Welcome back to The Professional Student! Today, I would like to take some time just to reflect on the previous 6 blogs. I don’t think I knew what I was getting into with the book I chose to do my reflection posts on, but I am a history fan.
History is one of those things that I love to study, especially food history. Many major brands still in existence can be traced back to the early 1900s when food manufacturing was starting to take off. Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line and the McDonald brothers were able to take what Ford did and apply it to their fast food model after they got out of the bbq business and switched over to what we know them for; burgers. McDonald’s still makes fast food, but in actuality, they’re a real estate firm. Franchisees might own the business, but corporate owns the land.
Wars are another area that I enjoy studying, having served myself and having a father (Vietnam), a grandfather (WWII), and a great-grandfather (WWI) who served. More recently, my nephew became a Marine about a year ago, so there is a family history of military service. Aside from the historical significance of historic wars, they cost money and they can make money. I can speak from my own personal experience having been in charge of running food service operations at smaller bases with about 150 personal eating three meals a day plus drinks, snacks, water, produce, etc., the cost is astronomical. I easily spent $15,000 to $25,000+ per week on food orders. Fast forward a full year and that number can reach or exceed $1,000,000.
Reading Americana, A 400-Year History of American Capitalism made me look at everything historically I already knew from a different perspective; the perspective of the dollar. Pilgrims made the journey over on The Mayflower chartered by The Virginia Company seeking religious freedom, which they got in exchange for 7 years of service loading ships up with goods to be sold for profit in Great Britain. Unfortunately for the Virginia Company, there were not able to stay in business to ever reap any fruits of their labor.
What is bad for one company is good for another, and the pilgrims were able to capitalize on tobacco and cotton, among other things, to turn a profit. So, while religious freedom might be the first founding principle of The United States, capitalism comes in for a strong second.
With that being said, no system is perfect. Is it capitalism to blame, the government, consumerism, or the tax code? Or, is it the devil in people that gets the best of us when blinded by prospects of amassing huge fortunes and wealth? Perhaps a combination of all. At the end of the day, money must be spent to make more. You can’t take it with you and a person only needs so much.
I will let you think about capitalism and what it means to you and end here. What is the future of the United States? Will the wealth gap keep getting larger? Will the American Dream disappear? Will we uplift each other as a society, or let those who can’t swim sink and drown? Will equality be achieved for everyone in the land of the free. Free until you don’t pay your income taxes, of course. Free so that the money you’re left with after taxes can continually get taxed over and over again until there is nothing left but fat pockets for some and empty pockets for others.
Welcome back to The Professional Student, and thanks for stopping by to check out my book review! Reaching the end has been a long journey, but we are almost there.
During my last post, I left with baby boomers and a booming economy, but those were not the only things booming! The middle class was also booming, and television became the center of American homes. Families expanded, the population grew, and the need for affordable housing increased suburban growth. For many, living in the suburbs is the American Dream, as owning a home becomes a reality that gives families an opportunity for a better quality of life.
It is interesting to think about this booming time of economic prosperity and the vision of the American Dream as it has disappeared from America. It may not have disappeared, but it has become challenging to achieve. Look to France for reference on their full-time structure. We can do better.
Is it a dream if you’re a slave to corporate America and have zero time to enjoy your home in the suburbs? Is it a dream when you work yourself to death from physical and mental exhaustion? Is it a dream when you miss your children growing up? Is it a dream to dig yourself into debt to achieve higher education and receive medical care? What is the new “American Dream?” Home prices have doubled in my neighborhood since 2020. I couldn’t afford to buy another house if I had to move. That’s the reality of the American Dream, but I’ll count my blessings every day and am thankful for everything, but what about those who will never experience the American Dream? Do they get left behind to sink or swim? There must be a better way to lift everyone and make the American Dream achievable.
I’ve digressed, but I needed to say that: back to the book. Wars are not over, and following the invention of nuclear weapons, they set in motion an arms race as other nations wanted to achieve the same technology. Que The Cold War, communism, and the space race! As I’ve mentioned, a lot can come out of wars. Though The Cold War wasn’t a war in the traditional sense, it was a time of extreme tension with the looming possibility of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies from 1947 through 1991 until the fall of the Soviet Union.
