Author: clarequirin

Vivoo: The Next Best Thing!

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To all of my health geeks (and those in between), Vivoo has introduced us to their urine test strip to give us personalized nutrition advice! Our well-being is one of the most important parts of feeling confident in our own bodies. It feels good to get toxic foods out of your system, as it will lead you to a healthier life physically and mentally.

Vivoo packages their product in a way that is more personal to the consumer. Once opening, there is a short message from Vivoo that introduces their product in the first person. This short message begins with, “Hello, this is Vivoo. I am your body’s voice.” It may seem creepy, but this is a great way to get consumers comfortable with using the product. The more personal the packaging, the better connection the consumer will have with the new product. It also includes an instruction manual with an explanation of the Vivoo app.

In order to get started, the person must download the Vivoo app on the App Store or Google Play Store. This is where all the magic begins; the app tells the consumer about multiple aspects of their health. This ranges from general wellness, to the functionality of their liver and kidneys. The more one uses this app, the more personalized the results will be. If a consumer happens to have bad results for a specific health category, the app will give them multiple ways to improve their health in that area. That way, if someone struggles with an unhealthy liver, Vivoo will give the person different solutions in order to improve their liver wellness.

You can learn more about the Vivoo urine tests through their website which I will link below. The website takes you through all of the steps needed to participate in the Vivoo urine tests. It links the app, gives brief directions, and links to the different subscriptions. At the bottom of their website, they also answer frequently asked questions and introduce the costumer reviews. The costumer reviews are positive, and coming from people from all different backgrounds and professions. The website is very well organized and gives the consumer a brief introduction to their product.

One of their main social media websites is Instagram: vivooapp. This features multiple costumers who are familiar with the product and random nutritional facts. It also includes many recipes with healthy food for their followers to use. This social media website not only highlights the product and the healthy feedback because of it, but it also gives their costumers additional useful information for their own leisure. You can also check out their Twitter feed, which includes similar photos posted on Instagram, but it also includes links to blogs written about this product. Additionally, Twitter allows users to see which tweets the brand has liked. This is beneficial to the consumer because they can develop a better understanding of the community using the product, which may motivate someone to use the product.

Personally, I believe this product is a great way to educate consumers on their well-being, which happens to be the most important part of living a healthy life. Check out this brand!

https://vivoo.io/#toggle-id-4

Videos in Advertising is the Next Best Thing

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Let’s all think for a moment about the commercials that have stuck in our heads, or left an impact on us. Maybe it is an ad that made you laugh during the Super Bowl, or maybe it was something that made you feel sad, like the dog shelter commercials with the Sarah McLachlan audio in the background. Whatever it was, something about it had sparked your interest and caught you onto the subject. This is exactly the reason as to why it is becoming more popular in the advertising world.

Typical commercials tend to be around 30 seconds long, as our attention may drift if it is any longer. However, the use of micro video ads has accomplished this same effect through a video about 20 seconds shorter. The purpose of micro video ads is to grab the attention of a viewer and leave a big impression. This is a great way to keep people engaged, without losing interest. As most of you are probably aware, this style of advertising is aimed towards Generation Z. This is because Generation Z is so used to the quick responsiveness and efficiency of the internet. Short videos will keep the horrible attention spans of Millennials interested.

Another strategy of video advertising involves grabbing the viewers attention without sound. While I am reading articles, there are advertisements that will pop up on the article. If I am in public without headphones (which happens to be the case most often), I am not going to watch the video unless the visuals catch my attention. It is important to make advertisements interesting without the audio aid, as not everyone is in an appropriate place where they can turn the volume up!

Yet another strategy is called outstream video. Have you ever read through an online article, and had a video play only when you scrolled near it? That is an outstream video. Its purpose is to autoplay only when the character can see it, basically forcing them to watch it. The concept seems to be annoying, but 77 percent of ad agencies across the world see outstream video ads as important to their clients going forward. It is a fairly new strategy of advertising, so the effect that this has on customers is not completely accurate. However, it is a great way to contribute to the video advertising world.

