Blog Feed – MC 3031 – Rylee C Lanoux

Social Media Review

In today’s society, social media is extremely influential. Society depends on social media for almost everything they do. Finding outfit inspiration, making weekend plans, and sharing thoughts and other things with friends are just some of the most common uses. Over the course of my life, I have used numerous forms of social media, especially this semester. In today’s day and age, knowing how to use social media – both correctly and efficiently – while also learning new ways to use social media are necessary to stay updated and on top of the advertising and communications industries.

The social media I have used the most this semester is Snapchat. I use Snapchat daily and probably spend most of my time on it while I am on my phone. Snapchat is easy to use and allows users to send pictures back and forth with added users, post on their “story” and/or private story, follow celebrities and watch produced content made by Snapchat and other companies specifically for Snapchat. The app itself is designed for younger generations but is easy to learn and utilize.

Advertising and communications-based services on Snapchat is common. If I had to estimate how many advertisements I see a day on Snapchat, I would say upwards of 200. Considering there’s tons of content to watch on Snapchat, that many ads in one day makes sense. Utilizing social media, specifically Snapchat, is one way to gain exposure for a new product or service. Most of the ads I see are for products, trailers for shows and movies, and other promotional ads. Since Snapchat is targeted to younger consumers, advertisements are generally related to interests held by that target audience. However, Snapchat does use cookies in order to market products to its users. While Snapchat is not limited to certain ages, the platform itself is extremely relevant and is one of the best places to advertise a product and/or service based on age range. Using Snapchat has taught me that I spend most of my time on my phone. Snapchat is where I primarily spend most of my social media time, seeing as most of my battery life is devoted to Snapchat, followed closely by Spotify.

The other social media platform I use the most is Instagram. Instagram allows anyone to create a free account where they can share pictures and videos on their profiles, follow other users and view or watch other users’ “stories.” Instagram has changed immensely in the past few years after being bought by Facebook in 2012. In order to stay relevant and gain new users, Instagram added “stories” in August 2016, with Live Stories coming shortly after in November of the same year. They also started increasing integrated advertisements in 2016, allowing the consumer’s feed to remain the same aesthetically. Allowing advertisements on Instagram helped the platform’s profit grow and encouraged sponsorship. Instagram eventually became one of the most-used apps in the world and is still doing relatively well in the social media market.

I use Instagram daily, but not as much as I use Snapchat. I enjoy seeing what my friends, family and favorite celebrities are up to. Seeing as I like to share content made by others with my friends and family, I particularly enjoy Instagram’s story feature. I also have more friends and family on Instagram rather than on Snapchat. Instagram has interesting qualities and plenty of cons, but the platform is extremely useful for advertising, product placement and sponsorship.

Many consumers follow “influencers” on Instagram, most of which post paid ads for numerous brands and companies. Tons of consumers listen to the opinions of their favorite celebrities and will buy a product if it is recommended by them. However, influencer marketing is becoming more regulated and harder to guarantee successful as society adapts and recognizes the new forms that advertisements have begun to take in recent years. In the effort to make advertisements less noticeable, Instagram has tried numerous tactics to make ads blend in with the consumer’s “feed.” One way they have done this is by making ads appear as similar as possible to other consumer’s posts. This allows consumers to continue scrolling without being interrupted by a pop-up ad. In another bid to increase ease for consumers, Instagram has also made it easier to shop for certain products with integrated shopping links that take you to an in-app browser so consumers can buy products while still on the app. Along with the numerous types of advertisement options, advertising on Instagram also reaches numerous target audiences since the app is so commonly used. Along with Snapchat, Instagram uses cookies to market to specific target audiences.

Social media, such as Snapchat and Instagram, are becoming the best places to reach certain target audiences. With that in mind, learning how to use them – both correctly and efficiently – will help the advertising and communication fields immensely. As society adapts, creatives and communicators must do the same in order to stay informed and on task. Social media is the future, so we must continue to learn and explore new ways to advertise, market and communicate to and with consumers.

Apple’s ‘Behind the Mac’ Campaign

Apple’s advertising campaigns have always been effortlessly produced and executed. They are successful on every level of their campaign process – from content creation to social media execution. One of their most successful – albeit under the radar – campaigns is Apple’s ‘Behind the Mac’ Campaign. ‘Behind the Mac’ is an ongoing campaign in which users of Apple products – musicians, teachers, celebrities, powerful women – are pictured working on their MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac computers.

