USF Writing Community Server

Trying Something New

Cfwilli2 — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:20:00 GMT

In efforts of trying something new, I followed what I thought was my heart. I turned away from all conventional wisdom and did something that I vowed to never do... I tried the break up game with my fiance. I love her from the depths of my soul, and she knows I would never leave her, or so I thought. I came up with some elaborate story as to why I just couldn't take it any more, thinking that this would surely bring her closer to me. I fought yelled screamed and even cried, I should have recieved an oscar for that performance. Instead I recieved a broken heart and a changed relationship status... Not quite what I was going for. I was under the impression that even though I was "breaking up" with her, I made it clear that I wasn't. I just knew that the following morning I would call and a few "I love yous" later, everything would be back to normal, maybe even better. I wasn't counting on our cell phones getting cut off the very next day, darn economy.So now I have my soon to be wife with a broken heart, scared ,and confused in another state, surrounded by men that would love to have an opportunity to have her hand, and everything else attatched to it. Score one for trying something new...

I messaged her on Myspace for the next few days to no avail. I told myself that she was just busy, knowing in my heart and soul that that surely wasn't the case. As fate, or some other demonic force posing as fate, would have it, some guy popped up in the course of these days commenting on how "cute" my fiance was in her prom pictures. Of course me being the jealous over protective type, I instantly thought that I had to put on my red cape and save her. I was sure that if I just added him as a friend, he would realize my presence in my fiance's life and just leave. Of course I also thought this would be the perfect time to show her how I'm a changed man, I would add her other friends aswell, the ones I never truly accepted before. Just me trying to be a good man right? Definately didn't play out that way. To my surprise, all of the friends I never truly accepted before didn't like me, that's probably why I didn't accept them. And the guy from before struck up a conversation with me, telling me how lucky I was to have my fiance by my side. I countered his fake front with, "I know I'm truly a blessed man." The conversation stopped there for a while... It only went down hill from there, as I'm sure you with common sense knew it would.. ALL of them ran back to my fiance with the excitment of devistating news lingering on their tongues. Not only did I not trust her to handle this guy, I also tried to add HER friends. The ones she probably has been venting to about my stupidity the entire time... If this wasn't bad enough, the conversation with the other bone head guy resumed with a startling question, "Are you sure she is your fiance?" "Of course she is, why do you ask?" I answered with a sort of false conviction. The next message informed me of our break up a few days ago, the one I thought she knew wasn't real. Put two on the board for trying something new...

That moment was when I knew what my stupidity cost me, but I wasn't willing to stop there. I just knew that I was smart enough to pull myself out of this one, I didn't need prayer, the church, or the help of God. She got online shortly after my conversation with bone head #2 started back up. She was heart broken and enraged by the situation, like any normal human being who just lost their one true love would be. And what was the first thing I said to her when I knew she had to respond, "Baby?" Yeah thats right I said baby, all the compassion in the world wouldn't save me from the emotional beating I recieved from her after that one. We began to talk then, I did the best I could to explain how inoccent the situation truly was. She was livit but she entertained my wild story. She had to, she truly loves me. Just when I started to take a step forward, I got knocked back two. Me being her fiance and all, I know everything there is to know about her, and that includes her Myspace password. I noticed some of her friends were online and I knew that the only way I could get her to the computer, was if I got them to go get her. Only problem with that was, I cant talk to her friends because since i didn't befriend them on Myspace, their privacy settings wouldn't let me send them a message. So i simply hopped on her page... I know you are screaming NOOOOO!!!! But I thought it was a good idea at the time. I got on and messaged her friend asking for them to go get her. While waiting for a response I recieved a message from bone head #2... What a coinsedance... fate is just full of goodies. I just had to read it, being all unchurched and following the beat of my own drum. The message turned out to read horrible, it was a small piece of an ongoing conversation that I was unaware of. I imediately sought comfort not in God, but in my own faulted mind... Chalk three up for trying something new...