Over the past 5-10 years, I believe advertising companies have made their advertising videos shorter, with less information and more impact. An example of this would be the recent ad “Back-to-school essentials” posted by Sandy Hook Promise. This advertisement is a very powerful and disturbing video used to advertise for their website, which gives people ways to get involved in ending gun violence in schools. Nothing in the advertisement directly stated why people should join the movement, but the graphic content is what really motivates people to take action.

I believe our future in video advertising consists of virtual reality. This allows viewers to immerse themselves into a completely different world. Through virtual reality, companies can really delve deep into why people should buy their products or become a part of their organization. This will make the videos seem surreal, and will motivate the consumers to buy their product due to the impact of the VR.

Chandrasekar, Chaitanya. “How Digital Video Advertising Will Dominate the Next Decade.” Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Journal, 25 June 2018, http://www.searchenginejournal.com/digital-video-advertising-domination/256031/#close.


BIZBOXTV. “VIDEO Marketing, Advertising – Ad Ads Commercials – Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram.” VIDEO Production | Advertising | Marketing | Calgary Edmonton Vancouver Victoria Nanaimo Toronto | Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter Video Ads | CANADA, 1 Mar. 2015, bizboxtv.com/video/marketing/page/4/.

Job Opportunities Near Grand Rapids!

Jobs
  • Videographer
  • Company: Classic Photographers
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=film%20and%20video&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&ts=1572063695643&rq=1&rsIdx=2&advn=1880060497815318&vjk=4394a56b6a91b875
    • Must have:
    • Professional video equipment (tripod/external sound equipment/etc)
    • Wedding experience
    • Fast replies to communication
  • I will gain experience through receiving an associate’s degree by my second year of college (with an emphasis on video editing and production management). There are also certifications offered through the Society of Broadcast Engineers (offers eight broadcast engineering certifications, two operator certifications, and two broadcast networking certifications). There is an additional certification through InfoComm International (audiovisual Certified Technology Specialist). My first year I will take COM 101 in order to understand the basics of communication.
  • Associate Video Production Specialist
  • Company: BISSELL
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=film%20and%20video&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&ts=1572063695643&rq=1&rsIdx=2&vjk=59d4e825a127ecdb
    • Must have:
    • 3-5 years worth of video production and post production
    • Concentration on video production and marketing communication
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s Degree as a fourth year student focused on video production and marketing communications. I will complete a Society of Broadcast Engineers certification (offers eight broadcast engineering certifications, two operator certifications, and two broadcast networking certifications). Also an InfoComm International audiovisual Certified Technology Specialist certification.
  • Multimedia Technician
  • Company: TEGNA
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=video%20advertising&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&vjk=9bdf0d8f1beeb585
    • Must have:
    • Experience in TV broadcasting and production environment
    • Communication skills
    • Independent working skills
  • I will gain experience through receiving an associate’s degree as a second year students with an emphasis on video editing and production management. The Society of Broadcast Engineers offers eight broadcast engineering certifications, two operator certifications, and two broadcast networking certifications which I will complete by my second year. There is also an InfoComm International which has an audiovisual Certified Technology Specialist certification. I will take COM 101 or classes of that sort/speech class by my second year.
  • Marketing Associate
  • Company: Northgate Resorts
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=video%20advertising&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&vjk=726a394d2ed86c3d
    • Must have:
    • Customer service, communication, and problem-solving skills
    • Creativity skills
    • Ability to work in high-paced environments
    • Experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in market research or something related by my fourth year as a student. I will take a math statistics class. I will complete the Professional Researcher Certification offered by the The Marketing Research Association. I will complete 3 years working in opinion and marketing research.
  •  Video Editor
  • Company: The E.W. Scripps Company
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs
  • q=film%20&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&vjk=01eda42abdfdafb0
    • Must have:
    • Proficiency in non-linear, editing, including Final Cut Pro
