could be contained in a more organized and environmentally friendly way. It was at his job site that he met his love, a robot named Eve. Just as Wall-E put all of his effort into being with Eve, together they stress the importance of helping the Earth and being justly humane. Wall-E's job is very important-in fact it is just as important as his love for Eve. When they took a journey to Eve's home-the Axium- the audience can see just how separated the people of that galaxy are from the rest of the world. It is almost as if they have become salves to the technology that surrounds them. They don't have that type of interaction with one another- just as Wall-E and Eve do. They have lost what makes them human-the absence of humanity and true human nature. At the end, upon their return to Earth, the robots and humans are working together to renew the Earth and bring it back to its true beauty.
I would be lying if I said that Wall-E truly was not one of my favorite movies. I couldn't help but fall in love with how cute and cuddly Wall-E and Eve were. Their journey-and his resistance to give up was conveyed in a very cute and simple way. The film really did have significant themes and was also visually appealing. Even tho there was little to virtually no dialogue within the film, audiences were still able to capture the true essence of Wall-E- and grasp the importance of the film. I really enjoyed watching this movie and it honestly made me broaden my horizons in terms of film selection. I never expected this "Sci-Fi" movie to be so advanced in its animation and so incredibly adorable in its storyline. I would absolutely recommend this film to audience members of all ages!
It is mind-boggling to me how this Sci-Fi animation is presented. Each image is so closely examined-with nothing being left behind. You can tell that this film must have taken a long time to produce-with each image being closely linked together with precision and detail. The real-life computer images really make the entire film. It is evident that the director, Andrew Stanton uses lighting as one of the key components in the success of his animation. In watching the film, I noticed that the lighting changed within the three acts. In the first act, when Wall-E meets Eve on Earth, the lighting is rustic and a bit romantic. Stanton used "earthly" (no pun intended) tones like browns, greens, mustard and tans. When the two lovers enter space, the lighting changes. Here, in the second act, Stanton used darker tones like navy, blacks, silvers; very cool tones. When the third act came around, and Eve and Wall-E returned back to earth, Stanton referred back to the romantic colors that he began the film with. The realistic lighting only further paints a more realistic picture of a Sci-Fi film for young people. ( and college students!) Because the film makers decided to use live action shots for their film, the rest of the scenes also had to be live action in order to make everything come together smoothly and create the most realistic pieces of footage.
Another successful and vital component that adds to the success of Wall-E is sound/selection of music. The audio was totally in sync with the animation. Each character, whether it would be Eve or Wall-E had their own distinctive noises, which ultimately made them unique. For me, one of the most clever and memorable sounds was the Macintosh noise that Wall-E's body made when it was fully charged. I just thought it was so creative and adorable (not to mention awfully funny) to incorporate that into the film. One of my most favorite parts to Wall-E was the song choices. I absolutely adored the older, more classic adventure and love songs throughout the movie. For me, the music really painted the picture of Eve and Wall-E's relationship-adorable and fun. The music, whether it was light and playful or deep and mysterious allowed the audience members to really ride along the journey with the characters. My favorite piece of music in Wall-E was the song where he and Eve join hands at the very end of the film. The audience is finally able to understand their love and it is conveyed not only through their simple hand holding, but also through the incorporation of the song-which was pure genius.
One of the major themes in Wall-E was humanity and the environment in which we live in. Wall-E's job was to collect garbage and compact it into small squares so it could be contained in a more organized and environmentally friendly way. It was at his job site that he met his love, a robot named Eve. Just as Wall-E put all of his effort into being with Eve, together they stress the importance of helping the Earth and being justly humane. Wall-E's job is very important-in fact it is just as important as his love for Eve. When they took a journey to Eve's home-the Axium- the audience can see just how separated the people of that galaxy are from the rest of the world. It is almost as if they have become salves to the technology that surrounds them. They don't have that type of interaction with one another- just as Wall-E and Eve do. They have lost what makes them human-the absence of humanity and true human nature. At the end, upon their return to Earth, the robots and humans are working together to renew the Earth and bring it back to its true beauty.