Target audience is one of the most important concepts for advertisers to know and understand. For a campaign to work, you must target the right audience, and Apple has never had a problem in doing so. With the ‘Behind the Mac’ campaign, they targeted numerous groups of people all within the same age range: 18-35. Men, women, musicians, students, teachers – the list goes on, but the age range is what they focused on for the campaign due to the maturity level of their products and prices. People aged 18-35 are more likely to buy Mac products and can usually afford to do so.

The simple objective of the campaign is portrayed in each black and white photo within each part of the campaign – Mac products are used by everyone for anything. Powerful people, simple people, creative people, logistic people. It empowers the audience to do what they are passionate about. It shows the audience that what they are passionate about and love doing can be done using a Mac computer. The objective Apple intended for this campaign is achieved through the simple and powerful video promotions, social media posts and social media ads they created and promoted.

Creative and media strategies employed for the campaign were showing the product and celebrity endorsement through photos and videos. The campaign is completely portrayed in black and white, an ode to the company’s adoration of simplicity in a world of complexity. All photos used in the campaign are ‘found’ photographs, meaning none of them were shot specifically for the campaign. Utilizing both essential characteristics of the campaign helps Apple accomplish two of their main objectives: simplicity and testimonial without words. The black and white nature of the ‘found’ photos allows the audience to picture the limitless options of color and creative ideas that started with a Mac. The photos also allow the audience to pay close attention to who is using the Mac products (i.e., Lady Gaga, Marie Kondo and other powerful women are part of one promotional video in the campaign). The effect of a photo is more powerful than any amount of words a celebrity could speak – especially because all the photos in the campaign weren’t staged for the campaign itself. The people portrayed in the photos are using the products on their own – no payment or contract to get them to do so.

The campaign was integrated on numerous platforms, including but not limited to: Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, TV and YouTube. The Snapchat ads for International Women’s Day are what caught my attention. The 49-second video that is now on their YouTube channel was split into 10-second portions on Snapchat in a ‘story’ form for viewers to click on. It felt like a video instead of an ad, which Apple made a point in doing so that viewers would watch it all the way through, like I did. Their tweet for the International Women’s Day video was retweeted 6.7 thousand times and liked by 31,000 Twitter users. It’s not the biggest number of shares, but it definitely stood out on a platform that produces a huge amount of content in just one hour. The YouTube video for the International Women’s Day video has been viewed over 27 million times. Despite its massive reach on Twitter and YouTube, the campaign could be integrated and promoted on more social media sites and platforms. In doing this, the campaign would be even more successful.

The shelf life of the campaign could be upwards of five years. The campaign is timeless and continues to pursue a goal that everyone wants to achieve: doing what they love. The portrayal of numerous types of people doing exactly that captivates and encourages the audience through pictures and strong, empowering music. The idea behind the campaign is simple and effective. The execution of the campaign is effortless, as usual. It is what works best for Apple, and that is something they are well aware of.

I’ve included some screenshots of their social media posts and some of their YouTube videos for reference below:

Tabasco Copy

I really enjoyed this assignment. I never thought of copy writing being something I’m interested in, but this allowed me to see it in a new light. I loved coming up with an idea, even if it was small. To go from nothing to an idea to roughs to a magazine ad was really interesting to experience. I also really liked seeing where everyone else’s minds went with this assignment. I love seeing creativity in every form, especially when everyone does it a differently.

Let’s Talk Body Language

Let’s talk body language. How it affects those around us, how it makes others view us, how it makes us view others — you know, the works.

Body language is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as, “the gestures, movements, and mannerisms by which a person or animal communicates with others.”

Taking this definition and the TedTalk linked below, I’ve decided that body language means how we interact through mannerisms, motions, and non-verbal cues.

Not only does body language apply to human interaction, but it also helps us to determine numerous things (other than physical appearance) about each other through the way we interact.

I usually judge someone’s personality not only by the way they speak, but also by the way they present themselves in situations. Our body language is one of the most telling things about who we are, what we’re comfortable with and how we feel about certain things.

That’s why it’s so important for us to understand body language. We need to understand how to read it in order to base a judgement, a question, an interaction with someone.