    • Understanding of digital cameras and editing softwar
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in a field related to film or broadcasting by my fourth year. I will complete classes in cinematography or video-editing software by my fourth year as well.
  • Digital Director
  • Company: The E.W. Scripps Company
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=video%20advertising&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&vjk=4548f184684d68b4
    • Must have:
    • Multi-tasking skills
    • Ability to work with groups
    • Entrepreneurial abilities
    • JavaScript, Adobe Photoshop, and FTP experience
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in advertising or journalism. I will take fIlm classes such as visual arts, art history, photography by my fourth year. I will also take advertising classes such as marketing research and sales. I will have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.
  • Creative Director
  • Company: Crowe
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=film&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&start=10&vjk=c0360be1356996cb
    • Must have:
    • Experience managing a creative team
    • Collaboration skills
    • Passion for brand design
    • Experience with video direction and production
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Marketing, or a related degree as a fourth year student. I will have 6+ years as Creative Director. I will also work and become familiar with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, and MS Office Suite programs.
  • Video Strategist
  • Company: Voyage Pictures
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=film%20and%20video&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&vjk=f9f2a49bb3a295d9
    • Must have:
    • Passion for storytelling via film
    • Ability to contribute to sales team
    • Attention to detail
    • Independent working skills
    • Ability to generate positive social change
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in advertising or journalism by my fourth year. I will take business law, management, economics, finance, computer science, mathematics, and statistics classes. I may have work experience through being a former sales representative; buyer or purchasing agent; or public relations specialist.
  • Marketing Communications Specialist
  • Company: PrestoTech Solutions
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=advertising&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&advn=2827052187347510&vjk=8dd6261fe5e11b04
    • Must have:
    • Writing and verbal communication skills
    • Multitasking skills
    • Ability to work collaboratively
    • Knowledge of marketing skills and basic analytics skills
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business. I will do internships at public relations firms or in the public relations departments by my fourth year. I also will gain experience through maintaining files of information about a company’s activities, reading and understanding important media articles, and organizing information for speeches and pamphlets.
  • Marketing Communications Manager
  • Company: Christian Reformed Church in North America 
  • https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=advertising&l=Allendale%2C%20MI&vjk=3ed04a5d39c343ea
    • Must have:
    • Writing, editing, and speaking skills
    • Collaboration skills
    • Exposure to international cultures
    • Understanding of the marketing landscape, tools, and industry trends
  • I will gain experience through receiving a bachelor’s degree in marketing or communication by my fourth year. I will have work experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales. I will also take marketing, consumer behavior, market research, sales, communication methods and technology, visual arts, art history, and photography classes.

Why is Coworker Collaboration a Necessity?

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Ever had a coworker you just could not connect with? Possibly making conversations feel awkward or dry? That is exactly why coworker collaboration is so important! It allows employees to enjoy their workplace, along with the people they are surrounded by. This allows people to feel more motivated to hype up their company and try their best to improve it.

In the past, coworkers did not have the fancy technology that we have today. Collaboration involved more face to face interactions, team building, get togethers, etc. Some team building activities include board game competitions, nerf gun fights, karaoke outings, and more. These activities will take the surface level connections between coworkers and turn them into more casual ones, allowing the workplace to feel more comfortable to be around. This not only helps build meaningful connections amongst coworkers, but it allows the employees to feel comfortable enough to give constructive criticism in order to create the very best content. That is, without feeling offended. Additionally, businesses would have classroom training, facilitated teams, meetings and coaches. They would train their employees about themselves, their strengths, and how to work with others who have different strengths.