I raced home thinking of all the questions I would ask her about this horrible peice of evidence I found. I got home only to realize that she found out about me reading the message, and she wasn't to happy about it. But I didnt care at that point in time, I just knew that there was no way she could talk herself out of this one, no matter how much I felt she was innocent... I flew off the handle and cursed her out for the first time ever... Something that was completely against my nature, and definately not apart of the man she thought she knew and loved. She explained the message while I was busy being a lower life form. She was only venting to the bone head, and they were discussing something I already knew. With that being said, guess who had egg all over their face... This was the final straw that broke the camel's back. She left me for the first time ever in the 3+ years we have been together, and I can't blame her. I thought I could do it all on my own, who needs God anyway? Me... I'm done keeping score.

I am now in the process of trying to something else that's new to me, winning my wife back. For the first time ever I have truly lost her, and I'm fresh out of ides on how to get her back. The only hope I have of her return, is with the help and guidance of my other love I betrayed, God. If only I had stayed before him for guidance in the first place, all of this would have never happened... I know that everything happens for a reason, and what's meant to be will be, I just wish I would have spared myself this heart break. This was something new I should have never tried...

blog 3

matt hall — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:08:00 GMT

These two paragraphs that I have written vary in that they are about a place that I go to and enjoy but describe completely different and opposite views. It is a lot harder to write about the opposite view that I don’t support then what I actually believe in. The first paragraph is about the positive side of my house on a lake, and the second paragraph is the negative side of my house and lake.
The place that I really enjoy is my house that is on a small but ski size lake. Everyone loves to hang out at the house and go jetskiing all the time. It’s just a great place to relax, get some sun, and go crazy on the lake tubing. There is always food for everyone and, plenty of drinks. It’s basically impossible to not have fun. If anyone gets tired of the lake then they can head up to the pool or relax in the Jacuzzi. The backyard is hosts the intense football games that we always have on game day.
My house on the lake is ok except for all of the mosquitoes that never seem to stop biting you. Tubing is so dangerous and it seems impossible not to get hurt. The lake is a scary place because there are so many gators. Its way to hot to play football and pool is too small for everyone. There is a lot of food but that’s because no one wants to eat any of it because it is all over cooked. The house is just an overall miserable place.

blog 2

matt hall — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:07:00 GMT

This blogger considers that all of the drivers in Florida are all PHYSCO and have no clue how to drive what so ever. I have to agree with him on that. At least 90% of people that have licenses to drive any sort of motorized vehicle have absolutely no clue how to drive and should have their licenses revoked. This group is mostly made up of women and senior citizens, although some guys are nearly just as bad. There comes a point in all people’s lives where they reach that certain age that they are no longer safe and “defensive” drivers but crazy, dangerous road hazards. The safest thing to do around these people is to keep as great of distance as possible between you and them.
These days absolutely anyone can get a Florida drivers license. All they have to do is be able to park halfway in between two lines and know how to stop at a giant red stop sign. This state has to have to the most hazardous roads in the entire United States. If one day we decide that the roads should be safer then we should make the driver test a lot harder.
I believe that the reputations that Florida drivers have are all true and not stereotypical at all. The amount of reckless drivers on the road is unbelievable. The person that posted the blog “Learn How to Fucking Drive” has a great point and describes Florida drivers really well.

blog 1

matt hall — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:04:00 GMT

I was born in Florida in 1989 and have lived here all of my life. Florida definitely has its pros and cons. On the upside Florida has awesome beaches that always have hot girls. That’s one of the Floridians reputations, we're all sun babies. There is always a lot of fun stuff going on like parties and clubbing down in ybor. There’s not to much more that anyone could ask for. The downside is all the people that want to retire come to Florida, so there is a million retirement villages everywhere! What scares me the most about this is all of the senior citizens that are driving on our roads. It is probably one of the most dangerous states for driving.

I live about 20 minutes from campus on a small lake that I would never give up to move to another state. Florida is known for all of its lakes and all of the water sports. I go jet skiing all the time and could never live without that. I think that I would enjoy visiting another state like New Jersey or something up north where there is snow just because I have never seen any before, but I would never live anywhere else even if I could. I love going on vacation to North Carolina and going white water rafting, but I couldn’t handle living there with all of those hicks.
I think that Florida has really made me who I am because I have grown up here and this is just the life that i know and love.

