Why do you eat Pop Chips?

Whilst browsing through classmates’ blogs, Elisabeth Piccolo’s Blog, Vitaminwater’s Sponsorship of Gossip Girl, stood out. Over the past through weeks at Sauder, I have been constantly bombarded with different free products to try, one such product was Pop Chips. Not overly impressed by the product I took very little notice of any further advertising -until I was watching Glee. There was a lunch time scene where every Glee member was consuming a well-positioned bag of Pop Chips.

Much like the Vitamin Water, Pop Chips managed to reach a target audience through the placement of their product in the hands of desirable “I-want-to-be-like-you” characters. The website for Pop Chips even has a section for press, which takes a look of Pop Chips in the Media. There is also a huge usage of celebrity sponsorship with media figures such as Ashton Kuther being the “president of pop”. Such product placement and sponsorship, regardless of how bombarding it is, is ridiculously effective.

Pop Chips has become a Hollywood Brand that is creating a lot of commercial noise. The excessive use of celebrities to introduce their product, and product placement is considerably overwhelming. The ads do succeed in reaching the target audience but pollute the minds of those watching tv as a leisure activity, contributing to cultural pollution. All products that are well-placed in tv shows contribute to this cultural pollution inspiring us consumers to purchase goods that we really do not need.

In reading Elisabeth’s blog, I have come to realise that the choices I make as a consumer are influenced by more than just my personal opinions. Until now I have been very naive of the multiple marketing channels and the techniques used to reach the consumer and create a lasting product impression. By taking Marketing I have become a more conscious, brand-savvy consumer who is more aware of why I am choosing each product I purchase.