Media Blog Reflection: Back to the Start and Back Again

             So here we are. Look around and absorb it in all of its glory. You might not ever get to see this again. (Although not really, because the internet is forever).
Throughout the process of keeping this blog, I've really learned a lot about how much media I consume, and what goes into the media I consume. And for once, I'm very excited about being able to look back on my life and cringe at my ignorance. Usually I would try to block these parts out of my mind. However, now I can actually recognize my ignorance, I'm proud of how much I have learned. Being able to recognize my own ignorance means that I have changed, I have grown, and I am now more aware of the world around me.
             Despite this, my relationship with media has yet to change. Although to be honest, I wasn't very aware of my media consumption habits before starting this blog. Sure I would notice the little sidebars and such, being tailored to everything that I already consumed, but I never did anything about them. At least now though, I can recognize what companies are trying to get me to feel and believe. However, sometimes that doesn't prevent me from falling for it. In this respect, I have a lot of work to do in my coming years, but I think now I'm more ready than I ever was to take on this challenge.
              For me, it is important to have this new found media literacy so that I can navigate through the sea of lies that sits before me. And so that I can help the people around me who have been so negatively impacted by the media they've been exposed to.
              You always consume more media than you think you do, and just because you notice it doesn't mean you aren't still gobbling it up like a thanksgiving turkey. Sadly even the media that we are aware of still manages to impact our identities by telling us that we're not good enough, or that we're so close but we're just missing one little thing, and that thing just so happens to be whatever they're trying to sell us. But listen, you could have everything in your life be perfect, and you could still not be satisfied. Media always tries to tell us that to be happy we have to be somebody else. But if you're somebody else, who the heck is going to be wonderful and glorious you? Believe it or not, because you were born you now play an essential role in all of humanity (not to put too much pressure on you or anything).  You are a person, and you are all that you need to be and it is a downright shame that media tells you otherwise for the sake of their billion-dollar corporations that will collapse with time and be nothing more but wasted wealth.

       You are a person. Nothing more. Nothing less. You can change the world, or you can conform to it. But ask yourself first which way you will be happier.

     
Thank you for your time, it's been a journey.

Media Blog #13: Peace, Love, and Baby Doves

 Earlier this week in Critical Thinking, we watched a documentary called Miss Representation. The movie deals with the misrepresentation of women in media, and the expectations placed on them by society as a result of these misrepresentations. 

Personally, I have to say that the movie hit me pretty hard. It really opened my eyes to the point where every time I watch TV I become very discontent with the portrayal of women on TV. I don't think it would have hit me as hard if I hadn't started to become recently aware of the harm that it causes the women around me; women who can't find value in themselves because they are not "perfect".

The ads above relate to this topic because Dove is very famous for its campaigns towards healthy body image, and self-confidence in young girls. The documentary focused on how girls worry more about their looks than their accomplishments, and Dove really emulates that in their ads. I really appreciate how Dove uses their voice in media to take a stand against the injustice that is done to so many girls and women everyday. It's exactly what the documentary offered up as a solution to the misrepresentation of women in media: women have to stand up for other women. Women have to tell their stories, so that young girls, and people in general will see that there's a lot of work to be done when it comes to cleaning up the misrepresentation of women in media.

Media Blog #12: God Jammit!

 So I found these print ads while scrolling through tumblr. These ads are done by Samsung to advertise their new printer which does not jam. The premise of the ad is to display that paper jams waste more than just paper.
  These ads are extremely effective. Personally I would normally think "yeah paper jams suck but I don't need a new printer." But this ad somehow appeals to my need to nurture. Even though the animals aren't the typical go-to for cuteness, it still makes me go "awe :(" inside.

The lighting in the pictures seem to play a cruicial part in the ad as well, making the situation seem very intense.

These ads would probably appeal to people ages 30-40, and those who care for the environment. Not  even those who care desperately about the environment, but anybody who has that little streak in them that makes them desire to help those who cannot protect themselves.

