Media blog #13: Reflection

      Let's face it.  No matter how much we try to avoid media, the truth of the matter is that we can't.  We are exposed to thousands of media daily, half of which we are unconscious of.  In this era of fast moving technology, it's unavoidable, especially with the internet where many ads are uploaded every day.  

     I consume a bunch of media although I'm not sure about the number since it's so big.  I also use the internet every day and watch TV once in a while, so I see media influence every day, especially in the form of ads.  

     Although, even back then, I wasn't usually persuaded by ads to buy a product, some actually confused me, I still just accepted what I saw in them and never questioned them.  I never noticed how they have distorted assumptions about me and how they were trying to persuade me to believe them.  Maybe subconsciously I did start to believe them.  But after taking this class, I am much more aware of what marketing companies are actually doing.  Every time I see a commercial now, I immediately start analyzing what needs they are using, what techniques they are using, who is their target market, what reality assumptions they have about them, etc.  It does get annoying because I can't help it, but it does make watching ads much more interesting.  Sometimes, it even makes some serious ads pretty hysterical because they are doing a really bad job of concealing the techniques and needs they are using.  Also, I used to skip commercials, but sometimes if I have a choice, I will watch the commercials just to analyze them.    

      Now, I am definitely more hesitant to believe what I see in the media.  I used to believe about, but not all, of what they said on it, but now I find myself questioning a lot more.  I can look deeper into what people are saying and decide for myself if I should or shouldn't believe them.  

     It's important to have media literary so you won't be so easily tricked by the media into believing what they want you to believe.  You won't be tricked by marketing companies into believing that you're really a sad, boring person inside and you need a certain product to fill that emptiness.  You'll be able to tell that they are lying to you and that you have to find out the truth for yourself.  

     Although I did find keeping these blogs to be tedious, by keeping track of what media I'm exposed to, I was able to tell just how much media influences my life.  By forcing me to look deeper into ads, I was able to pick out implicit and explicit messages.  Now, those skills have improved and I can easily apply them to ads everywhere.   

     In this crazy world we live in, one may not notice just how powerful media is.  It has the power to influence our thought and feelings and practically shapes our lives.  It's so powerful that it has even shaped our views of what we want to see, such as how men want to see skinny, super feminine women.  We don't have a mind for ourselves; we don't actually make our own decisions.  It has already been made up by the media.  We store what we see in the media and it slowly begins to clutter up own minds, so that we don't have any more room to fill more important information, such as the news.  Maybe that's why people believe that kids nowadays are stupid because they consume so much media.  Most of my brain is filled with useless knowledge from the media, and my memory has slowly gotten worse from when I was a kid.  The moral of this is never underestimate the media's power on all of us.   

Media Blog #12: MissRepresentation in Catoons

     As a kid, I watched a whole lot of cartoons.  I would watch just about any cartoon that was on TV.  But I never noticed the kinds of messages these shows were installing in my mind.  Last night, as I was watching some cartoons, I began to see what was said in MissRepresntation applied to these shows; most noticeably, really skinny women wearing barely any clothes or wearing revealing outfits. Think about the messages these shows send to young girls now.  If this was already happening when I was a young girl, I'm pretty sure it has gotten worse.  
     Take Misty from the Pokemon series.  She's already very skinny, and to top it off, she only wears short shorts and a cropped tank top.  The outfit is wrong on so many levels, not to mention that it is also impractical.  She is supposed to be traveling the Kanto region in this outfit, but how is she supposed to know what the weather will be like in each area?  That always puzzled me, but I didn't look further into it.  She needs to be covered up a lot more.  Also, her skin is perfect, not a blemish in sight.  When young girls see her, they begin to compare themselves to her, saying things such as "I wish I looked like her."  The fact that she is also a strong-willed, likeable character doesn't help.  Girls admire her and want to be just like her.    They are measuring themselves to an unachievable and unhealthy standard.  They begin to believe that society accepts girls that super skinny and wear just enough clothes to cover what needs to be covered at all times of the year.  Warmth is not an issue for them.  They just need to look good and show themselves off. 