Ups and Downs of Rollercoasters

amormandiefaye. — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:25:00 GMT

The following two paragraphs are different perspectives on rollercoasters. I found it very easy to write both. I love rollercoasters and could spend all day on them so for the first paragraph I simply wrote what goes through my head when I think about rollercoasters and my step-by-step experience. Then when writing the second, I thought of my dad who thinks the absolute opposite and couldn't hate rollercoasters more (He blames it on the "bad engineering" of the rollercoasters but that's a different story). The second paragraph is just what I imagined his thought process to be when going on a rollercoaster or discussing them.

I've never found something quite so thrilling as theme park rollercoasters. I love playing games with my family or friends while in line. We always come up with something creative and fun to do so the time ends up going by really fast. Then we chose to sit in either the front where we can see everything (I always feel in control when I ride in front) or the back where you feel all the commotion and speed. When I'm on the ride and slowly moving up, the cranking sound of the rollercoaster builds up my anxiety and excitement for that sudden drop tons of feet towards the ground only to be swung back up and into a number of loops and twists and turns. Then there is the predictable camera photo where my hands are thrown in the air, hair flying about freely, and my face screaming of joy with a loud but unheard "wooooooooo!" When I'm done with the one rollercoaster, I'm either hurriedly waiting in line to ride it again or running off to the closest one next to it.

I've never found something quite so dreadful as theme park rollercoasters. The lines are always hours long where youre standing with family and friends thinking of any and all things possible to say but coming up blank. It makes the line seem so much longer than it actually is and more boring than a theme park should ever be. Then there's always those families playing games the entire line to the ride, being loud, distracting, and above all..annoying. At least they take up the front and back parts because I prefer the middle. I can't see anything but the people around me so I can just imagine it's a stimulation and I'm not actually on a couple of rails twirling to my death hundreds of feet above the ground. All of those spins and drops just make my stomach turn in knots. What makes it worse is the hair slapping against my face, the random camera shot you're not ready for and shows how I'm clinching onto my seat for dear life with my eyes shut and my mouth in pure terror. If the ride wasn't horrible enough, when I'm done all I feel like doing is puking. If I've learned one thing about rollercoasters, don't eat before you ride one.

Get Your Hatah-Blockahs Out Floridians

amormandiefaye. — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:03:00 GMT

Being somewhat of an apathetic person, I don't really have any feelings to the blogs on Florida myself but I can assume that many Floridians were either offended or amused by the truth behind the two bloggers' comments. The first blogger portrayed Florida as quirky, tacky, a little scandalous, and just downright out there with our advertisements, activities, and fashion statements as celebrity look-a-likes. The small bit of sarcasm in the blogger's tone suggest that she differs from most citizens of this crazy southern state but slightly enjoys and is entertained by Floridians' behaviors. People with an odd sense of humor would enjoy reading her blog, or just those who like to view posts of strange photos.

As for the second blogger, their posts on Florida were filled with anger, annoyance, hatred, and a strong need to leave the state with no intention of return. This person definitely does not want to be categorized as a Floridian, let alone have any affiliation with Florida whatsoever. I'm sure if they could they would erase the evidence they had ever been to the sunshine state. Those who strongly dislike Florida would enjoy reading it. However, those who like Florida may want to read it as well just as a small eye-opener to how our state is being portrayed. I'm sure the author isn't the only one with that strong of an opinion against our driving abilities, redneck and hillbilly ways, and social disturbances like beatings and videogame censorship.

In my opinion though, I think that the quirkiness of Florida is what makes it attractive and a fresh place to live. It's a state that will never settle for boredom and will always surprise you with something new, whether it be celebrity look-a-likes or our new John Deere camo hats and tractors. As far as the hatred against it, I agree in the fact Florida isn't the best place to live (I would love to travel somewhere else) but I disagree that it's the worst. Every place has their ups and downs. New York City has worse driving situations than we do in Florida. Georgia and Alabama are more southern with rednecks than Floridians could ever hope to be. Every state is smothered with social disturbances and threats to censor entertainment. So all in all, we've got it just as bad as any other state, and just as good if not better.

