Advertisements today seem to pull people in all sorts of directions. Some are more reserved in their presentation, while others seem to force a product or an issue upon its audience. I realize they"re all trying to do the same thing, which is to sell something. But along with these products they also seem to want it to tie into something else; that with this product, you"ll be popular. Basically, the weaknesses in today's ads are not in their style, but in their substance and the way it is presented.
My first example deals with a brand of shoes, in particular, Skechers. To pull in potential buyers, the ad shows buyers a group of typical teenagers. Mind you, these are kids with perfect complexion and the perfect fashion sense. All of the models are easy on the eyes and nothing they"re wearing is offensive or flashy. There is also the sense that these are pretty respectable kids and that they are all popular. Tying all this in with the fact that they are wearing Skechers implies that wearing them makes you popular. The problem with this is that it's not true and it provides a false image for kids to emulate. And I think this is what causes kids to feel insecure about what they wear, and eventually, who they are.
The second advertisement deals with Everest mint gum. It shows a very cold, bright landscape with large mountains in the background and a dark patch of ice in the foreground. In the foreground is a scoreboard with the names "shirts" and "skins" on it, and is then followed by the phrase "Some like it cold". While the ad is trying to be somewhat humorous or witty, it also tries to imply that Everest mint gum is essentially as cold as Mount Everest. Though it tries to convince its audience that it is the most refreshing gum out there, it makes it very hard to believe in that being the case. The worst part is that the company is almost guaranteeing its product is the best.