Entry#5--Mayhem

 

To my knowledge, this is the first Allstate commercial for the Mayhem ads and by far my favorite. The author of this ad does a great job making an ad that takes an actual situation that could happen and makes it humorous. The target audience would be for anyone who drives and has insurance. The author wants their audience to see this and realize this could happen to them and if they choose Allstate, they would be protected in this scenario. 

The ad starts with Mayhem driving a bright pink SUV and receiving a text from their friend, which clearly upsets them. Signaled by the phone being thrown into the backseat. The situation quickly escalates and he hits a parked car and drives off. The last thing you see is them driving away. The advertisement is designed to show how easily this could happen to anyone and how you can better protect yourself if it does happen. 

These ads are funny because the target audience can find them relatable because they describe a realistic situation that could happen but having a grown man portray a teenage girl makes the situation feel less dramatic and intense than it normally would be. The ad is designed to make the audience laugh but at the same time, it can make them think and act. And by act, I mean purchase insurance through Allstate.

Entry#4--Spider-Man 2: Electric Boogaloo

Spider-Man 2 was released on the PS5 just two days ago and I'm here to provide you with a spoiler free review based on my experience. Which is about halfway through the game at this point. (..probably)

I'm a huge fan of Spider-Man in general and was greatly anticipating the release of this game. I had very high expectations going into it and I have to say, so far, this game has been absolutely amazing. It took everything great about the first game and improved upon it. The combat is enjoyable and never feels repetitive, the story has been fun and engaging and it's loaded with hours of additional missions and Easter eggs that'll make it easily worth your money. 

                            No context Spider-Man Meme that's relevant to the game, I swear.

I went all in and purchased the collector's edition of the game because it came with statue of Peter Parker and Miles Morales fighting Venom. I was hesitant at first, based on the price tag. But now that I have it, I'm so glad I did. It's a beautiful display piece standing at 19" tall and looks great with other Marvel statues I own. (I'm sure it looks great by itself too) 

                                           This picture doesn't actually do it enough justice.

I definitely recommend getting this game, though I would have to recommend playing the first two if you haven't already. Curious what other people think of the game, so let me know!

Entry#3--Mint(s)

I normally don't eat mints. I guess you could say I'm a gum person, I usually find everything about gum better... with the exception of having to find a place to dispose of it afterward, that isn't the bottom of a table. However, I find myself tasked with writing about mints and here we are. 

I search around my house for some mints but to no avail. This is expected, as I don't normally consume mints. I decided to stop at the gas station on my way into work to get some. Though this isn't something I'd normally buy, it takes no time to pick out a mint. It's a small white and red container, that fits perfectly in my hand, and it has the word cinnamon on the lid; an easy choice, as cinnamon is my go-to choice for gum and mints. I note that I've recently brushed my teeth and recognize that would put a damper on the experience, so I opt to try the mint later.

Fast forward a few hours, and I've just finished a break and my lunch at work. It is time. I will try this mint so I can share my experience with the world. I open a flimsy plastic protective sleeve around the container. It's at this point I notice there are two tabs on the container: One and Many. I ponder the circumstance that would lead to needing many mints at the same time, but I digress back to my choices and open the tab labeled "One".

It takes a little finesse but out pops my mint. It's smaller than I had originally pictured. The option for "Many" becomes much clearer now. I pop the mint into my mouth, and I'm surprised by the initial experience. At first, there's almost no flavor. I move the mint around my mouth as it slowly dissipates. It isn't long before that changes and the mint starts to work it's magic. I could almost swear the inside of my mouth started to heat up but the flavor remained icy cold. This sensation isn't isolated to my mouth, it travels upward, and I can almost feel my eyes water from the intense flavor. A strange sensation but not entirely unwelcome. 

Moments pass and my mouth feels fresh and clean now, albeit a little singed. I think back and wonder why I don't eat them more often. The flavor itself was an exhilarating combination of hot and cold but was a little overwhelming for my taste. I open the "One" tab again and fetch myself another mint. Perhaps there's a world where I can enjoy both mints and gum.