Other wars followed suit after World War II that I don’t entirely need to get into, such as the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and, in the near future, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). Are you seeing the trend here? America goes to war on what appears to be a regular basis, but as I’ve mentioned, wars cost money and make money. Capitalism.
In the meantime, the United States and Russia were also competing to get the first man on the moon in 1969 when Neil Armstrong stepped out to walk on the moon. Thinking about space now and Elon Musk’s Space X vision to make space travel affordable and environmentally friendly so that humans can become a multi-planetary species doesn’t seem too far off with how fast technology advances and progresses, maybe not in our lifetime, but certainly in the next.
The 60s and 70s were a wild time for civil rights and social change that focused on racial equality and justice, and I think about it. I think about all the pot smoking and LSD people were dropping. I think about everything that has happened, and here we are, 54 years into the future from 1970, and we are still struggling with racial equality and justice in America. At some point, white people will be the minority in America. The “majority-minority” point arrives around 2050 when minority groups comprise 47% of the population (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1999). Will America truly achieve racial equality and justice by that point? I hope so. I’ll be 66, and I’m looking forward to it.
America isn’t done giving birth to technology and innovation. That could be further from the truth, despite her shortfalls with the rise of Silicon Valley. The birth of the internet, Apple, Microsoft, Atari, Oracle, Adobe, Sun Microsystems, and Cisco (Morrison, 2023).
The Industrial Revolution allowed the United States to become a national economy. The rise of Silicon Valley paved the path for the current global economy. As Silicon Valley rose to fame, scandal riddled the nation with Nixon and Watergate. Following Nixon, a few more presidents got elected (Ford, Carter), but let’s talk about Ronald Reagan moving forward.
“Reaganomics” policies focused on cutting taxes, deregulation, and decreasing the role of government in the United States economy. Reagan’s thoughts? Free-market policies equate to innovation and growth. Did it work? There was an economic boom in the 80s, so in the long run, yes, and the effects of Reaganomics still shape capitalism.
The 90s were a transformative time. I learned to type when I was 6 in kindergarten. There was a computer room with old (now) floppy disk Apple computers, and the teacher would tape paper on the keyboard to cover our hands. I have many fond memories of playing The Oregon Trail! More and more homes were getting internet access thanks to dial-up AOL or America On-Line. It was slow but worth the wait, and we didn’t know better. Technology evolves continuously and gets smaller and faster. Our phones are full-blown computer desktop computers in our hands, and the price reflects as such. All these things: television, space travel, nuclear weapons, civil rights, the rise of technology, Reagan, and now Amazon, Tesla, Space X, and Apple are all names I think of to describe just how innovation and capitalism have driven the significant technological advancements in our country.
Is capitalism a double-edged sword? On the one hand, many great things have been created thanks to capitalism, but on the other, does it simply represent the interests of the top 1% while slashing down middle and lower-class citizens, furthering the wealth gap and creating more inequalities? Money must go into the economy to stimulate the economy, and that only happens if people are spending. I’ll end on that note and let you think deeply about capitalism and what it means to you.
Welcome back to The Professional Student! I hope you’ve caught up on the previous book review blogs, but if not, no worries. We are going to keep moving forward and talk about a lot of highs and lows.
We’re in the 20th century, and things have progressed rapidly in America. The early years of the 1900s were prosperous, and the country was thriving, but not everything was butterflies and sunshine unless you were in Hollywood. War is looming, not just a typical war, but the First World War because of a conflict between the Allies and the Central Powers.
Millions of men left home to fight, and women filled manufacturing and farming jobs back home, a vast departure from the typical household model. Women also enlisted in various branches of service in jobs usually away from the battlefield but provided direct support to the front lines. The war ended in 1918, and economic prosperity followed, known as The Roaring Twenties. Ironically enough, during this time, prohibition also started (and lasted 13 years) making it illegal to sell, transport, and produce alcoholic beverages.
