This link will take you to a podcast group called By Salad: The Advertising Podcast; this specific one is Episode 37 – Bite-Sized Takes. This podcast involves a group of guys that describe the latest and most interesting fast food advertisements, along with their reactions to them. This podcast is not only for those of you involved in an advertising career or major, it will lead anyone to some of the silliest advertisements that may possibly brighten up your day. These ads range from a 97 page PDF game to a short video clip that was created for the purpose of making someone smile.

As an AD/PR major, my takeaway from this podcast was the do’s and don’ts of making advertisements for the public. It was not only this, though, as it had also introduced me to some of the most creative, silly, and moving advertisements I have ever seen. For example, the first ad that was stated was a television commercial for Burger King’s Mango Habanero Burger. This commercial poked fun at how American’s cannot handle the spiciness of this burger, while Mexicans eat it as if it were any other food. It had a very comical and silly effect, and actually caused me to consider trying it! Knowing me, I would react just like the “typical” Americans had when they first took a bite of that burger. We are wimps (at least some of us are) when it comes to spicy foods! The downside of this idea, though, is that after producing these ads over and over again, the client may be sick of it by the time it reaches the consumers. It is something that needs to be switched up and changed a bit in order to keep it interesting to not only the clients, but to the consumers.

The part I liked most about this podcast was the way they reacted in a positive way to the different advertisements. Even though it may not have been their cup of tea, they still found a way to look at it in a positive light. An example of this would be when they mentioned Wendy’s game “Feast of Legends” which is similar to a Dungeons and Dragons game, except created through a 97 page, illustrated, colored PDF. This was something they had never seen before, and it may have been a little bit strange upon first glance. I don’t blame them, as I’m not much of a gamer myself! What the guys mentioned, though, was that the advertising companies are looking for a way to attract Generation Z. Posting articles or ads on Facebook won’t be as effective as incorporating ads into the gaming world, at least for Generation Z. This generation, as most of you may know, has the lowest attention span out of all other generations! Reading a single-paged article may seem like an impossible task for someone from Generation Z, so instead of doing this, companies have decided to mesh their advertising into the gaming world. I enjoyed how they made sure to view ads from this perspective, because it is more inclusive to all listeners.

The advertising involved in this podcast obviously revolved around well-known fast food chains. The purpose of this, I believe, is to have a conversation about advertisements that everyone has a chance to see and understand. Talking about kids toy commercials may not be as interesting to the public, because often times there would be no reason for them to watch an ad about kids toys. Through their conversation about fast food chains, I have now seen and discussed multiple commercials about companies that I know.

I believe that this podcast can also shift its focus to advertisements for more product based things, such as shampoos or toothpaste brands. This is also something people can relate to on an international level. If they were to mention advertisements from a shampoo company and react to them, it would introduce the listeners to more effective ads, except for products instead of fast food restaurants. This is a good alternative advertiser, because it is easy to order fast food on Uber eats and expect it to be delicious! Advertising for products is a bit different, though, as it involves trying new brands and figuring out which one fits you best. For example, your current toothpaste brand may not help your sensitive teeth. An advertisement which emphasizes a toothpaste brand that also aids with sensitive teeth may catch your attention and cause you to try it out.

Advertising is something that flows as the generations flow. It is something that people must update and check up on to make sure the consumers are receiving the most effective advertising. This podcast sums up how this works in the world currently and how people may react to advertising.

Jason. “Teens Ignore Nutrition Info on Fast Food Labels.” Diets in Review Blog, Diets in Review, 16 Feb. 2019, http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/02/teens-ignore-nutrition-info-on-fast-food-labels/.