As of today, businesses collaborate their workers through technology. A very popular collaboration method of today is video chatting. This is the most efficient way of collaborating coworkers, as it is less expensive (no traveling costs for meetings) and it is quick and easy. The best part is that it doesn’t involve getting out of your seat! This can be done through a program called “Google Hangouts” which allows multiple people to connect through video chatting. There are also other networks that allow you to use video chatting as a collaboration idea, Google Hangouts is just one example of the many. Additionally, there is a strategy called “Hot Desking” in order to get people to collaborate in the workplace. This calls for no seating arrangement; people can sit wherever they want throughout their workplace, and they can sit at a different spot each day. This allows for more exposure amongst employees, as well as more socializing in general.

Through the development of AI, I am starting to see what the future may hold. Obviously nobody knows what the future will actually hold, but AI gives us a pretty accurate guess. More robots are being developed; simple ones that can open doors and more complex ones that mimic a person. Through AI, I believe that video chatting will somehow become more personal. Whether that is actually having robots to explain what a person is saying from miles away, or maybe it is a more advanced type of video chatting that allows people to connect on a more personal level. Whatever it may be, I do think it will benefit the workplace in that way. It may sound crazy, but robots may just be the next future of technology.

A great way for businesses to grow is through encouraging remote workers. By the time I have graduated college, I believe the amount of remote workers that work for a business will be increased. This is because remote workers can be spread out amongst the nation, increasing the amount of people involved in a business. This also helps the business see how far their work has traveled, possibly see how many people are involved in their business, and learn about different types of ways to contact their employees.

I believe video chatting is the best way to contact remote employees, as it allows for conversation that mimics face to face interactions. This allows for more personal connections, less interruptions (like what happens on conference calls) and it can connect people from multiple areas of not only the country, but the world. It is the most efficient way to gather information and ideas from other coworkers.

Too many tools for coworker collaboration could be toxic to employees in the workplace, as they could be confused as to what tool to use for what situation. For example, brainstorming may be a challenge through a conference call because it leads to more accidental interruptions and lack of body language. For certain situations, a person may choose the wrong tool to use, leading to more confusion.

Coworker collaboration is constantly changing in today’s society. It is intriguing to see where it may go, and where it will improve the workplace in general. This will help coworkers connect on a deeper level, allow for more ideas to be exposed, and can help grow the business which uses coworker collaboration in the most efficient ways.

Konya, Kelly. “5 Benefits of a Collaborative Environment.” Coworker, 22 Aug. 2017, http://www.coworker.com/mag/5-benefits-of-a-collaborative-environment.

Advertising Can Make You Hungry!

Advertising With Fast Food

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/.

The Crazy Demographics of Social Media

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As you can see, I provided an infographic on social media and its effect on people. Before I get too into that, I would like to mention a popular online application that is used to create content. Google Drive is a very large part of my life educationally, as a college student. I used this software in Jr. High School as well as High School. It is a program which automatically saves your content, so you can access it whenever you wish. You don’t have to worry about forgetting to press save and having a dreadful rest of your day because most of your content has been deleted!

Google Drive allows people to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more. These can be shared with fellow students, coworkers, friends, etc. It is a great way to spread information and create it in a quick, efficient way! As of right now, 800 million people are using Google Drive to take advantage of these features.

Enough of that, it’s time to talk about social media: the biggest online communicator of the world. The 5 applications mentioned in the infographic are some of the top platforms used to share content. It ranges from Facebook, a website used to post pictures, videos, articles, and information, to Wattpad, which is simply used for publishing short stories, poems, etc. The infographic states that 2.7 billion people use Facebook. This is 35% of the entire world!

There are also platforms used for shopping. The largest shopping platform, as some of you may already know, is Amazon.com. This is where a lot of people spend money they do not need! Amazon Prime may be the reason for this, as it involves 2 day shipping. As you know, people do not like to wait for things, but this problem is solved through Amazon Prime. That way, if you are feeling lazy and impulsive, Amazon will keep you happy. As long as you don’t keep checking your bank account that is what should happen, at least.