When there is a demand, there will always be a supply if money is to be made regardless of the law. Bootleggers understood this and risked criminal charges, fines, and jail time, all for the sake of alcohol. The same can be said for illegal drugs and narcotics in America today.
I think we’ve all seen folks who struggle with addiction and many countries have decriminalized drugs. The legalization of illegal drugs could provide an entire new market and tax source. It could also ensure the safety of the ingredients in the drugs without users worrying about what they’re laced with and save lives. I don’t think big pharma would appreciate that as their revenue could decrease. Why spend your money on pain pills from big pharma when you can go purchase what they’re made out of legally?
Aside from bootlegging, The Roaring Twenties was a significant period of economic boom thanks to technology that allowed for the mass production of goods, the electrification of America, mass marketing, cheap credit, and more job creation. There were automobiles, television, and electricity. Things were looking up until they weren’t.
On Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, the stock market crashed. Millions of shares were sold by investors who lost faith in the economy. The panic spread beyond investors to regular working-class citizens running to the banks to withdraw all their cash before they collapsed. Not everyone made it. Life savings were lost, retirement funds were lost, businesses crashed and could not operate, and people lost jobs, homes, cars, and livelihoods.
Several banks crashed over the past few years, such as First Republic Bank, Signature Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and Almena State Bank. These “niche” banks were not federally insured, meaning deposits and risky mortgage lending practices were not protected. Since 2001, 567 banks have failed (FDIC, 2024. What is the lesson here? Make sure your accounts and deposits are federally insured! Maybe keep some cash at home in a shoe box, too. I also remember the housing market crash in 2007, thanks to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The current economy is also questionable, and some sources believe another depression will start in 2030, lasting well into 2036 (ITR Economics, 2023).
Roosevelt created The New Deal to help get America out of The Great Depression by introducing programs such as public work projects, financial reform, and federal regulations. The New Deal helped, but was it what pulled us out of The Great Depression, or was it World War II?
The Great Depression ended in 1939, the same year World War II started between the Allies and the Axis powers. Millions of men were drafted into military service, and millions of new jobs were created in the defense and war industries. As an Army veteran, wars are a terrible thing to witness, but they’re also very profitable, depending on which side of the line you’re on.
World War II saw many things, but most significantly, the creation of nuclear weapons in America. These weapons of mass destruction forever changed the face of the planet when two atomic bombs were horrifically dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, ultimately ending the war, which led to another great period of economic boom that was driven by increased government spending. And a baby boom or boomers, as we like to say!
Welcome back to The Professional Student. Today, I’ll be posting a few different entries to catch up on the reading I’ve been doing over the weeks, as I’ve enjoyed engulfing myself in the pages of the book.
Moving past the colonization of America, the book progresses from the popularity and successful farming of tobacco to The American Revolution, the cotton industry, and the slave labor that was used to make those two industries successful.
The Thirteen Colonies won their independence from Great Britain and, ironically enough, used African slave labor to reap the economic benefits produced by tobacco and cotton farming. It is no surprise, considering how the indigenous people of America were slaughtered in genocide.
The past of America is not pretty or pleasant. Still, we must continue to study it, learn from it, acknowledge it and privilege, and move forward if a genuinely equal society is ever going to emerge where all people, regardless of race, religion, culture, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation, are treated the same. It’s ironic how minorities can be discriminated against so openly in the United States, but that discrimination ends when it comes to paying Uncle Sam his tax money. Taxes are what we pay to live in this free country, yet so many are still not afforded the simple freedoms offered here. Tonight, reflect on yourself. Take a deep dive into your upbringing, daily life, personal biases, and reflect. What can you do to become better?
The steam engine was invented in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. Steam power, usually fueled by burning coal, became the source for machines, boats, and different vehicles that allowed commodities to be mass-produced at a reduced cost. More importantly, thanks to John Fitch, steam engines could now power boats.
