5 Tricks of Misleading Advertising

If you haven't noticed already, everyone and their mother seems to be on a health kick. Diets, Exercise, eating healthy, switching to non-fat / sugar-free / 0 carb ... who knows what else! Well believe it or not...Advertisers have caught on as well... they know that in order for people to buy and consume their products it has to be attractive to their consumers. And what do their consumers want They want to be able to consume the products they love without the guilt of high calorie, high carb foods. While most advertisers are under regulation and are not allowed to advertise certain things that aren't even closely related to their product...they have found tricks to promote their products in the best way possible. I did some research and found a blog that had 10 great tips for consumers to look for when purchasing product....some are pretty unbelievable!

1."Less Sugar"

Example Product : Heinz ( Reduced Sugar ) Ketchup

 

The first food advertising trick has to do with the common “reduced sugar”. Reduced sugar Heinz ketchup only has 1 gram of sugar per serving which is 75% less sugar than their regular ketchup. And you all know sugar is pretty unhealthy if consumed a lot, So you'd most likely choose this one right??

 

Well the trick with these reduced sugar, or less sugar products is that they replace the sugar with artificial sweeteners. Sucralose, an artificial sweetener, is listed as one of the ingredients. Artificial sweeteners have found to have negative side affects on your body...so maybe stick with your regular ketchup this time.

 

 

 

2. "Low Carb"

Example Product :  0 Trans Fat Flour Tortillas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many low carb products hit the market a few years back as more and more people started to really watch their health. This low carb tortilla only 6 net grams of carbohydrates. The other 11 grams of carbohydrates are fiber. Sounds awesome right! You can finally eat all the tortillas you want!

Well even though the 0 grams of trans fat this product claims to have  there is still hydrogenated oil which is not healthy in itself.  However, based on FDA regulations, if the product has less than .5 grams of any fat per serving, they are allowed to list it as 0 grams. Misleading?...uh yeah.

 

3. "Contains Healthy Antioxidants
Example Product : Cherry 7UP 

So its a hot day and your craving your favorite soda... 7UP. Go to the local gas station and wow! 7UP contains healthy antioxidants..what a bonus! News flash...any antioxidants that might be present as a result of the cherry flavoring is completely cancelled out and has no nutrition whatsoever. While 7UP never claims to be "healthy" per say they do advertise this to make it seem better then it really is.

 

4. "Whole Grain"

Example Product : Trix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems as though every cereal you come across has a "Whole Grain" stamped across the front. So if its whole grain it must be healthy right? Wrong....  Claiming health benefits is one of the biggest food advertising tricks in the book. If you look at the ingredients  the first one listed is whole grain corn. Ingredients are listed in order of weight from highest to lowest. Now, take a look at the second ingredient – sugar. The third? Corn meal. Forth? Corn Syrup. Wow..that sounds like a nutritious breakfast right? Hmmm...maybe the "tricks" aren't just for kids..

 

5. " Heart Healthy"

Example : Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal

 

Heart Healthy Quaker Weight Control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sure you've all seen the Quaker oatmeal that says “Weight Control” in big letters on the front and who doesn’t want to lose weight? Unfortunately this is another food trick... claiming that a product is good for the heart and will help you manage your weight when it clearly wont.

 In the ingredients you’ll see maltodextrin which is basically glucose – one of the highest glycemic processed substances in the market. = Not healthy. What this means is that maltodextrin is easily digestible and is absorbed quickly by the blood stream – causing a surge of insulin. Insulin is a fat storage hormone. You’ll also see acesulfame and sucralose – 2 artificial sweeteners which are not even close to helping with weight control or heart health.

Well that's a pretty general list of what to look out for on your next trip to the grocery store. Just make sure you read ingredients and watch for keywords like Right, Smart, or Healthy – these are all important keywords that advertisers use to draw you in and make you believe that their product is better then the competitors. Have fun shopping!

How Fast Food Advertising Affects Childhood Obesity

Hey Everyone! Now I'm sure all of you have heard about the increase in childhood obesity in the news. It seems as though every week your hear about how schools are cutting back on high fat content foods, finding healthy alternatives, and teaching children about health and wellness. Now while I personally think childhood obesity has relates directly to parenting I'll save that another day and focus on how advertising is directly affecting the obesity rates among children. Most fast food is not healthy...we know that... but did you know that last year the fast food industry spent more than 4.2 BILLION dollars on advertising. Crazy right. Guess where most of that is targeted to..thats right, children. From 2003 preschoolers viewed fast food advertising 34% more... Think thats shocking ? Take a look at these...