I would be lying if I said that Wall-E truly was not one of my favorite movies. I couldn't help but fall in love with how cute and cuddly Wall-E and Eve were. Their journey-and his resistance to give up was conveyed in a very cute and simple way. The film really did have significant themes and was also visually appealing. Even tho there was little to virtually no dialogue within the film, audiences were still able to capture the true essence of Wall-E- and grasp the importance of the film. I really enjoyed watching this movie and it honestly made me broaden my horizons in terms of film selection. I never expected this "Sci-Fi" movie to be so advanced in its animation and so incredibly adorable in its storyline. I would absolutely recommend this film to audience members of all ages!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
My First Ad for Final Project
Here is my Internet Ad. I have taken a screenshot of my ad, which was created on photoshop, because I was unable to upload it as a photoshop project. I made the SD Card, which holds all of the information and put my products name, ATD on it. I then made a slogan; This Is The Future. The bottom line, Who Am I? is going to be a link that will bring the facebook uses to the website for my project. I chose to use facebook (the internet) as one of my mediums because my target audience, which is college students and business people are more likely to be using social networking sites, like facebook during the day. I chose a simple approach for the ad on facebook because much of the ads are simple and grasp the audiences attention. I didn't choose a lot of words nor graphics because I wanted to audience (who are facebook users) to click on the link to learn more about the product. By giving little information, I lure potential customers in by sparking their curiosity. This is just one example of an advertisement that I will be creating for my product; ATD Connect.
Photo Credit to: Google Images
Monday, March 7, 2011
Film Critique 1 -Monsoon Wedding
The film Monsoon Wedding shows an accurate depiction of the planning and execution of a Punjabi wedding. Through this movie, the audience witnesses the difficulty of maintaining old traditions in a changing modern society. The main characters in Monsoon Wedding encounter difficulties in maintaining their own identities and societal expectations in a changing Indian culture, which is very true of the struggle they still go through today. Two of the main themes presented in the film are gender and identity, in the divide between the old ways and the new ways.
In Punjabi culture, which is a society ruled by patriarchy, women have little say in their own lives, as in the case of the film’s main character, Aditi. She could not carry out a relationship with her ex-boyfriend whom she was really in love with, because her parents chose for her to marry Hermant, a businessman from India who recently relocated to Texas. Aditi was expected to move to the United States after getting married, as it is custom in India to leave your parents and separate from your family immediately after your wedding day. Her father, a middle class man, was expected to provide his daughter with a lavish wedding because it is Indian tradition for a father to do so. The movie chronicles Aditi’s struggle with finding her own identity in a society that frowns upon feminism and open expression.
Aditi’s younger brother, a free spirit, was encouraged to assume the traditional roles that a conventional Indian man should have.His personality and freedom scare Aditi’s father, who insists that his son go to boarding school to “learn how to be a proper Indian man.” These characters chronicle the challenges of expression and identity in a culture that relies heavily on respecting old traditions. The strict Punjabi traditions have become a difficult reality for many Indian people who struggle in a changing society.
One character who exemplified the struggle between tradition and identity was Aditi’s father. When he discovered that an uncle had molested his niece, whom he raised, Aditi’s father asked the uncle to leave the wedding. Doing so would break family ties, which is a very important aspect of Indian life. However, didn’t matter to him because his love and loyalty he had for his niece was far greater than any family tie or tradition. That single event really caught the true spirit of Punjabi, which relies on an emotional approach to life in a tight knit community.
Perhaps one of the elements that in my belief made the film so successfully executed is that the director was a female of the middle class who grew up in Delhi, India. Because of this, Mira Nair was able to capture the true essence of Indian culture. The specific settings of the film were very authentic of India. In fact, many scenes were actually filmed in Nair’s house, and several of her family members were a part of the cast. Tiny, chaotic and humorous scenes compose the entire movie, which centers on a family Wedding and strong stories of love in between. She grouped people in terms of age, gender, nationality, class and economic status.
Nair used an eclectic blend of color and movement that accompanied traditional Punjabi celebrations and the serious issues tackled within the film.The low budget film was shot on a digital camera, and many of the scenes seem more realistic because of this. The movements of the handheld camera make the audience feel as though they are a part of the Wedding celebrations. There is a rush of tangerine color from the ever-appearing marigold flower, which plays a role as an important symbol in the film. This flower is organic to Indian celebrations. The costumes worn by the characters in the movie were authentic to Indian wear. The vibrant patterns, embellishments and unique pieces of jewelry represented the traditional ensembles worn in the Punjabi community. The director plays with color, light, movement and texture in the film, increasing the feeling of realism presented.