Another platform used for shopping is called Etsy.com. I see advertisements for this website on Instagram a lot. I believe this is because their intention is to target people from Generation Z, AKA, the most persuaded generation. I don’t think research needs to back that up. It is similar to Amazon, just specialized more on certain products.

While doing research on the age demographics of each social media website, I realized that most young adults lean more towards Instagram, and new social media platforms. Facebook was leaning more towards middle aged groups. As new social media platforms are created, the ones with the most efficient software will attract new generations.

It is interesting to see the how social media has evolved as new generations come in. It keeps us eager for the future. Where will social media go? How will the demographics change? All we can do is keep using our resources, and see what the world creates!

Aslam, Salman. “Facebook by the Numbers.” Omnicore, 4 Sept. 2019, http://www.omnicoreagency.com/facebook-statistics/.

Worthy, Paige. “Top Instagram Demographics That Matter to Social Media Marketers.” Hootsuite Social Media Management, 26 Sept. 2018, blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-demographics/.

Tien, Shannon. “Top Twitter Demographics That Matter to Social Media Marketers in 2018.” Hootsuite Social Media Management, 10 Oct. 2018, blog.hootsuite.com/twitter-demographics/.

Aslam, Salman. “Pinterest by the Numbers.” Omnicore, 3 Sept. 2019, http://www.omnicoreagency.com/pinterest-statistics/.

“Wattpad.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Oct. 2019, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wattpad.

How Social Media Tells Us That the World is Dying

Social Media and Climate Change

Social media has taken over Generation Z. I’d like to say we are a generation of zombies, as we never look up from our phone screens or know how to properly socialize. However, it is a great way to advertise, spread information, create and share art, etc. Social media has been a significant part of my life, as I have always experimented with editing apps, photo editors, and social media accounts to post my videos/pictures on. Although it has many disadvantages, it has significantly moved our society forward in many positive directions. An example of this would be the huge movement towards climate change, constantly being talked about through social media. I have seen disturbing videos, pictures, articles, and artwork done internationally in order to draw awareness to this topic, and I believe that is why people are beginning to take action.

Personally, social media is a way for me to collect my photos and videos together. One of my favorite social media accounts is VSCO, a platform used to creatively express photos through a portfolio. Instagram is also a great place to do this, although there is social media etiquette involved. If I were to post ten photos in the same day, people would be driven up the wall. Nobody wants to see one person take over their entire feed, unless your grandma is posting funny pictures on her brand new Instagram account! VSCO is a safe place to post as many pictures as you want, because it is more casual. In my future, I hope to professionally use social media to advertise for a company through the use of videos/photos.

I see other people using social media professionally in order to advertise their company, and attract people like me: those who buy products because the advertisements are just so cool. One of my favorite social media accounts is the Instagram account “tentree,” as they post pictures of nature and emphasize the fact that they plant one tree per item bought. It is enjoyable to see their posts, as they will post about climate change and persuade customers to value the environment. I feel more intrigued by this company not only because of their cute apparel, but because of the environmental difference they are making! Instagram is a great way to express this company, as it attracts people of Generation Z, the generation that will be most effected by climate change.

I believe that one of the most beneficial parts of social media is its ability to spread information quickly and efficiently. Local and national news does not necessarily need to be heard through a news television channel. I stay caught up on most current events through my social media accounts. The past few months I have seen a lot of posts about climate change, and how Generation Z needs to take action quickly so we can save the earth. There has been a variety of videos/photos I have seen online that have convinced me to join the movement on helping the environment. This fast way of spreading information is also the reason why almost every single person knows about the Area 51 “raid” of 2019!

One huge change in social media has been the ability to live stream. People can now tune in to church services, football games, or just a live chat with a famous celebrity. This allows a person stuck at work to be able to watch the football game live, and not get the score spoiled through a text. Throughout the years, social media has also become an outlet for young kids to express their interests to the world. It began with simple videos being posted, and now kids are becoming famous through social media because of their influence on the viewers.

