Semester Recap

Overall, this semester was a wonderful experience for me. This was the first summer class that I have ever taken at the University of Georgia, and I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate or put forth the right amount of effort. I was happy to discover that the material we covered in our course was engaging enough to not only keep my attention but also to help me grow as an advertising student and hopefully as a professional. The New York portion of the class was the most ‘hands on’ experience I’ve ever had in a class, and I truly think it will help me be succesful when I graduate from college. I hope this class continues to be offered every year for future students to enjoy and learn from.

Kodak

Yesterday I read a very interesting article in AdAge. It discussed what are the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of using a meaningless brand name. The writer of the article went around and asked many different industry professionals what they thought about the idea of using a meaningless brand name. Many of them felt that using a meaningless name provides a blank canvas. The word doesn’t have to come with any pre-conceived connotations. For example, the company Kodak was named Kodak simply because the owner liked the letter ‘K.’ But now, the made up word has many connotations that all have to do with the company itself. It’s an interesting idea to consider. 

NYC Recap 4

I still can't believe how much I learned on the New York City trip. Originally, I signed up for the maymester because I needed another Grady elective and because I wanted to take advantage of the free trip to New York City. I didn’t realize how important the tour was. Hearing from so many different agencies really solidified what I want to do when I graduate from college and where I want to do it. Overall, I liked the mid-sized agencies the best. Also, now I know that I definitely want to move to New York when I graduate. It seems like the place to be, and everyone who lives there loves it.

Who spends the most?

Today I read a very interesting article in AdAge that discussed which marketers spend the most on sponsorships. Apparently, in 2011, PepsiCo spent between $340 million and $345 million. They lead the charts for the most money spent on sponsorships. In fact, they lead the game by so much, that the next highest contender is Coca-Cola at $265 million to $270 million spent on sponsorships in 2011. That means there’s almost $100 million gap between the two companies. I wonder why PepsiCo decides to spend so much on sponsorship. It would be interesting to look at the rate of return data on the money that they are spending. I wonder if Coca-Cola will catch on and increase their budget next year, or if PepsiCo will withdraw some of their funds.

NYC Tour Recap 3

I really enjoyed visiting HUGE on our NYC agency tour. Before our trip, I had never heard about HUGE, so I was surprised to find that they have over 450 employees. It’s impressive how large they are considering that they were only founded in 1999. All of the agencies we visited talked about their strategies for their cases, and HUGE says that they really put an emphasis on user experience. I think this is important, because a potential customer should be able to interact with the brand they are spending money on. I also really liked HUGE because they have an internship program called The HUGE School that lasts ten weeks over summer.

LEAP

            I’m very engaged in the project we are doing for class right now. We have to put together a proposal pitch for a brand for an agency. In my group, we are researching this new company called Leap Motion. They are premiering their first product, called the Leap, this winter. The Leap is a 3-D motion sensor digital device that you can attach to your computer. It works for Windows or Mac, and it works for laptops or desktops. The technology seems too good to be true, especially because the company will be releasing the product at a starting price of $70. I can’t wait to see what happens when it actually hits the market. 

NYC Tour Recap 2

Another agency on our tour that really stood out to me was Vayner Media. Vayner is a start-up social media and digital agency that just celebrated their 3^rd year anniversary. The company was founded by business guru Gary Vaynerchuk. Everyone who gave the presentation at Vayner was extremely nice and informative. I’m impressed by how much the company seems to accomplish through simply using social media. It’s inspiring to see the passion that most of the employees have for the work that they are doing. When I graduate, I definitely want to work around people who love their work because they put more effort into it and achieve better results.

NYC Tour Recap 1

The first agency on our tour that really stood out and spoke to me was 360i. We were introduced to two University of Georgia alumni, and they told us all about 360i and why they loved it. All advertising agencies have interesting offices, but 360i’s was particularly cool and innovative. The spaces were open and free flowing, but they didn’t feel like you were going to bump your neighbor every time you turn around. I loved how 360i mostly concentrated on digital advertising. In today’s society, it is not only cheaper, but it is a more effective form of advertising than some traditional options. 

The Return from NYC

            So I just got back from my advertising agency tour trip in NYC. It’s crazy to be back in Georgia after a week in the city. It’s also crazy hot. When did the temperature start skyrocketing? Come on Mother Nature, it’s only May- give us a break.

           

             My trip to NYC was amazing. It basically just reinstated the fact that I’m definitely moving to New York after I graduate from college. Almost every advertising agency in the United States has their hub in New York, and it’s the place that I want to be. I can’t wait to finish school and get back to the city.  

Ads on Kindle Fire

Amazon recently announced that they might start displaying advertisements on the welcome screens of their Kindle Fires. The article, by Adage, mostly discusses the implications of the clients. It discusses if the high cost of 600k is worth the advertisement space. However, I wonder the impact it will have on the consumers of the Kindle. Once of the reasons that my mother loves her Kindle is that she claims it is like having a real book. The only diference is that she can carry around hundreds of books with her at one time as opposed to lugging suitcases of paperbacks. But placing advertisements on the welcome screen of the Kindle will slowly degrade this experience. I believe it might possibly lead to a downhill slope- once advertisements are placed on the welcome screen- maybe they will also be placed on the pages of texts of the actual novel. I think Amazon is stepping into dangerous territory with this new plan.