I was browsing through youtube when I found this ad for ipods. I really like this ad because I really like the song it features by Daft Punk. I think it illustrates how amazing music and dancing can really be. Ipods are all about enjoying music wherever you are and this commercial really inspires me. I personally love music and many of the ipod ads intrigue me with the songs that they contain. I think Apple does an amazing job of capturing the attention of their music loving audience with awesome music and dancing. 

Ad Deconstruction

Advertisements for alcohol are notorious for their sexual content. They usually use girls in very little clothing to gain the attention of men in order to sell their product. What I like about this ad is that it targets a different kind of audience, one that is interested in being healthy and active. This advertisement for Absolut Vodka is part of a series of clever magazine ads by Absolut Spirits Cooperation. This advertisement is intended for men and women 21 or older because it is for liquor; however, most people are aware that underage drinking is rampant, so I believe this ad also, perhaps unintentionally, grabs the attention of a younger audience as well. The yoga aspect is intended for an audience of people who do yoga or at least want to be or like the idea of being healthy.

When I first looked at this ad it caught my attention because the bottle is placed upside down. This not only captures the attention of a viewer, since it is different and unexpected, but it represents the flexibility, agility and most importantly the balance needed to be successful in yoga.

This ad is very simple and has very few words. The company can do this because it is so popular that most people know what Absolut Vodka is and therefore extra words are not necessary. This allows the viewer to focus on the message of the perfect simplicity of the vodka. I think the representatives of Absolut Spirits Co. are trying to convince their potential customers that their vodka can be part of a healthy lifestyle. The vodka is being compared to yoga, therefore it is representing balance and health. This is ironic because alcohol is destructive to the body while yoga does in fact have a positive impact on health and overall body condition. I think that anyone who views this ad would know and understand that. Still, this ad works because of the underlying message it conveys to its viewers.

When you look deeper into the meaning of the ad I think the underlying message Absolut Spirits Co. is trying to present is that their vodka is perfect for any kind of person no matter what their interests are. If you look at other ads from this campaign you will notice that they are all very different and each is trying to target a different audience. By doing this, the representatives of Absolut Vodka are creating a very broad spectrum of possible customers.

I think it is very interesting how the lighting is distributed throughout the photo. The bright circle of light around the bottle highlights the drink, which is important in order to show that it is the object of the ad. This type of lighting also puts off a sense of peace and tranquility. This definitely contributes to the aspect of yoga and its supposed enlightening effects on the human mind and body. This ad pushes these ideas linked with yoga on the viewer and makes them subconsciously emphasize the connection between the beverage and the activity, even without considering them.

Over the weekend I attended the 2009 Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. This event is one of the many popular sporting events filled with a bombardment of advertisements. Even before you enter the venue you can see the bright lights and blazing logos demanding attention. After you pass security all the sponsor booths come into view. Everyone is crowding around trying to get whatever free merchandise they can, whether it is from Oakley, Pizza Rolls, the U.S. Navy or Taco Bell. Aside from all these advertisements, the media advertisement that struck me the most was when, immediately upon finishing a run, the competing skier or snowboarder was handed a Monster Energy drink. As they were filmed and broadcast to viewers across the world, they were drinking and holding this energy drink and therefore promoting Monster as a sponsor. This shows just how powerful the influence of a famous person can be and how easily it can be used in advertising.