Social media will be here to stay. Most kids would be completely devastated without their social media accounts. One thing I have noticed throughout the years is that Facebook is a social media outlet for Generation X and Y, while Instagram is becoming more popular in Generation Z. I believe Facebook is here to stay for a while, but once Generation Z starts getting older, they will see less of Facebook and more of Instagram.

Social media is a great way to spread information, whether that is current events, climate change issues, or whether a dress is black and blue or white and gold. It is how we communicate internationally and bring awareness to global issues, such as climate change. Social media is the main reason why people know the earth needs help! It is also how people around the world are connected, without having to travel thousands of miles to do so.


Tentree International. “The Most Sustainable Post on the Planet.” The Most Sustainable Post on the Planet, 11 Apr. 2019, http://www.tentree.com/blogs/posts/this-earth-week-help-us-plant-500-000-trees.Copy bibliography citationCopy in-text citation


Generation Z and its Stunning Effect on Advertising

Generation Z

Advertising and Public Relations, for me, has been a very recent discovery. Since the fifth grade, I have made short video clips for holidays, family vacation trips, cancer walks, etc. Little did I know that throughout this process, I was also advertising for something. For example, I made a video about the cancer fundraiser, Curesearch, which advertises for that specific cancer organization. This is how I decided to double major in Film & Video and Advertising & Publics Relations. However, I am also a part of Generation Z. For all of my Generation Z people out there, we are the reason why advertising is so big! We are easily pressured by the online shopping epidemic! It may not necessarily be a bad thing, though, if we get new clothes shipped every week.

My explanation of Advertising & Public Relations would include “making people buy something because it looks cool,” but it seems to be much more than that. Throughout my life, I have experienced a large shift in how things are being advertised. During the early years of my life, the kids channels would have commercials based off of popular toys. I would beg my parents to buy the toy, until I guilted them into spending their money on me. I would proceed to play with the toy until about a week, because by then I had already found something better on TV. This, is the true definition of advertising. How can you catch a consumer’s attention to buy things from your company, whether they need it or not? Now, since the commercials are aimed towards a much larger audience, sometimes the advertisements do not pertain to me, therefore I lose interest quickly. Especially if it is a commercial naming the thousands of side effects of a medication that I do not have to take! Although this seems to be a less effective way to advertise, there are many other ways that have caught my attention. Generation Z mainly revolves around social media. Since it is such a big part of this generation, it opened up a big opportunity for advertising. I find myself scrolling through my Instagram page, with an occasional advertisement that will catch my attention. Say this advertisement will be about a shirt that donates to an environmentally friendly organization; the next few days I will be scrolling through multiple advertisements involving nature and more environmentally friendly merchandise. Sometimes I ask myself, “Are these people listening to my conversations through the phone?” This is not the case, although it may seem a bit creepy… The advertising community takes a viewer’s interests, and exposes them to more advertisements revolved around them. This method of advertising has been most effective for me, as I am discovering merchandise that pertains to my interests.

Similar to this idea, technology has also connected its advertisements with specific websites. If someone searches for a laptop online, they may find advertisements about laptop cases or USB connectors in the margins. Current technology is like a chain reaction, when someone searches one thing, the internet will lead them to the next thing that is related in some way. This is how I end up searching for a tutorial on how to braid hair, and somehow ending up purchasing hair accessories that I don’t need! With the amount of websites Generation Z is exposed to, it is easy for advertising companies to catch their attention. According to Campaign Monitor, “by 2020, Generation Z is expected to account for 40% of all customers.” Additionally, as demonstrated by the image attached, email is an effective way of catching the attention of Generation Z, as they check their emails more than once a day. It’s hard to turn down emails that say “BIG SALE!”

