Short & Sweet

Not only do I like the art direction of this commercial, I really like that it is short, simple, and to the point. It is obvious the camera is waterproof because the picture is taken beneath the water, no explanation is neccessary. It captures an exciting and dangerous moment that appeals to a specified target market: those who enjoy acquatic activities and fall under the "risk-taker" category. Although I'm sure it appeals to the masses as well. This commercial for the Olympus 725 SW Camera was done by Springer & Jacoby, Germany and I think they did a great job!

Blood Donation Hourglass

"You could be saving someone's life this second, and he could be saving yours the next."

This advertisement was done by TBWA Shanghai, China to raise awareness of the urgency of blood donation in China. At the time this ad was run, September 2006, someone in Shanghai needed blood every 90 seconds and there was a severe shortage of people donating. The message of this ad is very powerful, yet easy to interpret. The red sand is representative of blood and the hourglass furthers the metaphor; when one side runs out, the glass will flip and another person will be in need of blood. One day, that person might be you. It appeals to a large target audience and makes an impression on anyone qualified to donate blood. This ad really hit home with me because I am a strong advocate for blood donation. My grandfather had to have a blood transfusion and required 13 pints of blood. It is so important for people to donate while their healthy so that we can help those around us. The intended message is very obvious even without reading any of the text in the lower right corner. This is another great example of how TBWA continues to make influential, creative advertisements all over the world.

One You Won't Forget!

If you didn't laugh when you watched this commercial you should try and find a new sense of humor. This commercial makes me laugh every single time I watch it, and I've probably seen it 50 times. It may seem inappropriate to some, which is probably why it was pulled off of television not long after it aired. But personal opinions aside, the commercial is successful. It leaves an impression on everyone who watches it and it's not an easy commercial to forget. When someone says, "Have you seen that funny commercial with the little kid who says penis?"...the first thing that comes to mind is, "Oh yeah, the BlueCross BlueShield one!" The point is, I remember it and the company associated with it. And isn't that what we as advertisers are striving to do? Create commercials, print ads, billboards etc that make an impact on consumers and viewers? I wonder if BlueCross BlueShield would see positive results if they put this commercial back on the air.

$5 For a Life

On Sunday in Kandahar, Afghanistan, a 15-year old boy was hanged from a tree by Taliban militants for having U.S. dollars in his pocket. Taliban used the boy as an example to warn other villagers that they would face the same punishment if they had U.S. dollars in their posession. They stuffed 5 $1 bills into the mouth of the limp boy hanging from the tree and left him for the village to see. Hearing this story made me physically sick to my stomach. An innocent boy lost his life because of the reputation that has been attached to America. They hate our country so much that they are willing to sacrifice one of their own just to send a message to their village. Their own village; not a large population. I mean, we all know that things happen in Afghanistan that don't happen in many other places and killing is not something they see as a crime, but its really sad that even our money has cost people their lives.

Fairy Dust!

Everyone has a character, whether it be a superhero, cartoon character, or animal, that they dressed up as for Halloween and secretly wish they could be. As you can see, mine is Tinkerbell. I was Tinkerbell 4 years in a row for Halloween and have always had a secret little obsession with her character. This is a drawing I did for a project where I had to design a costume with lights on it. I, of course, opted for Tinkerbell. Something about being able to fly around, sprinkling fairy dust and listening to other people without having to talk has always appealed to the "child" inside me. She is the epitomy of a little girl's alter-ego and sometimes, we have a hard time letting go of that. I wonder sometimes if I had the opportunity to be anyone or anything else for a day, what or who would I choose? There are so many influential and amazing people who have contributed extraordinary ideas and accomplishments to the world that I would love to "shadow" for a day. But if I could actually "be" someone else, Tinkerbell is definately my first choice. Everything I associate with Tinkerbell has a happy or exciting connotation. She isn't really a controversial character and she gets to hang out with Peter Pan! There is an innocent, child-like perception of the world that I associate with Tinkerbell that I think everyone secretly envies and wishes we could revert back to.

My Guardian Angel

Happy; Innocent; Whole. Those are the first three things that come to my mind when I look at this picture of my Mom and I taken when I was about 4 years old. Not only was it a happy time because we were at the beach and it was summer time, but because the picture captures my Mom and I together. At this time, I was completely oblivious to what the future held and didn't have a worry in the world. I had no idea that 8 years later, my Mom would be taken from my family. To most people, it sounds like I'm throwing a "pity-party" for myself. But I'm actually doing the opposite. You can never be too sure of your life or anticipate what tomorrow will bring. There is a good chance that one day you're going to wake up and realize that life isn't always as good as your dreams. But that's life! You can't control everything and you shouldn't try to. The saying really is true; "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." I have an appreciation for life that most people never discover and I am so thankful for that. My Mom was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2000 and passed away in August of 2000, only 4 months after she was diagnosed. While it didn't happen overnight, losing my Mom at such a young age has taught me so many things about life and has made me so much stronger than I ever would have been. Lessons: #1- You never know how much time you have here, with the ones you love; time to make a difference; time to do all the things you want to do before you die. I've learned to make the best of each day & I try to be nice to everyone I meet. #2- You're never alone. Even on those days where you feel like nothing is going right, no one cares if you're upset and there's no one there to listen to you bitch and moan, someone is there. I haven't been able to have a "real conversation" with my mom in 7 years, but I talk to her everyday. As cliche as it sounds, I like to think of her as my guardian angel. She is with me everyday and she's always there to listen to me when I don't want to talk to anyone else. You have to make the best of what you have, even if you hate the circumstances. And just when you think you can't, tell yourself that it could always be worse!

Mind Map

4 different beginnings and no definite ending. A mind map. Something that allows someone to peek inside your head and follow your thoughts, never knowing exactly where they will end up. Paint alone can lead to so many places; Canvas; Van Gogh; Car; or Brush; where it takes you next depends on the person. Many times you will find yourself crossing paths you've already taken or perhaps at an intersection of new, yet similar, places. To see the paths I chose, follow my map. Where does paint take you?