In order for us to understand body language and how it affects others, we first have to determine our own body language.

I view myself as having opened up more to the social realm in the past few years, mostly a result of having gone to college and joined organizations and gone to networking and professional events.

But I’m also a very closed-off person in certain situations. I’m usually very shy and take a “low-power pose” in classes of large size or in classes where I’m not fully confident in the material.

However, in the opposite situations — say a smaller Manship class or a class in which I enjoy the material or am confident in knowing the material — I flourish. I actually raise my hand and answer questions. I also find that participation is easier in these situations.

If it’s a lecture-based class, I usually take a low-power pose. It’s not necessary for me to exert the energy of a high-power pose in that situation most of the time. I do, unsurprisingly, not enjoy these classes as much as classes in which I take on a high-power pose/mentality.

I also tend to get nervous about speaking in front of large groups of people. It is something I’ve always had anxiety about, but I’m getting better at it the more I do it. My marketing professor from last semester told us to accept the nervousness — that everyone gets nervous.

He also said that those who embrace the nervousness tend to speak better, get their points across and usually don’t forget things.

On another note, in social situations, I tend to find the people with whom I share body language and then base my body language further on theirs. I don’t know if it’s to make them or myself more comfortable. I haven’t really thought about that before.

I do know that I am confident in social situations most of the time if I know at least 1-2 people, however big the function is. I wouldn’t call myself a “social butterfly,” but I do enjoy being social and making new friends, so social events aren’t daunting to me.

Upon my self-evaluation, if I could change anything about my body language, I would change the way I present myself and the way I interact in bigger classes. As Amy Cuddy suggests, I would take on a high-power pose before the classes and any big events in which I have to speak in front of others.

I’m also definitely working on getting comfortable with speaking in front of others — whether it’s a small group or a large group. Maybe the high-power pose will help me do just that. At least it’s a start.

Sources:

“body language.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2020. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20language. (17 Feb 2020).

Concept vs. Strategy

In the fields of advertising and marketing, there’s a common mix-up between concept and strategy.

Concept is the creation and development of the big idea. The idea that takes you too many long nights of brainstorming and too many cups of coffee to come up with. It’s the most common form of “art” within advertising and marketing. It’s the creative side. It’s what everyone wants to do. It’s also the hardest part of advertising and marketing.

Coming up with the concept is daunting. It’s hard to come up with a “new idea.” That’s mainly due to the fact that there aren’t really “new” ideas – it’s all previously used ideas executed in new ways.

Strategy is putting the concept into practice. It’s the plan that advertisers use to get consumers to buy a product/service.

It’s the tactics, plans, and implementation of the concept in numerous ways in order to:

get consumers talking about the product
increase consumer awareness of the brand and/or it’s services/goods
build brand loyalty/preference
re-build or change the consumer’s view of the brand/brand’s image

Summary:

Concept is the idea and its development.

Strategy is the implementation of the idea through tactics, goals and specific channels of advertising.

IMC

I picked the brand Bath & Body Works for my IMC assignment. I knew they’d be releasing new fragrances for the spring and summer soon, so I looked to their Instagram account first.

A post on the official Bath & Body Works Instagram account today.

Their post introduced new fragrances that elude to summer & warmer weather. They kept the caption casual and personable. They then ended the post with a call-to-action: they asked followers to comment their ‘most-used blue emoji.’ This is helpful because it allows consumers to feel closer to the brand & want to share the brand with others.

After that, I looked to see if they introduced the new products on their website. Unsurprisingly, it was the first thing on the page when I pulled it up.

I liked that they used a different photo for the website. Although it’s a different image, it’s still a good way to vary what they’re showing consumers for the product launch.

Considering Bath & Body Works is one of my favorite and most-used brands, I am a member of their email list. I looked in my inbox next.

Email marketing I personally received from Bath & Body Works on January 27, 2020.

This was the email I received from them today. The first thing in the email was the new products. I enjoy getting emails from them because they often have coupons for candles. I liked that they put the new products at the top — it shows that they’re trying to get the product into the consumer’s knowledge.

The fourth thing that I would have done would be a pop-up shop [event] in some of their shops around the nation. I think consumers would enjoy a “little piece of paradise” in the dull winter. They could offer samples of the new products and allow consumers who go into the pop-up to have a discount on the new products that are being showcased. It would also be an opportunity for the consumers to post on their social media about the pop-up shops, which would gain them some publicity.

