When I first came across these ads, since I rarely see any vase advertisements,  I thought they were beautifully done. Using fireworks in place of actual flowers was a smart move, making the ad look elegant and enhances the vase rather than compete with it. The fireworks also go along with their copy that gives the impression that their celebrating their 300th year. 

Repeated Concepts in Ads

"A memory which will never stop screaming." 2002
"Reporters without borders." 2006
"At work, little pains are hard to bear." 2008
"Relief for Sore Throats." 2008
After looking through several ads, I began to notice the same concepts for different issues and by different agencies. One of the difficulties I have in being in this class is coming up with new and creative ways to promote an issue or product. However, the problem I have with these ads (and I'm sure there's more, like the talking thumbs mentioned in class) is that I feel like its been done repeatedly and quite unsuccessfully. Out of the 4, the second one with a hand covering the man's mouth followed by the tagline "Reporters without borders" is working the best. What bothers me the most about these ads is that it's unappealing and outdated, yet it continues to be used. Although there might be a possibility of depicting the "mouth" in an aesthetically interesting way, it might be better to leave it alone for awhile since most of them are kind of creepy. 

Japanese/Korean Creative Advertisements

Here's an advertisement my friend once showed me that I love. If you haven't watched it before watch it! It inspires and stays with you long after it's over, which I think is part of good advertising. It's also a way of thinking outside the box.