Carousel

SharpShooter — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:20:00 GMT

After watching the clip from "Mad Men", I felt as though Don Draper, the ad executive, did a great job marketing the Carousel, a slideshow projector that can display pictures that is inserted. Draper tried to evoke emotions into the ad and it worked to perfection. He used personal pictures of his wife and kids, as well as himself, in various places. Draper uses the word nostalgia as his catalyst to connect with the Kodak executives. The word carousel has a better emotional connection than wheel, the clients' proposed name. Carousel is trying to connect to the rides at carnivals, where there were good times associated with carousels. Draper is trying to sell the belief that you can relive your best, and heart-wrenching, moments any time you would like. As I saw in the clip, the carousel advertisement pitch greatly affected one of the executives, to the point that he walked out of the room. The carousel will accomplish its goal by appealing to the hearts of the consumer instead of appealing to them logically.

I found the ad that Draper showed very effective in terms of appealing to emotions. As I watched the ad, I started to sense the emotion that Draper was trying to invoke as he gave his presentation. I wanted to buy the carousel after the presentation! He hit all the right emotions when he showed his kids, their wedding day picture, and the other everyday pictures that he displayed. Draper also seemed that he was going to break into tears at any moment, which helped with the pitch.

Selling Emotions 2

nlboyd — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT

In making a new item sell advertisers must make that item appealing, exciting, and most important new. That is exactly why the name “Carousel” was a much better name for the product in the video. Carousel was probably suggested because it would get the buyers attention to buy that product over all the others like it in the market. The Wheel, was an idea that had been done over and over again, consumers want something more exciting that they have never seen before, to make them want to stand in line down the block just so that they could say they had one of the first.

In the video, I think the sales pitcher does a good job of not only selling the machine but selling the emotion tied to the machine. During the sales pitch he uses pictures of some of the best moments people could have in their lives, a new baby, kids, and marriage. Selling people’s ideals and emotions back to them is another crucial way to compete with other brands on the market. Without the competition, this would just be another machine.

I think that his sales pitch was very successful in selling it to the executives in the room. He made references to everyone lives in the room which made them connected to the product, intriguing them to want to know more. In that time and era I am sure that this was very exciting new technology. I think that he made his point clearly so that everyone could relate to the product.

-Nicole

Blog Topic #5

Zippy72 — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:59:00 GMT

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Carousel is a better name for the product because it goes better with the way he is trying to advertise the product. They are selling the belief that the carousel will take them on emotional journeys into the past. They are pulling out peoples personal emotions to try and give the person buying the product an emotional connection with the product or to give the person a way to experience what they are advertising. This makes the ad extremely effective because people are more likely to buy something if there is an emotional factor involved. An example of this could be me buying a certain bicycle because my deceased grandmother bought me the same one for a birthday a few years ago. This appeals to the sentiments of the audience and, more often than not, will raise the sale of the product and makes it effective because even the people that aren’t touched emotionally by the ad still buy it because someone they know is and buys it as a gift. This achieves what they are aiming for because they are selling the idea that you can take a trip through time on a carousel that acts as a time machine.

Selling Emotions

nlboyd — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

-Nicole Boyd

Mad Men:Carousel

creynes — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:45:00 GMT

In this clip from Mad Men the man who presents his idea for the slide projector campaign uses the human emotion as a means of advertising. He targets one’s nostalgia and longing for a certain time in one’s life. The name of this campaign is first called, “The Wheel” because the projector revolves very much like a wheel. However, the advertisers do not find “The Wheel” befitting when selling a projector that plays back memories so they call it “Carousel”. I think “Carousel” is a better name than “The Wheel” because it holds a more nostalgic, playful, child-like spirit as a word. When one thinks of “Carousel”, they think of a children’s ride; something related to a good memory. The advertisers are trying to sell the projector with the idea that it is a “time machine”. The projector allows one to go back or forward in time by letting you view pictures that you have taken throughout your life in any particular order you’d like. The advertisers accomplish working “The Wheel” into the pitch by using a device that is more attractive to consumers rather than just a wheel. The advertisers use nostalgia as the device that will connect possible consumers to their product by making the consumers find a sort of attachment to the product; in this case, the attachment is attachment to memories which are captured by photographs. I find the ad quite effective. The advertisement demo was given with an appropriate tone. The words used in the ad were also good. The advertisers spoke about how people “ached for a memory” or a time in their life that they missed. This advertisement created an “itch” for me as well and put me in a state of mind in which I related to the memories described by the ad. If an advertiser can put an audience in a state of mind in which they can relate with the ideas behind a product, I believe that a product will have a higher chance to sell.