Its spread to the web....

• McDonald's web-based marketing starts with children as young as age 2 at Ronald.com.
• McDonald's and Burger King created sophisticated websites with advergames and virtual worlds to engage children (e.g., McWorld.com, HappyMeal.com, and ClubBK.com).

And its working...

• Eighty-four percent of parents reported taking their child to a fast food restaurant at least once a week; 66% reported going to McDonald's in the past week.
• Forty percent of parents reported that their child asks to go to McDonald's at least once a week; 15% of preschoolers ask to go every day.

But what about the healthy options you say...?

• Just 17% of regular menu items qualified as healthy choices.
• Snacks and dessert items contained as many as 1,500 calories, which is five times more than the 200 to 300 calorie snack for active teens recommended by the American Dietetic Association.
• The average restaurant had 15 signs promoting specific menu items, but just 4% promoted healthy menu items.
• Subway offered healthy sides and beverages 60% of the time, making it the only fast food restaurant in our study to routinely provide healthy choices. 
• ^^ Hurray for Subway! :)

So in conclusion....

• Teens between the ages of 13 and 18 purchased 800 to 1,100 calories in an average fast food visit.
• At least 30% of calories in menu items purchased by children and teens were from sugar and saturated fat.
• At most restaurants, young people purchased at least half of their maximum daily recommended sodium intake in just one fast food meal.
• Teens ordered more fast food than any other age group during non-meal times after school and in the evening.
  
  
  Honestly, While I was just reading these statistics made me cringe. While I eventually would like to get into Advertising and Promotion in the Food Industry, I dont know if I could personally work to make children obese. There are so many alternatives to eating right. I will admit, there are times when there is nothing I want more then a burger and fries. But think about this parents. While you may not be able to effect the advertising your children are being exposed to, they are looking to you to lead the way. Children mimic what they see. If you provide them with healthy food options and show them that playing outside can be fun and be a way to excersice they will grow up and healthy and ready to take on the world.

The REAL Organic Food Industry

As most of you know, the organic & natural food industry has boomed over the past few years. More and more people are now taking their health and nutrition seriously and as a result switching to natural and organic ingredients. I personally wasn't sure what this exactly meant? I knew the basics, eating clean and eating healthy will not only improve your health but will also help with obesity and risk of diabetes. But with all this advertisers saying " No preservatives" " Whole-Grain" " Organically Grown" what is the real difference that and the food we've all been eating all these years? Are Advertisers lying to us?....is this food really that much better?

I decided to do some research and found that foods labeled "Organic" are guarenteed to have no no toxic synthetic pesticides, toxic synthetic herbicides, or chemical NPK fertilizers are used in production, and no antibiotics or growth hormones are given to animals. Organic producers are also watched and reviewed intently by inspectors to ensure they are holding true to these requirements. So..what is natural? While natural foods are considered "healthier" then regular foods they may not be. Many assume Natrual foods are less processed or do not contain horomones, antibiotics, or artificial flabors. But in the US. there are no regulations or inspection reviewing Natural products. This means that many producers claim there foods are "all natural" while the product still contains heavily processed ingriedients.

To make it simple I found this great chart comparing Organic, Natural, and Conventional food and what really seperates them. Check out http://www.organicitsworthit.org/natural/natural-vs-organic if you'd like to read more!

 

 

 

 

 

Social Commerce - Resturant / Food Advertising

Heyyoo Bloggers! I know I know... I haven't blogged in quite some time, unfortunately being a college student requires me to constantly run around like a chicken with its head cut off! But for this blog post I wanted to take a turn from my ordinary blogs... a little less foodie a little more business-y.  So the other day in my Digital Advertising class we were discussing how Social Commerce has grown to be a staple in social media and advertising. So for those of you who don't know what exactly Social Commerce is, its simply another form of online shopping or using social media to interact, collaborate with others while buying. So take for an example, you recently heard of a new restaurant in town. Do you decide to go check it out because :

A. The building / website are appealing
B. The commercial was funny
C. Your best friend told you " This is thee place to go, you just have to try their fried pickles!"