Thinking about the early stages of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s makes me realize how fast technology has progressed over the past couple of hundred years. I would say even more so now, as the rate at which technology can advance and evolve is staggering and will only continue getting faster. Can we keep up, however? The technological landscape is constantly changing, and businesses must keep adapting, learning, and adjusting to be successful. They must also find people who are technological experts to aid in pursuing whatever each organization defines success as.
It is fascinating to revisit how the traditional family model that involved raising a large family to work the farm and ensure survival transformed into an urbanized landscape with large cities taking full advantage of capitalism to fund business thanks to technology and modern farming techniques. But I am getting ahead of myself.
Following the steam engine came canals, the railroads, the telegraph, the gold rush, and the American Civil War, which was sparked over slavery ending. I also want to acknowledge the industrial fathers of America, Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford. All these names should be recognizable on some level as they truly encompassed innovation, capitalism, and the overall “American Dream.”
Vanderbilt started with steamships and ended with railroads. Carnegie owned the steel industry. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil and ruthlessly destroyed competition to create a monopoly in the oil industry. Morgan bought and reorganized businesses to make them profitable and stable. Maybe he was the first venture capitalist? Random food for thought. And we all know what Henry Ford did. Though he did not invent the assembly line, he streamlined the process with Model T production and enabled other businesses to do the same.
References
Srinivasan, B. (2018). Americana: A 400-year history of American capitalism. Penguin Press.
Moving forward into the book’s first four chapters, I was quickly reminded of the history behind the United States and how it came about. Most of us know the story of the pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower. Still, I was fascinated to learn that the pilgrims were religious people who had left England and went to Holland to practice their religion, as they could not do so under British monarchy rule. They wanted to leave Holland because they feared the unholy influence the country would have on the young and were deemed to be worthy of credit based on their religious standing. The closer to God you were, the better your “credit” was.
The Mayflower was owned by The Virginia Company based out of London. The Virginia Company was formed in 1606 with permission from the newly crowned King James I after a failed attempt to colonize America in the 1580s in present-day North Carolina.
True to its name, The Virginia Company owned Jamestown, Virginia, the first colony in the United States, to colonize America for profits by bringing back resources and riches to England. Shares of stock were sold with the promise of high returns to shareholders. Money raised from selling stocks was used to fill three ships with supplies and 144 “settlers” to build and establish Jamestown (U.S. Department of Interior, 2024).
Here is the kicker: settlers were more like indentured servants working for freedom. The Virginia Company owned them, as they had to work for seven years with the promise of owning their land. They were charged with gathering the resources to be sold for seven years. All orders were taken from The Virginia Company employees, and all materials and supplies were provided to the settlers.
Unfortunately, The Virginia Company was a colossal flop that had to be bailed out time and time again by The Crown, and its charter was revoked after 17 years. Settlers died at accelerated rates from famine, lack of supplies, disease, cold winters, and attacks from the indigenous people.
The pilgrims that we know from The Mayflower were supposed to end up in Jamestown, but there were many delays caused by the change of terms to their contract by The Virginia Company, which they protested. Eventually, an agreement was reached, but the delay caused them to arrive in November, not at their destination. Instead, they were forced to make provisions for winter at Plymouth Rock, where they ended up settling a new colony.
When The Virginia Company ceased, an agreement was reached with the pilgrims that in exchange for 1,800 pounds, they would own the land and property in Plymouth Rock when the debt was paid off.
Unfortunately for The Virginia Company, things started taking off in Virginia when smoking tobacco caught on amongst the rich and elite. Virginia’s rich soil was a perfect match for farming tobacco, which could then be sold and sent back to England, allowing the settlers to become profitable.
One thing that caught my attention while reading was that shares were sold. I was curious to know when the first stock exchange was established. I discovered it was in Amsterdam when The Dutch East India Company became the first publicly traded company after they decided to sell stock in exchange for dividends (Hwang, 2024).
Thanks for stopping by The Professional Student, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog. Don’t forget to like, repost, and comment!
