Week One

Whether or not we’re aware of it, the power of advertising affects our decisions and impulses every day. Advertising by Design does a phenomenal job describing the importance of advertising in the world we live in today. Although some countries experience more advertising than others, most individuals are exposed to hundreds of advertisements a day. The first chapter does a great job helping one understand how advertising calls people to action. I’ve read numerous books about advertising that unfortunately, make it a very boring subject to learn about which is extremely frustrating because anyone that has worked in the advertising field knows that it is far from boring. Advertising by Design sets it’s self-apart by including advertisements that are fairly new and interesting, I’ve read a variety of books that use examples of advertisements that are out of date and unappealing. The Mini Cooper “boo” and “pumpkin” ads intrigued me because of its humor and simplicity. It helps one recognize that advertisements do not need to be text heavy in order to relay a message. One of my favorite advertisements this book included, is the Chick-Fila billboard. In my opinion, this is an extremely creative billboard that gives an individual no choice but to stop and understand what is going on- it’s not every day one sees two cows spray painting a message on a billboard. The last advertisement that interested me was the branded utility concept. I never really understood the significance of a branded utility, but after reading the Nike+ story, I now see how beneficial a branded utility can be for a company. Recently I’ve heard a variety of people using Nike+ in order to keep track of their New Year’s resolution. The Nike+ app does exactly what it’s supposed to do- “it provides a useful and pleasant experience for the consumer,” leaving consumers more than satisfied with the product.