Now if your like most people you would've chosen option C. because who doesn't value the opinion of their best friend right!? So exactly how does this play into restaurant and food advertising? Many sites now provide reviews, rating, and comments that allow people to determine if something is good just by a click of the mouse or keypad. Take Foursquare for example, a mobile app that allows you to "check in" to local restaurants and rate them. Looking for the best tenderloin in town? This apps for you. It allows you to check out all the best spots and be able to stay away from the local dive. Social Commerce has greatly altered how restaurants and food advertise their products. The connection and communication between consumers has grown, It is now the future of advertising and a huge push towards word of mouth promotion. So if you really like something, don't be afraid to share it! Tell all your friends, tell your family, tell your mailman! You get the picture ...and hey while your at it telling your friends about " this great blog you just HAVE to read!" wouldn't be to shabby either ! ;)

Boo! Happy Holiday Advertising!

Only a few days left till my favorite holiday ... Halloween! Scary movies, costumes, and all the candy you can eat, what's not to love! Have you ever noticed during the holidays most Advertisers try to spin their products towards the approaching holiday? Even certain foods only appear around the holiday...and thank goodness for that.. Peeps? Marshmallow covered in sugar? Yuck! To get in the mood for Halloween I found some funny food advertisements based around the holiday. Which ones your favorite?

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!

 

Blame it on the A-a-a Alcohol..Packaging.

If you've ever been to a grocery store in your life ( and are of age aka 21+ ) you know the alcohol isle is a pretty fun place...especially for a person who appreciates good design and advertising. Sure, tons of other products do a great job of creating attention grabbing packaging but I will bet you 99 berries ;) that alcoholic beverages take the cake for some of the most appealing and eye catching packaging. I compiled a few images of bottles / cans / etc. that really showed the quality of a great design. Next Friday night when your heading to get stocked up for the weekend, take a little extra time to look at the packaging of the wines, the vodkas, the rums. Appreciate the designers work, and try to depict what the message of the product is. Is it elegant, sexy, full of energy? Or calm, cool, and collected? Great packaging should make you feel something and if it does maybe you found a new favorite!


 

The Perfect Burger : How to create the perfect burger in Advertisements.

Have you ever wondered why that McDonald's Cheeseburger looks so good on TV? Crisp green lettuce, juicy tomatoes, melty cheese... and then order up! ... your cheese burger looks a little less then satisfactory. So how do advertisers and photographers make these foods look so appetizing even after hours of preparation and sitting under bright lights in a studio? Well you'd be surprised to hear all the tips and tricks to making " The Perfect Burger".

Lets first take a look at creating this perfect mouthwatering burger...
You'll need a few simple "Ingredients"

• 3 lbs Ground beef
• Vegetable oil
• Brown food coloring or molasses
• 100 hamburger buns
• 2 cases of lettuce
• a dozen tomatoes
• paper towels
• Superglue.... sounds tasty right?
• tweezers.... to pick what out of what?
• paintbrush
• waterproof spray
• glycerin and water (glycerin is a syrupy, sweet liquid made from oil)

First step? The Bun!

Out of the 100 buns you have try to find one with no wrinkles. If the bun has sesame seeds, carefully arrange them with glue and tweezers. Use waterproof spray on the surface of the bun so it won't get soggy. Second... The Meat. Cook just the outside of the meat and leave the center raw to keep it plump then paint the burger with oil and brown coloring. To make grill marks, brand the meat with a hot metal skewer. Use some paper towels to make a diaper for the bottom of the meat so no juices leak onto the bun. Sounds yummy right... a diaper for your burger! Third step : The ingredients everyone loves to hate...the Veggies! Find an attractive lettuce leaf with no brown spots. Cut the tomato's but only use  the center slices of the best tomato. Spray the tomato with a mist of water and glycerin to keep it looking fresh. Ready to take a bite? Final step? Eat! Now after the superglue, waterproof spray, raw burger, and some oil and brown coloring this burger may not be that tasty treat you imagined. But hey at least it looks good right! I also found a great video from the McDonald's Marketing Director in Toronto, Canada. This was a bold move from a PR standpoint but she was honest and it was pretty interesting to watch. Click the burger to watch! The Perfect Burger

Interview with the Advertising Man Himself : Mr. Gary Kroeger

Alrighty folks, I'm back to blogging. Last few weeks have been preeeeeeeety hectic. Apparently the whole senioritis thing won't be able to kick in till next semester. Recently I got the opportunity to interview a well known man not only in advertising but show business as well. Gary Kroeger, a long time actor with previous parts on SNL, Dilbert, and Press Your Luck, currently works at Mudd Advertising as the lead Marketing Director. I sat down with him a few days ago and got to pick his brain and got some great insight on the Marketing and Advertising profession.