In addition to the success of the visuals in the film, the sound was also wonderfully executed. This film is really dominated by the different vivacious sounds. The audio consists of love songs, traditional Indian music, folk and jazz and compliments the visuals perfectly. The sound really makes the movie, in my opinion. One of the most moving and effective scenes of the movie is when all of the women in the family sat around for traditional Wedding preparations and began to sing an Indian hymn. The heavy beats of the drum soon followed, and everyone was on their feet dancing along. It really made me want to get up and dance with them! The soundtrack for this film is very influential on the overall success of Monsoon Wedding.
Monsoon Wedding really captured the true essence of Punjabi culture and the joining of two families. The fact that it is an independent film only increased the realism presented. The acting and filming of the film is very similar to what really goes on in a Punjabi wedding.
The character’s struggles to find their identities in a changing culture is a big part of what is going on in India right now. The old school traditions and harsh gender roles, where women are treated as less equal than men, are now challenged by a modern and changing world. There were no crazy effects or props that made the acting outlandish or unrealistic. In my opinion, the low budget factor influenced the success of the movie because it exemplified the sacredness of Indian culture, and the importance of following past traditions. The characters in Monsoon Wedding confront the challenges of maintaining traditions in a changing world.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Comparison of Two News Articles
Below are the two different mediums that I found for a specific news article; An 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake in New Zealand on .
I like to think of myself as a very informed individual; I love to keep myself up to date on current events. Normally while browsing on the web, I log on to 7online.com and see what's going on in the news. Today, the top story was a big earthquake that hit New Zealand and killed at least 65 people so far. I clicked on the article and read the entire story. As I was reading the article, I didn't really realize the full extent of this natural disaster. Because I was reading the article in my own voice, it didn't seem as severe as when I watched the news. Within the internet article, there was an interview with an eye-witness. When I was reading the article, I visualized what the witness looked like and what the affected area looked like. However, I couldn't really picture exactly how New Zealand looked. The only visuals I received were the ones that I had created in my head. However, when I watched the news on TV two hours later, I noticed that my perceptions and visuals of the event were far different than what actually existed.
The reporter had a very somber tone when discussing the large, destructive earthquake in New Zealand. She really seemed quite concerned as she was reporting about the incident. She then sent us to New Zealand (virtually of course) with another reporter. There, I received the true images of the event. The reporter was literally in the center of the disaster site. He showed us just how much damage was done to the area, but perhaps the most heartbreaking site was when he showed all of the suffering, all of the victims. These poor people were so badly hurt, and through the lenses of the camera appealed emotionally to me. I saw the pain that they were experiencing while searching for family members trapped under the rubble. The videos captured through the news report made me feel like I was there with them, that I too was suffering. Perhaps it was the way the clip was presented, or maybe it was the increased severity I noticed that actually existed in New Zealand, but whatever the case I was none the less moved by the clip.
For me, the more effective news article was the one that I saw on the television. The fact that I had pictures, audio and video clips of the area, along with the interviews conducted really appealed to me emotionally, and grabbed my attention more than the Internet article. The article on the Internet left much to the imagination. Yes, the words moved me a little, but I had to visualize what it may be like in New Zealand. I didn't get that emotional appeal, nor was I able to put myself in their position. Contrary to the article on the Internet, the news clip on the television was the more effective medium for me to get my information, especially in the news. To be able to actually see things going on, as opposed to just reading them works better for me.
Internet Article Credit to : www.7online.com (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=7971898) Access Date-2/22/2011
Television Story Credit to: CBS Evening News at 12pm. (Channel 2) 2/22/2011
I like to think of myself as a very informed individual; I love to keep myself up to date on current events. Normally while browsing on the web, I log on to 7online.com and see what's going on in the news. Today, the top story was a big earthquake that hit New Zealand and killed at least 65 people so far. I clicked on the article and read the entire story. As I was reading the article, I didn't really realize the full extent of this natural disaster. Because I was reading the article in my own voice, it didn't seem as severe as when I watched the news. Within the internet article, there was an interview with an eye-witness. When I was reading the article, I visualized what the witness looked like and what the affected area looked like. However, I couldn't really picture exactly how New Zealand looked. The only visuals I received were the ones that I had created in my head. However, when I watched the news on TV two hours later, I noticed that my perceptions and visuals of the event were far different than what actually existed.
