Nowadayas, User-bars are so populer among teens. User-Bars are small grafics for forum signature, which help them to show a tiny bit of their personality in an attractive way. I am what my brand is...
For example, if you love adidas and you are keen coke drinker, you can use them as your forum signature
i think user-bars are very inspireing for brands to help people self-express themselves with brands. There is huge opportunities
here is a link to userbars.com
via marketallica
Adland® is a commercial-laden heaven and hell for advertising addicts around the world.
This advertising publication was founded in 1996, built on beer and bravery, Adland® now boasts the largest super bowl commercials collection in the world.
Adland® survives on your donations alone. You can help us out by buying us a Ko-Fi. Adland® works best in Brave browser
Can I get one that says "adidas hater" and "Coke snorter"? ;) "Self-express themselves"? You mean find your personality in a commercial brand? Sad.
- reply
Permalinkexactly, those who truly self-express will be making their own damn gifs. On a cracked version of Adobe
- reply
Permalink"I want to kill President Bush with a cyanide laced Cherry Cola."
- reply
PermalinkThe world would be a much better place if cyanide laced drinks were freely available!
- reply
PermalinkStrange - I'm still half asleep at the moment and when I first saw the headline to this item, I imagined a bunch of teens sitting in a bar where they were all shooting up, popping pills or smoking a joint............. Jeez, my half awake brain must be a really sick puppy!
- reply
PermalinkYour idea makes more sense, after all there are oxygen-bars, so why not have user-bars? ;) It'll keep them heroine addicts from shooting up in streetcorners.
- reply
PermalinkNow there is a user bar I could do some real trolling with.
- reply
PermalinkGood point - in fact, that reminds me. if I cast my mind back 20 years, to when I used to spend a lot of time in Amsterdam, I'm sure the 'brown cafes' were pioneers for that by catering for users at a 'pot' level...........
- reply
PermalinkYou have got to be kidding. I know we work in this industry and so hopefully have a certain level of enthusiasm for what we do, but let's be clear about this - our job is to give personalities to brands, not to people.
The idea that teens are being encouraged to view their preference of Adidas over Nike or Coke over Pepsi as an integral part of their character is just plain frightening.
And of course this is a teen phenomenon - this is the age at which your sense of self is at its least developed - you're shakily attempting to work out what the adult you will be like - clearly, if you fall victim to the belief that brands can define you, the answer to that will be "a twat".
Adidas, coke whatever - they are not what you ARE, they're what you BUY. And companies that encourage you to think otherwise are overstepping the mark - no longer just after your money, apparently they're now here for your soul.
(Possibly a trifle melodramatic, but these are dangerous times. )
- reply
PermalinkIs it really that new of a phenomenon though? When i was a teen I was Doc Martens, Fred Perry, Ben Sherman and jolt cola. Still am, come think of it (with a good helping of Karen Millen and Liquor Brand on top). My classmate to the left was Adidas, Kappa and Coke, while my classmate to the right was Pucci and Chai tea.
- reply
PermalinkYou're right, it's not a new thing at all - teenagers have always latched on to brands in this way, but I don't think they should be encouraged to attach so much significance to them. Many will, and in most cases no lasting damage will be done, but this reductive view of the world can lead to the kind of shallow thinking that states that we can judge people solely by what they buy, and a big part of me reacts strongly against that. (I faithfully believe there is now and was always a lot more to you, for example, than the sum of the brands mentioned above)
To get back to the point I meanderingly strayed off in my last post - no, it's not the end of the world but I just don't like the notion that these silly banner thingies are a "huge opportunity" for marketeers, as they are hyping up an element of teen culture which, while possibly natural, is not particularly positive or pleasant. Kind of like acne.
Sorry for the sustained seriousness - I'm a little hungover which always puts me in a mood to ponder moral questions. And, working in advertising, there's a lot for me to ponder!
- reply
PermalinkHa ha.... look at us..... brings to mind all of those great quotes such as:
"May you reap what you sow", or "May you live in interesting times", or even this (which I just love, and Dabitch - I am going to order the T-shirt), "Your rebellion is my marketing strategy"
I think the point to remember is that the brands we are talking about are always about the 'cool factor', especially with young people. They do not define the person, but help that person to make a statement about his or her choices and demonstrate their 'taste' or cool factor for all to see.
Just my view of course :)
- reply
PermalinkRe:"Your rebellion is my marketing strategy", thanks - I'm getting the gold on green one for the ladies. ;) Beacuse it's so damn TRUE!
/derail - sorry 'bout that.
- reply
PermalinkThanks, I thought nobody would catch the Jim Jones reference.
- reply
Permalink