When I first shook hands with Gary, I instantly knew this interview was going to be well... entertaining to say the least. Gary is very enthusiastic about not only his job in advertising but about life in general. I started by asking him a few of the basics...how did you get involved in marketing, what do you do on a daily basis, if you could go back and redo everything would you? Gary answered all of these with ease but also took time to relate them to me, a student hoping to eventually be where he is today.

He summarized Advertising as being a mix between sales and entertainment. Everything he does is a little play, with a beginning - middle - and an end.  Its about creativity and innovation. I thought I would list the points that really hit home with me.

-Advertising solves problems. Messaging media. SELL. Create the messages and find the medium to call people to an action. 
- Trust Yourself
- You are the storyteller
- Know what your getting into
- On time is late
- relationships start 10 min before and 10 min after the meeting.

be friendly
be happy
be positive
be open
be early.

Color Theory : How Color Affects Behavior.

Our newest project in Graphic Design incorporates elements of color and the color theory. It got me thinking of how important color is to advertising. I had always heard that certain colors can actually effect consumer behavior and how they choose to purchase products but didn't quite understand how. How could simply looking at a color unconsciously make me feel or even do something? After further researching I found that Wexner, a famous ppsychologist from the 1900's explored how colors and their different wavelengths to the eye affect our emotions and behavior in different ways. I then wanted to see what each color meant and and how advertisers used them to benefit their product and draw the consumer in. Take a look at your favorite color.. Are you surprised at its meaning?

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Found on : http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Red
Red is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. It  is a very emotionally intense color and has the effect of enhancing human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. Many Restaurants or fast food chains will use Red in their logo and advertisements. It creates a feeling of urgency and hunger in the consumer so when they see those gold and red arches they think... "I really need a burger now"

Light red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love.
Pink signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness.
Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
Brown suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.
Reddish-brown is associated with harvest and fall.

Orange

Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation. Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance.

Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys.

Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust.
Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action.
Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often symbolizes high quality.

Yellow

Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.

Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy. Yellow is often associated with food. When overused, yellow may have a disturbing effect; it is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow is seen before other colors when placed against black.  Advertisers use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings. You can choose yellow to promote children's products and items related to leisure. Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the most important elements of your design.

Dull (dingy) yellow represents caution, decay, sickness, and jealousy.
Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and joy.

Green

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.

Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope.

Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.

Blue

Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity.

You can use blue to promote products and services related to cleanliness (water purification filters, cleaning liquids, vodka), air and sky (airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea voyages, mineral water). As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow; blue is linked to consciousness and intellect. Use blue to suggest precision when promoting high-tech products.

Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated with depth, expertise, and stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America.

Avoid using blue when promoting food and cooking, because blue suppresses appetite. When used together with warm colors like yellow or red, blue can create high-impact, vibrant designs; for example, blue-yellow-red is a perfect color scheme for a superhero.

Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.
Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

Purple

Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

According to surveys, almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors. Purple is a very rare color in nature; some people consider it to be artificial.

Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. You can use bright purple when promoting children's products.

Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.
Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration.

White

White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.

White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation. White can represent a successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and purity.

In advertising, white is associated with coolness and cleanliness because it's the color of snow. You can use white to suggest simplicity in high-tech products. White is an appropriate color for charitable organizations; angels are usually imagined wearing white clothes. White is associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility, so you can use white to suggest safety when promoting medical products. White is often associated with low weight, low-fat food, and dairy products.

Black

Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black Mercedes). In heraldry, black is the symbol of grief.

Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a black background diminishes readability. A black suit or dress can make you look thinner. When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a black or gray background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.
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If interested in learning more about color check out this YouTube video. Youtuber: AdamationStation explains color theory and how people perceive them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ1ejsq2hQg&feature=plcp

Typography : Essential to Design

As a Graphic Design student one of the first things we learn is how important typography is to design. It is what seperates the good vs. the great. Typography is defined as "the art or process of setting and arranging types and printing from them." Knowing how to properly do this in Advertising is key. So many products have set themselves apart just because of the look of their logo and the typography used within it. While researching typography and products, I came across another blog that focuses on all types of design and had some really great examples of product typography. Shoutout to http://designfestival.com/ for really knowing their stuff. While reviewing their blog, I decided to take a more mainstream approach and find some product or packaging that people would be able to recognize.. some daily food products that incorporate really great typography.



