Media has
increased widely around the world and the advertising world has covered almost
every corner on land around a number of populations. Despite influencing
people, some news still stays vague, although markets have presented them by
spending a huge amount of money for the advertising. (See Image 1)
Image 1. Too many advertisements
A total
disregard of advertisements that you pass by in your everyday cycle remains a
problem that organizations have faced forever. One of them is our own
university, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar. Why is it so difficult
to get attention from students, staff and faculty to convey messages and keep
them informed of what is going on and what is coming up? This is not only an
issue this university needs to resolve but a lot of other universities are
under the same mission.
Image 2. No ads? No students noticing? VCUQatar Orange Hall
Beginning to
focus on the students, they are packed with so much to do and remember that
keeping track of upcoming events or on-going activities are always their last
priorities over their assignments and project deadlines. Is the curriculum not
prepared considering the students’ everyday schedules? As important as a
syllabus might be for a program, some space for co-curricular activities does
have some significant importance for mental stability through some relaxing and
joyful events and lectures that may be important for knowledge needed for their
projects, of whose advertisements are neglected as well with the overwhelming
moods they have while the students pass by them.
Keeping everyone
in sight, people vary amongst each other with different viewing habits. Having
all designers in this university, we should keep in mind that not everyone will
think the same way. Surveys would be great to find out about the audience we
are advertising to and what they prefer or take note of. Most ignored is the
intranet server provided for the students, faculty and staff to stay updated
with the university events and news.
Video
Do the ad
designers not have enough content on the posters? Is the content too crowded?
Not to forget that there are Graphic designers walking around and analyzing
these ads. An efficiently designed ad can control how viewers take notice of
them. This strategy is what successful formal organizations use and spend most
on. (See Image 3)
Image 3. Images help making successful ads!
A defense form
people who are not able to notice ads is ‘Inattentional Blindness’.
Inattentional blindness, also known as perceptual blindness. This is when a person
fails to notice some stimulus that is in plain sight. This stimulus is usually
unexpected but fully visible. This typically happens because humans are
overloaded with inputs. It is impossible to pay attention to every single input
that is presented. A person’s attention cannot be focused on everything, and therefore, everyone experiences inattentional
blindness. People can falsely believe that they do not experience inattentional
blindness. This is due to the fact that they are unaware that they are missing
things. Inattentional blindness also has an effect on people’s perception. The term inattentional blindness was
coined by Arien Mack and Irvin Rock in 1992.
Selective Attention Test - showing the height of blindness of noticing one thing when you are focusing on something so intensely.
As a sanction, with evidence of what causes the
ads to be camouflaged for the eyes of the viewers and a design fail,
unfortunately, the event or lecture turns out a waste of money and a no show of
people because societies cannot be controlled only limitedly manipulated. (See Image 4)
Image 4. Waste of catering and seating after a low show of audience
From the sociological view of the Functionalist Perspective, although most
people may be aware of the events advertisment, it is still not possible for
some people to remember about it or even have knowledge of it at all. There are
always some people whom the advertisements can not reach to. Sometimes we have to accept what is functional and what just has to be the way it is, not functional. (See Image 5)
Image 5. Functionalism is not always functional.
Work Cited:
Dear VCUQatar students,
ReplyDeleteThis is not only a blog for the class but also a very helpful source of information for the Student Government Association to hear from you of how we can make affective and out-standing ads to have you involved in the co-curricular university events.
Please feel free to leave some tips for us and your feedback.
Thanks.
SGA President,
Basra.