Maddi's Journal Spot by Maddi

Week One.

sales_maddison — 2018-02-28 01:30:02 UTC

Thoughts on this course/task...
While I don't find any trouble writing, I think where I'll struggle the most is coming up with creative ideas. I know I'll inevitably develop on these skills but for now, finding the ideas and energy to create a promotional video certainly makes me nervous...
However, I do know my own abilities and i'm sure this nervousness will be met with an equal amount of sureness once my idea/s really get rolling.
Overall, I am quite keen on this course - it'll be a nice creative addition to my journalism/writing degrees.
- - - - - -
20 minutes later and I've just proven my first point. Writing 80 possibilities for me right now is proving difficult...

80 Possibilities

sales_maddison — 2018-02-28 01:40:20 UTC

1 to 20
1. Any ingredient pizza maker
2. Automatic nail painter
3. Self folding sleeping-bag
4. Electronic paper plane
5. Backpack chair
6. Sports team (comets netball) ad
7. Jar of air
8. Loneliness awareness
9. Realistic/honest politician promo
10. A solid cube that provides entertainment?
11. Plant that grows in 3 days
12. Puddle safety awareness
13. Butterfly safety awareness *fave idea #1
14. Invisible socks that make your feet smell good
15. What If... Tooth fairy/Santa promo.
16. Pay it Forward - Facebook page promo (community help) *fave idea #2
17. Brain supported idea generator
18. Stomach expander
19. Wasp repellent necklace
20. Rotating power point for different country usage

What could 80 possibilities include?

sales_maddison — 2018-02-28 12:25:53 UTC

food, pets, movies, flowers, games
Things that don't exist...

21-40

sales_maddison — 2018-02-28 12:38:48 UTC

21. $1 worth $1
22. T-shirt stamp - simple DIY graphic tees
23. Giant toilet roll dispenser
24. Special pen for left-handed person
25. Robotic hand to help learn instrumental chords hands-on
26. Skipping rope portable clothes line
27. Lolly tree
28. Ability to know how much something ACTUALLY costs
29. never ending phone charger
30. Earphone earrings
31. Hoarding awareness
32. Social Adelaide - what does it have for tourists? *fave idea #3
33. Stop people who lick their fingers after eating.
34. Refilling water bottle - expanding water
35. A movie about not a whole lot happening
36. Season changing material - thickens and thins as per weather
37. BAM - easy tooth remover
38. Money tree!
39. Backpack snack machine
40. Water fountain shoes?

Week Two.

sales_maddison — 2018-03-05 02:22:24 UTC

I think this week I am certainly feeling more comfortable with coming up with an idea. While I struggled to find 80 different possibilities, I came up with about 3 or 4 that I can go off of...

Developing a key message...
My idea for my promotional video comes from my own inability to think creatively and out of the box. As adults, we struggle to find belief in things that don't exist or don't make sense. So, I've decided to go with a comical/serious video about butterfly safety awareness. The key idea behind my message is 'what if...'
What if things we thought were safe really were not. Like butterflies.

My Target Audience...
As aforementioned, my focus idea is safety awareness of butterflies. Therefore my target audience is the parents of young children and even those with a fear of bugs.

Week 2: Annotated Bibliography

sales_maddison — 2018-03-07 01:10:44 UTC

Research Question: What do my audience already know about butterflies and safety? How can I make my message believable and not comedic since it's made up?
The backbone of my research will be dangerous animals and how I can transpose these negative ideas onto butterflies, as well as the importance of safety and health kits. The new connotation of butterflies will become the focus when forming my promotional video.

Davies, H & Butler, CA 2008, Do butterflies bite? : fascinating answers to questions about butterflies and moths, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, N.J. ; London.
The most important part of creating my promotional video is knowing what I can about the subject. This book provides both simple and scientific answers to all questions moth and butterfly related. This source has been helpful by showing me what my audience may already know about butterflies. According to Davies and Butler (2008, p. 95), while butterflies cannot bite or spread their toxins to humans. However, a study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) showed that entomologists who worked directly with colonies of moths and other insects in a confined space experienced allergic symptoms (Davies & Butler 2008, p. 95). These symptoms included sneezing, bodily rashes, coughing and irritation. From this text, I will be transposing the negative side effects of the study onto butterflies to enhance the effect of my promotional video.

Gerdes, AB, Uhl, G & Alpers, GW 2009, 'Spiders are special: fear and disgust evoked by pictures of arthropods', Evolution and Human Behavior, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 66-73.
This paper examines the idea that a fear of spiders is an evolutionary adaptation by conducting a comparative study to see if this fear is linked to bees/wasps and butterflies/moths. In some cases, individuals may have the same response to all crawlies as they do to spiders. While this is helpful, I cannot rely on all of my consumers having a fear of bugs. According to Gerdes et al, aside from spiders, rapid and unpredictable movement can also be associated with butterflies and moths; a means reported to create fear due to humans inability to control this movement. This section from the source has been particularly useful in that is has provided information that will allow me to better emphasise a negative stigma on butterflies similar to that of spiders. From this text, I was able to decide on the reaction my actors will have to butterflies and how I want my audience to react also.