As a part of Generation Z myself, I am a part of that 40%. This is what introduced me to advertising and public relations. It all started with a NatureBacks shirt, that I had discovered while scrolling through my Instagram feed. The design of the shirt had caught my attention, but while looking through their account, the videography done for the advertising of this shirt had caused me to buy one. (The videos included drone footage which also caused me to buy a drone…see how advertising can draw you in?) Throughout that week, I had been exposed to multiple nature accounts that I am following now. Additionally, I was inspired by a famous Youtuber of this generation: Indy Blue. She had posted a video of the Rise Festival in Las Vegas. This led me to research the Rise Festival website, and now I am planning on traveling to participate in it at some point in my future! Advertising through filmmaking is what has caught my attention since I was very young, and I want to create this same type of effect for Generation Z and beyond. This will not only help companies grow, but it can advertise fundraising organizations for illnesses, the environment, or social movements which can help better our world as a whole.

The future for technology involves massive amounts of growth. As generations become more involved in social media, advertising will become easier. Technology will expand beyond the internet, as people are beginning to discover more about Artificial Intelligence and how that will soon become a normal part of our society. Scary, right?!

Monitor, Campaign. “The Ultimate Guide to Marketing to Gen Z in 2019 [New Research].” Campaign Monitor, 2019, http://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/guide-to-gen-z-marketing-2019/.

How Do I Look on Social Media?

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I am exactly where I thought I would be, as I would like my public accounts to reflect my creativity and love for film. I will be working on my online footprint throughout the next 90 days. At the end of those 90 days, I will revisit my score and see if I have improved my score.

Hello again, this is me responding to this blog post on November 19th, 2019. Approximately 90 days after posting my first score of 685. I have worked on improving my score for the past 3 months. My score remained pretty similar, as the website flagged certain posts as “risky” while I also worked on a few things to improve on how I look on social media.

One of the first things I did on BrandYourself was build myself positive social media profiles. To do so, I improved my social media profiles by posting my location, adding a photo of myself, enabling it as a public search, and optimizing my bio. The biography was something completely new to me. For some of them I needed to reach a certain word limit and I needed to include my name at least 3 times in it. This was for the purpose of having key words on Google searches. In order to incorporate my name 3 times, I would introduce myself, then include my social media usernames which also included my name. I believe that this will be extremely helpful to future brands to learn more about me, as my name will appear on Google searches and it will direct people to my other social media accounts. I did this for Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, BrandYourself, SoundCloud, and WordPress!

Another strategy I used involved directing the AI filters in the right direction. For example, the AI flagged a photo on my VSCO account that was taken at a brunch restaurant in Chicago. This picture included a cup of coffee in it. The AI flagged this photo because it believed that the cup of coffee was a red solo cup. By directing the AI filters in the right direction as much as I could, it helped improve my score a little bit. Some of the AI filters I could not direct because it was involved in the upgraded version of BrandYourself.

One last thing I did was be more active on all of my social media accounts. Before I used this website, I basically stopped using my Twitter account. BrandYourself required that I post something on Twitter in order to make my account active again. I also did this for social media websites like Pinterest and Tumblr. These social media accounts became less important to me as I got older, but this helped emphasize the fact that a brand needs to have their company displayed on multiple social media accounts in order to reach a larger audience! Even though I may not use Twitter, a large part of the population may still use it.

I believe the most beneficial part of doing this was to get my name to be more well known in Google searches. This will make it easier for people to know my brand, or for other brands to discover who I am. I don’t believe I would do this differently, as I truly put in effort each week on trying to improve my reputation score. I believe it is important to have a high score because it makes your brand look better to other companies!

About Me

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My name is Clare Quirin. I am 18 years old and I go to Grand Valley State University. I am double majoring in Film and Video & Advertising and Public Relations. I am from Downers Grove, IL. I live with my parents and younger sister and brother. I have 2 dogs and my brother has a turtle. Some of my hobbies include running and taking pictures/videos. Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to work as a videographer for National Geographic. I also would like to participate in marathons when I get older.