Media Blog #11: Wonderfilled

So you may or may not have seen this aired on TV recently. Brief synopsis either way: Owl City performed a song for an Oreo commercial about sharing the "wonderfilled" Oreos with different fictional characters; making the big bad wolf change his big bad ways, etc. I thought it was super cute. You can take my word for it or, you know, actually watch it.

Anyways, it's been getting a lot of backlash, being called "obnoxious", childish, and vomit inducing on twitter. These remarks have been coming specifically from the viewers of madmen, which is when the spot had one of its first appearances. The fact it was aired during a more adult program makes me think that the target market audience is supposed to be from 20-50, but to be honest the commercial seems like it would work more for kids 8-15.

By using the word "Wonderfilled" the commercial is quite vague, because really what does it mean to be wonderfilled? It sounds direct like "filled with wonder", but it can't literally be filled with wonder. This, and the premise of the commercial (ya know, changing villains), makes me think that the advertiser wants you to think that buy purchasing and consuming Oreos, your life itself will be wonderfilled, rather than the Oreos themselves.

Media Blog #10: Beardvertising.

So apparently there's this new thing called "Beardvertising", where you get paid $5 a day to put a little clip in your facial hair that has an advertisement on it. What.

It's kind of a cool idea, but I still feel very skeptical about it. So far it seems pretty legit, but at the same time I may or may not trust a guy who wears it. The website linked clearly uses wit and humor as an ad technique, as proven by it's old timey photos of guys with beards, and arrows pointing to facial hairs saying "your ad goes here". The target market is obviously men 20-40. And I'm kinda mad because I would like to get paid $5 a day, but I don't have a beard. Or at least not a real one.

This ad could also technically appeal to serial killers, but could you imagine. Getting stabbed to death. The searing pain in your abdomen as you lay in a dark alley way. Your fingers going cold, and you begin to feel very sleepy. Your clothes feel wet, and as you're choking on your tears and mucus you look up to a set of slimy yellow teeth peering out from behind thin wet lips like small worms. He grins and you shiver, as his wiry beard moves frigidly with his body movements. As you search for a last glimmer of hope, your mouth tastes metallic. As your eyes flutter with what might be your last glimpses of the world, you see it. "Mini Polar Swirls". You release one last gasp of breath and realize "damn that would hit the spot right about now."

Media Blog #9: We Like Short Shorts.

Okayokayokay. I don't like this form of advertising and I'm going to tell you why.

Yes it's pretty unique, or at least I've never seen anything like it. But it's literally using people as advertisements. Companies do stuff like this all the time, from putting their logo on your cup, to simply selling status on a shirt, but this time SCIENCE HAS GONE TOO FAR. literally using skin as a way to advertise. I get bothered with companies putting their logos on cups, because I walk around sipping a delicious smoothie feeling like I just paid somebody to advertise for them.

Alright so those are my personal problems with this, but there are some other flaws in it as well.

1) What if it's really hot? I'm about 85% sure that those bars with words on them are made out of metal, when you sit down on them it would burn your legs. Ouch. No.
2) Your legs would have to be angled perfectly in order to get all of the words on them, and it's possible to get more than one if you sit in the wrong area. Would you like it if your thighs said "SHO SHO ON SUP" or "ORT ORTS SALE ERETTE". No.

It's very apparent that the target market is women 18-25, based on the models used. But how are the girls supposed to see them if it's on the back of their legs?

It seems like it would be more aimed then towards young men, but they don't need short shorts.
It could also work for elderly women who sit on park benches feeding birds, but that is just another demographic that I do not want to see in short shorts.

Media Blog #8: So long Siri!

I recently saw this ad on TV, and I thought it made some interesting points.

First off, it's Microsoft parodying their rival, Apple. I think it shows how Apple commercials have become so commonplace in our society that they can be parodied easily to sell a different product. This ad uses wit and humor (because it is a parody after all), as well as simple solutions because it demonstrates the Windows 8 tablet as being able to do more than the iPad with ease.

