Thoughts about advertising, our daily lives, and the information that is imparted upon us whether or not we choose. Why is it okay that we all know so many logos, why is it necessary, why do we not know much about our natural environment? Think of other questions and talk about them. Remember Matt Siber and his The Untitled Project - look at the North America and Europe versions of this project on his website. Think about the implications of all this imagery and your daily life. Look around you this weekend and think about all the information you see and why you should/have to know everything you are told via print, video, radio, and the web.
Yesterday, while at a stoplight I noticed a Comcast ad on the side of a city bus. The ad advertised an internet package with lower rates for students. As a result of this add I am now paying $30.00 less to Comcast every month. If this advertisement was not plastered on the side of this bus I’d never know about the lower rates available.
ReplyDeleteIn a world where we are given many options in products, services, and providers, competition among these companies becomes a necessity. Competing companies allow lower rates, better quality, and higher quantity. In order to compete companies must advertise to the general public. If this were not so there would be fewer options, controlled markets, and more importantly fewer jobs.
We as human beings have become quite dependent on commercialized society. For example we like to drive cars, therefore a gas station’s sign must be visible from the freeway. We like free websites, so site sponsors must use advertisements as a source of income to continue pleasing web surfers. Everything has a price and personally I am just fine with advertisements. It reminds me that companies are always working to accommodate the consumer’s needs. Signage makes life more convenient and informative. I find logos and ads to be a form of urban art and enjoy their presence, especially if they are clever and well designed. For those who do not enjoy such a commercialized social setting, there is always the option of moving back to Mayberry.
I actually considered going into advertising. I feel like advertising is a constant in American life today so extreme to the point everyday people do not realize how often they are being consciously and subconsciously solicited. To me advertising is in a sense, very personal. Americans are constantly “re-inventing” themselves through clothing or language or other material possessions to sell themselves as something they believe they are, want to be, or wish they were. To me then advertising and daily life go hand in hand. As an artist I think advertising is an extremely important avenue that many artists choose to take via graphic design. So many young people I know are interested in logo design, and creating products and brands and even interior design.
ReplyDeleteAt this point so many logos and advertisements exist that we, as a society, have become immune to them. When a person becomes immune to something, they find a new cure. But do we need a cure? If American society wasn’t so obsessed with the notions of sell, sell, sell and buy, buy, buy, where would our attentions be focused? It is naïve to think that we would be bettering the world and ourselves for I am sure our attentions would be diverted to something equally detrimental.
To me the floating signs by Matt Siber are omniscient. That as Americans we go to these different stores for our every need, literally, anything the we are told we need we can find at the gas station. They imply that by going to them, turning to them while in distress will bring happiness. Their floating placement in the sky makes them like clouds, always there, haunting us. In a sense, we religiously go to the same stores, pay homage to them, participate and think of them often. Consumerism has become a religion. In this sense, I really like the pictures, the message to me is clear and they are not as aesthetically distracting.
We know more about things like logos more than nature because of our setting. We are literally surrounded by them. If I lived in more natural environment and I did not spend so much time on my computer, I am sure I would know more about nature. In all honesty I find branding choices more interesting because they are so accessible. They are always and will always be there.
Today, advertising and advertisements are very closely related to human lives. Advertisements are everywhere we go. Even though we can see as much plants as the advertisements, most people are more familiar with the advertisements than the nature that surrounds us.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by the results of the survey that we did on the first day of the ADP 3 lecture. Majority of people recognized the “Mercedes Benz” logo right away, while tasking their brain what is the plant next to that Benz logo was. An interesting point is that people are familiar with the title “Poison Ivy”, but they just can’t match the title with the figure in their brain.
After the lecture, I thought about it, because I am one of the people who couldn’t answer to the name of the plant, but knew what “Poison Ivy” is. There are varieties of advertisements on every single object that we live with. But in fact, I can’t find any advertisements on what we are really surrounded by or based on. The environment. A nature. If, there were names written down for every single plants we pass by, people should have had better knowledge on the plants.