Budweiser Beer Label

1. Budweiser Beer : " The King of Beers". Budweiser Beer , produced by the Belgian / Brazillian Anheuser-Busch has branded themselves as the " King of Beers" sence the 16th Century. To represent this theme of loyalty and sophistication, Busweiser created their logo with a cursive based type that was elegant and free-flowing. A dark blue type font, laced in gold placed around a royal red, white, and gold pictoral elements. This logo and type portray the feeling of sophistication and luxury. It makes people believe that Budweiser is no ordinary, friday night ,"get drunk"  beer but more of a gentlemans beer. A beer a man could come home to after a long day at work. As the king of a household...this is the beer I need to drink.

Snapple Label

2. Snapple : Snapple was founed in the 1970's in Valley Stream, New York. The word "Snapple" is derived from a carbonated apple juice. Snapples brand is based around having natural ingriedents including fresh fruit and " made from the best stuff on earth". Snapple took this natural feel and based their logo and product design around this. They choose bright colors that alternate based on what drink it is, and chose a type of font that is free flowing and curly. It gives off the impression that Snapple is fun to drink, and healthy too.


Mmm..Mmm.. Warhol?

Hello Everyone, Lets get things started shall we? For my first real blog post about advertising, food, design etc. I have chosen an item that I'm sure everyone has consumed sometime in their life. Its a brand you grew up with. An item you look forward to having after a long winter day. Dozens of flavors and varieties. Any guess? Well from reading the title, I'm sure you have a hunch. Campbell's soup. You only have to hear the few beginning notes of the little jingle " mmm.mmm good" and Campbell's red and white tomato soup label shows up in your mind. I'm guessing it brings you back to the good ol' days when your mom would make you and your friends tomato soup and grilled cheese. I know for me it was always my go to sick remedy. Campbell's soup, crackers, Z-Up, and a little R & R. I'd be back to myself in no time. Well Campbell's has recently been making some head lines. As you all know Campbell's is notorious for their red and white vintage design. But who was the one who made this design the icon that it is today? The answer... Andy Warhol. Just to give you a little history lesson, Andy Warhol was an American artist who was most popular during the 1960's pop-art movement. As a painter he would take ordinary objects or people and create brightly colored , almost comical works of art. He had a way of using repetition, and contrasting colors to make these images "pop". During his career, Warhol took a turn in his work and decided to design a few pieces around a well - known American soup brand...you guessed it, Campbell's. Warhol was not hired by Campbell's, he simply choose this for one reason only, he liked soup. After designing the logo we all know today Campbell's soup sales rocketed and became one if not thee most well known soup brand in the world.
Fifty years later, Campbell's decides its time to really celebrate their brand and most of all, Andy Warhol. Campbell's recently launched a series of 4  Warhol inspired tomato soup cans to be sold in Target stores around the nation for only .75 cents a piece. Jonathan Thorn, Campbell’s corporate archivist, described the pop artist who died in 1987 as a visionary who revolutionized contemporary art. "Things like that had never been done before. No one painted products in the 1950s and 1960s,” he said. While these cans are only sold for a limited time, in the past few weeks they have already been a hit. Not only do these cans celebrate the history of the brand but also the work of a great artist. I give Campbell's two spoons up for their great advertising...mixing a little bit of history with some self promotion. On that note...I think I'll have some soup for lunch.

Blog Numero Uno.

Welp, Here goes nothing. I've never really had an actual "blog" before... sure I've tried the whole diary thing, didn't last, and I had a Xanga site for awhile, lame. I guess I've never had any ideas as to what I could write about.. and be interested in enough to actually keep up with it. So as part of my Digital Advertising class we are to create and blog about something we are passionate about. I decided to write about two things I'm VERY passionated about... Advertising & Food. As a Marketing & Graphic Design major at UNI, I strongly believe in the importance creativity and thinking outside the box. I'm excited to be able to take a deeper look into Advertising and really be able to study it. Here we go!