Comments for [ jennifer zhu] ... blog http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog Design | Marketing Thu, 03 Feb 2011 22:39:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Thanks, Fresh & Easy by Jim http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/thanks-fresh-easy/comment-page-1#comment-1476 Jim Thu, 03 Feb 2011 22:39:23 +0000 http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/?p=959#comment-1476 Hi Jennifer. I just heard one of the Fresh & Easy ads a few minutes ago. Actually..I hear them several times a day, every day (been listening to a lot of sports radio lately). I've heard the old and new versions of this ad, where F&E use "real customers" or "real people" to talk about their store. Whenever I hear an advertiser go to the 'we use REAL people' card, I instantly think one of two things: a) Actors ARE real people (unless Hollywood is a colony of androids), acting is just their job, so the term itself is undefined and misleading, and b)they're saying to the viewer/listener, "They're just like YOU, a middle-of-the-road average nobody that doesn't demand a high salary for a job". So, F&E isn't paying 'one' actor to talk about the store, but they're still paying several people: the up-with-people voiceover guy to record the spot, the musician/service from which they acquired the happy, bouncy music bed, the recording engineer, recording time, AND they're paying for the air time. So NOT paying one actor is gonna save them a bundle of dough? Even the 'real person' giving the (assumed) in-store interview isn't going to be taped stumbling over their nervous, unrehearsed voices. The customer would at least have to have some talking points prepped, and they're not doing the spot in one take. As the saying goes, "Time is money"! It's just lazy marketing, plain and simple. They have budgets and margins like every other company. Stop trying to court us with your cute 'everyman/everywoman' lure, it's not working on this consumer. Ah, that felt good! I've been wanting to share my annoyance of these ads with someone, glad I found your blog. Take care. Jim Hi Jennifer. I just heard one of the Fresh & Easy ads a few minutes ago. Actually..I hear them several times a day, every day (been listening to a lot of sports radio lately). I’ve heard the old and new versions of this ad, where F&E use “real customers” or “real people” to talk about their store. Whenever I hear an advertiser go to the ‘we use REAL people’ card, I instantly think one of two things: a) Actors ARE real people (unless Hollywood is a colony of androids), acting is just their job, so the term itself is undefined and misleading, and b)they’re saying to the viewer/listener, “They’re just like YOU, a middle-of-the-road average nobody that doesn’t demand a high salary for a job”. So, F&E isn’t paying ‘one’ actor to talk about the store, but they’re still paying several people: the up-with-people voiceover guy to record the spot, the musician/service from which they acquired the happy, bouncy music bed, the recording engineer, recording time, AND they’re paying for the air time. So NOT paying one actor is gonna save them a bundle of dough? Even the ‘real person’ giving the (assumed) in-store interview isn’t going to be taped stumbling over their nervous, unrehearsed voices. The customer would at least have to have some talking points prepped, and they’re not doing the spot in one take. As the saying goes, “Time is money”! It’s just lazy marketing, plain and simple. They have budgets and margins like every other company. Stop trying to court us with your cute ‘everyman/everywoman’ lure, it’s not working on this consumer.

Ah, that felt good! I’ve been wanting to share my annoyance of these ads with someone, glad I found your blog. Take care.

Jim

]]> Comment on Multilingual by Jennifer Zhu http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/multilingual/comment-page-1#comment-22 Jennifer Zhu Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:31:21 +0000 http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/?p=33#comment-22 I know! The backlash is rather unexpected. Roger Ebert contributed <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/06/how_would_i_feel_if.html" rel="nofollow">this article</a>. Not the most eloquent writer, and he is usually snarkier, but it does a fine job. But I disagree with his argument that insecurity is the central issue. I think education has a lot, if not the majority, to do with how a person thinks, interacts, and sees him/herself. I know! The backlash is rather unexpected. Roger Ebert contributed this article. Not the most eloquent writer, and he is usually snarkier, but it does a fine job.

But I disagree with his argument that insecurity is the central issue. I think education has a lot, if not the majority, to do with how a person thinks, interacts, and sees him/herself.

]]> Comment on Multilingual by Jaz'min Q. http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/multilingual/comment-page-1#comment-21 Jaz'min Q. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:12:42 +0000 http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/?p=33#comment-21 What does Arizona have against Non-Anglo Saxons all of a sudden? What does Arizona have against Non-Anglo Saxons all of a sudden?

]]> Comment on Readings by Jaz'min Q. http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/readings/comment-page-1#comment-20 Jaz'min Q. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:09:44 +0000 http://www.jennifer-zhu.net/blog/?p=731#comment-20 Thanks for the post. I'm always looking for more blogs to read. I'm glad someone did all the work for me. :) Thanks for the post. I’m always looking for more blogs to read. I’m glad someone did all the work for me. :)

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