Here's the ad I was thinking about... I couldn't get it to publish in the middle of the text, so here it is in its own post. Not very efficient, but at least I got my point across somehow... haha.

Sincerely,

Natalie

P.S. I realize it looks an awful like the twin towers, but like I said in my other post, I would use a different picture, and everything else once I knew exactly what my clients would want... I simply wanted to convey the idea that no matter where you go (hence the airplane ride) you would be right at home (hence the city in the picture) with your insurance company. Also, I just love the city skyline, so I thought it would be fun to put my personality in it somehow.

Ad & Blog Assignment:

Ever since there has been a big "boom" of insurance companies advertising on TV, it has been very interesting to see how they all make their mark on their target audiences. However, when it comes to Esurance, I don't really know what or who they seem to be aiming for. [Well, I have my own ideas of who they aim for, but I think they go about it in the wrong direction...]

In their cartoon commercials, ones such as this:

I can tell that they're aiming for people who are busy and on-the-go who need insurance wherever they are. However, I don't quite understand why they thought a Kim Possible cartoon look-alike would catch that audience's attention. I feel that this ad campaign is targeted more towards elementary & middle school kids who like cartoon characters--rather than busy business people who are always traveling and need insurance wherever they are. The idea behind the commercial is clever, but executed poorly and aimed at the wrong age group.

I do like how the commercial is very informative--it tells what they do [sell insurance], how they do it [cheap], and how they are different [fast & easy claims & quotes]--but I feel that the copy "Mission: Save Money" is too juvenile. If they want to reach the audience who is so busy and on-the-go, they should have a slick commercial that can seem classy and cheap at the same time [cheap meaning less-expensive, not tacky].

If I were in charge of the campaign, I would aim for the business people who have claims that result from odd business-trip experiences and need to process a claim quickly before they leave the next day. I would choose dark colors that are classy--blacks, whites, and grays--and include a phrase that informs them about being an efficient insurance company that saves money. While Esurance's pride comes from quick quotes and easy processing, I would definitely use a business-man's familiarity to computers in an ad.

Here is an example of what a print ad of mine would be similar to*:

Then, if Esurance likes the idea that I am heading, they could make commercials that are similar in situation to the cartoon commercials. There could be a situation where an owners car is damaged because of the work he does. Maybe a car owner goes out to dinner with clients and when he returns to his car, it is smashed between two parallel parked cars... I don't know. Something that has a hint of humor to it, yet is placed in a professional environment.

These are just my ideas to improve the campaign. I would have to know exactly what Esurance is trying to accomplish and what they can offer in order to make a real campaign for them. Going off of the ideas I had, I don't know that the on-the-go business people are the target audience, but that would seem like the ideal group to target to me.

Sincerely,

Natalie

*this is merely a "prototype". I would use a different font, a different picture, and probably a different copy in the example I would show my clients. Hopefully this alludes to the general direction my campaign would head.

A Great Leap Forward!

This morning I woke up and was horribly confused! Not only was I confused this morning, but last night as I was getting ready for bed. Now, many of you may ask, "What in the world is this girl so confused about?" and I'll tell you:

The TIME CHANGE!

Now, it's always a big ordeal for me to get through daylight savings. Whether it be gaining an hour or losing an hour, I manage to over-think the process and completely confuse myself! Luckily, there is such thing as smart phones that manage to know more than I do. Without technology, I'm pretty sure I would have been about an hour late to everything today!

As weird as this may sound, I am glad we lost an hour this weekend! I mean, when I get out of class or work around six, and I walk out to a dark sky, it's rather depressing--especially when it's cold. But, with daylight savings, my problem is solved! Now I can not only end my afternoon in sunshine, but wake up to it, too! The sun is an amazing phenomena, and it really can make a difference in my mood. Waking up to a room full of sunbeams is such a pleasant way to wake, it's almost like there is nothing that can bring me down. With the weather being warm[er], flowers starting to poke up from the ground, and the sun shining during more convenient hours of the day, I find myself VERY excited for spring (and summer, too!)

Happy early Spring, everyone!

Ad Assignment #3

I may or may not be biased towards Apple and every singe one of their products... but setting that small fact aside, I think they do an amazing job with their ads and commercials. They are a great example of a demonstration message formula simply because they actually use their product in their commercials while making it fun at the same time. Here is one of the first iPad commercials that I fell in love with that is a great example of the demonstration message formula:

This next ad is an example of a "slice of life" message formula. I first loved this commercial because I thought it was creative and a little silly (meaning it caught my eye because I smirked at the thought of using a dog for a mop.) I think this ad works because it's true that it is difficult to keep a kitchen floor clean. Sweeping then mopping is quite a tedious task to repeat over and over. It's like what Mr. Incredible says, "I feel like the maid. I just cleaned up this mess--can we keep it clean for ten minutes?"

And just for fun, here's Mr. Incredible's "interview." Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Natalie