Different from the nature that stands by alone, there are so many logos out there that lead us to be there. For example, when I’m hungry, I see nothing else, but the sign of Mcdonald’s. Few miles from Mcdonald’s, I see the sign of Meijer, which I also think I should stop by to get more water or toilet papers. When I see the logo of Meijer, the list of things that I “have to” buy quickly comes into my brain. It could be both the power of advertisement and the importance of the objects in our lives. I think Matt Siber’s floating signs described human mind very well. It might be little bit exaggerated, but it made me think of Mcdonald’s logo floating around my views on driveway when I’m hungry.
I think people recognize the logos more than nature because we don’t acquire or consume the environment or nature. It is the basic need that we live on. It is human nature being attracted by what they literally use and see every day. Most of the time, we see plants unconsciously on the way to get something or eat something. But we don’t pass the logos on the way to see the plants that often.
We are living in the society where technologies are highly developed and if we were to live in such place like Africa, which has less contacts of technology and more contacts to the nature, we should be more familiar to the nature than the logos out in the world.
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ReplyDeleteI’m Na Lu. Matt Siber’s photos provide viewers a more direct way to pay attentions to the endless world of advertisements. These floating logos in the air, even though very familiar, appear strange and a little bit scaring for me in the photo. As the description beside the photos mentions the film, Blade Runner, I keep thinking if one day these logos and printers would become out of our control like the robots in the film. A world, which is full of machines and advertisements, is scared and cold, simply like the one in the movie.
ReplyDeleteI also think of an interesting situation in our daily life. When we walk on campus surrounded by all kinds of logos, advertisements and posters, we feel safe and familiar. However, when we leave the sidewalk to step into those natural woods, many of my friends think that’s a dangerous behavior. Why people feel safer with those advertisements than nature? I asked myself.
Simply like the points Aldo Leopold talked about in his book, A Sand County Almanac, people seem to separate themselves from nature. That’s why they get used to advertisements and logos which are all artificial. In the other hand, they become strange to nature. They spend much less time getting to know nature than learning how to use computers. They don’t realize that nature is a part of them, and also, they are a part of nature.
We know so many logos because we are targeted consumers that support other people's employment opportunities. Without advertisement and the whole money cycle, most societies wouldn't have a secure system of exchange and economic growth would be stunted at the very least. Economic growth has little to contribute positively to environmental well-being by itself without conscience strides towards sustainable development and other Earth protection measures. However as a consumer and a member of human society in 2009, I and others are obligated to be subjected to advertisement. The obligation to know more about Nature should be as if not more urgent.
ReplyDeleteLiving in a consumer-driven society, we are constantly bombarded with advertisements. Signs, billboards, city buses, websites, television – you name it, it’s probably trying to sell you something. Because we’ve become so accustomed to these images and text, many of us have successfully blocked them out of our minds. I know that when I’m watching TV and a commercial comes on, I can rarely remember what product was advertized after the commercial’s over. Likewise, advertisements on websites have become part of my peripheral vision – rather than reading what they have to say, I simply pass over them and continue looking at the real content of the website (unless, of course, it’s one of those obnoxious blinking, noise-making ads – in that case it gets my attention, but does NOT make me want to learn more).
ReplyDeleteThe question is, how successful is advertising? Because it has become so engrained in our daily lives that we barely notice it, has it also become less effective? Must designers and advertisers constantly be coming up with ways to grab our attention, to reach us through unexpected venues – or is advertising itself a hopeless enterprise?