Hello, and welcome back to The Professional Student! I’ve been slightly absent from posting as life has been busy, but that is about to change. In the third course of my Master of Entrepreneurship in Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurship program at WCU, Entrepreneurial Feasibility Analysis, students have been tasked with a book reflection assignment.
The book I’ve chosen, Americana, A 400-Year History of American Capitalism, by Bhu Srinivasan, is written from the author’s perspective as a young child who immigrated to the United States from India. As I began reading the book, one thing that jumped out to me during the introduction was that while the freedoms afforded to the citizens of the United States are nice, the reason why people decide to make a move is to take advantage of the many different ways and opportunities there are to make money.
Bhu describes his childhood living in India during the 80s with his parents, who both had college educations, and he recalls the fact that his family did not have a car. They couldn’t afford it despite his parent’s education and jobs. Having a car, which is something almost every American household has, wasn’t possible. However, they could afford a new refrigerator, which was delivered to their house on a cart pulled by an ox.
Reading and learning about Bhu’s upbringing in India makes me appreciate what most Americans take for granted, such as owning a car, internet access, utilities, smartphones, etc. Many things considered normal are actually luxuries, and I have always had this mentality. Anything extra beyond basic living necessities is a luxury, and self reflecting on that statement can do everyone some good during this difficult time of inflated costs. I didn’t grow up with cable television, internet access at home, or a cell phone. Entertainment was found outside, and I am grateful having been raised as probably one of the last generations to experience life before technology took over.
I clearly remember the day I purchased my first cellphone at almost 20. I was at Fort Lee, Virginia, learning my job skills for the Army. Camera phones had just come out, and it was a Samsung flip phone. I enjoyed it until it got taken away by a Drill Sergeant because I wasn’t supposed to have it during part of my military training! A lot has changed, and I think the newer generation of military folks are allowed to have cell phones.
Thanks for stopping by The Professional Student. I hope you enjoyed the beginning of my book reflection, and please don’t forget to like, comment, or reblog.
References
Srinivasan, B. (2018). Americana: A 400-year history of American capitalism. Penguin Press.
Hello, and welcome back to the Professional Student! This week, I’ll be examining outdoor advertisements. Not to be confused with advertisements for the outdoors, outdoor advertisements are those that are outdoors, like a billboard.
I always like to start out by listing the criteria for the analysis, just in case you’re new here!
The deliverables are composed of 5 different sections listed in the following order (Lahm & Lockwood, 2022):
Describe the advertisement by product/service, company, brand, etc., and the focus. What was the appeal or technique that was used to evoke an emotional response? Include a link to the ad selected.
What were the objectives of the campaign? To sell more? To inform customers about a new product feature? Were the objectives attainable and measurable, or were they time-specific?
Describe the target market that was the focus of the advertisement.
What action does the advertisement want the audience to take? If action is taken, how will the audience member benefit from using the product?
Describe the value proposition of the product or service being offered in each advertisement. What are the specific reasons (product features and benefits) that would drive customers to purchase the product or service being sold in each advertisement?
1. The Marlboro Man Billboard
I wanted to start this off with something I remember seeing constantly as a child: cigarette advertisements on billboards (which are now banned as of 1999). A link to the advertisement is below. Marlboro is owned by Philip Morris USA.
For me, seeing the Marlboro Man is iconic, as he was an icon in his own right. The billboard features the Marlboro Man on a horse in a blue denim shirt, tan jeans, a cowboy hat, gloves, and a rope for rounding up animals. He has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and faces in a side view profile. It brings back memories of seeing these advertisements everywhere as a child. My first thought was that I couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to smoke and ride a horse while rounding up animals, but hey, it’s the Marlboro Man. Aside from Chuck Norris, he can do anything! He is a rugged, manly man who smokes red, so if you’re a rugged, manly man, you should smoke them, too (value proposition)!
Obviously, the purpose of this advertisement is to sell Marlboro cigarettes. The billboard is from 1982 and was featured on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Before 1950, Marlboro cigarettes were advertised to women only, but that changed with the introduction of the Marlboro Man, who was always featured smoking Marlboro Reds. Marlboro Reds used to have a red filter to hide lipstick stains, but they failed to attract women. So, they slapped a brown filter on it, complete with a cowboy (the Marlboro Man), and marketed it to men.