"The Carousel," How Memories Come to Life!

GordonFanHunts4Deer — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:45:00 GMT

In the scene, “Carousel,” from Mad Men, a salesman by the name of Don Draper uses a live presentation to convince his clients from Kodak to buy his circular projector. Originally named “The Wheel,” the projector didn’t sound very appealing at all. The Wheel is very old, boring, and out-of-date. By changing the name to “The Carousel,” Don produces a much more functional name because people associate carousels with fun and happy memories. Carousels remind us of a place where we were loved. This technique influences the customer into sentimentally bonding to the product, which is pertinent to making a sale. Don is selling the idea that The Carousel can bring back happy memories of the past, almost as if you were in a time machine.

Don successfully sells his idea—and subsequently, his product—because he was able to emotionally connect with his clients. A customer can even be seen leaving the room in tears after the presentation. The fact that an everyday person can relate to the pictures in the slide was a key factor in making the sale. While a potential buyer watches Don’s presentation, he or she is probably relating the photos with his or her own, and the meaning behind them. The buyer becomes mesmerized by the product and craves it.

Being a bit of a film critic and analyzer, I now must see this film. I can tell that there are many literary devices being used in this scene. I have no clue what this movie is about or anything about it, but this scene is very significant. Although, every scene is significant with good filmmaking, most people just don’t realize it.

Blog #5

Starving_Actard — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:42:00 GMT

This ad is very interesting. I like the symbolism of the slide projector being a time machine and I almost got the impression that Don Draper had lost his wife and children somehow. Not having watched Mad Men before I didn't know how the scene had been set up, but I did feel bad for Mr. Draper.

I think Carousel is a better name than the Wheel because as Draper said it involves a sort of feeling of childhood and a feeling of magic. Like I said before Draper achieves the goal by playing a sympathy card, whether that is liable or not it still worked. Also he played up the appeal of staying youthful or rather being forever youthful through the Carousel.

Blog #5- Carousel

LaraLiz — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:30:00 GMT

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This clip shows the strenuous work and thought that goes into producing a successful product and advertisement Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 . Dan Draper, the ad Executive Extraordinaire, explains the greatest ways to catch the consumers' attention. He also goes to explain how advertisements receive great responses when a product is displayed as "new". However, Dan also explains that the more sentimental feeling the consumer can connect with the product, the more willing he/she would be to purchase it. Creativity is an important necessity in the production of an advertisement as well. Many ads and commercials contain the same, desperate commands and information. Dan also shows the importance of learning how to execute a commercial/ad. The way in which it is presented can have a big effect on how it is perceived. Who can ever forget those screaming car commercials on both the radio and television?

To relate back to the clip and the product being sold, the name "carousel" provides a more sentimental feeling compared to the name "The wheel." The word carousel can trigger back all sorts of meanings. The word carousel is usually associated with one's childhood or the concept of something going around and around endlessly. This would create more value for the product and attract more people to consider purchasing the product. Especially in the way that Dan presented it, it clicked with the other business workers and actually brought tears to one's eyes. In the 1960's, this was the beginning of the advancements in marketing and advertisements. If one were to look at the advertisements we view now, one would see various similarities between the two. It seems as if commercials now have build upon the ideas that Dan Draper talked about

I find the advertisement very effective. I believe it is important to come through to the audience and connect them into buying the product. But, I don't believe in brainwashing or misleading the consumer. As long as the advertisers don't cross the line of lying to their consumers, I agree with good salesmanship.

