What Is Right?

I recently had a really difficult conversation with one of my friends about their post-graduation life. It is safe to say that his life is not what he pictured it would be after college.  He admitted that he wasn’t using his degree at his current job, and that the looming amount of debt has begun to encroach on his peace of mind.

I don’t know if it is just me, but after hearing stories like this, and many others I often wonder why I am even in school. I wonder if I had just gotten a job and started working my way up if I could have saved time and my parents money. It’s safe to say that I, like my friend, wonder if it is all worth it.

I’m not sure I have a final answer on the subject. I have heard amazing success stories from people who  have dropped out of, or simply chose not to go to college. I have also heard stories of people who have had a really hard life because they were not able to attend college.  I have heard of people going to college and landing amazing  jobs based on the connections they have made, and I have also heard stories of how college was a waste of money and time. So with all of these stories, where is the truth? Where is the option that guarantees the most happiness and success? I don’t think anyone of these options are the final answer.

We as a society have elevated education and the “American Dream” to a divine standard. The generations before us tell us that getting a good education is the best thing we could do for our lives. We are priced up and given a value stamp telling us what we are or are not worth every time we slide our resume across the table. We chase the good job that pays well because without the money how is life ever going to really start?

Friends, let me tell you that life is already starting. It started way back when you were conceived and birthed in that hospital room. Pay attention to your breath for a second. Feel the rise and fall of your chest. See? Life. You have it. When we make our education and money and job status our god it’s no wonder we forget that we have life! Now, please hear, or rather read, my heart on this subject. I am a college student. I do think that college is an amazing gift that I have been given. However, I do not think it is the only gift. If you are not in college, then look for the gift that too. I promise there is one to be found. Yet, this gift is not some euphoric experience that would be shown in slow motion with beautiful music in the background on the silver screen. The gift that can be found no matter if  you are going to college or working a 9-5 job. This gift is Jesus. Too cheesy for you? Yeah, well how are those college classrooms and jobs working for you as your god? When we work for our worth we will be disappointed every time.  We will always need more schooling, another raise, a bigger house, or a retro airstream to make us feel validated and worthy. But with Jesus, we are not working for worth we are working from worth.

I will finish with this….

” God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying ‘ Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God, how can you turn back to the weak and elementary principles of this world, whose slaves you want to me once more?” (Galatians 4: 6-10).

If you are in school, great. If you are working, great. If you are a drop-out great. If you are a graduate and are not using your degree, that’s okay. If you are successful in your job, great. These are all various seasons and realities that we may come to find ourselves in. Are they difficult? Yes. Are they joy filled? Yes. Just as the summer is hot and the winter is cold, so too will the seasons of life carry different characteristics and conditions. I’m not sure that any one given season of life is “right” or “wrong”. But I am sure that Jesus is constant in His love for you. I am sure that he is the way, the truth, and the light. So walk forward in whatever season you may be going through, and do not worship a god that enslaves you, but maybe worship the One that has set you free instead. Abbigail English, over and out.

Inspiration for this blog post came from Indie Tips.

 

The Woman haters club

18 Jul 2002, Khobar, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia Shopping — Image by © Christopher Morris/VII/Corbis

After hundreds of years fighting for equality for women just when you think we’re getting somewhere we take a step back. From voting rights to equal pay the last thing we should have to worry about is not being able to peacefully drink coffee at Starbucks right? Well a news article was written about how women in Saudi Arabia were not allowed at certain Starbucks. Hearing this comes as a shock to us because it is something that we don’t even think about. A woman not being able to eat at the same place as a man? That is basically unheard of in America, but in the middle east it is a battle that they face everyday.

At these Starbucks they do not even have women serving them their piping hot lattes. Only men. Women who have tried to fight it have been told “If you want a drink, send in your driver. “On top of not allowing women into the coffee shop they have completely re-designed the logo to where it no longer includes the siren who is the face of the company. Officials decided that it was to risqué for the male customers. Now I am not sure of the legality of the situation but I feel as though Starbucks should be doing something about this. This reflects badly on their company and the country of Saudi Arabia. You might be saying in your head “Yeah, but its Starbucks, coffee isn’t a big deal.” But it is. Women deserve the same rights and treatment as men in all aspects of life no matter how big or small the problem might be.

Stereotypes in Advertisement

 

In today’s social media, race and gender has become a very popular topic. Even though this seems to never die down, differences among individuals always seems to be a never ending conversation. How about in the world of advertising? As some may know, gender, race and appearance mattered and some point in time. Have things changed?

Companies take their time out to produce their brand as identifiable. However, in the process, stereotypes tend to form. According to Chron, there are four different types of stereotypes in the advertising world.

1. Child gender roles
2. Shallow/incompetent male
3. domesticated females
4. racial stereotypes

when it comes to children in advertisement, marketers still have the idea that young girls are supposed to extremely girly or little boys are supposed to be tough.