     Another example is Starfire, from a show called Teen Titans.  In the show, Starfire can fly and shoots green fireballs.  Starfire and four other superheroes work together to fight off crime in the city they live in.  Like Misty, many girls could look up to her because she fights off bad guys.  How cool is that?  People may think that objectifying women doesn't apply to her because shes helps her fellow men colleagues save the day, but she is.  Look at what she is wearing, a tight, revealing top that stops way above her waist, an extremely short and tight skirt that just covers her bottom, and long socks that stop just before where the shorts stop to reveal a small sliver of skin.  Also, look at her legs.  They are just skin and bones that could break any second.  Girls get the idea that they should wear something like this when they feel powerful and are helping people.  

     Cartoon characters aren't real and don't exist in life, but they do a very good job in telling girls how they should look like and be.  Even though these shows have ended, the fact that there are still reruns of them only increases the chance for a young girl to watch it.  Why can't strong cartoon characters be like Katniss Everdeen, who is recognized for her strength, not her sex appeal.  It is dangerous for girls growing up in this era of media.  They are constantly being bombarded with messages telling them how to be, and they don't get a say in it.  This needs to stop, but the only way to do this is to reshape the way women are portrayed in all kinds of media.   

Media Log #11: San Francisco

    My family and I recently took a trip down to San Fransisco.  Upon entering the city, you can already see the numerous huge billboards off the highway advertising things from Coke to insurance; you can't miss these billboards.  It only gets worse once you enter the city.  I've always known that there are many ads in San Fransisco, but I never really noted how much there actually were.  I actually paid attention this time, and I noticed that on the streets there were literally ads on every corner or even more.  This especially rings true in Union Square where there are already so many stores to shop at.  It was overwhelming seeing so many ads, especially since one of those circular ad holders can hold more than one ad.  
     Even in the mall, they have ads everywhere.  I know they usually have some ads in malls, but I felt that it went a little overboard in the Westfield San Fransisco Centre.  I remember an ad holder on the ground floor near the food court that was advertising eating vegetables and the movie Labor Day.  Are people really going to notice an ad in a mall where everybody is too busy shopping, especially in a mall as big as that one?  I only noticed it because I was eating, so I guess it's strategic to put an ad near the food court where people sitting down.  Everyone one of the many directories they had had an ad on the back of it.  But even though I took a glance at what they were advertising, I don't remember what they were trying to sell.  If I was actually paying attention to the ads and can't recall a single ad from there, how do you expect the ordinary shopper to remember them?  I'm not saying that ads in malls are bad, but I question how useful they are.    
     What I found out to be the most surprising is that they now put ads inside of taxis.  That's right, not outside on a taxi, but inside of one.  I don't know how long they have been doing this, since I don't think I have ever rode in a taxi in San Fransisco until now.  Companies have been putting ads on the outside of taxis for a long time now, and they are quite effective, especially in big cities where you see them everywhere.  I don't know if putting ads in taxis is specific to San Fransisco, but now, if you ride in the back of a taxi, you can't help but noticing the various ads that pop up on the small screen.  It's actually quite a brilliant idea since many people ride taxis everyday, especially in big cities like San Fransisco, and will see these ads.   It's probably even more effective than putting ads on the outsides of taxis. 
      I didn't start to notice just how much media is advertised in San Fransisco until I started studying media.  Image what it must be like for the people who live in San Fransisco.  I wonder how they don't get annoyed with all these ads.  I guess they don't really notice it since they've been surrounded by them for such a long time and probably have gotten used to them. 

