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In this country, almost everyone has a car. In this day and age, almost everyone has a cell phone as well. Combine both, and you could very well have an accident on your hands. Technology has advanced greatly over the past decade, and now it is quite common to see many people carrying a phone that not only allows you to talk to someone wirelessly, but also permits you to text, check your email, browse facebook, and much more. With more to pay attention to on your phones, it was almost impossible for cellphone-based car accidents not to happen.

These commercials have been out for a while now, but they still have the ability of drawing your attention each time.

I think these commercials were well done; they definitely chose a good direction to follow. The tone is dead serious, and it appeals to everyone who drives and has a cell phone (a rather large target audience). It is very clear that the cellphones were the causes of the accidents. It gets your attention, and then shoves the message into your mind. It’s not selling a product either, so it’s almost like a break from other commercials. Of course, you still see people “above the law” on their phones while driving, but that is definitely no fault of ICBC’s.

There was one thing I didn’t (actually, still don’t) like about the drivecellsafe commercials. It ends with “using a handheld cellphone while driving is not only illegal, it’s dangerous.“ The last bit seems weird to me because it’s in the WRONG ORDER. An activity being illegal is almost a given for it being dangerous or harmful. These phrases are supposed to go from like degree one to degree two, and it’s awkward if they don’t. It’s almost like saying “Smoking cigarettes not only gives you cancer, it’s bad for you!” or “She not only has a doctorate, but a bachelor’s degree!” The ending would have sounded much better if it ended with “is not only dangerous, it’s illegal.“ That would make much more sense, especially since a new law actually came into effect making the activity illegal. Anyway, drive cellsafe, marketing friends!

So I’ve tried having a blog before, but I don’t think anyone really read it. If no one reads the stuff you share, you don’t really feel compelled to keep it up. Dare I relate this to OB? Employees tend to be more motivated and productive when they are receiving positive recognition for what they are doing. Oh snap, I did dare to! But yeah, I don’t think anyone really followed it, and thus I didn’t feel any fulfillment with it and my interest in keeping the blog going faded too.

But wait, there’s more! Along comes 296, a new refreshing class, and a new blog is born! So on to post number 1.

Marketing, marketing, marketing. What to talk about? My family and I went down to the states for a shopping trip a couple of weeks before school started, and it was interesting to note all the University of Washington apparel that was available in many stores like Ross or Marshalls (think of “Winners” if you haven’t heard of these stores). It was also common to see a lot of people sporting UW/Huskies clothing, and a good number of these people did NOT look like alumni (What? I’m just sayin’).

I think this reveals significant pride from the local residents for the local university. It’s compelling that Americans are notably more supportive of university athletics than Canadians are. Exemplifying, I remember Duke Blue Devils basketball shirts being available at Champs/Foot Locker, and the NCAA finals are televised and even turned into video games. You don’t ever see UBC Thunderbirds apparel at Champs. Here, if you see someone wearing a university sweater or t-shirt, there’s a pretty good chance that they attend said university. I myself own some UBC apparel, but I definitely wouldn’t have gotten it if I wasn’t a UBC student. Wearing your university clothing away from home (if you’re a local student like me) offers a bit of a thrill, since you get to show off your “prestige” as well as the potential of being recognized by other students/alumni to foster a friendly connection. That being said, wearing it around home offers a thrill as well, especially if you pass someone who goes to SFU. Oh snap, again! 🙂

“I am UBC. I am not a number or an apathetic bore. I don’t go to school on a hill, or on an island, or in Ontario.”