Just the other day in my ad creativity class, my professor stressed how over-played and even annoying it is to see a commercial where there is a family, and the father is a non essential individual. You know, the dad who can’t even make lunch for his kids? Yea, incompetent male. It’s really sad and cliche.

On the other hand, we have the lovely domesticated housewife. No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with showing a mom who stays at home, but it would be nice to see a mom, who works, cooks, cleans, and attend every dance recital and soccer game.

Last, but most certainly not least, we have racial stereotypes. As a black female in America, I have grown up watching commercials and have fallen in love with entertainment. However, the stereotype that all black peopleare loud, is as old as the world of advertisement.

 

Always avoid the Jump-Cut

One of the biggest rules of video editing is to avoid making a jump-cut. Whether you are using Final Cut, Movie Maker, Camtasia or Premiere, you aren’t even in the playing field if your project is riddled with jump-cuts.

Premium Beats suggested five things to try and help you avoid the unspeakable.  Nothing is worse than watching a video and instantly your thoughts are interuppted with a highly noticeable transition.

With video editing, you are telling a story. The editor is responsible for taking the viewer on a journey. If the audience is distracted by a transition, they lose the part of the story being told.

How to hide this traffic rookie move? Glad you asked.

#1 – Reframe Footage.  If shooting with one camera, try repositioning to get a wider or a more close up shot you can use in post.

#2 – Cut to B-Roll. Overlay footage that is relevant to the subject over where the jump-cut may be.

#3 – Cut to stock footage. This is a ” use for emergencies” type of tip. If you don’t have b-fool, then stock footage may be the route for you to save your jump-cut.

#4 –  Use morphing/smoothing tools. Premiere has this wonderful tool that allows youth morph one scene into the next. If used correctly, you can’t even notice there was a jump-cut to begin with.

#5 – Use images or stock photos. Be creative if you don’t have footage to use. The use of photos can be benefical.

How to be a good Ad/PR major

A degree in Ad/PR at Abilene Christian University requires the standard mass communication classes, some writing and design classes, throw in a few business classes and 4 years later you’ve got an Ad/PR degree. Hoorah! As I prepare to walk across that stage in May, I have looked back to really narrow down the things I’ve learned as a student for my undergraduate degree. Here, I will dive into some of what I think are the key things I’ve learned.

1. You cannot rely solely on talent. Don’t assume that your talent will put together a 6-week social media calendar in a week. You have to contribute, attend and work for what you want.
2. Always check AP style. Just because a word looks right doesn’t mean it is right.
3. Don’t be the slacker. In college, there are group projects. You should always assume the end-responsibility. Now I don’t mean that you should take charge, become the leader or try to take credit for all the work. But in the end, the final result is yours and your name is associated with it. Make it good. And if anything, don’t slack.
4. Professors notice. Sometimes I think we get caught up in thinking that professors are classes and classes are professors. False. Your professors could be the deal-breaker between you getting that interview, internship or job. They notice the effort you put into your classes, they notice the eyerolls, they notice that you’ve strolled-in late since the beginning of the semester. They notice you.
5. Get involved early. The sooner you start finding your niche in college, the better. Don’t wait until spring break to look for your summer internship. Don’t wait until your senior year to be apart of a student media lab.
6. Inquire. Ask. Question. Everything. When you hear an upperclassmen talking about a professor, a class, their campaign, current events, listen and ask. You will learn more about your future from upperclassmen in your field than from anyone else, I repeat, anyone else in your department.
7. Meet people. Some (most) people call this networking. I believe that networking sounds actually pretty terrifying so I will simplify it. Our department brings in a lot of alumni and great connections. They don’t just bring these people in for you to look at, go say hi! They don’t mind being appreciated for their success so don’t feel weird praising them a little. If anything, they might become a connecting point for you later.
8. Work hard and be nice to people. This gets overlooked but it is extremely valuable. If you are nice and hardworking you will stand out.

Hope you enjoyed reading these tips. Good luck to you all.

Trumping the Media

Regardless of the political opinion of Mr. Donald Trump, he dominates both traditional and nontraditional media. Turn on your news station. CNN, FOX, NBC ect. Liberal or Conservative news stations have complete coverage on the candidate.

What I find most interesting about Donald Trump is that he does not have a typical campaign. He has not put out commercials or advertisement about his campaign. He has simply used the free-press media. This includes social media platforms and planted # hashtags.

His Twitter is (we assume) run by himself most of the time. He has an online voice that other candidates do not. Not that he is the nicest or most respectful man in the world, but one would have to agree that he has campaigned through interviews, debates and social media. No paid advertisement.

He has been a public figure for years being both a business man and producer of the reality TV show, “The Apprentice.” I feel as though this has contributed to his campaign. He did not have to make himself known to the public. We already knew him as a celebrity and his reputation for being a tiny bit… um… outspoken (using the best possible word).

I, in no way am saying that some of the things he has said regarding himself and other people have not been crude or inappropriate. They have. However, this has gotten him an overwhelming amount of coverage.

It makes me wonder as to if he did not say inappropriate comments, would the media take such interest in him? Would other candidates be doing better because they have an equal amount of time?

