NEW AND IMPROVED!

Everyday we see commercials and advertisements, some brands even have advertise on the product its self.  Too often we just read/hear/see these new wild promises and take them for true, but how much actually needs to be true?

What brought this whole idea up for me was when I was watching a television commercial and the host said, as all hosts do, "just listen to this satisfied customer" and cue cut to random guy saying how much he loves the product…but wait I noticed just visible on his white shirt was white lettering saying "paid actor."  I was just told he was a customer?  I think it is interesting how as long as a disclaimer is added companies can get away with purposefully misdirecting their audience.  I wanted to look further into this and looked to the generic model of the "NEW AND IMPROVED" slogan used by so many companies.  After researching I found that "new and improved" is one slogan that in almost all cases increases overall sales to consumers.  However what does "new and improved" really mean?  I found my answers after some research, it means nothing.  "New" can pertain to anything about the product, it has been watered down, the packaging is different, the color of the box has changed, you get less for your money, anything.  "Improved" on the other hand is a matter of perspective so I could say the taste has improved, or the colors have improved, or the seller's profit has improved.  All of these claims are geared to take advantage of the consumer and purposely misdirect them, however companies can get away with it as long as there is a disclaimer or are vague enough to find a loophole.

I suppose the moral of the story I learned from my research was that we, as consumers, must be more skeptical about the claims made by companies and their products and that (unfortunately)  it may be up to us to decipher truth from fiction when it comes to advertisements.

Kofi Boundy's 1st Blog Entry

As I enter my junior year at Ithaca College, I feel a sense of accomplishment and determination. With the finish line close in sight I can accept the fact that college is more than halfway over, but nevertheless, the fight continues! This summer I was fortunate enough to nab two separate internships at two local radio stations. Through my hours spent with these internships, I was able to gain a great deal of knowledge, experience, and wisdom.  As well as meeting some really cool people.  As the summer came to an end, I and a friend got an opportunity to be an extra for a "Wendy William's Show" commercial (daytime talk show).  Even though all I did was walk in the background, it was awesome to see the amount of production and preparation that went into a 15 second long commercial.  Anyways, being back at Ithaca, I can say I am excited to see what is in store this school year.
-Kofi Boundy

Great team

The 10 that shook the media world...how does that sound? (no pressure:-)