advertising blog assignment

Dampier-Cook 1

English 112 Product Blog

Your next major assignment for English 112 is to write a BLOG making observations about ONE category commonly found in just about every grocery store in America (chips, crackers, shampoo, etc.). The purpose of this assignment is for you to think critically about the powerful ways that advertisers use color, images, and language to sell their products, and ways that we are influenced by these advertising tactics.

Begin by signing up for a product, and then go to a grocery store where you can find a variety of this product. (I’m not a Walmart fan, but the Walmart store @ 135th and State Line will offer many varieties of whatever product you choose.) Take pictures/notes on the product(s), paying close attention to:

· Colors used to promote and catch consumers’ attention

· Language and images on packaging (slogans, etc)

· “Store Brand” options, noting pricing and ingredient differences/similarities

· Varieties available (low-fat, flavors, etc)

· Price variations

· Packaging

· Also, look online to note ways that this product is advertised in print and/or television.

Your blog will consist of two separate entries, each approximately 500 – 1000 words (1 – 2 pages in length). Do not simply list your summaries of what you see on the shelf; instead, make observations and ANALYZE how advertisers encourage consumers to buy this product. For example, your first blog might introduce the product to your audience (other college students) and note shelf placement of the most popular products, the packaging colors, and images used to catch the consumers’ eye.

Be sure that your two blogs FOCUS on the critical thinking aspects of advertising that we’ve been discussing in class. When appropriate, support your ideas with any outside sources to give credibility to your observations, making sure that you cite all outside sources. Again, when appropriate, also comment on the rhetorical fallacies used to attract consumers.

Remember that the purpose of your blog is to educate other college students who might be vulnerable to advertisers’ convincing tactics. Your task is to become an expert on this product, uncovering advertising tactics used to persuade, and making judgements on the value of generic and other variations on your product.

A VERY Rough Draft

Sample Blog on BBQ Sauce:

Living in Kansas City (home of America’s Best BBQ), having a favorite BBQ sauce is essential for broke college students who need to stretch their food budgets. A pork shoulder can be purchased for about $3.00 lb, so $10 can easily provide a nice dinner for 2 – 3 people. A pork shoulder is an ideal college food, because it can be roasted at 250 degrees for 6-7 hours, while students attend class and want to come back to their apartment for a healthy, home-cooked meal. But the bland pork requires a tasty bbq sauce, and that’s where our critical analysis is required.

A trip to our local Hyvee grocery store shows the 20+ BBQ sauce varieties available, ranging in price from $2.99 to $7.97 for a typical 30 ounce bottle. But the one that my eye first caught is the “KC Masterpiece” bottles that are dominantly displayed at eye level, with a golden-brown label, highlighting “Kansas City” in the center. The golden-brown label supports the feelings of comfort food, which is the ideal color for this product: According to Thomas Dawson in his article “The Importance of Color and Branding,” “….yellow, because it is the brightest, commands attention more easily. This is why yellow is used in road signs and the Yellow Pages……” and the color brown is “sensual, sensitive and warm, engulfing one in a feeling of calmness and comfort,” which, again, is appropriate for the KC Masterpiece brand that is essentially selling comfort food.

It’s obvious that KC Masterpiece is appealing to consumers who are loyal to their roots. In fact, the label states, “KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce was born in Kansas City – the heart of barbeque country. And 30 years later, we’re still Kansas City’s #1 barbeque sauce.” The center-shelf product placement captures the eye, as does the yellow and brown label; likewise, the moderate price ($3.99 for a 30 ounce bottle) is in the affordable range of all the bbq sauces available at Hyvee. Those looking beyond the visual influences will also note the logical fallacy “Appeal to Tradition” which appeals to those who are loyal to their Midwestern roots, and “Glittering Generalities” is used on the back label with the statement: “A Brand You Can Trust: Rich, authentic barbeque sauce made with real tomato puree and molasses.” Ironically, however, most consumers won’t know – unless they visit the KC Masterpiece website – that this product is actually owned by the Clorox Corporation: Yes, “Clorox,” as in BLEACH! The product website attempts to hide that unusual partnership, because a cleaning product certainly does not support the “wholesome reputation” that KC Masterpiece is attempting to sell.

For those college students who care less about a seemingly local brand and want a bigger variety of taste, Sweet Baby Ray’s Sauces offer the most variety (12 choices) for the best price ($3.29 per 30 ounce bottle). In fact, when reviewing taste tests, Sweet Baby Ray’s is acknowledged in many reputable reviews, including one from Good Housekeeping (2015): “Sweet Baby Ray’s Original was a big hit among tasters who loved this sauce’s “sweet and smoky” taste. A few noted that there was a “peppery aftertaste” while others enjoyed that “nice level of spice.” Many tasters were also fans of this sauce’s “good consistency.”

Interestingly, Sweet Baby Ray’s bottles also use yellow to grab the consumers’ eyes, but they also add red to label. (Include a picture of both sauces. My next blog will look at magazine and/or tv ads for the any bbq sauces that are advertised in the media and then I’ll make a final recommendation.)

http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/branding-and-colors

https://www.cloroxprofessional.com/products/kc-masterpiece-sauces/specifications/

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-products/g1672/best-bbq-sauce/?slide=1

A Few Important Reminders: