Dietmar Dahmen

Dietmar Dahmen gave an excellent presentation on branding and the evolution of technology.  I particularly enjoyed his presentation because of what a great personality he brought to the lecture, and his energy when presenting made the information being provided much more interesting.  The way in which he connected the idea of now-ism and the different aspects of advertizing was exceptionally appealing.  The idea of now-ism is simply the process of always having to be the first to have the newest hottest product and having to have it now (I am certainly part of this group!).  I am focused on moving towards a career in branding so the aspect of branding being a way of life was creative and when he discussed the ideals of digital anticipation I began to get thrilled for my future profession.  His speech was very much in line with what I find interesting and learning how he views the evolution of technology was intriguing and fascinating, especially the evolution of the web, beginning with what was first introduced (web 1.0) and ending with what he believed would be the future (web 5.0).  I have heard other people talk about what consumers are looking towards but never has someone given such a clear and entertaining spin to the idea.  The idea of connectivity has been known for awhile, but it was interesting to know just how far companies are taking the ideas, like the airline KLM allowing customers to choose seat partners based on Facebook profiles.  I am absolutely part of the Generation Connected by having my iPhone on me at all times and never leaving technology behind, which made it that much more interesting to learn about, and realize, how quickly technology has changed over just the past few years.  The rate at which people have begun to consume technology has shot up recently.  I can remember having the most basic home computer growing up and being so amazed by it, yet today my MacBook Pro is just another aspect of my life and even feels as if it has always been here, rather than just showing up in the past few years.  The facts Dietmar brought to attention were interesting and exciting.  His speech was entertaining, enjoyable, and I would love to here another one of his lectures someday.  

Branding in Advertising

Advertising is a great way for a company to brand itself and set a public perception or a desire for their product.  Almost everything we see in life is a result of advertising in one way or another.  All companies use some form of this to get their name out or to sell their product.  Whenever you walk down the street you cant help but spot advertising somewhere either on a billboard or on a bus or even through the use of product placement in areas such as grocery stores and newsstands.  This is also done through the use of using people as the brand placements.  The use of decals and branding is everywhere to the point of anyone standing around you at any given moment will have some sort of brand on them.  Generally, most people are drawn to visually creative ads that stand out from all the rest.  This is usually done through the use of playing off people’s emotions.  When an ad is trying to simply get you to notice their brand in a sea of others they would use something to draw your attention and get you to remember them.  This can be done in a dramatic way with either the music used or the subject is purely something that requires attention.  This is also done in crude ways with the idea that the viewer will laugh off the commercial but it will be so bizarre that the viewer will remember it and tell others about it.

My favorite form of advertising would be the comical ads.  Humorous ads get a lot of attention because of a funny slogan that is easy to remember or a visual aid that is amusing in some way.  These ads are generally light hearted and would normally be used to get a brand name out.  Laughter is a great way to remember something, and when a reoccurring commercial is on that makes you laugh you make sure to go watch it.  This is always a good way to advertise because it places a brand on the company and develops a market following. 

My favorite commercial right now is the E-Trade commercial with the adorably funny baby!