Shelby Scholl
Last week in class we talked about advertisements pertaining to nature and the environment. There are four types of ad’s featuring the environment which are nature as backdrop, green product attributes, green image, and environmental advocacy. The one type that stood out to me was green product attributes which is basically a name, product, or packaging that is designed to evoke positive environmental images to make it seem like you are doing the “right thing.” It is made to convince consumers that manufacturers are practicing environmentally responsible behavior and that by buying this product you are contributing to a “green lifestyle.” This type of ad appealed to me the most because I see these ads the most on a daily basis.
While searching for environmental/nature ads on the internet I came across this ad for the Samsung Galaxy S III smart phone. The ad consists of a beautiful, blue sky and green grass. In the middle of the ad there is a big picture of the smart phone covered by butterflies, plants, flowers, and vines. The text on the bottom says “designed for humans, inspired by nature.”
This ad is very comical to me and ironic. First of all, smart phones/technology are the farthest thing from being a part of nature or from being “natural” in any way. I don’t understand how a smart phone can, as the ad states be “inspired by nature” when there is nothing natural about a phone which is factory/machine made. Also, the company is trying to tell itself as being “green” because of their text on the ad and that if you buy it you will be living a “green lifestyle.” Furthermore, the ad has nature elements like the flowers, grass, etc. that is trying to make it seem like the smart phone is actually a part of nature when we all know you would never see a phone growing in the wild. The ad also I think is trying to make it seem that Samsung Galaxy phones are better and perhaps even more environmentally friendly than other phones such as iPhone’s. Overall, I think this ad is the epitome of a green product attributes advertisement. 
Communicating Health, Science and the Environment 
I also find that a bit ironic. I don’t quite remember in what situation I heard this, but smart phones are actually really not that great for the environment. The materials that make them up come from many places, just to make up one small device. That amounts to a big carbon footprint for such a little thing. It would seem Samsung is trying to play on the word “Galaxy” though, and show some images of the environment, rather than actually have benefits toward it.
Kris Kowalk
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Smart phones and technological devices interrupt the environment through disturbing peace in nature. Everyone takes pictures of nature because it is serene and beautiful. However, people should also appreciate its beauty through just looking and taking its beauty all in without the use of phones!
Katerina Sese
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I think what you said about Samsung trying to make it seem like their phone is more “environmentally friendly” than other phones is exactly correct. However, as you mentioned, this is an especially ironic advertisement because they actually say any ways in which this phone, as opposed to an iPhone, is better for the environment. Not only do smart phones emit 120 kg of carbon dioxide annually in (addition to polluting landfills with 140 million phones per second) they also draw people away from nature. While their direct impact on the environment is extremely large, their indirect impact may be even more far reaching. More and more people every day are being drawn to their cellphones as opposed to going out of their way to proactively protect the environment. It just seems absolutely absurd that any cell phone company could even discretely align themselves with being “environmentally friendly.”
http://visual.ly/environmental-impact-cell-phones
-Jordan Cotleur
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It’s interesting to see all of the approaches cell phone companies take in advertising. While Samsung has taken the green approach to seem natural, Apple makes the thinnest and most simple phones which almost detours our minds, or at least my mind, towards thoughts of cleanliness and conservation.
Madeleine Converse
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I agree that this ad is ironical. There is nothing natural in technology, it is just the opposite, the more you buy the more you pollute.
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Companies will do anything to sell their product. With global warming being such a big topic these days, companies use this to their advantage. Everyone wants to “help” the environment, so companies will make you think you are helping the environment by buying their products.
Kristin Mathis
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I agree that this ad is ironical. There is nothing natural in technology, it is just the opposite, the more you buy the more you pollute.
Tsvetelina Georgiev
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