Reflection: Look Back at All We've Accomplished

Looking back at this semester, everything I've learned and experienced I certainly can say I view media in a much different way than before. I can no longer watch a commercial or see a billboard the same way, they are no longer just ways to get me to buy something, but represent a much deeper concept than what meets the eye. It had never occurred to me how deep the message and research done for these ads and such really are. I used to see a commercial as a cheesy, humorous way to get my attention about some brand. But now I see that there's a message imbedded in those about the way to get the consumers' attention.

With my knowledge of appeals and ad techniques it is hard for me now to not see a commercial and point out all the bits in my head. I'm sure if I said everything that I picked up about a commercial I'd drive my parents and peers crazy, especially with all the commercials coming up for the Super Bowl. The knowledge that I've taken in is somewhat annoying in a way because it has changed my entire perspective on the world around myself. Every time I see some type of media, the implicit possibilities start popping into my head. It has taken somewhat of the fun and humor out of media, especially knowing there's much more to that commercial than the funny dog or baby doing something. Even movies where I can't help but pick up all the product placement. Even look at my commercial for Volkswagen, we made a parody of it by brand dropping product placement throughout it.

Media in my daily life besides the ads and such revolves around Twitter, Instagram and all the many social sites out there. It's hard not to be attracted to such things, it brings the world to the tips of my fingers. Now, I can see what 300 "friends" are doing all at that same moment. Habits revolving around social media hasn't changed for me I'm still just as "addicted" to checking posts and tweets as before, but my habits have certainly opened up in a way, in the way that I accept ideas that I see. Not just habits that I've learned, before this class I'd say I was still an educated consumer, so I had an idea on the way companies lure me in. So coming to to media analysis, I was prepared, but more average people aren't. They just assume and accept the first concept they're given when confronted by an ad, when people aren't educated about products and such they are more likely to buy into the conformity that these companies want them to. They'll believe that by buying a Big Mac will make their lives happy and concepts like that.

The most important thing of this generation, is to become media literate. But unfortunately that's a goal that is far from the picture in the current state. Too many people don't understand fully what companies are trying to sell to them. The perfect body, life, happiness, unfortunately doesn't exist, no matter how many products you buy that say will "change" your life. 

Gender Inequality in Media

After watching the documentary Miss Representation, it dawned on me that women in media are so under represented properly and when represented are in a completely sexist way. In the video they showed us that when women are represented in media, they are depicted as a sexual objects, completely dependent on the way they look. I never realized that women were depicted that way, that they are never depicted as equals in media but as second to men.

Even though I did recognize that women were depicted as sexual objects in media, I always thought that they were that way because of themselves. But after watching Miss Representation, it occurred to me that they are sexual in their way because they have to to get the male viewership attention. But as along as they continue to depict women as the sexual appealing "eye candy," they will continue to be dehumanized by the public as unequal people. It makes other women worry about nothing else but their looks. They then get the impression that the only way to get attention of others is through their beauty and body. 

It isn't simply because women are sexual objects in their nature, but show themselves in such a way so the media they're on will be more appealing to the large male audience. Even though the point of the producing studios is to get as much viewership and money made, they are leaving a larger impact then they realize. By them displaying women in the way they do so, as sexual objects, they are disempowering the voice of women and the power they hold. 

Home Alone 2- Product Placement

In the spirit of the holiday season I've been watching the Christmas shows and such playing lately. And one of the most commonly appeared programs is Home Alone 2. The classic story of the boy being left behind and defending himself with traps. I've watched this movie lots of times over the years, but this time while watching I looked out for product placement use in the movie.

There wasn't as much compared to the amount seen in movies nowadays. But there was a bit that took notice of. One use was of Pepsi-Cola where it's commonly seen being drunken in the movie. Also the use of his tape recorder in the movie as he uses it to manipulate his way through adults. The tape recorder prominently displayed its logo, Talkboy, outwards towards the audience. This was a brand of tape recorders at the time.

Product placement is a good way for advertisers to subliminally get your attention towards their product and brand to increase the odds of you purchasing it. 

Merchants of Cool- Midriff

In Merchants of Cool they identified a culture symbol being the female culture icon as the midriff. The midriff is the culture icon of the female audience, advertisers targeted during the the late 90's. The midriff targets young women, primarily teenagers that are prematurely adult and want to use their bodies. They are premature in the case of dressing and acting more sexually. In the video they depict Britney Spears as the figure icon of the midriff.