Response from Mad Men-Carousel

asettel — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:22:00 GMT

Carousel is a better name to use then the one the clients mentioned because when you think of carousel you think of something that turns in a circle and comes back to you. The new device is just a like a carousel it shows photos and makes you want to go back and be with those people in the photos. A carousel is a happy place and that device shows photos that make you want to be in that happy place again. They are selling nostalgia vs. new technology and nostalgia wins every time because it goes to the heart. They accomplish their goal because they finally find someone with a great idea of technology. They even say good luck at your next meeting which means he’s obviously coming back to talk more about his “carousel” idea. I find the ad very interesting. I love how the man describing the product gives amazing details about what he is talking about. He talks about being nostalgic with family members and how this piece of art that he calls the “carousel” will capture all your best moments. He says the device goes backwards and forwards like a time machine. It was very confusing at times. I did have to watch it about 5 times to fully understand the concept of it all but it was a very good idea for the name of the device. I believe for an advertisement like that they should explain more effectively why it would be a good sell rather than talking and explaining about the name of the product.

Mad Men

montecristo — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:21:00 GMT

What can I say? This was a near perfect add. Don Draper's choice of the "Carousel" seemed to fit perfectly in the way he described his pitch to kodak. Using the name "carousel" symbolizes a child's mind, in that they get on a carousel and they have so much fun going round and round, and in the end they know that they will end up in the same place with people that love them. Throughout his presentation to kodak he is selling the fact that nostalgia will sell there product. That people will see the word carousel and remember being a kid, and therefore going back to memories that they wish they could return too and re-live. Draper uses pictures of his own family, and his own memories, this effectively creates this feeling of nostalgia and adds emotion the atmosphere, rather than having randon peoples pictures on there. Through this emotion present, he completely proves his point of the name "Carousel" creating emotion, and an aching to be in the past and re-live past events. I found the add completely effective, it even gave me feelings of emotion and nostalgia as I watched his very personal memories displayed on the screen. Proof of the effectiveness of this add are even in the video when the guy at the end of his presentation stands up and walks out as he is filled with tears and emotion from the touching performance. It is very obivous the effectivesnes of this add, and it was just enforced by own feelings while watching it.

Carousel

K.Clutch — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:10:00 GMT

Don Draper used the actual device to sell it and he also used family influences to get the group of people more emotionally involved. The name “Carousel” is a better name than the wheel first off because it is just more appealing. Draper also says how will help people travel like children do and bring them back to a place where they are loved. Many people will find sentimental value in this because everyone wants to be loved and accepted. He is trying to sell the idea that if someone buys the Carousel they will be loved and brought back to a time where they were truly happy. They accomplish this by showing many pictures of happy families with their children, or the couple kissing, or getting married. I think the ad would have been very popular in the 60’s. Again, everyone wants to feel loved, and that’s what this product was promoting. It didn’t just state facts of what this new piece of technology does, it shows examples of a family loving each other and having a great time together. The man that leaves after Draper was finished pitching the campaign seemed to be very influenced by the ad, being as how he walked out, and seemed very emotional in doing so. The other two men just seemed confused by the idea like they didn’t understand it. The way Draper pitches the idea is also very convincing because he is so emotional while he is speaking and going through the slides.

"Mad Man"

Lai2012 — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:05:00 GMT

Wow! As I watched an excerpt from the “mad men” It was a very effective moment and persuasive ad. When they started to talk about a wheel, I was thinking, what’s a wheel, and i’m not really even interested. But then he started his presentation and called it the carousal, which made perfect sense to me and caught my 100% attention. This is a better name to me because the way he explained it as being a way to see and travel the way children do, just gives you that joyful, light, feeling of a child. I t also makes sense in the fact that the machine goes round and round.

In the ad they were trying to convey the message that of course you want this machine and it is the best ever. It goes round and round like a carousal making you feel happy as a little kid. It is a time machine to bring back memories and let you go around as many times as you want.

He accomplishes his goals by using his own photos of him and his family. To me it seems as thought a significant event happened that affected him and his family and now he’s looking bak on the good times. The times he want’s to remember.