Personally  I think the best part is the ending where Siri suggests to the hand model that he play chopsticks poorly.

Microsoft also gets revenge for the whole "I'm a Mac" and "I'm a PC" thing that Apple used to do in comparison of both products. Although I might personally prefer those to this one because they had more sass.

Media Blog #7: Colgate

Okay, first I want you to look at these images closely, and then we'll get started.

Okay.

So did you notice anything odd about these pictures? If not, look at them again one more time. If still no (or even a yes but you just want me to get onto the point), there's more to these pictures than just guys with food stuck in their teeth.

In the first photo, you will notice that the woman's hand has more than 5 fingers. In the second, there is a mysterious hand on the man's shoulder. In the third, the man is missing an ear.

The entire focus of this campaign is to illustrate that a mouth without care is more noticeable than any other flaws you might have. It's true that a smile can say a lot about what kind of person you are, but this might be going over the top. But if you really think about it, that's what advertising does. It takes the tiniest things (imperfections, and desires, etc.) and blows them up out of proportion so more attention will be drawn to them, and they can sell their product easier. It's oddly similar to a straw-man fallacy in a way.

Anyways, the target market for this ad is most likely males 30-50 years old, who are in the upper-middle class to upper class income. I base these off of the appearances of the men in the ads. If you'll notice more than just the missing/additional appendages, all of the men are wearing collared shirts, nice ones too.

A pretty convincing campaign, if I do say so myself.

Media Blog #6: iPillow

 Alright, so I've heard of the iPillow before, but this is the first time I've actually ever seen an advertisement for it. Basic note on what it does: the speakers are in the pillow so you don't have to have any more pesky ear buds if you want to listen to music before you get to sleep.

These ads are pretty cool, depicting typical music/concert actions such as waving a lighter, or glow sticks. Interestingly enough, they play off of crucial stereotypes.

 First, we have the typical lighter guy, there's nothing really special about what he's doing, but then we get the rocker guy. He's in a run-down apartment (with chipped paint). He's got a lot of tattoos, and a poster labeled "Rock City." And his hands are in the typical rock gesture. Next there's the techno/rave girl, waving glow sticks in her sleep. Like who doesn't do that? She's got a lot of colorful bracelets, and a lot of heavy eye make up.

These characteristics depicted are all very cool and edgy, and they all insinuate that by purchasing iPillow, you too will have a concert every time you rest your little head.

However, the one thing that surprises me is that they used depictions of party-goers. When I usually think of listening to music before bed, I don't want something loud and thumpy that will keep me up. What I think they should have done is have a guy in a suit and a fedora  playing the sax, or trumpet laying down in bed, with a black and white filter. Or maybe Mozart, with a conductors baton. But not Beethoven, no that would be counter productive.

Media Blog #5: Welcome to Facebook, You Are Now an Advertiser.

Screen cap from my own facebook, please do not friend me.

Some of you out there may have noticed that a couple weeks ago, Facebook added a new update to their website that allows you to update everything from your mood to what you are eating.

At first I thought "Wow! This is really nifty!" and then I began to realize what it really was. Cheap advertising. By updating your mood you may not be doing any harm, but if you update any of the others you've become an advertiser. It's the ultimate way of getting people to spread to people what's hip, or even just simply anything that they're doing.

The update buttons are practically advertisements themselves, if you notice how under drinking and eating, the list contains very generic things like: coffee, tea, hot chocolate. No specific brands. However, under watching, reading, and listening to specific shows, books and musical artists are mentioned. I'm just curious as to whether or not anybody payed to have their names go under those titles. I would suppose it would be worth it because after that point they'll have the general populous advertising for them, for free. With every status update, you too can spread the word of advertising! Wow!

