Things Are Not As They Seem

        

  Subliminal messages are still around. Most people think that subliminal massages are all about what is hidden in a television program, commercial, or piece of music. Subliminal means below the threshold of sensation or consciousness, perceived by or affecting someone's mind without their being aware of it. There are many ways to communicate with people's inner most being. 
          Advertisers are constantly looking for ways to bring their product to the attention of consumers. They will use television, radio, magazines, social media, or any other medium that is popular at the time. Years ago, they even used those hidden messages that we have all heard about.  It was such a problem that the U.S. outlawed the use of subliminal messages in advertising. However, there are still subliminal ads in plain sight. A message doesn't have to be encoded into a movie to be subliminal. Like the definition says, it can be any thing that communicates with your subconscious mind. A particular word that may stay with you whether you know it or not. There are images that affect us greatly, but we don't realize it until a while later. Repetitive mentioning of anything will imprint itself on your mind, and you may not know where you got the knowledge of that subject later. There are subliminal messages all around us. We just don't consciously notice that they are there.

Let's See Who Is Watching

     It seems that everywhere we look these days there is some kind of advertising. A billboard here, A commercial there, and even signs on doors in public bathrooms. There aren't many places that you can go where there is isn't a product being shoved in your face. There is a question though. Why are these ads here? Why are certain ads places in certain places via certain mediums? The answers can probably be found in the Focus groups utilized by the marketing teams in these different companies.

    A focus group is defined as a diverse group of people assembled to discuss a certain product before it launches, and to provide ongoing feedback. These groups of people often help companies determine who might be interested in a product, and how much someone would be willing to pay for a particular product. For instance, say there is a new vacuum cleaner being released into the market. The key features if this vacuum are that it is light weight and silent. The focus group to this product is made up of many different peoples, several of which are stay at home mothers of small children. Based on the information that was given, these women find that this product is most appealing to them and would be most likely purchased by woman in similar situations. This product would enable them to clean house, and not wake their napping children. Going on the results of the focus group, the vacuum company will advertise for their product in places, on channels, programs, and radio that will reach this demographic. So the nest time you see an ad on the back of a bathroom door, or inside your favorite magazine, know that that particular product is meant to be there because it will probably peak some interest in you.
 

The Bus is the Word

While in Nashville this past weekend, I saw several if these buses driving around the city. They were everywhere I seemed to look. I decided to snap a photo, and do a little research to see what exactly it was that they were advertising. 

      Motor Coach Industries is a part of a bigger corporation, Motorcoach Counsel. Their main objective is to promote public awareness about motor coach transportation. I'd have to say that they are doing an amazing job of spreading the word. By having their vehicles prevalent in densely populated, tourist area, they are hitting all of their target markets. The colors are attractive and eye-catching, and the message on the ads is just enough to make someone want to find out more. This is a pretty good marketing strategy if i do say so myself.

What's Going On Downtown?

          Studies have shown that in the last several years, there has been a shift back into to cities. There is a great migration taking place that is moving people away from the suburbs. This is not just happening in larger cities. This movement is taking place all over the country, even here in little historic Selma, AL. 

          Selma has always been a small city. Most of it's residents live outside of the city limits, and there is a large farming community that is still active here. However, there is a shift that is being facilitated by the powers that be in Selma, to get more people to move back into the city. The majority of the downtown area is lined with old multistory buildings that have businesses on the bottom floor but have nothing occupying the upper levels. City officials have passed a bill that would allow for the renovation and revitalization of these buildings, with the upper levels of them being turned into loft style apartments. There has been lots of talk about this change in the community. What will that mean for local economy and property values? Will it increase the the traffic to the many local businesses that call downtown home? Will this make room for Selma to have a public transportation system? 

         I believe that the shift to city living here in Selma would not so much draw current residents into the city as it would bring all new people in. It would open to door for many new businesses and ventures in the downtown area. There would be room for rental services, pet services, maid services, and cab services. There would be need for more sidewalks, entertainment, and restaurants. The economic potential and business possibilities are endless.There are many people in the area that are against the redevelopment of downtown however. They feel that Selma will loose it's historical value and significance if there is too much of a change.