TOW #7: Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2013 Ad

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/fashion-memopad/tommy-hilfiger-gets-preppy-for-fall-ads-7068843/slideshow#/slideshow/article/7068843/7068883

While flipping through recent editions of Vogue magazine, the sight of fashionable and extravagant advertisements are not out of the ordinary. Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, and Chanel are all veterans when it comes to gracing the glossy pages. Another fashion icon with his fair share of ad space is Tommy Hilfiger. Each year, his line holds the hottest "preppy" trends, the clothes that are only associated with boarding-school students and Hampton housewives. With this ad, the marketing team devised a clever theme, one that makes each model on the page specific type of person. There is the "A Student", the "Social Chair", and the "Lucky Break." These, and the other five models, represent the ideals. His trend-aware audience already knows that the Tommy Hilfiger brand is high end, so by portraying this wealthy attitude in his ad, it creates the desire to be these characters. To become the girl that gets straight A's and wears Hilfiger. These eight people symbolize the elites to envy. Also, the ad has an unspoken ethos from the get-go. The designer is already well-known and has a large audience and market. Some of these outfits would be tacky and out-of-place on a regular day, but by knowing that the clothes are designer, the effect becomes more artistic. These styles are unique and fresh, and with the attached label, people have the desire to rock every one. Also, as is the case with most ads, every model is flawless, and all grouped together, they create one beautiful, picturesque family. Those that are familiar with his previous advertisements have seen this family before, usually sporting reds and dark blues, with a dog by their sides. The coats and sweaters tell viewers that this is for his fall collection, and each piece is described in the tiny text, making it easier for audiences to pick out exactly what they want. This ad was expertly crafted by the designer, and his marketing team, and is a great way to display the new Tommy Hilfiger collection.

TOW #6: "Lessons From Living in London," Sarah Lyall

The major cities around the world that first come to mind are all so varied; the food is different, the styles are different, the climate is different, but most importantly, the people are different. Paris, Tokyo, New York, and London all have extremely unique identities associated with them. Yes, they are all urban, highly-populated areas, that act as a thriving business central, but culturally there are obvious differences. In her article, "Lessons From Living in London," Sarah Lyall shares the transition that she experienced after moving from New York City, New York to London, England. Although these cities are both booming tourist attraction, Lyall explains the cultural difference of these two destinations. When living in both New York and London, Lyall wrote for the New York Times which provides her with an interesting view of both cities. Lyall's diction remains snarky throughout the piece, especially when she states that the struggles was, "finding a decent grocery store and dealing with the impossibility of the gas company and learning to say rubbish bin instead of garbage can and having [her] shoes ruined by the rain"(Lyall). It is obvious that, while both cities are lovely from the perspective of a tourist, it was a challenge for the author to assimilate herself into the day-to-day flow of London. By pointing out these specific issues, Lyall is pointing out the clear differences, rather than the similarities. As the article continues, it is obvious that Lyall does not hate everything about London, but she does make it clear that it is not New York, and the adjustment is a challenging one. The NY Times writer also points out that in NYC, people unite themselves as the city, as New Yorkers, rather than dividing by neighborhood. While in London, Lyall experienced that the neighborhood identity is fairly strong there. That is another difference between her two homes. Overall, I think that the author's purpose was to clearly give people thinking about moving to London advice, but on a deeper level, I believe that Lyall was trying to prove a point. Just because two places may seem similar on the surface, does not mean that they truly are at the heart. I believed this article, and now know a lot more about London than I did earlier today. Also, because the way she portrayed England as kind of dreary, it made it seem as though she is more partial to New York City, which is one of my favorite places, so I can also relate on that level. 

