Utopia.

Utopia. Does it exist?

For my ad, I decided to make a brochure for a place simply named “Utopia”. My intention for this ad was to show the subtle signs of a controlling society by using lines such as “so long as you follow the rules” and “you won’t have to worry about making bad decisions”. I also used a cartoon drawing of your stereotypical family: a mom and dad, one son and one daughter, and a single dog, with the backdrop of green hills and a nice home. Everyone can relate to wanting to have a nice family, pet, and home, so I thought it’d be appropriate if I drew that. Of course, there is no such thing as perfection. 

The Giver, in five words.

Gifted : Jonas' inherited wisdom, his ability to see beyond.
Isolation : Without it, he would find no purpose.
Valiant : The courage needed to free his community: he is the Hero.
Ethereal : The end of his journey, and what plays beyond his life.
River : The symbol for division between Jonas' world and the outside world.


The Giver,
Gifted, Isolation, Valiant, Ethereal, River.

"SUMMER hotter than others" Abercrombie & Fitch Summer 2011 Line

Visual ads like this Abercrombie & Fitch advertisement tend to catch the eyes of many. This LA billboard has an overtly sexual tone, and uses the male figure to highlight it's selling point: sex appeal. This advertisement appeals to young adult female girls, and guys who want to have the same figure at the model. Ironic how a clothing line uses a nearly naked model to sell it's product: we can only see the waist line of the model's jeans. One can only be led to believe that Abercrombie & Fitch wants a sexual image associated with their brand name. 

Advertisements similar to these are found all over the place. From the mall in your town to the internet you surf every night, they are inescapable. It is sad when we see a half naked man or woman in an advertisement and unconsciously are led to believe that what we see is the way we must look. Men in particular have a tough image to "live up to", and women are forced into thinking that they must get a man who looks like those models. We all know that these models aren't realistic for many, and yet we still make a huge effort in making ourselves look like them. And this is why this ad is successful. 

Marketers must know how unrealistic what they advertise is, but of course, we buy into it. I have found myself browsing the limited selection of clothing at stores like Abercrombie & Fitch, and have always found that I felt discouraged for not looking like the female models they paste on the walls of fitting rooms. But putting on those jeans or whatever article of clothing I had grabbed put me one step closer to looking like them... Exactly what the advertisement wanted. 

A sentence to live by.

I have learned that I will never be happy if I continually search for what happiness contains; I must keep going, dream as if my life is endless, and never be afraid of what potential my life has.

"Weathering the Economic Storm"

       "Study: College Grads Weathering Economic Storm" written by Menachem Wecker and published in US News, is an article which reiterates somewhat commonly known knowledge- that being, college graduates, on average, not only earn more than high school graduates, but also have a better chance at acquiring and keeping their job. Statistics are given to back up these fact go to show that while there is significant unemployment among people of all education levels, it is better for some than others.

       A metaphor given in the article says, "When it rains hard enough and long enough, everyone gets a little wet". The rain is a symbol for our economic recession, and being wet is a symbol of it's influence on others. This metaphor describes how, given adequate conditions, the economic recession has the potential to affect everyone.

     The recession has directly affected me and my family. In the spring of this year I had been notified that my dad had gotten laid off at the casino in Vegas he worked at for nearly 20 years. Because my father paid for a large portion of my rent, I was suddenly put into a position of having to completely provide for myself. I never really knew how bad the recession was until I submitted 19 job applications in the month of January, and another 15 in the following month. Of the 34 job applications I sent, I had three call backs, one interview, and zero success.  I found it astounding how so many of my job applications got denied. Being a full-time student-athlete, I had to consider the possibility of me putting my education and sports on hold in order to keep my home. Luckily, I was finally able to hold a steady job in March, but still had to pull a large sum of money from my savings which was supposed to be locked. I also had to drop my evening classes in order to work, which has only prolonged the amount of time I need to stay at the JC until I transfer. I consider myself lucky in comparison to the many who have completely lost their source of income and still haven't found a job, but I did have a taste of the recession first hand.