Watch a favourite TV show (including the commercials). Count the number of advertisements shown. What products or services are being sold? What messages are you being given by the ads? Do you or would you use any of these advertised products? Why or why not? Did you see any advertisement twice? Write about your experience in paragraph form. (150 to 200 words)
Here is a link to an English class in 2009 responding to this assignment.
15 comments:
From my class in 2009. Note that these advertisements are from that time and cannot be viewed nowadays!
I watched Jeopardy and had the first impression that there were tons of commercials. I counted 23 during the 30 minutes. Three were repeated. One was an incredibly sexist view of women who attended a class on using bleach. The teacher was a peppy young guy wearing a garish orange “Spray ‘n Wash” sweatshirt. He condescended to the all-woman class and they lapped it up. Disgusting! The other interesting repeat was a Lotto Super 7 ad with a disheveled looking young guy (jeans and sloppy sweatshirt) standing in a garage full of exotic and expensive cars. This is the one product I do buy sometimes, so it was interesting for me to see the “ultimate” toy this guy had bought with his winnings—a monster truck with two-meter high tires. I sure hope real winners do better than that, but maybe by exaggerating the Lotto corporation meant to make me feel superior to him. A McDonald’s ad had a stereotypical black male executive in a goatee, but played him against type as a fuss budget (and a stickler for proper punctuation!). I found it quite fatiguing to pay such close attention; in the end, advertisers probably prefer a half-hypnotized viewer.
—200 words
My favourite program CTV NEWS with Scott Laur wasn’t bombed with bunch of tricked commercials and with only 14 of them in 30 minutes, it was bearable. Deeply touched by pictures of starving children around world and an appeal for donation by Children’s Fund Longer, left me to sympathize with them and to think about ways I could help them, too. Another commercial about peoples’ revelations of how Ach Patch is effective by attaching it to their back and being free of pain instantly, somehow entice my interest. It is not that I believe in it blindly, but is a good reason to think about it in case I encounter this problem. Ach Patch was almost forgotten by looking at magnificent view of translucent blue see, relaxing people, and glittering sandy beaches. Sandals Tourist Agency was trying to lure people in this splendid isolated paradise in the Caribbean and I almost fell in this trap imaging myself being in this place. Is it everything true what they have said? What lies behind those amazing pictures: a hotel with bad food or long walks to distant beaches? Therefore, the only think we can do about those messages is not believe them infinitely.
Words 209
I usually enjoyed watching the “America’s Funniest Home Video” on Saturday night and laughed with my kids. The only difference for this week was that I had to stay during commercial breaks in order to watch them and to count them. I recorded 24 ads in just half of the show (30 minutes). None was repeated except those that YTV did for their other programs. Grouped them by categories I found that half of the ads targeted on all family members and the rest of them aimed for every individual quite equally. I used 7 of the advertised products or services for my daily needs very often. The best ad started with a nonstop texting father came home from work at dusk. All his family glimpsed at him as a stranger walked by then carry on their tasks with their laptops or cellular phones. His picked up the family fishing picture that he dropped when he opened the refrigerator then smiled. Last scene was the whole family happily surrounded a camp fire chatting and smiling with a RV behind them. Outstanding! Although camping is not for me but RVing might be a good idea for my future family traveling plan. – 200 words
On Sunday night for the first time I watched “Secret Millionaire” on Citytv. While I was watching for half-hour I did count 16 commercials. And two were repeated. I really find it boring to watch all those ads instead of enjoying the show. And I was very surprised by how many products and services being sold on TV every 10 minutes. In my opinion, the products that being sold are mostly expensive and I didn’t find any of these ads can benefit the viewers. Unfortunately these ads can capture the viewer's complete attention easily. But we should not believe everything seen on TV. I think that this is the reason why I never took advantage of these commercials. Somehow, the shampoo ad “Nexxus” did attract me by how smooth and silky hair can be after using the product. But I also think that they spend hours at the hair salon before showing it on TV. Finally, the only product that I use from these ads was “Nivea”, which is the best daily skin moisturizer for my type of skin.
179 Words
While I was watching Look-a-like at 8:30am they showed the first four commercial that were big named companies, such as Excel, Fido, McDonalds, and Gatorade. After the first four, altogether they showed somewhere around 13 commercials and the McDonalds McMuffin showed 3 times this morning, reminding us why we use eggs for healthy or memorable reasons with the "Get Cracking" logo on the bottom right corner and that was the first commercial to be shown after the shows' break.
It shows that McDonalds care about people eating something healthy in the morning and oddly, they sell junk food and it reminded me of "Supersize Me". Unfortunately I used to eat the product when I was very young, so I am ashamed to like the McMuffin because it was so delicious. Then after the McMuffin commercial, they were showing the Gatorade one where athletes were training and then drinking it after. They used professional athletes to potray them using the product "for energy, inspiration and strength". To me, it is telling me because athletes also use it for energy, its good for you. But it didn't seem right; if you drink for energy, does it mean there is sugar in the product or some kind of chemicals they used as for energy drinks? I didn't believe it at all.
