Advertisements R Us Summary

"Advertisements R Us" by Melissa Rubin, analyzes a Coca-Cola advertisement from 1950. She points out how this advertisement is directed towards certain audiences, and other ways these advertisements accomplish their goals. Rubin says "companies have cleverly tailored advertisements to target specific groups.... [they] appeal to the ideals, values and stereotypes held by consumers they wish to attract." Rubin explains the different ways advertisers attract their customers, including adding in different ideas or beliefs. The Coca-Cola advertisement shows the "onetime Coke symbol", and a group of people, the majority of them being white males. At the time, race was still an issue and women were not valued as high as men. This appealed to many people because white men were viewed as the superiors.

In Class Lab: Textual Analysis Paper

Bela Burns, Holly Snider, Leah Nieman

1. Who Published These Ads?

The first ad on the page was published by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), followed by Freedom Of Animals, and Mercy for Animals.

2. Who are these texts intended for? (Or) Who would each one seem to appeal to?

These ads are intended for people who are for animal rights. Each ad was either about treating animals ethically, or using non-animal products. For instance, the PETA ad shows a man cuddling with his dog with wording across saying, "If you wouldn't wear you dog...please don't wear any fur."

3.How can we tell that?

We can tell that these ads were for the public who are interested in animal rights because it appealed to their emotions. The ad from Mercy for Animals really appeals to readers emotions by showing a forlorn pig in a cage with the advertisement saying, "Do you support cruelty to animals? Walmart Does." This deliberately casts shame on the company of Walmart and hooks the reader by making them feel sorry for the animals "Walmart" supposedly is cruel to.  


4. What is the purpose of these texts? What are their creators wanting to change or make happen?

The organizations that created these ads wanted to make people aware that animals are suffering and we are supporting it. The three ads we analyzed all told us that we were causing animals to die either for beauty products, clothing and accessories, or food. We believe that the change the organizations wanted was to have the public's opinions change about buying certain products that supported animal harm.   

5.How do they seem to be working toward that purpose(s)? What beliefs and values do they address? Think: What are their ethical, emotional, and rational appeals?

These organizations seem to be working toward changing the public's opinion on animal harm by producing ads, informing people of what is actually happening to animals, and trying to make this information widespread. The beliefs and values they address are very clear, they value and believe in animal rights. The PETA ad we analyzed made a personal approach by telling us to consider our own dog as an animal that was being used as a product. 

6.What evidence from the texts (images, phrases, etc.) can you provide to support your answers?

The evidence is very clear in the organizations ads about animal freedoms. In the ad from Freedom For Animals it is especially clear. They show a beauty product for hair and then state this statement, "This is how 300,000 lab animals suffer each year." Almost every ad organizations like these produce is about showing us statistics and proof through images that animals are suffering.

7. Can you come up with a statement that would indicate what the ads do as a group?

The ads as a group could be summarized to this statement: They want to inform the public about animal harm

Advertisements R Us Summary

This essay is an analysis written by Melissa Rubin, on a Coca-Cola advertisement from the 1950's. She points out the how this advertisement was obviously directed at a certain group of people and the messages that it was trying to send. In the advertisement, the majority of the group shown are white males, though there are a few women in the background wearing dresses. Some of the men are in naval uniform, showing the reader that this brand supports the navy. Some other men are dressed in suits, showing the reader that Coca-Cola is made for the "working man". Melissa Rubin informs us that Coca-Cola had promised to only charge any active military member 5 cents for a bottle of Coca-Cola, even if this made the company lose money. Rubin points out that there are no other races featured in this advertisement, only caucasian. This shows that there were still some issues with different races, and still some discrimination of other races that were not caucasian.

"Thinking About the Text"- Advertisements R Us

1. The author, Melissa Rubin, analyzes a Coca-Cola ad from the 1950's. She shows us how the ad targets a specific type of person. In the ad, the majority of the group shown are white males, though there are few women in the back wearing dresses. Some of the men are wearing army, or naval uniforms, letting the reader know that the brand Coca-Cola supports members of the navy or army.
2. Melissa Rubin incorporates historical context in her analysis by mentioning the fact that some of the men in the ad are dressed in uniform. She tells us that any man could get a bottle of Coca-Cola for 5 cents, if they are serving in the army/navy. No matter what, they could purchase a bottle for 5 cents, even if the company was losing money on that deal. Putting men in uniforms in the ad lets customers know that the brand Coca-Cola supports the navy/army.
3. Another question you could attempt to answer by analyzing an advertisement is; What audience is this ad directed towards?
4. When asked to think of an advertisement that is popular today, one immediately came to mind. Frequently I see new Sprite advertisements featuring Drake, a famous music artist. These advertisements usually quote some of Drake's songs, and have videos or pictures of him performing. Sprite cans are green, therefore the advertisements have large amounts of green coloring. These advertisements show us how we greatly value our music in our world today. Both the new Sprite advertisements, and the Coca-Cola advertisements from the 1950's represent ideas that we value.