Crisp, R. J 1987, ''Persuasive Advertising, Autonomy, and the Creation of Desire', Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 413-414.
This paper discusses how persuasive advertisements have the ability to manipulate the audience to do or buy something without their knowledge, through subliminal suggestion. This source has been useful in that it has helped to answer my second research question - how can I make my message believable? I need to appeal to my audience's autonomous desires; what do parents most want? To protect their families. I will need to convince them that my safety kit is important to protect their families, to fulfil their desire. From this text, I have come to decide how my promotional video will be presented and how I can pull at the heartstrings of my audience. It has also assisted in developing ideas on word choices and persuasive techniques to convince the audience of my message.

Mind Map

sales_maddison — 2018-03-21 02:09:57 UTC

(click to expand)

Week 3 -Critiquing Advertisements

sales_maddison — 2018-03-22 02:31:33 UTC

Allpest 2011, Cockroach 30 second Ad, Video, Youtube, October 11 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piF-33tQdAo> viewed March 16, 2018
This advertisement is by Allpest and appears to be promoting pest fumigation. It is clear this advertisement is aimed at adults and those with a fear of bugs. It is pulling on the fear factor by having a cockroach taking up a large portion of the screen, talking about the places it is infesting your home. However, it quickly turns this fear into reassurance, in a quick, deep tone of voice saying "we don't negotiate with cockroaches". It's simple, effective and to the point. The dialogue of the cockroach is high pitched, fumbling and Spanish - I am unsure why they chose to use a Spanish cockroach but perhaps it evokes the idea of something being foreign and unfamiliar. It has a similar fear element that I would like to try to implement into my video and I also think the quick, sharp dialogue at the end with the low voice could also be an effective way of promoting comfort, trust and reassurance with my particular audience. The website linked to this features red and white colours, however, I think I want to avoid red as it comes across as a 'danger' and panicked colour.

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center 2016, I Think So Ad, video, YouTube, September 30 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YVz1jU5QSw> Viewed March 20, 2018
This advertisement is promoting a health plan, encouraging the target audience to not 'think' they are prepared but to know they will be safe if something was the happen to them. It appears this advertisement is aimed at young or new couples where the male really wants to show his masculine side and perhaps those who haven't quite thought about their future and finances yet. While I am not promoting a health plan, I will be trying to achieve the same emotion/sense of 'have we done this yet?'. I want my audience to question if they have prepared themselves in case they are encountered by the dangerous butterfly. Unlike my video, this ad features no music (exept for the last 3 seconds), which is effective in getting the point across and not overdoing it - it really works for what they are trying to achieve.

Nasonex Allergy 2015, video, YouTube, September 24 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cknYhuYHWdY> Viewed March 20, 2018
The message of this video is that with Nasonex, people who suffer from hayfever and symptoms alike will lead a happier and much more comfortable life. This ad is quite obviously targeted at people who suffer from hayfever. The tone of this advertisement starts out incredibly serious, talking about the drive to leave earth but quickly turns into a positive ad saying 'if only they had tried our product...' demonstrating the product flying in outer space - evoking the idea of this 'out of this world', guaranteed to work product. This is the type of approach I want to make for my advertisement, to evoke the idea of your world being saved by relying on my product and spreading butterfly safety awareness. There seems to be a lot of dialogue in this advertisement, all squashed into the 30 seconds. While I think I will have a bit of dialogue, mine will be different in that it won't be lots to process with the background sound effects and music etc.

41-60

sales_maddison — 2018-03-22 03:17:13 UTC

41. Expandable shoes
42. Expandable fridge
43. Bottle opener for your shoe
44. Magnet eyelash extensions
45. 'new item maker' from your old belongings
46. Backpack fan
47.Walking, talking teddies.
48. Craving remover tablet
49.
50.

Week 4: Summary of Creating a Mind Map

sales_maddison — 2018-03-22 03:21:58 UTC

This week with the idea of creating a mind map, I was worried about how I could possibly come up with 100 bubbles, particularly when I struggle coming up with 80 creative ideas. Surprisingly, it came fairly easily.
The absolute most important part of this is letting go of all assumptions of how and who this would affect. Considering inanimate objects such as gardens and plants will benefit the deeper meaning of the message in this downward spiral into career issues etc. - creating that dark, negative connotation of butterflies such as ruining relationships and financial strain as shown on the mind map. Much of the points I came up with will be shown in my video, whether that will be subtly or verbally expressed so I feel fairly confident with the progress of ideas for my promotional video.

How will my advertisement be distinctive and different?
I am really starting to get some ideas together of what I want my video to look like. I have a family friend with two young children and this will really help to portray a sense of responsibility, for those who have children, to look after and protect them. I remember growing up and listening to memorable jingles, so I'm really hoping to come up with one but haven't an idea for one just yet.