I personally feel that much of advertising defaces once-untainted architecture and landscape. As can be seen in Matt Siber’s Floating Signs series, scenes devoid of their advertisements are much more beautiful and pure. Then again, places such as Times Square, whose aesthetic is built upon its abundance of advertisements, rely on the text and images to create their appeal. But in the case of Times Square, its advertisements aren’t used for their intended purpose; instead, they come together to create a general urban feel for onlookers.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about advertisements in our society. While I would prefer a world without ads everywhere, they have been proven to generate more income and keep our economy primarily stable (ha, an amusing statement given the times). What I do know is that it saddens me to learn how little our generation knows about its natural surroundings. Sure, it’s no longer imperative to be able to identify plants and animals, but those natural elements are still the basis for every product that we use and technology that we employ. To be ignorant of our natural environment is to risk harming that environment, and to be less competent in our contributions to future society.
All the beverage vending machines shine the logos of “Coca Cola” or “Pepsi Cola”. I had noticed it in my high school. There was this rumor, I still don’t know if it is true, but my friends said that big companies like Coca Colas and Pepsi donate many of their money for the schools’ amenities. They enjoy to do so on all kinds of schools and the reason is that kids in school are grown up besides those vending machines, the logos. The logos are forced themselves to plant in the deepest from the kids’ brain. And they pick up cokes and pepsis without thinking.
ReplyDeleteIn the weekends, after this crazy birthday party of one of my friends, my roommates and I went to McDonalds. And you know why. It also opens 24/7.
Advertising is effective because of strong arrangement of words in a logo. But, what affects people more is, I think, repetition of it. Based on personal experience, I don’t recognize the logo or funny images on advertisement. Well, I do, but it doesn’t last long in my brain. I get it quick with the TVs. Funny video clips or background songs are my favorite, but only by watching them several times. I mean, it can be a matter of myself having problem with remembering things usually. But, without repetition, advertisement’s power shrinks gradually even though it still gives some impact on people. People would be aware of McDonalds, but it doesn’t mean McDonalds is going to pop up in their heads right away when they are hungry and looking for a restaurant.
So far, this claim is just based on my thoughts. Ads don’t really affect me. However, I agree they are strongly settled in me because I couldn’t answer for the name of the plant, while I could for Benz logo on the first day of the lecture.
Main reason why there are so many advertisements and logos are to let people around the world know that there are many products that are sold around the world. If one advertisement is well made, that product can be sold in incredibly large amount of numbers. We can not deny that we are somewhat affected by mass number of advertisement and logos that are around us.
ReplyDeleteWe know so much logos and companies that made that logos; however, even if we do, we don't buy every product we see from the ads. This is a reason why we can see many advertisements and know many logos. People today are smart and choose to buy what is needed.
When I turn on the T.V and take a look at any kind of T.V shows, almost one-third of the programs time is of advertisement. Also, when we walk around the campus we can see all
sorts of logos on store panels, drinks, cars, and foods. All these logos and advertisements catch my eyes, but natural environment that are around me are passed by unnoticed.
I believe that as I am placed in a place with more human made things than natural things, I am more aware of man-made things than natural environment.
In Matt Siber's photographs, the first thing that catches my eyes are wordings and images that are in the pictures. Just by looking at this I can see that I am just used to first looking at man-made things than the nature around me.
I think advertising is taking over our conscious and soon our subconscious if it continues to take up all physical space around us as it is now doing. Matt Siber's images make it more visually clear to us that these signs are not only taking up walls places in the 2D space but also 3D space, our air and atmosphere. Air and space is usually considered more of the real world because things are tangible, it's the world we live in while the walls and screens are just images. And through this type of sign developement advertising has managed to make it's way into our 3D world. Sound is also used more now-a-days. If you step into Meijer there are screens around the store the talk and are advertising for different products 24/7. You can't go in there and help but see hear and even feel the exploitation of your senses.