Media Blog #4: Psy's "Gentleman" Is Just a Terrible "Gangam Style" Rehash

We all remember last September when Gangnam Style by Psy first got really popular. The song was fun, and the music video was outrageous and hilarious. Good times, good times. But Psy's fame meant there would be an inevitable attempt at him trying to prolong his 15 minutes. "Gentleman" is that attempt. Psy's "Gentleman" has been out for a couple weeks now, but I'm just now getting around to seeing it. Let me just put this out here: I hate it. Please re-read title for more details.

Don't get me wrong, Psy sounds like he could actually be a nice person based off his Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) that he did sometime last year. But this song is just awful. I loved Gangnam Style, although it did get overplayed, it was still a good song and I felt that it featured light humor, and the dance was simple enough to catch on like wild fire. In Gentleman, Psy tries to take almost every aspect from Gangnam Style and amp it up, but it just doesn't turn out right.

Exhibit A: Same people from the Gangnam Style video such as Yellow Suit Man
Exhibit B: Another attempt to make a snazzy dance craze. It pretty much just looks like hugging yourself and swaying side to side. This one won't catch on as well.
Exhibit C: The whole "sexy lady" thing isn't even funny anymore, it's just gross. I mean, rubbing oil all over girls, trying to take of their bathing tops, lotsa booty shots. Come on. Really?
Exhibit D: Even the lyrics this time are worse.
Exhibit E: Psy's just being a huge jerk the whole time. Maybe that's supposed to be funny, but personally I think it's just awful.

There's way more to the video that I hate, but I doubt that any of it is going to keep people from making it a hit. *Sigh*. See what I did there? B-because sigh souds like psy? ... Nevermind, I'll leave.

Media Blog #3: Oh Axe, You Clever Dog

So the other day I was scrolling down my tumblr dash when I came upon this brilliant little advertisement done by Axe.

The ads were placed next to emergency exit signs in Belgium. As in most places, emergency exit signs feature stick figures running for their lives to reach the exit. But in this case, it features a stick figure running away from a hoard of girls. Axe took advantage of the running man to illustrate its message: that Axe products make you irresistible to the ladies.

This ad mostly features the needs for attention and autonomy because it focuses on the desires to be noticed, to be singled out, and to be wanted. The ad is simple and to the point, and because the only text featured is the logo in the bottom right corner, it mostly relies on its wit and humor.

So this ad is brilliant, but there's just one thing that I cannot get over: the fact that the female stick figures have curves. I mean look at that. Not even women's restroom signs have buts or busts like that, all they get are kilts to distinguish it from the men's restrooms. Although I think this aspect of the ad is hilarious, it does play an important part in defining the ad's effectiveness because it says "Not only will women love you, but HOT women will love you." Also, the second woman looks like she's about to do a cartwheel.

*slow claps* Well done Axe, well done.

What do you think of Axe's emergency exit signs? Let me know in the comments below!

Media Blog #2: The Coverage of the Boston Marathon Bombing

    On April 15th, 2013, the Boston Marathon took place, but it met a brutal end. At the finish line, two bombs were placed. When they detonated, they killed 3 people and wounded 144. One of the first reactions was panic. The bombers got exactly what they wanted: psychological terror among the people. Many posts, assumptions, and theories were made about who committed the crime and why they did it. There was an overwhelming fear cast upon the American people. There were news casts that seemed to scream "CHAOS, CHAOS, CHAOS." But there was another reaction as well, one of community and strength.

     As spoken here by Steve Colbert on the Colbert Report, there was no denying that the events that took place on April 15th were horrific, and terrifying. However, these events also shed light on a beautiful aspect of the American people that is sometimes forgotten. Not only is Boston tough, but the whole of America is capable of banding together, and pressing on through the thickest. As mentioned in the video, runners who had already completed the marathon ran an extra 2 miles to a hospital nearby to donate blood. Around the families of victims, candle light vigils were held, and those victims will never be forgotten. 