London, England

http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/10/20/travel/lessons-from-living-in-london.html?pagewanted=1&src=me

TOW #5: "Taliban pleased by decision to pass by Pakistani girl for Nobel Peace Prize," Trudy Rubin

One of the greatest honors in the world that one can receive is the Nobel Peace Prize. Nominations for this prestigious award are created for those who take great strides in the struggle for world peace. This year,  of the favorite to win the prize was Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani women who was shot by the Taliban after trying to fight for the education of women. Surprisingly to many though, Yousafzai was not the one who took home the prize. Instead it was the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was honored. In this editorial, "Taliban pleased by decision to pass by Pakistani girl for Nobel Peace Prize", by Trudy Rubin, it is obvious that Rubin disagrees with the committee's decision. Especially due to the fact that a response came from the Taliban, praising the choice to not award Malala Yousafzai the prize. Rubin uses the technique of ordinary to extraordinary to represent Yousafzai. She wrote that "it is far easier for girls from privileged families to rise to prominence than for those from poor or middle-class families. Malala’s personal history as the daughter of an educator father and an illiterate mother from Pakistan’s remote Swat Valley proves these odds are surmountable" (Rubin). She represents Malala as a underdog, which gives hope to regular citizens all around the world, that just need to believe in themselves in order to accomplish great change. This supports his argument that the committee made the wrong choice. Rubin also uses a counterargument in her article, stating that Malala has received a lot of credit already for her strength and persistence. Although this is the case, the author follows this with the fact that many girls around the world do not have the opportunity of going to school. If Yousafzai had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the global response would be very large. Rubin's last sentence states, "her achievements speak for themselves without a Peace Prize, but the Nobel committee lost an opportunity to do something great" (Rubin). The writer creates a tone of obvious disappointment in the committee for their "mistake," and that disappointment created the tone earlier in the essay as well. In that case, the intended audience of this article is the committee, but it is also the world. Rubin wants everyone to know about Malala Yousafzai, and the difference she made, and could still make in the world. This article was one of the most powerful ones I have read in a while. Being a girl in school currently, it really put the world into perspective and made me realize how truly lucky I am for the education I receive. Rubin proved that Yousafzai was definitely qualified to win this award, and I agree that the Nobel Peace Prize committee lost a great opportunity in this case.

Malala Yousafzai

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/10/16/3776176/op-ed-taliban-pleased-by-decision.html

Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/10/16/3776176/op-ed-taliban-pleased-by-decision.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/10/16/3776176/op-ed-taliban-pleased-by-decision.html#storylink=cpy

TOW #4: "This cancer patient’s treatment is on hold because of the government shutdown," Sarah Kliff

Cancer is an evil that touches millions of people everyday. The word is life-changing, and many have been affected by it. Michelle Langbehn is one of many that cancer has touched. But unlike many, her cancer, sarcoma, is very rare, and affects only one percent of cancer patients in the United States. Due to this, Langbehn has to consider alternative options for treatment. One of the alternatives she discovered was a trial at the National Institutes of Health. The only problem is that right before she could participate in the trial, the government shut down, putting her treatment, along with many others', on hold. This blog post, by Sarah Kliff, provides readers with an interview with Langbehn on her situation. Kliff writes mostly on health policies, but occasionally she writes about other political events. She has done pieces for Newsweek and BBC, along with The Washington Post, where this blog is posted. Although the government shutdown has affected many Americans, this story is one of the most powerful cases, because it is a matter of health. Without the necessary funds, the NIH can not run clinical trials, so more than 200 people each week have been turned away. Kliff creates an appeal to pathos, by choosing to include the fact that Langbehn was diagnosed with sarcoma right after having her first baby. Readers can feel the fear that Langbehn had over the possibility of dying before her daughter grows up. This creates a very strong emotional connection for the audience. Later in the post, Langbehn states that the trial she found was exactly the kind of treatment she needs. This fact makes the government the enemy for the audience, because their lack of compromise is what is stopping the trial. This piece leaves readers feeling sorry for Langbehn and also angry and exasperated with the government. Through this, Kliff sends the message that the shutdown is hurting our country and needs to end. This post was written for all American citizens. The effect of the shutdown is being felt throughout the nation, this is only one example of the struggles it is causing. Having been affected somewhat by cancer in my own life, I definitely felt the emotional impact that this post held. I truly understood the obstacles that our government system is causing in this woman's life.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/07/this-cancer-patients-treatment-is-on-hold-because-of-the-government-shutdown/