New York Times and BBC News

Like some of my fellow students my familiarity with BBC News is not very much so. I did however; know about the television station but did not know that they published so much more. When comparing to two they both have their up sides. The BBC News carries more news relevant to that side of the world whereas the New York Times is generally more relevant to our side of the world. Granted both of the news sources have their global coverage and include many sources to explore further, each paper is catered toward their specific international demographic. The New York Times would contain more information about American current events while the BBC News would have articles about some of the same stories the NY Times would go more in depth because its more local directly relevant to us. Likewise, the BBC News would have the same set up. They are both great sources for global and local news that the people can depend on and without it we would not know what is going on in the world. It is also about personal preference and what you are looking for in your news.

American vs. European Fashion

When discussing the topic of American versus European fashion there is really no comparison. Many people wonder why European fashion week is so different and more extreme than American fashion week. European fashion week is not only a chance for the designers to display their collections for the up coming season but to also show their art and creative side when it comes to wearable art. They like to design not only for the realistic consumer needs but also for visual stun. The couture shows fall into this visually stunning category because it is a show of unlimited artistic and creative ability. The Europeans and some American’s love to see these works of art strut down the runway and flaunt their creativity. American fashion is safer because it is catering to a more practical audience. The collections tend to be more structured in design and tailored in fit.

Abercrombie and Fitch

The other day in my 231 class we were discussing American and European fashion and how it works in representation of the company and ourselves. One of the debates was about Abercrombie and Fitch and whether or not it was considered classic or trendy and their advertising to represent as such. The company calls their fashion “Casual Luxury” which is neither here nor there but I think we can all agree that their clothes are the same every season just with some different colors and patterns incorporated into the pieces. The jeans always have holes in them and are in the same wash option with maybe a few alterations from the previous season. Granted their demographic is desires to buy this style and counts on it to always be there as a constant. Abercrombie and Fitch has a reputation for advertising very sexual ads, more so in the past than now. It has been toned down a little here recently. Their main selling point is sex and selling it to teens and young adults that buy into that form of advertisement. It works very well for them.

They have clearly established themselves as a company that teens and young adults will always go and shop at regardless of the advertisements and propaganda. If you have been to a store recently they have changed the store layout and store front in interesting ways. There used to be very large window displays and dressed mannequins. The new format of the store front is covered completely with navy blue plantation panel shutters that eliminate inward view of the store. This is interesting to me because this eliminates any and all window advertising and mannequin display. The only explanation for this would be that they have established their company so well with their loyal customers that they don’t feel that they need to spend money to use this display space. In most stores that I have seen you are greeted with a fit male torso with a pair of pants on that you can’t even see. The point of that is to draw in the customers that want to buy that look or lifestyle. There are also the models that walk around the store front to promote the season. This is purely for attraction and something nice to look to be perfectly honest. Sure there may be some side perks like loss prevention but people find ways around that so it is what it is. Abercrombie and Fitch is a brand driven by a desire to appeal to the demographic that appreciates what they have to offer and it will always be that way.

Yahoo Avatars

I personally like the avatar application that Yahoo offers to its customers. It gives us the ability to personalize and give a face of sorts to our account. There are many personalization options in the building portion of the avatar, including backgrounds, accessories and many ethnic and cultural options. There is a possibility for everyone to have an avatar that represents them well and accurate. The choices have increased since the application was first available. There are many more options to choose from that a wide range of people will like.

The avatars also give you a face so to speak when you answer questions in the questions section of yahoo answers. I like to see what the other person would represent them as. My friends and family that have avatars are very well represented. Since I’m able to compare them to their avatar it shows me how accurate the avatars can be. The avatar concept was a good idea for Yahoo because it is such a huge worldwide network and this gives everyone who chooses the ability to create their own little virtual self to communicate and enjoy the Yahoo network.

Under Armour

Lately I have seen television ads for the sports wear company Under Armour. They have gone with a tag line that says “Boom, Boom, Tap!” This line is said by female athletes for various sports. I like the fact that Under Armour is using females for their campaigns rather than males. More and more women are getting into sports and it is a wise marketing strategy to target them. It encourages women to join various sports and have fun doing it. Gearing toward the female demographic will help Under Armour gain a loyal following of customers that know the company is behind them in their athletics and will provide everything they need.

In my opinion, the commercials are very empowering. If I were a girl wanting to get into sports and saw this commercial it would drive me to pursue joining a team and be a part of such a great feeling. On a more personal note, my sister saw the commercials and couldn’t wait for team tryouts to start so she could say that “boom, boom, tap!” chant on her high school team.

sonic commercials

Every time I see a Sonic commercial I can't help but laugh. Sonic uses a couple of different scenarios to market their product. One is two guy friends that converse back and forth about what they are going to eat and one always says the dumb comebacks. The other guy always looks at him as if he can’t believe the idiotic comments that really just came out of his friend’s mouth.

The other couple is a married couple with a sarcastic wife and a less than bright husband. They always talk about the unique qualities about various items on the menu. The conversation is going well until the husband makes his comments. His wife can’t help but respond in her usual manner. The blithely sardonic banter as spoken by the wife is never fully understood by the husband. This results in both of them getting a good harmless laugh at each others expense. These commercials are always fun to watch. I would like to see more like this on the air, something light and harmless to give a little laugh through our stressful day.