I still remember the moment I stood in front of the "magic machine" which could decide your color at M&M's store on the Times Square. I was so nervous, keeping thinking that please let it be some kind of color I like(such as red, white or pink). Finally it turned out to be "mega mix". Later on, I found it was really a "perfect color" to describe my personality.
I took two largely different majors at the same time. It meant sometimes I thought in a sensitive way, trying to understand audiences. Sometimes I only dealt with numbers, finding arbitrage opportunities if possible. I really had a hard time balancing these two different thinking ways. On the crossroad of choosing graduate major, I hesitated a long time. Believe it or not, MS in advertising@UIUC is the only advertising related program I applied. But I'm glad I come here. My sixth-sense tells me it's the right choice and it indeed is.
I love traveling with friends, and I indeed have travelled all by ourselves to a lot of countries with friends and have enjoyed great time together. But I also enjoy taking adventures. Last year, I travelled to Bali Island alone( the photo was taken in a seaside temple there). I wish to travel around the world in my life,which must be terrific experiences to me.
In terms of forming a band in the class, I also have something to contribute. I learnt to play keyboard when I was five and have passed highest level as an amateur. I also know little about "go"-an ancient Chinese board game(also popular in Korean and Japan).
My dreaming career is definitely related to advertising, a cool industry. Right now, I wanna immerse myself into American culture, trying to understand the consumer culture and behavior and beginning my professional advertising life here!
By the way, I'm Xuedan Chen from China. And I have been called Crystal since junior high school. I love this name. Nice to meet you all! : )
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My share of interesting branding also related to "mega mix". It's about contradiction.
Starburst 's "It's a juicy contradiction".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jodb9lkwnd8&feature=related
I found this funny ad and knew this brand by accident when I was watching episodes of TV shows on the Internet. I was attracted by the position of the weird dog and kept my interest listening to the dialogue between the two guys. The ad employs the core idea of contradiction, not only the dog who breaks common sense, but also the guy who is having solid but juicy Starburst candy.
Firstly, I think the whole "contradiction" idea is appealing and interesting. It's a smart position. The brand has a unique selling point, solid but juicy fruit candy, which can segment the brand from other similar fruit candy brands.And it induces people to have a taste of the candy, especially the curious young people who love difference and maybe contradiction. Also, the spirit of the brand fits people who believe that contracts and differences make them who they are. In this sense, the brand is not selling a product but a spirit.
Secondly, the way the brand demonstrates "contradiction" is interesting. It avoided rational appealing(the common ways to show the content of the candy), but harness emotional appealing( inspire customers to associate other contradictory stuffs in daily life with the fruit candy). According to ELM model, this psychological process can effectively stimulate audience's curiosity and might encourage their buying behavior.
Driven by curiosity, I googled this brand and found more. The way it interacts with the target group is also interesting. http://starburst.com/ The brand launched a contradiction project on its website as well as its Facebook page. The project works in a way that people share their contradictions and rank others' contradictions then the company will donate money to keep music program in school. No matter looking at other people's contradiction or finding theirs, the fans will find it a funny&meaningful job.
Hi, You said you had quite different majors but didn't say what they were. I'm curious what they were!
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