CORE Analysis

Today, I’m going to dig deep down inside and be as honest with myself as I can in order to accurately rate myself for each aspect of the CORE diagram.

Curiosity: I genuinely believe myself to be a pretty curious person. I am curious about people and things. I am curious about how they behave and work, as well as why they do the things they do. I am curious as to why people are interested in the things they are. I enjoy learning about different languages, cultures and religions. While I am very curious, some things don’t interest me or captivate me enough to be curious. With that in mind, I would honestly say I’m an 8 on the scale for curiosity.
Openness: My opinion of measuring levels of openness depend on the situation. I am extremely open about communication and addressing concerns and problems in relationships, both professional and personal. I am also open to new ideas, so I will give myself a 7 for openness. I am closed off and very personal in some situations, so that’s why I’m giving myself a 7 instead of an 8 or 9.
Risk: I already know I’m low on the scale for risk. I am not a risk taker and I never really have been. It’s actually something I have been working on for the last few months, so I’m getting better at it. I am a fan of the comfort zone, but I know it’s not always the best place to be. There are some risks I am willing to take and some I am not. As you said, they teach risk out of students in primary school. It’s hard to not follow rules for me most of the time because I’m afraid of consequences. I will honestly say that I’m a 4 on the risk scale. Hopefully this class will help me become closer to a 5, 6 or even a 7.
Energy: I am a morning person. I love running & I’m always looking for something to do. I am very energetic. I am a busy-body, always looking for the next thing. I feel stir-crazy if I run out of things to do. Relaxation, watching movies and staying home all day are not my forte. As for mental energy, I try to be very positive & project good energy outwards when I’m around people. I know how easily a situation can be affected by a bad day, attitude or feeling. I try to be positive in order to keep things moving. I would rate myself a 9 for energy.

Introduction

Hi, my name is Rylee Lanoux & this is my blog for my advertising strategy class.

I’m from Denham Springs, a suburb of Baton Rouge. I’ve lived many places in Louisiana, but Denham Springs will always be my home.

My family is originally from a small town named Eunice. It’s about two hours away from Baton Rouge going west. It’s extremely small and rural; my great-grandparents were farmers. Everywhere you go, there’s rice fields and crawfish ponds. The people there are kind and genuine.

I graduated from Denham Springs High School in 2017. I played volleyball & took AP classes. I graduated summa cum laude & I headed to LSU in the fall of 2017.

I came to LSU on a French degree, where I quickly realized it wasn’t for me. (P.S. — French grammar is REALLY hard!) I ended up taking the Strong Test, which is an interest inventory that matches you to your top 10 career choices & majors.

My top career match was an advertising account manager. I had no clue what that was or if LSU even had a degree that would match with that. After taking the Strong Test, I decided that I would work towards a history degree that was concentrated in secondary education.

That decision quickly changed as well. I LOVE history, but I knew I didn’t want to be a high school teacher. I then took my Strong Test results into consideration again. I was panicked — I didn’t want to drag my college education out like my sister had — so I was desperate to find my major fast.

It was then that I chose to work towards a mass communication degree with a concentration in digital advertising. Little did I know that it was what I was looking for the whole time.

The people that attend the Manship School of Mass Communication are some of the most interesting people I’ve met in my life. The coursework is captivating and exciting.

I love art, history, communication & photography. I watch the Super Bowl FOR THE ADS. I love seeing where people’s brains can take them & all the things we can create.

And while I love the creative side of things, I also love the logical side of advertising. That’s why account management is something I’m extremely interested in. I hope that I can find my passion this summer with an internship.

On that note, I am currently interning at Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center as a marketing and communications intern. I’ve been at this internship since October 2019, and I’ve already learned so much & worked on numerous projects.

This semester, I’m hoping to learn more about the strategic side of advertising and how it ties in to every piece of an advertising campaign. I am also taking quantitative research, multiculturalism and economics this semester.

As for my life outside of work & school, I have some hobbies. I love photography (my photography Instagram is @ryleeclairephotography). I just started it, so I don’t have many posts. I love to paint, read & play with my cat (her name is Holland and she’s adorable). I enjoy running (no, I’m not crazy). You’ll more than likely always catch me with a coffee in my hand.

That’s me.