Monday, April 30, 2012

Bridget Pasapane Spoof Ad Final





Bridget Pasapane
GD360
Spoof Ad
4/29/12
                                                            DePaulerall
            The advertisement created above is a spoof of the DePaul University Ads. The original is the, “This is not salt”, ad that is one of many used to market DePaul created in this format. The spoof, “This is not Adderall”, was designed with that same format in mind on Photoshop as a print ad. Under both of those ad’s is a similar spoof but put into facebook context for the web.
            The main subject being addressed is a play on the ADD/ADHD medication commonly used by college students in order to complete assignments, meet deadlines, stay focused, and physically make it through the copious amounts of work that seem impossible to do without the medication as an aid. The secondary subject mentioned briefly on the print ad suggests that CDM students above other departments at DePaul are the bigger users of the drug or need it more than most other DePaul students because of the time and concentration various projects take.
            The print ad has some geometric principles to it, however I feel this ad is mostly deconstructive. This is because the headline instantly confuses the viewer. They see an image of Adderall pills and yet it reads, “This is not Adderall.” It is only once the viewer digs deeper into the meaning by reading the text that it is realized that the underlying meaning is telling that the image is so much more than just Adderall and describes other definitions for the term.
            I ended up creating this Ad even though I had several ideas for the project because this was the first idea that popped into my head when the project was assigned. I brought a good amount of attitude and experience into the piece because I have seen first hand what so many college students will do to get their hands on these magic study enhancers. Especially in CDM, the amount of hard and tedious work, concentration and patients, hours and hours it takes to complete various projects and assignments can make someone lose their sanity. Adderall, the leading ADD/ADHD medication helps with that, A LOT. I think this creation for a spoof ad is pretty unique, I do not think a lot of students would have thought of this idea and if they had not many would follow through and call attention to this epidemic.
            The original ad for DePaul comes from their new “advertising campaign in support of a comprehensive refresh of the university's brand. Called the "Greater Perspective" campaign, the new ads demonstrate the power of DePaul's teaching approach and students' learning outcomes. The ads are designed to communicate that a greater perspective makes DePaul graduates uniquely prepared to contribute, collaborate and succeed in a competitive and diverse global marketplace” (DePaul University). In my spoof I incorporated elements such as the layout, and wording that the original does but instead to create a different message.
            The purpose of this ad was not to create awareness of a situation or call people out, but rather to have a little fun making a joke that does have some (or a lot) of truth to it. Overall, I think the turn out is pretty successful and the enjoyment factor for me as the creator gives the project a boost rather than if I was doing this while completely uninterested. The facebook setting for the ad is my favorite because of all the different little elements it brings to the table like the profile picture, cover photo, and catchy text in the little ad itself. The weakness this idea might hold is that it only really applies to the target audience, which are the college students and prospective people applying to DePaulerall University. I am not certain of how many people a generation or so ahead actually know what Adderall is or of how widespread its use is on college campuses.


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