This Advertisement: A Truly Effective Methodology

Lately, advertisements have grown bolder in their statements, whether it be about sex, food, hair loss, etcetera, advertising teams always seem to find a way to make their ideas seem bold and new. This particular advertisement brought to you by Subway (Eat Fresh) approaches the concept of capturing the audience’s attention with as alarming a hook as they can imagine: sex. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t tend to associate any meal I eat (despite it being a footlong sub in this scenario) with any form of sex or anything of the like. With that in mind, to make the biggest word on the billboard such a peculiar one considering the product being advertised seems strange, especially when you notice the Subway logo at the very bottom. What is their game? What are they trying to accomplish with these unorthodox tactics? However, the line following the giant “SEX!!” which is inevitably what will catch your eye first upon seeing this billboard explains it. It mentions that now it has the audience’s attention, which is of course meant to suggest that they wouldn’t have it otherwise without the “SEX!!”, although that could be understood with the droll beige background they chose for their ad. It also serves to show that Subway is making fun of itself. It knows that SEX!! is a surefire way to catch an audience's eye, and to bring it back to reality by appearing self-aware will not only make the ad more level and funny, but it will also make Subway seem relatable, as now you know that they know how weird this situation is.

This advertisement is funny. I would absolutely argue for its effectiveness, as its main catch is its appeal to mankind’s most primeval instinct: to mate. Sex in itself has become a concept that is only really spoken about among friends or to a therapist or in similar scenarios, so to see such a huge statement out in the open is sure to catch the eye of the commuting consumer. This ad does a good job of making itself memorable, despite its otherwise mundane appearance, predominantly due to the fact that using sexual appeals in such an upfront manner is nothing short of unorthodox in this society. We are used to seeing sexualized food ads with pictures of skinny women and things of the like, yet we almost never see simply text that we are forced to believe is sexual. Because of this specific use of the concept, however, we as an audience are not drawn to the idea of sex being a good or bad thing, nor are we inclined to believe in any roles being set forth in the ad. No, we are just left with the idea that sex is nothing more than a concept, albeit a rare one, of everyday life. Subway managed to share a common theme with its other food-based advertising rivals, but this deviation is certainly what makes it stand out, and ultimately makes it more successful.

The Regular Show: Anything But (or is it?)

A couple years ago, Cartoon Network let loose a bunch of shows onto the air that are absolutely ludicrous. I'm talking about shows like "Adventure Time", "Chowder", "The Amazing World of Gumball", and the list goes on. One show in particular caught my attention. "The Regular Show" features a bird named Mordecai and his best friend, a raccoon named Rigby. They work at a public park, and hilarity ensues. Of the bat, you notice that the name is obviously ironic. No show starring low-wage-working animal roommates can be regular. Instantly the idea that this show is out of the ordinary in just about every way is implanted in your mind.

Watching the pilot, and consequently being introduced to every character that you will have to know, will give you a lot of information about what this show is all about. It starts off with Mordecai and Rigby messing around in their room, and immediately putting a hole in the wall. They freak out, and you realize that they don't own the house they're in, but only the room. Then, they complain about how they can't do cool things because they don't have money. Thus, they go to their boss, a gumball machine named Vincent, to ask for a raise. Now, here's where the first hint of suspicion comes in. Is this show really about zany characters doing zany things, or is it about making the mundane magical? These characters are so colorful, but then you remember that they all work at a public park in the real world with real problems (mostly monetary). These issues start off simple, Mordecai and Rigby are bored, are tired, need to make some extra cash for concert tickets, the list goes on. But they blow up into insane scenarios. In one episode, for example, the duo needs to get a grilled cheese for Vincent, and they end up posing as astronauts and trying to fix an exploding nuclear reactor. Every episode has an absurd chain of events, but it's the source of the chain that makes me question whether or not this show may actually be regular. These completely (for lack of a better word) regular tasks get absolutely blown out of proportion. This creates a sort of image for the show that promotes a fantastical, imaginative outlook on life. The show almost seems to preach that you can find wonderment in just about any daily event, you just have to look for it.

Dunkin Donuts: Streamlined Delight

Dunkin Donuts: The coffee/donut behemoth of the Northeastern seaboard. What's its appeal? Is it that it's so efficient? No, it's not, but it certainly attempts to create the image that it is. Let's take a look inside one to really prove my point. Seeing as how I visit this one just about every day, we'll analyze the Darien Dunkin Donuts on the Post Road. Upon entering the building, which has an exterior almost entirely consisting of windows, you are greeted by a (half) smiling employee ready to take your order. If you're like me and stop by this building every single morning, then the cashier will already have your order put into the register. Should you order food, then you walk in a straight line from the register to the pickup counter. The counter is striated horizontally, so as to suggest that you are moving so quickly that you create speed lines as you move towards the counter. As you wait for your food, you can turn to see the TV in the corner playing today's news. You are effectively multitasking, waiting for your food as well as getting caught up on your current events. When you receive your food, you turn around and walkout in yet another line, accentuated by an island table that also seems to be designed to make you feel fast, with its flowing, rounded edges that emanate a faint purple glow underneath them. You are out of the restaurant, leaving though the same place you came in. Between opening the door to get in and to get out, you spent a grand total of 8 minutes in that building. 8 Minutes that you could be using to drive to school, or work, or whatever it is you need to do. Wow.

Now, why does Dunkin focus so hard on making sure your process is as expedited as humanly possible? Because, you think, "America runs on Dunkin". RUNS - key word. (Almost) Everything about them is fast. This is the image they need because in this day and age, especially in this place in the world, time is money. Time spent somewhere you don't have to be is money wasted. The bigwigs at corporate DD know for a fact that if their integrity, being that they promise to be fast, is compromised, then they will lose a large portion of their business. They managed to be fast back when they were smaller, but now that they are the goliath of their industry, the constant flow of people from opening to closing (unless they're open for 24 hours, which is becoming increasingly common) has slowed them down. In attempts to cover that up, they made the design of their shops look "fast". You accomplish so little in that store, but the striated counter, the news, and the island table make you feel as though those 8 minutes were the fastest you've ever experienced. What seems like a quick, harmless trip through a coffee store is actually a veritable coffee-based ordeal, and Dunkin does a great job of covering it up.