The reporter had a very somber tone when discussing the large, destructive earthquake in New Zealand. She really seemed quite concerned as she was reporting about the incident. She then sent us to New Zealand (virtually of course) with another reporter. There, I received the true images of the event. The reporter was literally in the center of the disaster site. He showed us just how much damage was done to the area, but perhaps the most heartbreaking site was when he showed all of the suffering, all of the victims. These poor people were so badly hurt, and through the lenses of the camera appealed emotionally to me. I saw the pain that they were experiencing while searching for family members trapped under the rubble. The videos captured through the news report made me feel like I was there with them, that I too was suffering. Perhaps it was the way the clip was presented, or maybe it was the increased severity I noticed that actually existed in New Zealand, but whatever the case I was none the less moved by the clip.
For me, the more effective news article was the one that I saw on the television. The fact that I had pictures, audio and video clips of the area, along with the interviews conducted really appealed to me emotionally, and grabbed my attention more than the Internet article. The article on the Internet left much to the imagination. Yes, the words moved me a little, but I had to visualize what it may be like in New Zealand. I didn't get that emotional appeal, nor was I able to put myself in their position. Contrary to the article on the Internet, the news clip on the television was the more effective medium for me to get my information, especially in the news. To be able to actually see things going on, as opposed to just reading them works better for me.
Internet Article Credit to : www.7online.com (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=7971898) Access Date-2/22/2011
Television Story Credit to: CBS Evening News at 12pm. (Channel 2) 2/22/2011
My Final Project Idea
The idea that I chose for my final product is the ATD Connect. This device records a lecture, meeting or just casual conversation and stores it on a microchip. This chip can then be removed from the device and inserted into a computer. There, the ATD Connect will convert the recordings into a Word Document, allowing you to visually see the conversation. My target audience is going to be college students and business men and women, because this device is ideal for lectures and seminars and meetings. The four different mediums in which I will display the ATD Connect is in newspapers, the internet, magazines and print ads (trays in the airport, brochures) I chose these different types of media because I believe that they pertain the most to college students and businesspeople, who use this media to get their information.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
My Adventures with the Z-Nobs
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| Photo Credit to: Google Images |
Every person has a different story to tell; some stories more interesting than others. Have you ever encountered a smell or seen something that brings you back to a certain time? For me, I believe I have a story that is pretty hard to duplicate. Let me take you back to a time I will never forget…
It all started one brisk mid-September evening. The old windows that surrounded my aged house were cracked ever so slightly, to allow for a gentle breeze to brush upon me, like a feather gliding across skin as I slept. I headed up the stairwell, brushed my teeth and jumped into my bed. As I lay my head upon my fluffy pillow and drifted into sleep, I heard an extremely peculiar sound. No, it wasn’t the screeching of the wood floors, nor was it the creaking and moaning from the outdoors. This particular noise was one I had never encountered before in my life. It sounded like an abrupt fire alarm mixed with some bizarre type of futuristic sirens. I quickly jumped out of my bed. My heart was racing a million miles a second. This noise scared me so much that it had felt like I swallowed a frog down my throat. I slowly drifted to the far side of my bedroom and towards the window to take a glance outside. As I brushed the silky curtain to the side to peek, I saw an image I would never forget.
My eyes jumped as I veered out onto the lawn of my front yard. I saw a grey spaceship spiraling down the sky like the leaves of a tree through the autumn sky. The neon colors that lit up the spaceship seemed to have echoed through my neighborhood, like the headlights on a car. I darted down my front steps and headed toward my parent’s bedroom door. I shook my dad and he woke up both my mother and sister. After convincing them that this was not just a crazy dream, they came downstairs with me to check out the scene. The spaceship landed, and out walked these purple creatures. They looked like a sea of little smurfs, ready to take over the neighborhood. These creatures were so cute and friendly looking, that without hesitation, we walked closer to them. After exchanging greetings with these creatures, which are actually called Z-Nobs, claim to be from the planet Zoe, a small orbiting sphere way out in the solar system. They were sent here to be of help to us with advancing the technology on our planet. The Z-Nobs insisted that we go on a tour of their spaceship. Inside, was a whole other world.
The Z-Nobs home was totally amazing. It was like nothing we had ever seen before. The long hallways were filled with bright, flashing lights and the highlighter colored walls were the perfect touch for this space vehicle. On board, these creatures had an aquarium, kitchen, movie theater and bowling alley just to name a few amenities. Their squeaky little voices greeted us with kind words, and were eager to help out in any which way they could. They invited us to stay in their spaceship for a gourmet meal- Planet Zoe style. My father, who was quite hesitant to the idea, finally agreed to let us eat with our new Martian friends.