A 1982 article in The New York Times by Eric Pace discusses the price of cigarettes jolting up from about 20 cents per pack to 82 cents per pack. I am not a smoker anymore, but I smoked for 10 years during my time in the Army. I can recall a time when a pack of cigarettes was almost $10, depending on where you were in the country, as some states have higher prices than others.
Another New York Times article by Phillip Wiggins in 1982 highlights that Philip Morris is the second-largest tobacco country after R.J. Reynolds Industries. Operating revenues in 1982 were 10.89 billion, with a profit of 676.2 million.
2. Sheets Energy Strips, “I TAKE A SHEET.”
My second advertisement isn’t exactly the greatest or something considered great advertising, but it made me laugh hysterically because of how ridiculous it is. What it is, though, is a great failure, and as such, it deserves to be revisited. I can’t believe a company’s marketing team thought this was a good idea! I must highlight this as a failure because this is exactly what you should not do!
PureBrand owns Sheets Energy Strips. These energy strips essentially dissolve on your tongue to give you energy. I can’t help but see the resemblance to dropping acid. Not that I’ve ever dropped acid (I haven’t), but I am not ignorant of the fact of what it is, either. We’ve all studied psychology, and the 70s were wild. The box of energy strips features a face with only a mouth and a tongue sticking out with a hand, placing an energy strip onto the tongue that looks exactly like dropping acid. I bet the kids loved this! I can’t find Sheets Energy Strips for sale, but there are plenty of other brands being marketed as dietary supplements. They’re insanely expensive on Amazon.com, ranging from $20-$30 for one box containing 30 strips. Honestly, just buy a case of energy drinks if you’ll pay $30 for that!
Let’s get to the juicy part: the advertisements! Below is a link so you can see them.
There are two featured on that webpage. The first is a woman in a bathing suit with a big smile on her face. She has a swimming cap on and goggles as if she is about to compete competitively, even though it’s a casual pool you would find at a hotel or apartment complex. Athletes use a lot of energy, so maybe that’s their target market for the ad. Here is where it goes wrong. In big, bold white words across the woman, it says, “I TAKE A SHEET IN THE POOL.” First of all, no, you don’t! This isn’t Caddy Shack. No one is throwing a Snickers bar into the pool. They were trying to be funny, but it comes off as crude. I find it hysterical. Not at the words but at the fact that this was publicly advertised on the side of a bus stop and billboards. Next to that, there is a professional woman. A student, a professor, a bookworm, perhaps? She is dressed in a black suit with glasses and looks conservative. She has a slight grin on her face while holding a stack of books. There is also a wedding ring on her hand. Like ad 1, it says in bold white letters, “I TAKE A SHEET AT THE LIBRARY.” It must have been all the Starbucks working its magic. Okay, back to the seriousness. I really can’t believe this was an ad campaign! This obviously targets students and professionals alike, who have very busy schedules and might need an extra energy boost.
According to CSP Daily News (2011), PureBrands spent $10 million on advertising and partnered up with athletes and celebrities alike, such as Pitbull and LeBron James. According to the SEC, PureBrands took a net loss of $21,094,983 in 2012 and $12,583,216 in 2013.
3. Surreal Cereal
Surreal Cereal is a plant-based based high protein, low carb, zero sugar cereal that is “Surreal because it shouldn’t work, but it does, brilliantly.” Surreal is owned by Jac Chetland and Kit Cammell, two British entrepreneurs reinventing the breakfast game by making a nutritionally balanced cereal that tastes great for adults. I can’t find this product for sale in the US, but on Amazon’s UK page, I found a variety pack of 4 for 24 British Pounds.
The specific advertisement I’ve decided to look at is called “No Work January” and can be seen in the link below.