Media Log #10: Gwen Stefani's O.P.I. Collection

     O.P.I. is a popular nail polish company that is sold in numerous stores around the world.  They are known to have nail polish collections inspired by different celebrities, such as Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood, and Selena Gomez.  This time O.P.I. is advertising their Gwen Stefani nail polish collection.
    When you think of Gwen Stefani, what do you think of?  Do you think of having a fun, great time?  Do you think of standing out from the crowd?  Well, that's what O.P.I. wants you to connect with their Gwen Stefani nail polish collection.  Through these immediate connections we make with Gwen Stefani, O.P.I is using the technique of testimonial.  They want us to associate Gwen Stefani's exciting lifestyle to her O.P.I. nail polish collection.  The ad even states and bold prints "Standout Color in Breakthrough Finishes," which also relates to her exhilarating life because she is always standing out in new ways.  
     In this ad, Gwen Stefani is depicted as having a great time, with her bright pink lips open and her bright, cool nails showing.  Her name is shown is big letter, so we are certain of who this person is.  Also, O.P.I.'s brand name is shown on the bottom left-hand corner, so we are sure of what nail polish brand has this collection.  Beneath Gwen Stefani's nails are the nail polish colors that are in her collection, followed by their names which relate to Gwen Stefani. 
    Going along with Gwen Stefani's lifestyle is the need for autonomy and the need for attention.  Her style is a little out there, but that uniqueness is what gets her noticed.  We want to stand out like Gwen Stefani, and at the same time, get noticed for being different and unique.  We can achieve this through wearing her nail polish collection. 
    The message portrayed in this ad is that we live a boring life and need this nail polish to made our lives exciting again.  With this nail polish, we will be able to live an exciting life like Gwen Stefani, and we'll never be bored again.  In reality, it's just nail polish, and it's only purpose is nail decoration.  But because it's associated with some many other things, we begin to believe that it could improve our quality of life.  
     The target market for this product is women ranging from the their teen years to their early 30s.  This age range is mostly when most women go out to party and have a great time.  Also, Gwen Stefani can be seen as an idol for some women.  She promotes being different, and many women want to stand out from the sea of lookalikes.  Also, nail polish is mostly used by women, so it would make sense that they would use Gwen Stefani to advertise it.  
      Overall, I though this was a pretty effective ad.  Although I'm not a big fan of the colors in her collection, I do beleive many women would be attracted to them because they are bright or attention grabbing colors that embody the rockstar lifestyle of Gwen Stefani. 
     

Media Log #9: Total Eclipse of Your Appitite

    "Turn Around, every now and then I get a little lonely and you're never coming round.  Turn around, every now and then I get a little tired of listening to the sound of my tears...Turn around, bright eyes...Together we can take it to the end of the line.  Your love is like a shadow on the other side...I really need to tonight."  
     If anyone is a fan of 80s music, then they would know that these lyrics come from the 1983 power ballad "Total Eclipse of the Heart."  The lyrics above have been tweaked in this commercial to create humor.  The song is originally about a torn love relationship 

where the lovers are lost without each other but are destructive when they are with each other.  Instead, Fiber One has tweaked the lyrics to describe a need to satisfy one's growing hunger with a low calorie snack.  By doing so, this commercial uses the technique of wit and humor.  "Total Eclipse of the Heart" was such a popular and powerful song, and it's funny how the topic being discussed has been changed from the serious topic of love to the ordinary topic of satisfying one's hunger.  

     This commercial features different people singing the altered lyrics while also showing images of them being saddened by the fact that they can't eat all those great, unhealthy desserts.  then, finally Barbra is at a grocery store and sees the Fiber One brownies.  She dramatically turns around and lets go of she shopping cart.  The next few moments are in slow motion.  It first shows Barbra amazed reaction to finding the brownies and then the rest of the women's happy and satisfying reactions once they eat the brownie.  The commercial ends with "I finally found the right snack."  Then the Fiber One logo comes up with the words "90 Calories.  Zero Drama" under it.  

     The need used in this commercial is physiological needs.  Everyone wants to indulge in some great tasting dessert once in a while.  It's a craving we can't get rid of.  But instead of indulging on fattening foods, we can instead indulge on 90 calorie Fiber One brownies which are the better choice.  You can satisfy that craving while also feeling great because you believe it's not that bad for you. 

     The target market is women in their 30s-40s who are on diets or who are trying to lose weight.  They want to eat something tasty, but can't seem to find that right snack that won't break their diet or make them gain weight.  All the people shown are women who are tempted to eat the deserts but don't end up eating them.

     The message portrayed is that Fiber One brownies are the best choice for a healthy snack.  What you are eating right now isn't the right thing to eat.  You're not seeing results by eating those things.  You need to stop eating those things and eat Fiber One brownies in order to see results.  

      I found this commercial to be quite funny and effective.   Whoever thought of this concept to sell this product is a genius.  Taking an old 80s hit and changing the words to sell a product is quite brilliant.  Their target market will remember this song, because they grew up with it, and laugh at the ridiculousness of the commercial but also be reminder of that amazing song.  Then, they will see jsut how amazing Fiber One brownies are and buy them to eat.  