In Class Lab 10/20

Group project: Mad Men class lab.

Holly Snider, Bela Burns, Leah Nieman, Grace deMeurisse.

1.) What we understand about how to write a good analysis:

• You must have authority over what you're analyzing. 
• Be familiar with the topic you're analyzing.  
• Make it relatable to the audience. 
• Making sure that what you're analyzing advocates for your own point. 

2.) Stay Sweet As You Are fits the criteria for an analysis paper, in some aspects. The author discusses and analyses, while comparing ads to each other. The author does not necessarily provide counter arguments, or opinions. He makes his claims, and he uses the advertisements as his evidence. He does not have clear authority, as this essay was written for a first year writing course at The University of Akron. 

He seems to have a slight background knowledge. based solely upon the clarity of his summaries and analyses. 

Mad Men Questions #1-4 Page 175

1. Heather Havrilesky's main insight about the television series Mad Men, is that it displays the idea that the "american dream" is not as glamourous as a person would think. She explains the characters as rather sophisticated and high class. She also goes into detail about the difficulties they face, which are unknown by others. The author explains this idea in the eleventh paragraph "The lovely details of this fantasy--the hairstyles, the costumes, and the props that come with the dream--occasionally fail to obscure the confused humans who straighten their shoulders and dry their eyes and take the stage day after day, dutifully mouthing lines about the thrills of work and family, all of it the invented, peppy rhetoric of laundry detergent jingles."

2. Heather Havrilesky establishes her authority to write about this show by informing the reader she is a television critic at Salon. We learn that she wrote this piece in 2010 about the new television series Mad Men. We also learn that this series is set in New York, at a advertising agency in the 1960's.

3. The author appeals to readers' emotions in various ways. In paragraph 10, she gives a very detailed description, creating a vivid image in the readers' mind, "Bourbon glistens among ice cubes in immaculate glasses, fire engine red lipstick frames heartbreakingly white teeth, fingers tap perkily on typewriters as young men amble by, their slumped shoulders hidden behind the heroic cut of their tailored suits."

4. I was not familiar with the television series Mad Men before reading this essay. I now understand its basic premise. This essay has also peaked my interest, making me want to watch this series. I feel like this series is relevant to quite a few people, being so relatable.

Taking Stock of Your Writing

1.      What was your main point (thesis)?  “The Moral of the Story”?

      The main point of my story was to share with the reader how an early reading experience affected my life in the future. This narrative shows how I have gained the courage and enthusiasm to learn new things with and open mind. This narrative also has a small lesson, or moral. At first, I had refused to read, confident that I could not learn how. Throughout the story, I begin to read, and eventually read a whole book. Accomplishing this goal has helped me gain confidence to further my reading. At first I did not succeed, but I continued to try, and eventually I completed this task, which made the triumph even greater.

2.      Who was your audience?  What did you assume about them?  What “audience needs” did you have to consider in writing the paper?  How did you tailor your writing to them?

      My audience was my english professor, as well as my peers and whoever else views my blog. I assumed the audience would enjoy a memory of mine, that I am also fond of. I gave some vivid details such as "magical castle and moat wrapped around it". I inserted very specific dialogue, which I believe helps the reader develop a scene in their minds.

3.      What feedback or reactions did you get at various times while composing this paper, and how was this helpful?  What other kinds of input or support did you get from classmates, teacher, tutors, others?  Were you able to make use of it?  How, or why not?

      My peers have helped me correct my various drafts of this essay. I had some conflicting ideas about how I should address my past-tense/present-tense point of views. I speak in the first person to begin with, yet my story is from the past. I had my peers help me edit as well, correcting grammar and punctuation if needed. I also got some very nice compliments throughout my paper which I really enjoyed.

4.      What did you find interesting about the process you went through in writing this paper, and what did you learn from it?

      I found it interesting that once I was given the prompt, I instantly knew which memory I would share. I hadn't often thought of this memory, yet from somewhere in the back of my mind it emerged. It was almost as if the prompt had triggered this memory from so long ago. I learned from this paper that it is difficult to tell a story in past tense, but also speak in present tense, without confusing the reader, and myself.

5.      What questions do you have for me about the paper?  (What part(s) of the paper would you like me to focus on?  What do you see as the paper’s strengths, and what areas are you unsure of?)

      I would like the reader to focus on how this story has impacted me. I want the reader to understand that I had the ability to write that narrative because of that event. I want them to understand how greatly I feel this event has impacted me. I feel slightly unsure about my point of views. I feel like I have communicated the differences, but I had caught myself more than once switching in between past-tense and present-tense point of views. Though I, as well as my peers, have revised and re-read my paper countless times, I am still unsure if parts of my narrative are worded correctly.