I Am @ Youth.SG

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If you like my entry, please show some support by voting for me (I’m contestant B8)! Thanks!

Voting ends 24 May 2007 @ 2359hrs, so hurry!

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Wowness, I just saw the update about the $10 Borders voucher give-away to the Top 20 bloggers. Hohoho. Winning the Macbook is kind of a fat hope judging by my blog’s mediocre popularity (tho I may need a macbook for school’s future use), but I thought I should try my luck for the voucher since I’ve always wanted to get some books. Afterall, you need a carrot to lure the rabbit.

So yes, today’s topic is about social issues. Hmm… actually sounds real cheemster right? But neh mind, let’s talk about something light-hearted. You know, since I’ve been mad rushing some ads these days in the office, let’s just talk about the influence of ads in general (and of course marketing) while we’re at it.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always agreed that advertisements, which constitute a large part of the media, can revolutionalise the world. If one good ad can totally change a person’s mind and create a strong desire within him, imagine the power it holds when it changes the minds of half the globe.

An advertisement can wield a bloody cruel massacre, fix your mind on what is the percieved beauty (think thinspiration), and basically stir up a trend.

 

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A Diamond is Forever

Sounds familiar? Associating diamonds with love and emotion has long been the key marketing strategy for De Beers. These mere 4 words embrace the the twin notions of eternal devotion and eternal value. It doesn’t help that some of their ads are extremely explicit about the role of their diamonds in the mating game, for example,

Of course, there is a return in your investment. We just can’t print it here.

Get it? Very very smart play with words. I salute the copywriter.

To me, even the best advertisement today cannot beat De Beer’s ads made a century ago. They have made a diamond which seemed to so insignificantly small, into a default gift of love, an emotional one–love measured in carats. Yes, it is just but a freaking stone which actually is very very cheap.

The high price of diamonds is purely artificial. It is NOT subjected to the economic constraints of supply and demand, because of the fact that De Beers is a cartel. To put it simply, they control all prices of diamonds. They dictate which are the “limited edition diamonds” which are actually just LARGE amounts diamonds kept in their secret safe, and they release them for sale, very slowly, one by one.

Limited edition my ass.

But of course, if you think about it carefully, judging by the number of South Africans killed and forced into slavery for the supply of diamonds from Sierra Leone, it really is a too expensive price to pay for a diamond.

One good advertising campaign accompanied by an equally good marketing strategy can spill the blood of thousands.

Think about it.

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Look great, feel good = Big breasts, small waist

Of course, you cannot forget the wrinkle-free face. Have you gotten your SKII mask yet? Oh oh, your panda eyes! Get rid of them with MTM! Hahahaha.

Seriously, who defined beauty? You and me? Yes partly, but what incurred you to have that definition? Advertisements! They knock you in the head so subconciously, just like you how don’t even know you’ve been breathing at a constant rate, but aha! Now you know it. xD

Just don’t let her talk.

With the attack of countless advertisements (I’m sure I don’t have to list out the big players in this beauty industry, you know them too well) telling you that being slim, having big and firm breasts, great skin, intricate make up and kickass hair equates to the centre of attraction, who would not feel pressured?

Who does not want to become YOUR definition of beautiful?

The power of advertising – think about it.

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I am cool because I have an iPod nanooooooo!!!

Neh neh ni boo boo.

And that notion eventually evolves to: I use a Creative Zen V and therefore I am a loser.

*coughs*

Apple successfully stirred up a trend of “owning the iPod = coolness” and how they did it is very simple. How well a product sells in the market all boils down to good advertising and good marketing.

Face it, Creative has sucky ads. Seriously! Who gives a damn about that stupid panda in the Zen Vision commercial? No one. Show the consumers what your product can do, not how ugly your ambassador is! Instead of being curious about their product, people became curious about the SONG used in the commercial. FAIL.

Everyone headed to the Apple centre at Wheelock Place instead of the Creative shop at PS.

Apple 1, Creative 0.

Nobody knew that a Zen V is the size of my palm until I brought it to school one day. They thought it’s hugeass like the first generation iPod, simply because there is no basis for comparison in their advertisement poster. What’s worse, iPod nano was the craze at that time, and only a handful bought the Zen V. Creative got owned big time.

Apple 2, Creative 0.

Then again, we must admit that Apple products have almost always look cool. They stand by their principle of less is more (but I’d have to say this is not true of Mac technology).

You know who’s the winner.

Do you even have a slight urge of taking part in this Final round Youth.sg blogging contest if the grand prize is not an Apple macbook but say, a black dull boring Lenovo laptop?

Would you?

Even the iPhone is lusted by many.

I just don’t get it, but Apple has stirred up a trend and there is no stopping it.

Cheers to Steve Jobs and his marketing team.

Ok, the next picture is totally irrelevant to my this entry’s content, but I figured a good hot blog content needs some hot graphics for accompaniment, and yea, FACE IT, some of the bloggers shove in their photos (for nothing) in their entries because “just in case I get into Top 20, they can put my face as the thumbnail!”

Right or not?

DO NOT STEAL PLEASE.

 

Drew this during work when I was extremely BORED to death. I figured I shouldn’t let scrape pieces of cardboard go to waste.

I know I seriously have a lack of graphics in this entry, so please visit my art journal and insert relevant graphics where you deem fit. Hopefully I can score some brownie points from you creative judges. Heh heh heh.

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