Phone

This week's something 'well-designed' has got to be my trusty cell phone. It's a Sony Ericsson C902, simple yet brand new last year or the year before, it serves its purpose. The screen is quite big (or so i thought so last year) and it has a 5mgp camera which is good quality for a phone. It works quickly, comes with games and looks snazzy- so much so that James Bond had the exact same phone in his last film.
My opinion of my phone was not quite as loving last year however as when i first got it, it was slow and broke a few times for no apparent reason. I sent it away and luckily it was replaced for free (I should think so too!) However, fourth time lucky this one has lasted a while and the reason i am writing about it is because I happened to have dropped it in the toilet last night (luckily before i went). I left it to dry, as you do and put it back together this morning and it worked. Yay! Obviously my little phone but doesn't compare to the app-ridden, touch screen, ultra fashionable Smartphones of today but how fragile do they seem? I doubt the iphone would have carried on working after such trauma. This isnt the first time i dropped a phone in a bog but its definately the first time it has continued to work... but lets not jinx it now ay..

Sony Ericsson X10

Last Tuesday was the first of ‘ADVER301 Campaign Creation’ and during our lecturer’s slideshow we were treated to adverts on Youtube, one of which was for the new Sony Ericsson X10 model. (Check it out). The first advert featured three little girls aged around 3, each with a different phone to test out at this ‘focus group’. The 3 toddlers were asked to take a photo of the man doing the testing and to uses functions such as zooming in. naturally only the girl with the Sony Ericsson X10 phone was able to use it.

There were a series of these viral ads using different trios of people including, old men, surfer dudes, models and rockers- every ad as funny as the last. What made these ads funny and enjoyable to watch is that the situation seems real (mainly with the toddlers and old folk), the testing guy is funny and the ads are simple. I thought they were great which is why later that night I showed my mum and boyfriend. Of course he liked them because he’s normal. But my mum.. well.. she had an entirely different view on these lighthearted virals.

First she completely over-analysed the one with the kids as one girl is white, one is asian and one is half asian half white, saying that they made their smartness according to their race. Second she said that all these groups were being stereotyped – which they are and that’s the point- in a funny way. But she didn’t understand that and thinks that people would be offended by the fact that the advert is saying all thoses groups (models, old people etc) are too stupid to use a phone. I tried explaining that the comic stereotype for models and surfers is that they are a bit dim and that old people and toddlers simply don’t know how to use mobile phones but she wouldn’t listen so I gave up and showed her the Old Spice advert… she still found things to say about that too.. I won’t even get into it.

The X Factor, a tool for the media to promote the X Factor

This entertainment show is no longer just something to watch over the weekend; it has become a brand. Not only is it used to find new talent and for those everyday people to break into show business, but it is now a multimillion pound company. Firstly, to bring interest, big names and major celebrities are brought in to not only promote the show but also to promote themselves. And usually if these celebrities are promoting their music they are usually on the same record label run by the main judges, therefore making more money for themselves.

'The X Factor' is a very clever business. The general public is included in every aspect of the show; the voting of the winners (and losers), they are the audience at the auditions and final shows and there is even an X Factor magazine so you can keep up to date with everything from the contestants, judges and presenters and all their personal issues too.

'The X Factor' has been created by a selection of people who are very smart and in a very credible industry. It has obviously done its job in England and all over the world, creating everything from jobs to money and everything in between. And to the producers, I say “hats off to them”