The Message - My promotional video
Don't wait until you're encountered by a butterfly, putting your family at risk - buy a safety kit and spread awareness of the dangers of butterflies.

Week 5 - Target Audience (Expanded) & Colour Pallet

sales_maddison — 2018-03-28 01:53:39 UTC

The colour blue represents stability and is closely associated with trust and confidence.White often relates positively to safety. These are all things I want my target audience to relate to when it comes to buying the product and spreading butterfly awareness. These colours will promote the idea that they and their families will be safe - a feeling that would not be felt if related to black or red for example - the colour of danger, evil and death (Empower by Colour, 2017).
I have specifically chosen a light blue colour (#4096ed) as it promotes health and softness and can often be used to suggest a simplicity - particularly with medical products (butterfly safety kit). There may also feature a soft purple (#cf36d7) to further promote comfort and simplicity. I want parents (as will be demonstrated in the clip) to be comfortable that their children and themselves will remain healthy if they believe in my product and message. A parent shown in my video will be worried about their child(ren) playing outside and these colours and the safety kit will really promote the positive side of the issue.

Chosen colours:
Light blue #4096ed
Soft Purple #cf36d7
White

Empower by Colour 2017, http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/meaning-of-colors.html, viewed 28 March, 2018

Week 5 - Tone

sales_maddison — 2018-03-28 02:03:49 UTC

As this is a made-up product/idea, my audience us unaware of what to expect and thus my advertisement has more pressure to be convincing, enticing and appealing.
In the clip, I will be using the fear factor of a parent's child is in danger. Once they've seen my video, I want the audience to be reassured that with my product, they will be safe and can rely on its success.

Other than fear, I'll need to convey a sense of confidence to the audience - with this you will be safe. I am still unsure of a specific font, but it'll have to be both bold and simple. With such a 'serious' issue, you want the audience to take you and the product serious. Can't have too much going on or you'll lose the interest of the audience as they will not be able to take it seriously...

sales_maddison — 2018-04-04 01:48:24 UTC

sales_maddison — 2018-04-04 01:51:59 UTC

Week 6 - Treatment

sales_maddison — 2018-04-04 02:10:45 UTC

'Butterfly Effect' is all about making sure, as a parent, you are prepared when your children need it if they are ever to be encountered by a butterfly. It evokes the idea that when you're touched by one - or your pets are - you could find yourself in trouble with both your health and potentially financially.

It's the afternoon and the children have come home from school. They run down the hallway and out the front door - it's still bright outside, mid-afternoon. The birds can be heard chirping and subtle, calming music plays in the background.

Across the road on a dirt patch, the children pass the ball to each other, enjoying free time like all children should be able to do. However, the young boy quickly notices something coming from the distance. Dropping his ball, he points warning his sister. They panic, running out of frame to the left, away from the swarm of butterflies that follow. The calming music has vanished and in its place is growing, dark orchestral music, similar to that heard when chased by a shark. Thick fluttering noises are also heard as the swarm crosses the screen. In another attempt to get away, the children dart right across the frame again, still being followed by the dangerous butterfly. In a few simple, yet fast-paced shots, we have evoked panic in our audience - will they be okay?

We cut back to the front door where the children's mum has popped her head at the door, urging the children to come back inside before it's too late. Everything seems a panic now - the background music grows louder. The young boy desperately grabs the cat in order to keep the whole family safe. With everyone inside, they're away from danger. From here the job is simple: let the audience know that everything is and can be okay as long as they are prepared in advance to care for themselves and their families when encountered by a butterfly.

The final scene fades into a white screen with the 'call to action' - call now, visit the website for information - written in light blue and purple with the company logo. There is no music present, just the simple text on the screen and company slogan - everything is now okay and the audience feels obligated to spread awareness and get their own safety kits to care for their families to avoid this same situation.

sales_maddison — 2018-04-05 06:13:13 UTC

Font Choices

sales_maddison — 2018-04-05 06:18:59 UTC

Really liking these font choices. They are simple but that's what I need. To the point, nothing over the top.
Examples:

SLOGAN IDEAS!!

sales_maddison — 2018-04-05 06:41:58 UTC

"Butterflies - they're no joke"
"Butterfly safety - it's no joke"
"Don't fly passed a butterfly safety kit" - 'butterfly safety kit' sang as a jingle
Same as number 2 but with "make sure to pick up a butterfly safety kit" in a jingle.

Target Audience

sales_maddison — 2018-04-06 04:17:50 UTC

Adults and Parents - these are the people responsible for someone else. They feel a need to protect the life of those they are looking after and therefore are a perfect demographic to target.

Struggles.

sales_maddison — 2018-04-08 03:22:17 UTC

6/04/2018
Struggling to find sources for health and safety kits. Also struggling to find peer sources for dangerous animals and safety. What's going on?!

IMPACT WORDS

sales_maddison — 2018-04-08 03:41:57 UTC

- Risk - Prevention
- Delay - Deprive
- Protect