I found this ad most certainly effective. Only because of the acting along with the ad on the screen. His emotions, narration, facials, tells us that he did create that certain bond with his product. He truly believes what he is talking about, and when some one genuinely believes in their product it bakes you believe too.

The Carousel

btownboy9 — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:53:00 GMT

In the 1960's love within ones family was the main idea in everyone’s life. Keeping a healthy relationship between your family members was what life was focused on and anything that contributed to this cause was the fad at the time. In this advertisement of The Carousel Don Draper clearly explained in detail in a soothing way how this product can bring out love in families through memories and good times. This is a good well developed approach Draper did which shows he has many years in experience in advertisement. Obviously Draper is targeting his product toward families or big groups of some sort. Coming up with the name Carousel easily can make this product from average to highly wanted, because it sounds new and everyone wants new things. The name wheel has no catchy ring to it or doesn’t sound exciting at all, so probably not as much people would purchase this product. From the looks of this advertisement it’s hard to tell it was a product of the 1960's, because on how well he made it look so "juicy" and wanted. I’m sure this product could have sold just as well in the early 80's as well. The funny thing about it this product is still used today in many lectures and meetings throughout businesses and schools. So obviously this ad clearly brought the boom to this amazing tool of "love" and "togetherness". Also the affects done in this video also made this advertisement ten times better and relating it to a futuramic object like a time machine did the same.

The Carousal

dainarose — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:47:00 GMT

Calling the device the “Wheel” is highly unoriginal and boring. The name brings no excitement and if the consumer is not excited about the product then they will not buy it. By naming it the “Carousal”, it would bring the consumer back to a time when they were young and they rode around in a constant circle and having fun on a figurine horse. The Carousal catches the attention of the person wanting to buy the item; it is also creative and innovative to name the product something original and not mundane or as simple as the “Wheel”. The client is trying to sell a person memory. They want the person to buy the Carousal and remember all the good times that they enjoyed in the past. They are trying to get the consumer to think back on times when they felt love and happiness. This goes back to the name Carousal, which is a ride that every little child wanted to go on and when they did, they often felt joy riding those colorfully painted horse with parents and friends smiling around them. They accomplish their goal by naming the product the “Carousal” and by making exceptional advertisements to the general consumer population so that the idea can come across without there being any doubts on what the device is and what it does. I found the ad to be effective because it gave an example of what the Carousal was by using pictures and a narration of a person, which more people can relate to and thus catching their attention to the product. They certainly got my attention, even though I know we have far better products out there today.

Reaction to "Mad Men: The Carousel"

Jdibari — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:47:00 GMT

I feel the name carousal suites the slide projector a lot better than just the wheel. This product was being advertised as a device that can bring back fond memories. People could feel kind of a sentimental bond to the slide projector which makes it seem very desirable. I know when I watched the video clip I kind of felt connected to it. I mean who doesn’t want to be able to go back to their past to experience things for a second time. By calling this the carousal it sounds a lot more interesting than just the wheel. The wheel sounds very boring and outdated but the carousal sounds new and interesting. We can also associate carousals to the fun rides children love and experience during their youth. Calling the slide projector the carousal will also help to drive the point that this piece of technology can bring you back in time, in this case to your youth.

This device was portrayed as a lot more than just a simple slide projector, but it could be seen as a time machine. The people this product would be advertised to probably have their own family and children. These people want to capture their lives so they can reflect back on them at a later time. Personally I love to watch home movies or listen to tape recordings of family members cause it is as if that memory will live on forever and I have access to it 24/7. The slides draper used in his presentation were touching because they were of a family. By viewing these slides even though I did not know the people in them I witnessed the love, happiness, and closeness in every slide. It is obvious Draper reached his goal and his presentation was extremely effective. His clients even seemed to be touched by the presentation. Draper was definitely on the money with what the viewer wanted to see and he found away to tap into the viewers emotions.

