Adbusters: Starbucks

 Starbucks was in the news in November of 2008 due to the concerns of environmentalists and those concerned over the world's fresh and clean water supply. Beside (or above, however your browser accepts this webpage) is an Adbusters spoof ad that I've made in Photoshop as part of this unit and assignment. The text reads: (Top) We'll waste the rest of the world's fresh water supply to give you the highest in sanitary heath standards in our mission to provide you with over priced coffee. As it's probably obvious, I'm not a Starbucks person. I much prefer Tim Horton's and a good University fund.

"A controversy erupted last week when a United Kingdom newspaper reported that millions of gallons of water was being wasted by Starbucks each day because of its policy of keeping taps running non-stop at thousands of stores around the world."

Was the first paragraph in the article from Greenbiz and was pretty much the sum up of the article. With the world's fresh water supply only being 10% and most of it being unattainable, are we really able to throw our precious resource away like this? Yes sanitary standards are a major concern, especially with big companies and corporations however the environment should take bigger claim over decisions than egos.

American Apparel and Adbusters

1. Choose an article that is critical of the actions or behaviors of a major corporation or popular company or icon and post a link to your blog. 
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-10-31/american-apparel-ceo-dov-charney-on-his-controversial-ad 

2. What is the intended message of the article?
The intended message is to show the CEO of American Apparel's side of the mess that was created when American Apparel launched an ad after hurricane Sandy releasing a 20% off sale to the nine states most effected by the storm. The writer of the article does have some biased towards the situation however when the interview was conducted the replies given by Dov Charney are nothing but acceptable and empathetic. He does what he does and he apologizes in his own words while keeping a professional ere by saying "We've never claimed to be a perfect advertiser. Our heart is always in the right place. We’re just trying to bring a little value to everyone. It’s all about fun.". 

3. Are you surprised by the content of the article? Is there anything in the article that you were not already aware of?

I was surprised to hear the side of the CEO of the company and what he had to say on the matter. I was aware, being a shopper at American Apparel as well as having multiple friends who work in the stores on the floor and back in stock that the ads are said to ere on the side of pornography to some extent. "The clothing retailer, long criticized for using porn imagery to hawk underwear and T-shirts..."

4. How do you think you can change the original intended message of the company or to question the ideals of the company you have chosen?
The intended message of the company is generally classified as fashion and spreading it however the way they advertise is already enough to put people off without the need for controversy in the news. 

5. Post a link to a print ad that is currently presenting the companies image to the public.
Ad 1
Ad 2 (website- can see any ad posted)

6. Post an Adbuster spoof ad that is critical of the company. 
The ad isn't necessarily a spoof but instead is a letter from Adbusters to American Apparel and in response a letter to the editor back from the company. 

Adbusters

1.Cut and paste one spoof ad from Adbusters and explain the meaning of the Advertisement.

 

This ad speaks volumes about today's values and modern pop culture. Personally I can name every brand on the left side while only three leaves match a name in my mind on the right. The meaning is to say that we as people individual and as a society are cut off from nature and too far in deep with marketing and consumerism. Be it that we spend too much time in the city and shopping malls are taking over the trees and small parks within the downtown and greater area, or that we've lost the essential knowledge of nature the ad is effective.

2.How does the spoof ad change the original intended message of the company?

The spoof ad has the company logos drawn like an elementary school kid would as well as the leaves on the opposite side. It changes the logos to make them look more simple and reserved like the leaves and it shows just how recognizable they are that even if they aren't drawn full scale or colored like how we know them, they are still more recognizable than leaves we see everyday. For example, the leave that's in the top left corner is a maple leaf, what Canada's flag is known for and what we see every day. I asked the person next to me what it was and they couldn't tell me but they could tell me what the Nike symbol was right off the bat.

 

3. Do you think the  spoof ad is effective in making consumers question the original message of the company?

It does make you think twice about how we regard brands in today's society compared to the nature that is supposedly surrounding us. 

 

4. Do you agree or disagree with the sentiment of the spoof ad? 

I agree with the statement completely that we know pop culture more than we do nature and what surrounds us. 

Another ad that shows the same message, that we know modern irrelevant things that the media conveys almost 24/7 is this: Name the people we should be learning about for the things they've done vs. name the people we know for doing stupid things and being famous in today's pop culture.