After finally bringing myself to watch a television program, I focused all my mental energy into studying the advertisements. I must admit, it took me about four shows for me to actually pay attention to all the ads, which ended up being Family Guy on TVtropolis, a comedy channel. I managed to count up to 16 commercials in 30 minutes, which averaged about five to six commercials every ten minutes. The ads were surprisingly diverse, with not one repeat. Food ads, such as a Dan Active ad with a famous British interior designer working on a house while endorsing its immune boosting qualities as they paint were shown. I didn't realize you needed an immune system for painting. The theme of cleaning products was there, particularly the common theme of women doing all the cleaning. They tell us how simple and easy it is to use their products to clean your place (it's not). None of these products would be fit for me. I eat all my fruits and vegetables and buy the generic brand of a product for the same effect while saving money. I now feel dirty for actually giving advertisements my limited attention. ~196 words
I was watching the show called, “Friends.” Between this 30 minutes show, they played commercials three times, and overall they showed twelve commercials with couple of repeats. In the first cut, Ddrops, Macdonald, Good Fit, Premium Plus, and Thindantion Cookie were advertising. I never paid attention to commercials before, in other words, when I am watching TV show or movies, commercial time is the best chance to check on the food, or take a quick look at the other channels. Ddrops was about a vitamin D which they make it as a drop instead of tablets; it is a powerful product especially for kids who doesn’t like or can’t take pills. Centrum (Vitamin Tablet) was one of the commercials that were repeated twice; back to back. It was deeply about how our body needs vitamins and how these tablets can help. One thing that I noticed in each cut was that they advertised products or services for all family members. In addition, I’m not consumer of any of these products because it is really hard to trust and decide that what product is work better and have benefit.
I watched CTV News at Five for thirty minutes, and I found that it is challenge for me to stay in front of TV while commercial break. I usually find something for myself to do while it. Anyway, this time was different because of my assessment I paid close attention to the advertisement and I counted 23 of them. I notice that commercial breaks come up with every 10 minutes interval and that ads were increasing in quantity each time. In the first break were 5 ads followed by 8 and finally in the third part of the news were 10 of them. None was repeated except CTV advertisements about their own programs and their internet web site. I couldn’t even group them by categories, they were about different types of product and services, like Chevrolet, ING Direct, Dr. Scholls, Save on Food, TeamSportRadio, and even Conservative Party of Canada. I think variety of ads in the news due to broad target audience. I also found interesting the connection between the news itself and the advertisement. One of them was BCVacationHomeLottery. In the news was topic about this lottery and in the commercial break was ad about it. Even thought I am not paying much attention to advertisement, somehow while shopping I choose brand names and products well advertize and after testing I might stay with this product or not.
On Tuesday morning, within half an hour’s CBC news, there were three intervals for commercials, of which consist two car ads (different brands), and one for each of the following products or services: cosmetics, home phone service, alarm care, financial service, medicine for cold, internet dating, travel, and family tree search. Interestingly enough, the family tree search ad appeared twice. And that made me keep wondering whether there is a market for this kind of service and who would be using it. Being a pure Chinese myself, I have no motive and desire to find out who my ancient ancestors were and where they came from, as I am a hundred percent sure that they were all Chinese with black hair and black eyes. But maybe I should understand that many Canadians would have the curiosity to search for their family trees, considering that Canada has such a long history of immigration since the 16th century, and many Canadians have ancestors from all over the world. So this ad does appeal to a certain percentage of the population, I assume. Would this website be as popular as Facebook? I doubt. How does it make profit since it is a free website? Of course, it would be through ads revenues. This is really an era of ads!
I watched TV show "The view" yesterday, I did count 27 commercials in half hour. I was very surprised because I was never aware that the advertisement were so many. There was three repeat about CTV , Three automobiles included Chevrolet, Dodge and Honda, three market with Safeway, Wal-Mart and Save on food and so on, I cannot list all of them. Loose weight's ads was funny, a couple of heavy woman did exercise follow a coach in a wild Gem, and the a skim beautiful lady smiled to you. Finally tons of women 's compare picture between before and after spreads out before us. I don't believe that, how about you. BMO's ads was really attractive to me. They provided mortgages services in lowest interest. The Manager, Residential mortgages, Imaged your luxury house beside beautiful beach. Actually, I like commercials, I still remembered the ads thirty years ago, for example, some laundry detergent, food and electric product. I consistently try to use the products or services from TV commercial. Sometime I was surprised that my daughter selected some food or stuff in supermarket because I never knew that, I thought maybe she saw other classmate had, but she told me it is from TV. In my opinion, you must show discretion in choosing products or services are being sold from TV ads. You could try if you need, otherwise you ignore them. Other hand, maybe you could find some useful information and the commercials can make you relax when you deeply fall into the scare story or boring scene. I like commercials in TV show.