Media Log #8: Cross Promotions

     When you first see this ad, you may wonder whether it is an ad for Disneyland or an ad for Nikon.  Well, it's an ad for both companies.  These companies are using a technique discussed in "The Merchants of Cool" called cross promotion.  By using this, both companies can reach audiences that may not normally be attracted to their product in hopes that more people will buy their product.  It's a very strategic move from a marketing persepctive.
     When people see this ad, they hopefully are reminded of some of their best memories from "The Happiest Place on Earth," and what better way to save these memories than with a Nikon D3200.  On the ad, it is even stated that Nikon is "The Official Disneyland Camera."  Now, people believe that the only way they can properly capture their "magical moments" is by buying and bringing a Nikon camera to Disneyland.  Nikon is usually known for its picture quality, so it would make sense for Disney to advertise with it.  
     Many people associate positive connotations with the word Disney.  They're brought back with memories of childhood and overall happiness.  When these people see the boy holding on to Mickey's hand, they're reminded of a time when they may have done that.  What Disney hopes is that if these people have kids, they'll take there kids to Disneyland so their kids can experience a great time like the parents once did before.  Therefore, the target market for this ad is families who want their kids to have a great time.  It doesn't matter how old each person is.  What matters is that they have an amazing, memorable experience at Disneyland. 
    The boy also brings up the need to nurture.  When we see how happy the boy is, we also want to experience that same kind of happiness.  We ten believe that Disneyland does a good job at making children happy because we see him holding Mickey's hand and Cinderella's Castle is in the background.  
    Since people associate good connotations with Disneyland, it causes these people to associate good connotations to Nikon, using a technique called transfer/association.  Nikon wants us to believe that we can practically take any photo, even if it's not in Disneyland, and the picture will still have that same Disneyland feeling to it.  
     Overall, I believe this ad was effective in selling its message and product to their audience.  Families would easily be attracted to this as because it shows a happy family in a great ccamera shot.  Personally, I would not buy a camera just because its associated with Disneyland, but then again, I'm still a teen myself.  
    

Media Log #7: African Elephant Poaching

     Is it me or does anyone else find this comic very sad?   Poor Lana and the rest of the African elephant population!  Not only is the issue discussed saddening, but also the expressions of the animals are saddening.  
     I was reading the comics section of the newspaper a few weeks ago, and I came across this comic a couple of weeks ago.  It immediately stood out to me because I found it interesting that the issue of elephant poaching was discussed in the cute Mutts comics.  Usually, Mutts comics don't discuss any issues and instead, show scenes of daily life in a cute and loving way that warm your heart.  It's just out of the ordinary to find an issue as serious as elephant poaching discussed in this comic. 
     This comic strip is trying to bring awareness to a problem that may have been overshadowed by all the other problems in the world.  Thirty-five thousand African elephants were slaughtered in 2012 for ivory!  The proof given is not vague at all and instead, is right in your face.  You can't ignore it.  It saddens me that people still do this even though it's illegal and harms the elephant population.  These people are heartless and don't care if the elephants suffer for their selfish actions.  If this continues to happen, the elephant population will become extinct, and then there won't even be any elephants to take ivory from.  Those poachers won't have a job anymore.  Patrick McDonnell wants us to become aware us this issue and maybe help to prevent this from continuing.  
     Discussing this serious issue in such a cute, heartwarming comic works in the issue's favor.  You see the animal's faces, especially the elephant's, and instantly feel for the elephant since it's the elephant who is being affected.  You can also see how quickly and dramatically the animals' expressions change from a normal, curious look to a sad and depressing look.  It's such a powerful and memorable moment because we can see how an elephant feels about this issue.  I feel that if this issue was discussed in a comic that isn't known for it's cute character, such as Zits, the effect wouldn't be as powerful since we wouldn't associate the right kind of feelings with it.  Sure, we'd feel bad about the issue, but we might forget about it after a while.  
      The elephant can't forget what's happened to thirty five thousand of her species, and now that fact is continuing to sadden me too.  This comic did a good job at raising public awareness for this saddening problem.