Our meal was finally prepared, and Mom, Dad, Megan and I gathered around the space table to enjoy a Martian cooked meal with our friends from another planet. Our special “midnight snack” consisted of zesty lemon barbeque chicken prepared over a bed of steaming crispy asparagus, accompanied by fresh hot bread and delicious garnishing for a special touch-cooked specially for us by Chef Bob. We exchanged light conversations at the table that mainly consisted of the differences between our planets. Before we knew it, three hours had passed and my family was about to pass out from exhaustion, my dad did the head nod that told us it was time to depart. The Z-Nobs promised to stay for a few days, so we said our goodnights and headed back into the house. While we slept, the Z-Nobs hooked up all of our neighbors Internet connections, and tweaked all of the technology in the neighborhood so it was totally up to par with the advances made by these Martians. They worked non-stop all night, because Z-Nobs never sleep.
The very next day, I woke up to the sounds of the Z-Nobs banging and drilling. I was so eager and excited to get to know these creatures better, that I put on my slippers and ran outside to see them. A Martian, Martina, who was also 19 years old, first greeted me. She and I sat down to get to know one another more. We began to discuss our lives, and I had a million and one question that I wanted to ask her. After talking for a while, I discovered that Z-Nobs fly to all of the Planets to help them out. They eat food just like us, communicate like us, and pretty much do everything that human beings do. The only difference is that they don’t sleep, and they are all different colors. All of the Z-Nobs look the same. Your color is your own identity, and each Z-Nob is born with a specific coloring. Each color also has a meaning. For example, the blue meant you were a calm, cool and collective Martian, and the red meant that you were a fiercely, saucy Martian. The conversations we had really intrigued me, and I found these creatures to be so interesting and different.
The rest of the neighborhood was so welcoming and excited to get to know these little creatures. The soccer moms baked fresh cookies, and the fathers opened their homes to the Martians from Planet Zoe. The tiny Martians played with the children of the neighborhood. A week had come and gone, and sadly it was time for our new Martian friends to leave Planet Earth and head off to Saturn for their next mission. We thanked them for all of their help, and hugged them goodbye. As I hugged my new Martian friend, Martina goodbye, I felt a small salty tear rolling down the side of my face. I couldn’t help but feel sad to let these little creatures go because my family and I had become so attached to them the past seven days. As I, along with the rest of the neighborhood waved them goodbye, the Z-Nob’s spaceship took off in flight.
So that’s that. Can you believe it? Martians in my town? No, this isn’t some twisted dream, or a contorted joke. This is real life. I became best friends with little Martian creatures, and it was the best experience I had in my entire life. This is definitely an experience I will never forget, for as long as I live. I only hope that everyone can experience and adventure with little Martian creatures from a different planet, like I did with the Z-Nobs.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Which side am I?
Throughout my life, I have come in contact with an eclectic mix of people who each have something organic about them that makes them truly unique. Since I was a young girl, I have always felt like being left handed was an inconvenience rather than it being something that made me different from others. In school, teachers would always have to adjust my seat in the classroom so I wouldn't bang elbows with someone right handed. At home, I was the only person in my family who was left handed, and I got ridiculed by my sister for it. As I grew older however, I began to appreciate being left handed. I read a book my junior year by Daniel Pink, called "A Whole New Mind" and it had such a profound effect on me. In the book, Pink talks about how many left handed people use the right side of their brain. The right side has been thought of as the more "creative" side, and that there is more of a need for right brained thinkers in the world we live in. This book and the ideas Pink presented made me think about how I can use my right brained abilities in a future career. Now I don't see my right-brainedness as being a disadvantage, but rather an asset.
It came as no surprise for me to learn that I answered nearly all of the questions in the Brain Test as being Right-Brained. I am intuitive, as I often times come up with spontaneous ideas, and have a lot of various thoughts flowing through my head at any given time. It is hard for me to follow a set of rules, a sequence or a pattern because it is challenging for my mind to think in that particular way. When reading a passage, I often times keen in on specific details, like what the person is wearing, instead of focusing mainly on the main ideas the author is trying to convey through his or her writing. The best way that I learn is through a series of visual images, and specifically through demonstrations-I am a "symbolic learner." For example, on a test, in order to memorize specific words or information, I relate it to people or events I have come in contact with throughout my life. I learned that my yearning for adventure and my spontaneous attitude can also be attributed to the dominance of my right brain. I am also free with my feelings and can express myself through words, another characteristic of being mainly right brain dominant. I only answer one question as being left brain dominant, and was not surprised by this discovery.
