Better late than never?

Ugh. I feel like I have been trying to update the blog forever.  This draft has been sitting in the edits since the day after the Super Bowl.  I figure it has some good stuff in it so why not post it for the world....better late than never right? (It's in blue.)

I survived the Snowtorious B.I.G. aka Snopocalypse-Windy City edition aka Snowmaggedon 2011.  It was quite an interesting week filled with snow, wind, idiots stranded on LSD (that's Lake Shore Drive to all you non-Chicagoians) and of course the wonder that is THUNDER SNOW.  I was one of the lucky that did not lose power, heat, or even sleep over the blizzard. I attended a snow bunny party in my building and watched the flakes fly.  Of course Rex decided that he would not use his wee wee pad, and I took him out at 9:30 pm during the peak of the 70mph winds.  We were only out there for approximately 90 seconds.

Anyway, Super Bowl Sunday just passed.  I am so sad that my Steelers did not defeat my arch enemy the Green Bay Wackers....oh I "meant" Packers.  Anyway, as a participant in the most watched television show ever I will give my obligatory Super Bowl winner and losers wrap up.

Winner: Clearly Chrysler.  I loved the "We are Detroit" theme. I thought it was intense, and the Eminem voice over coupled with his song "The Moment" was a nice touch.  The ad fought back against the criticism that Detroit is wasting away into a ghetto; that it is a scab and scar America would be better without.  Instead this ad showed what Detroit people are proud of, they will not give up, and they will rise again.  In my classes we question are the ads clear, motivating, and distinct? If yes, you have a great ad.  This ad was all three.  I am quite sure I wasn't the only soul who felt compelled to buy American again. 

Losers:  I have two choices.

The American public as we were also forced to endure limitless sub-par commercials. WHAT HAPPENED TO BEING CREATIVE?! It's the Super Bowl for goodness sake. Do not pound out your usual work!!!!!!!!!!!!  I also felt there were too many movie previews.  Boo.

Coke.  What happened to making sense? They were all over the board, with the soldiers on opposite sides of battle putting their differences aside to share a Coke and then re-drawing lines in the sand.  What about the fantasy world that just left me scratching my head and thinking yet ANOTHER horrible Coke ad.  I say this from a place of love.  I love the products. Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Cherry Coke, Coke Zero=Mad Media Maven YUM. One of my favorite commercials of all time is a Coke commercial "Cake Mix, Wheat Bread, Coca Cola, Shaving Cream."  I REMEMBER the list years later!!!!!! I beg you Coke. Fire your creatives and hire me. This showing was for the second year in a row abysmal.  It was unclear, unmotivated, and indistinct. FAIL.

We all know that Groupon did a bad job.

Anyway-this semester is way busier than I thought it would be.  The weeks seem to fly by.  I am learning a ton at my internship.  The job hunt is......going.   Hoping to land the job soon.  Still pursuing lots of leads. 

Tonight is Chicago's much hyped mayoral election. Should be interesting to watch.  Ciao!

I want my MTV?

 

This Sunday is MTV's annual Video Music Awards or VMAs as they're known. Growing up this was THE show to watch. This year is supposed to be big with acts such as Drake, Kanye West and (wait for it) Justin Bieber. Odd lineup, but we'll get to that later. Hosting the show is author and E! Television star Chelsea Handler?? MTV has been running ads featuring Drake for the last month or so to get its viewers hype about the show. The only problem, I suspect, is that the world kinda doesn't care.

Why would I make a statement such as that? For starters, the lineup is just odd.  It appears as if they're trying to truly capture a demographic that is just too diverse: 12-40, all races, ethnic backgrounds, urban and suburban. I mean, Chelsea Handler??!  Don't get me wrong I like her.  I find her funny, and while I haven't read her books, I want to.  But I'm a 28 year-old woman who can legally DRINK VODKA!!  She also hasn't struck me as the type who relates to girls under eighteen.  Maybe she can just as Carrie Broadshaw related to "women" everywhere (aka girls who were having sex). Let's not forget the other half of the audience is male.  Young males are so into asserting their masculinity that I am not sold on her captivating their attention. 

As far as JB is concerned I understand it's important that MTV supports and acknowledges its large moneymakers.   There is something about a tween sharing the billing with Kanye that just does not sit well with me.  It could be that I am a huge hip hop fan, and while I like pop Justin Timberlake would seem to be a better fit.  Or maybe it's that I just view Bieber as a child, and I don't take him seriously as an artist.  Who knows.  Let's be real: outside a money-making perspective it makes zero sense; bottom line this odd host/guest lineup screams desperation for MTV to me. 

This morning they revealed their final ploy to reel viewers in: a bonus episode of Jersey Shore RIGHT before the VMAs.  Wow.  To me that means the VMA's are no longer capable of pulling the viewership they once had.  I remember back in the day EVERYONE watched the red carpet pre-show, the awards show, and the after show.  Now, you have to entice us with an extra dose of our favorite hard-partying guidos to try to get us to tune into your show?? I'm not sure if this is because MTV is in a strange position as the first generation grows up and shifts its focus on more stimulating material and no longer views the VMAs as necessary to view.  Personally,  I'll be recording Jersey Shore. Like many of my friends I will be tuned into HBO for the True Blood, Hung, and Entourage finales. 

I'm sorry MTV as much as I love MVP, Snooki, JWoww, Angelina, and the never-ending Sammi/Ronnie Drama there is NOTHING you can do to tear me away from my Sunday HBO.  Nothing.  And I think you know MANY others feel the same way which is why you used Jersey Shore as bait.  Not going to work.  Frankly as people who grew up watching MTV we know that you will re-run the show 50 times next week.  Perhaps I'll catch an encore.  Although, I may not.  After the premiere I will have a good idea of what occurred through Twitter, Facebook and the blogosphere to know if it's worth my time. Or, like many others, I may just youtube the performances worth seeing and scrap the rest.