The internet had a great deal to do with the spread of fear, as well as the spread of strength as this photo of Mr. Rogers began popping up on feeds everywhere. As people began to pay more attention to the volunteers, a greater sense of community was developed.

Many celebrities (such as Steve Colbert and Amy Poehler) spoke about the bombing, but through the sullen clouds, we found hope.

 There was the time for sadness. But now is the time for strength. Our hearts are with you, Boston. 

   

A top comment from another, lower-quality version of the Colbert video.

Media Blog #1: Thrift Shop by Macklemore

"I'm gonna pop some tagsOnly got twenty dollars in my pocketI-I-I'm a huntin', lookin' for a come-upThis is  (expletive) -ing awesome!"

  

 Wow, talk about catchy, amiright? Although that might have sounded slightly sarcastic in your brain, I promise you it's not intended that way. The lyrics to Macklemore's Thrift Shop, although not totally and completely unbearable, are not the most brilliant lyrics in the world. In fact, they discuss a topic that now-a-days could be described as - how the kids are saying - "ratchet". Yet, with its "sick beats", and repetitive melody, it reached number one on the Billboard Top 100. Here's my look into why.

Although there are a multitude of reasons as to why this single became a success with very little promotion, I want to focus on a reason that sets it aside from most singles out there. Sure the song is "catchy", and it has a nice beat and melody, there is one particular reason I believe it caught on:  it's relate-able. Call me crazy, but just think about it for a minute. Songs generally become popular because their lyrics are just vague enough that people can project themselves onto the lyrics. They tend to avoid specifics and focus more on emotion. However, this song does the opposite. Although it doesn't name-drop, it touches on a relate-able topic: being broke and wanting cool things.

Example A: "They be like, "Oh, that Gucci - that's hella tight."/I'm like, "Yo - that's fifty dollars for a T-shirt."/Limited edition, let's do some simple addition/Fifty dollars for a T-shirt - that's just some ignorant b*tch"

In today's economy, I think it's safe to say that this is a common thought of the common people. I mean, why would you bother spending $50 on a T-shirt when you could buy 10 T-shirts at a thrift store for the same price? That's just some simple addition. Let's be real, "Limited Edition" is limited thinking, and today's moto seems to be "do more with less". Especially when it comes to the amount of clothes people are wearing, amiright?

Overall, I believe the song captures a modern morality. Plus it has little kids in it, so they definitely got me on the need to nurture. I've been receiving thrift-store "come-ups" since I was a kid, and now I just want to dress all the little children in moth-eaten sweaters <3

Hello!

      Hello, and welcome to my blog! My name is Gemma, and this is my first official post. This blog has been created with the intention of fulfilling requirements from my zero period critical thinking class. Although most of you probably know that, some may not. Anyways, I thought I'd take this post to make a brief introduction and get some practice in before I actually do things.

     First things first: this is a media blog, meaning it is my job to analyze the media I see everyday. When I was first assigned this, I was very excited. But right now, I'm kinda nervous. I've tried blogging before, but this is different. Now, I'm at the mercy of my peers (although not really, I'm not officially being judged). Practically everybody I know is going to see this, and even though I don't know a lot of people, it's still pretty scary. Sometimes my thoughts are unorganized, and sometimes I can't explain them. But I'm going to try my very best to get my opinions across. Please bear with me.

    I decided to start off with a quote-image (quote by Banksy, photo found on imgur, also please pardon the language), because I felt that it emulates what I understand about advertising so far. To put it simply, if you can place a product in the way of someone and them loving themselves, you can sell them anything. 

    But there's more to media than just advertisements; there's also music, tv, radio, news, etc. It's everywhere. Sometimes it feels inescapable. Sometimes it feels suffocating. But through this blog, I'm going to cut my way through the thick-plastic-plastered-photo-shopped-airbrushed-nip-tucked-smog-blanket of media that surrounds me in my day-to-day life. Wish me luck!