The Carousel

acolee — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:37:00 GMT

The men originally called the new technology a "Wheel". The men tossed around the idea that it wasn't exciting enough and basically needed to be "spiced" up. When Don Draper came up with "Carousel", it added new meaning to teh technology. "Carousel" is associated with carnivals and colorful festivities in the night. Carnivals are linked to fun and happy times which is exactly what the pictures are supposed to represent. Don quoted it himself that these photos frozen in time are happy places and memories that you want to be taken back to. Carousel describes the path that the photos take throughout the presentation and reflect different moments in time that meant something to a particular person. They are selling the idea that this "carousel" can take you around to visit certain moments and photos in time that meant something to you at one time or another. The technology takes you back and around.The ad was definately very effective and I do believe it grabbed Mr. Kodak's attention which was the goal in mind. I caught myself at one point during the presentation with my mouth hanging wide open . If this ad had been pitched to me, he would of had me hooked on the product within 3 minutes of the presentation.

The Carousel

stacy1675 — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:54:00 GMT

Considering the advertising devices used, “carousel” is a better name than the original name of “the wheel”. The year is 1960 and the product being advertised is a slide projector. The slide projector was meant to be something to “have a sentimental bond to”—I thought that that was a very good strategy to the advertising. Personally, I know that if I have an “emotional bond” to a product, it would make me want to buy the product even more. I also think that the product should have a catchy name. If I were to hear the word “wheel” I wouldn’t really know what it was, my guess would be that it was something to do with tires. The word “carousel” however, reminds me of my childhood, and going to fairs and parks etc—which is the thought that was intended by the advertisers.

The man speaking in the video mentioned nostalgia, which according to Webster’s Dictionary means homesickness. My take on nostalgia and the carousel is that the carousel has your memories on it and watching them gives you a feeling of wanting to go back in time to that moment that was so great. The advertisers are trying to get you to buy this product that is a “time-machine that goes backwards and forwards to take you to a place where you ache to go again”. Overall, I thought that the man talking in a video did a very good job of getting people to want to buy the carousel so they could get those good feelings of past times they wish they could go back to.

blog #5

bsienkie — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:52:00 GMT

the angle that the advertiser plays is very good especially since it is new technology and chances are it will be out dated in a few years. Carousel is a very clever name and it goes hand in hand with the slide show the marketer showed, which makes it a perfect marketing tool. it seems like they are selling a product that would last through the ages and would keep the memories that come with it. the shots he shows make it seem like the machine will keep al the memories forever and ever. this may be true however there is definitely going to be a bigger, better machine coming out in 6 months or a year. the ad itself is pretty good considering how they are trying to market the object. it definitely appeals to adults who want to start a family and want to keep pictures of their kids growing up. the carousel is a compact simple way for parents to keep family pictures and memories for ever to show when their kids grow up. if i was a parent i would get the carousel or something similar because i would weant to remember the times when my kids were younger and be able to watch them grow up when they are older and moved out.

Kodak's Carousel

RELhernandez — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:24:00 GMT

The Wheel, so ordinary, so uninteresting, so common; it’s just a circle and nothing more. A wheel, this circle, could take shape of almost anything; it could be a tire, a ring, even a donut! There are so many possibilities of what a circle could be. It is too broad of an object, of a representation, making it too hard to get one specific reaction from the public. Don Draper, the advertising extraordinaire, decided to take another approach; he wanted a reaction, a strong one for sure. He wanted emotion to cause the public to buy this product not just because it’s the new, “gotta have” technology, but because a bond, a sentimental bond, developed between them and the product. He understood that buyers want to believe in what they are buying, that is it worth the money that they are spending. Carousel: this word would, could cause nostalgia. Kodak’s slide show projector would become not a spaceship but a time machine traveling back and forth between past and present, reeling up an ache, a desire to go back to that time and place again. The Carousel would allow consumers to travel the way a child travels; around and around visiting the same images again and again until they’re back home to a place where they know they are loved. Returning to such precious moments of the past is what everyone wants, or so as the advertiser says, however in a very moving, personal way. Causing emotions to unveil themselves is a dynamic and intelligent way to market a product. If people believe that a product will reward them with enjoyment or satisfaction then you know your ad was effective, and that’s what Draper accomplished.