ReplyDeleteAdvertising is a necessary key for businesses, but I think it has gone overboard. How does it affect our daily lives? I immediately think of tv commercials. I often find myself muting the television when they come on. Even then I have still some kind of distaste for the ads. Either all of advertising or most is a game. The companies or developers try to draw your interest into the product or idea. It really gets on my nerves when advertising becomes impersonal and more about capturing your money. The most affective commercials for me are the ones which are simple and reflect the truth and honesty of the matter being publicized. I think sometimes a business is more concerned about growing and therefore can lose their identity that made them something special in the first place. It would be amazing to me to find a business that functioned off of word of mouth rather than material advertising. The two photos that you posted were very dissatisfying. The child wearing the McDonald's clothes is cute at first glance, but scary at another. It is a true fact that things we learn or see as a child can have a impact through our whole life. The photo is almost conveying that McDonald's is somehow cute and wholesome like the child. The Last Supper advertisement I thought was clever, but very disrespectful. The context of McDonald's should never be mixed with such a event that for many is so sacred. This is true not just for Christianity, but for all religions. Why do we not know much about our natural environment? I am going to make a generalization for all, which is wrong, but for the most part I think everyone is so focused on other things that seem more important. Advertising though has a great deal to do with our separation from nature. Matt Siber's The Untitled Project is very revealing. It made me feel more relaxed and comfortable without the words. Some of the advertising was still successful even without the words. In the North America series #8 still could convey what they are selling. The photos made me more aware of the importance of color and form. One in particular I thought was interesting was #24, the gas station, without the text it was non- aggressive and kind of beautiful. It is hard to avoid advertising because it is around us everywhere except maybe in the wilderness.
ReplyDeleteIn a country ran by consumerist markets, advertisements become completely necessary and, at the same time, ubiquitous. This results in desensitization, to not only advertisements as a whole, but also to the media they occupy.
ReplyDeleteIn Floating Logos, it’s clear that the inescapable nature of advertisements is attempting to be showcased. Television and print media are totally saturated, and as Sibers illustrates, even the atmosphere is dominated by corporate enterprise.
The polls that these signs are resting on are removed from the imagery to emphasize how unnatural a thing the logo really is. Especially when one considers all the connotations of the sky and the heavens, it’s strange to image how people aren’t bothered, if not offended by the overbearing placement of these signs.
In terms of necessity, advertisements are crucial in that without them people would be forced to make more choices for themselves, and therefore be less likely to buy into consumer culture. This makes them of utmost importance if the status quo is to be maintained.
As to the images themselves, I found the body to be somewhat repetitive and not necessarily that impressive. However, I do appreciate his mad Photoshop skills.
Hi, I’m Shelby Curwen-Garber. Interestingly enough, I was not surprised to see the top photo of the boy dressed as McDonald’s fries. My reaction interested me just as much as the photograph. Americans are so use to seeing the McDonald’s logo. We know it as soon as we see it, and we start to know it as soon as we get off baby food. We have the saying “you are what you eat,” and this picture is exactly it.
ReplyDeleteKids are brought up on eating what ever their parents give them. Children rely on their parents for absolutely everything, so it’s easy to see how a child could become addicted to McDonald’s meals after being raised with this product. We are creatures of habit; once we get use to something it is very hard for us to change our pattern. In this case, this child is already becoming familiar and associated with McDonalds.
The picture on the bottom makes an interesting contrast to the top photo. Both relate to McDonald’s food, only the top photo argues that McDonalds is eaten all the time, and the bottom photo argues that McDonald’s is for the most special, historic, and important occasions. I also think the bottom photo claims that if McDonald’s existed when Jesus was alive, Jesus would have chosen to eat there for his last supper. Noticing the bottom of this picture, this work is actually an advertisement for McDonald’s. I doubt this is the best advertising job, especially because its statement is so far fetched. I think if I ate McDonald’s food everyday, and then saw this add, I would still think of the poster as being ridiculous because I would never imagine Jesus to eat something so casual and industrialized. Jesus deserves better.
Food has changed so much through out history. There are still the basic things, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, but the way we grow, cook, transport, and react to food is completely different to the time of Christ. These two photos make a comment on the age groups of the people that go to McDonald’s; anyone and everyone no matter their age should eat McDonald’s. Both of these works get the point across to the viewer immediately and reveal a lot about our dependency and comfort with fast food in our culture.