There is an all-white background that reads: January. Protein. Whatever. Can’t be bothered this month? Neither can we. Whatever is written in rainbow words. Next to the words are cereal boxes, and on the bottom right hand, the word “SURREAL” is printed in bold black letters.
I think this advertisement is clever, as many people are trying to drop holiday weight as their New Year’s resolution. The message, can’t be bothered this month? You don’t have to be with our cereal. Just eat it. The target market segments are adults who want to eat healthy, eat good, and not think about it. People who live active lifestyles or those who are athletic are also a great market. Folks who are looking to improve their health is another market segment.
Regarding the financial information, the company is registered as a private limited company in London, England.
4. okcupid, DTF
Okcupid, an online dating site, is owned by Match Group, which also owns Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and other dating apps and sites.
The billboard advertisement I’ve chosen to analyze features two lovely ladies. Below is the link for the advertisement.
The first woman picked up her date and held her up in her arms sideways while her arms wrapped around her neck, holding a rose. The background is all baby pink and says “DTF” in big, bold yellow letters with a black shadow. Next to DTF it says “ALL HEAD OVER HEELS” bolded in black. The bottom of the billboard says okcupid, and below that, “DATING DESERVES BETTER” is printed in bold black letters.
I will not elaborate on the acronym DTF, but if you’ve watched The Jersey Shore, you know what comes to mind. However, okcupid took a play on DTF, and it doesn’t mean what you think it means here. DTF certainly grabs attention and gets a laugh, but in this ad campaign, DTF means down to thrift, down to furiously make out, down to flea market, etc. It is a way to connect to millennials and a modern audience.
I like the colors of the billboard. They’re bright. I like to see the LGBTQIA2S+ community being represented. Its modern, and it targets exactly who it was meant to target. Though millennials and modern people might have been the target, Gen Z can’t be discounted as they’re a much more accepting and open generation than previous generations.
Match Group has a net worth of $8.65 billion and a value of $11.63 billion (Stock Analysis, 2024). Love is a good business to be in! Match Group spent $519.6 million on advertising in 2023 and $447.9 million in 2022. In 2016, they spent $325 million but have steadily increased to spending an average of half a billion since 202 (Dixon, 2024).
5. Chipotle, “As Real As It Gets”
Am I the only one who thinks Chi-pot-le instead of Chipotle? It makes me laugh every time. I like Chipotle, but I don’t eat there often. It isn’t exactly something that comes to mind, and I find their food overly salty. Every bite I take slowly increases my blood pressure levels until my feet start to retain water and swell up. Chipotle is a publicly traded “Mexican Grill” quick service fast food restaurant owned by The Vanguard Group, which holds majority shares. Surprisingly, Chipotle is not franchised and is owned and operated by the corporation itself.
This advertisement is funny nonetheless and can be seen by clicking the link below.
The billboard features a burrito with some bites taken out of it, as the contents have spread out all over only what one can assume to be a table. You can see the foil wrapper slowly being peeled away, and next to the burrito, the words “REALEST WRAPPER IN THE GAME” appear in bold white letters against a grey “table” background. Below that, there is the Chipotle logo with the words “AS REAL AS IT GETS” in bold black letters.
This is obviously a play on words and a nod towards the music industry, specifically the rap music genre, where rap artists and musicians claim to be unchanged by their fame and money as they’re “the realist of the real” rapping about real life, real situations, or their own personal stories. The billboard made me smile, but it didn’t make me want to eat a burrito, which appears to be what is being sold. A real burrito, of course, not those fake burritos sold elsewhere.
According to Google Finance (2024), Chipotle is valued at $79.74 billion and had revenues of $2.52 billion in 2023. Chipotle spent a quarter of a million dollars on advertising in 2022 and $264.09 million in 2023.
Thanks for stopping by The Professional Student. Don’t forget to leave me a comment!
Lahm, R., Lockwood, F. (2022). ENT 610 Entrepreneurial Creation. Master of Entrepreneurship Degree Program: “Greatest Marketing Campaigns” Analysis.https://www.canvas.com
Innovative Leadership and Entrepreneurship: A Graduate Student's Perspective 