I paid attention to watching the show “ICARLY” on YTV at 7:00 yesterday. There were fifteen commercial in thirty minutes. “Febreze” company appeared four times but for showing different products. The audiences of “ICARLY” are most teenagers and children, so many advertisements were for children. They played ads colorfully and vividly, some ads used animated cartoon. I felt interested in the advertisement of the mop. One woman in muddy acted as mud. She liked the white sponge. She was fascinated by the white sponge when the mop swept the floor and stuck to it. This commercial changed our thinking because it wasn’t like the normal style: a person tell us something. It’s the mud telling us its’ feeling. This is interesting for children to change the role to think. I use several of these advertised products because some friends who had used them more effectively also introduced them to me. My experience is that we can’t trust in the commercial absolutely for they always exaggerate the product’s function.
I was watching "the investigators" on peach tv and the show was really bombed with commercials every five minutes.I recorded four,five of them per one session.But one that got my attention and really disgusted me was commercial for Tylenol were they talking mostly about side effects and at the and they say if you experience liver damage or death you may be entilted for compensation.Most of the other ads I founded very boring and were mostly for Shaw,junk food and what especially got my attention who were advertised mostly are schools.I saw two online schools ads were they were promising all sure job but what really intrigued me is how they have money to be on tv more then anybody else.Interestingly enough both of those schools were mostly repeated commercials during the show four times each.
I don’t normally watch television, but when I do I prefer to watch something mindless. This time it happened to be Family Guy. I was amazed how much less I was able to do this the quantity and frequency of the advertisements. There twenty-three commercials in all and three of them were repeated. The first one appeared right after the introductory sequence. It was an ad for A&W and consisted two men yelling “Two for four Mama Burgers!” over and over again. It was one of the stupidest things I had ever seen. The next advertisement was somewhat different in nature. It appealed to our desire for better sex and KY His and Hers think they can deliver. A middle aged couple – upper-class obviously, sit on a bed telling us how the product affected their sex life in “unimaginable” ways. The ending scene was of a bottle rocket exploding and the sound of an opera singer hitting a high note. I’d try it, but I think ‘ma belle pêche’ would attack me if I suggested it. Along with the other crap, I’d been reminded why I hate television. I don’t need to be bombarded by companies trying to sell products when I want to unwind.
- 205
I don’t watch a lot of TV shows. However, I had to watch today for my homework. I woke at 9: pm and turned on my TV. There was Spongbob. Even though it’s for kids, I like it. The episode was 30 minutes and in that while there was 5 commercials showed and all were about five minutes long. Three of the commercials showed repeatedly. The first one was “Pantene” hair products and it showed this young girl wore white dress and had long beautiful hair bounced when she shook hair after she used the shampoo.
Next was “Hamburger” commercial, which was this tail, good looking guy who ate their all the time and didn’t’ get fat at all. The third one was the “Honda” car. Black color with 2oo speed and comfortable back seats and you can buy it only 300 hundred per month.
This kind of advertising can affects on people many times. For example, my family using the Pantene shampoo the products is quite good. I don’t watch a lot films and show because I don’t have that much time and therefore I don’t a lot of ads. I know ads are tricks and the TV does that because they know that most of people are watching TV.
In my opinion people should not believe whatever that is on TV.
I watched channel 37 HLN news on Tuesday afternoon at 4:00pm,. Usually, I don’t like this news because there are too many ads inserted at this program and I can’t threw myself into this program, but this time was different because I have to finish my homework. So I choose this channel on my purpose. I paid closely attention to the advertisement and did count them. Within 30 minutes, the news was broken up three times and eight or seven ads were inserted each time. No one is repeated within these ads. I couldn’t even summarize these ads by categories, but they do include different types of products and services, like UPS, future computers, Nature GAS, Car insurance, Lendingtree(lend money), smart balance( some drink product), Nancy grace talk show(TV program),SunnyD(some product for kids), pharmacy product, skin care product, and fitness(how to lost your weight nutrisystem.com)... I found that the time of news is much shorter than time of ads. I think that some ads credibility is not high for me. Some ads are too exaggerative. No one ad was attracted me except Car Insurance because its’ ads confused me so much. There are three blue big $$$ sign with a man inside. Then the big $$$ sign jumped into middle and the man said” more coverage, more savings.” I couldn’t understand why the more coverage and more savings. In the common sense, the more coverage, the more money we need to pay. I also doubted that if the company can get benefit from their ads. In my opinion, it is very hard for people to pay attention to these ads because the speed of broadcast for these ads is so fast and some ads design are not attracted people. Anyway, we are very lucky in this world because we can choose the TV program we like.
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