I suppose we will never know. We can learn something from Mr. Trump. Using social media is important. It gives you a voice and helps build your personal brand. Not only does it further his campaign, but it is unpaid for advertising.

 

“What are you going to make?”

Recently, there has been a trend in advertisements aimed towards empowering young girls. Straying from the traditional view that girls are not as strong or smart as men, many companies are now wanting to let girls know that they are strong and smart. One of the most famous campaigns like this is Always’s “Like a Girl” campaign.

Microsoft has released a public service announcement- like ad on Tuesday in which young girls are asked to name women inventors. They can’t. The ad, released for International Women’s Day, goes on to name female inventors and asks the question, “What are you going to make?”.

Advertisements highlighting positive role model’s for young women are needed in a culture that has diminished the strength of women for so long. The International Women’s Day ad made by Microsoft seeks to encourage young girls to go into the STEM field which include the studies of science, technology, engineering and math. Group creative director, Susan Young told AdWeek, “…We want girls to know that they can make anything.” The ad empowers girls while also educating the audience on some female inventors who’ve made a difference in their field. Companies do not always have to try to sell something in a commercial. Making ads to highlight national days work great for brand image and also inspire the audience. All in all, a great advertisement to release on International Women’s Day.

Neutrogena campaign falls flat

Neutrogena launched a new “Beautiful” campaign at the end of February, with the hashtag #SeeWhatsPossible.  The message the ad communicates is passion makes women beautiful, and Neutrogena’s job is to help them put their best face forward.

I am pleased that yet another brand has joined team woman. The intent of this campaign is empowering, and celebrates various females thriving in sports and business. It’s nice. However, that is all it is.

The word “beautiful” is overused in advertising, social media, and modern day descriptions. I have a passion for writing, and  there is a surplus of words that are more intriguing, more descriptive, and more captivating than simply beautiful. Maybe that was the point, to be broad enough to encompass a variety of women and talents, but I think they could have done a better job. Like I said, the intent is excellent. Celebrating women is not only essential for a beauty product brand, but it is almost a moral obligation.

However, just saying “Beautiful” doesn’t seem to be enough for me. The creativity in this campaign seems to be dry; moreover, it has been drained by every other brand. Starting a new campaign was a ground breaking opportunity to continue to grow women empowerment and make it shine. Even the substance of the ad, the sports and business aspects of success, was done in the same fashion as similar campaigns.

The world of real women winning the advertising space is alive and well, but it is growing stagnant. It is time for brands to add to the theme, continue to revolutionize it, increase creativity, and find new angles to showcase the importance, worth, and bravery of women. The options and opportunities for this are limitless because of the very nature of women. We’ve come too far to just stay here.

 

Itty Bitty Boutiques.

I’ll be honest here. I am so picky when it comes to formal dresses. Not picky because I want just the right one but because I’m afraid someone else will have it, too. Yes, I am that girl. But I have found there to be a saving, but deadly, grace to my madness – Instagram.

Instagram has been an increasing platform  for small businesses to have “free advertising” with the occasional $5 spent for sponsored posts. The market that I have seen exceptionally interactive and aggressive on the social media platform are small boutiques.

When I began my formal dress hunt, I followed about 2-3 accounts. Now, I follow 10+ (which is really bad and I need to stop once formal is over). This isn’t because I sought them out, but because they were watching their competitors and saw me as a potential client. It’s sneaky but so powerful. On my personal account, chasing after people like that is so out of my comfort zone; however, I appreciate being “seen” by these boutiques even though they’re just trying to get my business… and they are!

By following these accounts, I see more of their product as well as discounts that they don’t advertise on their website. I feel like an “insider”, like I’m apart of this itty bitty club. They may be sneaky, but these boutiques know what they’re doing. My bank account, however, does not.

The Rise, the Fall and the Resurrection of the Graphic Tee

If you did not own a graphic tee from Delia’s around ’05-’08, you were officially deemed as LAME! For some crazy reason, graphic tees were the bomb.com to wear ten years ago. When those tees with cringe worthy puns with a poorly drawn graphic became out of style, I strongly believed that would be the last of the graphic tee phase. Though, in any design world, trends develop and mature. Low and behold, the graphic tee is BACK, and we love it! Say goodbye to the “pugs not drugs” tee, and say hello to the chic, typeface-focused tees.

Before, the design of graphic tees focused on humor and cartoons. Today, our tees are coming in with bold words with fancy type, sometimes paired with a trendy graphic that looks far removed from your Sunday Morning paper cartoon.

The rebirth of the graphic tee is a testament to how any design can be revamped. When a certain element of design goes out of style, don’t kiss it goodbye just yet. To be a great designer, you have to constantly develop your eye in order to always keep your audience interested. One day, flat vectors of design will go into hibernation, and the enigmatic scenic pictures with ambiguous, inspirational, quotes will no longer make instagram users look cool, but in the future these popular styles will die out and the revolutionary designers of the future will revamp our popular designs of today.