Some of the most creative people are right brain dominant. The random ideas that circulate through my head ultimately make me more creative as a person. This test only solidified my knowledge of being right brain dominant, and I think that I need to embrace the knowledge and creativity I have and use it in my everyday life, and eventually in a future career. It is important for me to focus on the areas where I am am dominant, and work on the areas where I struggle. My abstract ideas are perfect for a Communication Arts major. I have learned that there is a connection between being left handed and right brain dominant, and being right handed and left brain dominant and the characteristics of being right brained totally describe the person I am.
It came as no surprise for me to learn that I answered nearly all of the questions in the Brain Test as being Right-Brained. I am intuitive, as I often times come up with spontaneous ideas, and have a lot of various thoughts flowing through my head at any given time. It is hard for me to follow a set of rules, a sequence or a pattern because it is challenging for my mind to think in that particular way. When reading a passage, I often times keen in on specific details, like what the person is wearing, instead of focusing mainly on the main ideas the author is trying to convey through his or her writing. The best way that I learn is through a series of visual images, and specifically through demonstrations-I am a "symbolic learner." For example, on a test, in order to memorize specific words or information, I relate it to people or events I have come in contact with throughout my life. I learned that my yearning for adventure and my spontaneous attitude can also be attributed to the dominance of my right brain. I am also free with my feelings and can express myself through words, another characteristic of being mainly right brain dominant. I only answer one question as being left brain dominant, and was not surprised by this discovery.
Some of the most creative people are right brain dominant. The random ideas that circulate through my head ultimately make me more creative as a person. This test only solidified my knowledge of being right brain dominant, and I think that I need to embrace the knowledge and creativity I have and use it in my everyday life, and eventually in a future career. It is important for me to focus on the areas where I am am dominant, and work on the areas where I struggle. My abstract ideas are perfect for a Communication Arts major. I have learned that there is a connection between being left handed and right brain dominant, and being right handed and left brain dominant and the characteristics of being right brained totally describe the person I am.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Three Possible Themes for Final Project
1) My first idea is a device that captures audio and converts it into text. This device, which I would name the "ATD Connect" (Audio Texting Device) is perfect for college students and business people of all ages. This simple product stores the audio from the room, and through the small memory chip located on the inside of the device, is able to store the sounds for future use. The memory chip is then easily removed from the device and placed into the USB slot of any computer, where it then converts the audio into a Word-Text Document. This new and innovative product, the "ATD Connect," makes lectures and meetings a lot easier and more convenient for its consumers.
2) My next product, the "Iron Patch" is the perfect solution for on-the-go wrinkle relief. These nude patches, that come in a variety of different sizes, have a special solution in them that instantly relieves wrinkle in clothing. This product is perfect for travel, and can easily fit in a person's pocket or purse. Simply apply the patch to the wrinkled area, and the wrinkle will be gone within a matter of seconds.
3) My final product is the "Driveway Snuggie." This product is the solution to achy backs and long hours of shoveling snow caused by snow storms. This waterproof product, which is designed and customized to fit a consumer's driveway, has electrical wires built into it that maintain an overall temperature of above freezing at all times. Consumers lay out the "Driveway Snuggie" before a storm and plug it in. This driveway blanket is warmer than the concrete, so as the snow hits the blanket, it melts instantly, and becomes melted snow. Finally, we can put an end to shoveling, one of the most dreaded activities!
2) My next product, the "Iron Patch" is the perfect solution for on-the-go wrinkle relief. These nude patches, that come in a variety of different sizes, have a special solution in them that instantly relieves wrinkle in clothing. This product is perfect for travel, and can easily fit in a person's pocket or purse. Simply apply the patch to the wrinkled area, and the wrinkle will be gone within a matter of seconds.
3) My final product is the "Driveway Snuggie." This product is the solution to achy backs and long hours of shoveling snow caused by snow storms. This waterproof product, which is designed and customized to fit a consumer's driveway, has electrical wires built into it that maintain an overall temperature of above freezing at all times. Consumers lay out the "Driveway Snuggie" before a storm and plug it in. This driveway blanket is warmer than the concrete, so as the snow hits the blanket, it melts instantly, and becomes melted snow. Finally, we can put an end to shoveling, one of the most dreaded activities!
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