Even though the video was produced over 10 years ago, the "midriff" figure is still prominent within our culture today. Now it is no longer Britney Spears but people like Miley Cyrus or Kim Kardashian that have taken the position regarded as the midriff. They represent teenage girls and their positions of increasingly more prominent sexually outwardly. Figures of the midriff appeal to the teenage girl market because girls then want to be like these women they see as popular figures of culture.  

As long as there is a market for teenage girls to buy product and be influenced by popular culture icons like Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears, there will always be a midriff icon. The midriff isn't just represented by a celebrity figure in a time period, but as recurring figure in each culture of teens. SO just as Britney Spears was the midriff in the 90's, Miley Cyrus now, then in 10 years or less some other prominent sexual women will be next.

Ball Park Buns

While I was looking through Sports Illustrated I found an ad advertising Ball Park buns. The ad portrayed hamburger and hotdog buns saying they're "America's favorite." The whole portrayal of the ad is to get the typical American consumer to buy their buns. Looking at it I thought back to all the techniques and needs we've learned, that are employed by advertisers.

What first stood out to me was the use of color they used, the only colors used were red, white, and blue. This obviously being symbolic of America. Also when they use the phrase, "America's favorite," this gets you thinking that all of America likes Ball Park. It's the use of the technique, Patriotism, by buying Ball Park over others you're being American, and choosing the bun that all of America buys since, Ball Park is America's favorite apparently. The other technique they use in Plain Folks, there's nothing fancy about the bun, they say "baked fresh for your home team," this refers to your family. Aiming towards people to buy it since the bun's a good value for your family and the average man.

Samsung- The Next Big Thing is Here

We've all seen the numerous commercials advertising technology, but more specifically Samsung. Samsung always advertises with the slogan, "The Next Big Thing," they advertise themselves as being ahead of everyone. Once again they're created another of their infamous commercials, but now advertising their new flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S5.

In the newest commercial I've found, they use the term "wall hugger," to describe those not using the S5, it's quite obvious they are referring to Apple iPhone users. The commercial is set at an airport, where all the walls are lined with people charging their iPhones at outlets. While S5 users walk around freely enjoying their lives, because they don't need to worry about being tied down by their charge cords, because of the S5's exceedingly long battery life.

 Samsung uses quite a few different advertising techniques throughout the commercial to persuade consumers watching to buy the Galaxy S5 over the iPhone. The purpose of the commercial is to show how Apple users are restricted to power outlets and have to always charge their iPhones, while Samsung S5 users have the ability to continue to enjoy life with the new Ultra Power Saving mode feature. This is the use of Avante Garde, is shows that if you buy a Samsung you'll be ahead of everyone else with an iPhone, you'll be more technologically advance than those without the S5. Along with Avante Garde, they use the technique of Plain Folks to portray their target audience, they show regular people using the S5, no one special, just everyday people to show how the S5 is a good product to be used by the average person. Besides these two, the major technique that can be seen obviously throughout is Wit and Humor. The whole point of this commercial and many others, is to simply ridicule Apple's iPhone and its poor capabilities compared to the S5's. And finally, the last recognizable technique I identified was, Simple Solutions. If people don't want to be wall huggers, and enjoy life, than they should buy an S5. By buying an S5 people don't need to constantly charge their phones, and can enjoy life now, since they no longer have to sit up against the wall charging their phones. That's the solution offered up by Samsung, just simply buy the Galaxy S5 and your problems solved.

This commercial really hits dead on a major, social issue "suffered" by our generation. With smartphones now they are the lifeline to ourselves, and when the battery starts getting low we begin to freak out at the thought of losing our phone for that short while. So by offering a smartphone with an almost never ending battery life, Samsung has solved a problem faced by so many people. Looking around I always see people with their iPhones whining when their battery starts to get low and when my battery gets low (with my Galaxy S5), all I have to do is switch on the Power mode and I can last a day or two longer on the remaining charge of my phone. Now to all those Apple users, I have a question for you, "Is it time to trade in your beloved iPhone for a Samsung?"

Print Ads- Niello

In print media today companies and advertisers use a large variety of techniques to get our attention for their products. They tap into our inner, primal needs as people, like the need for prominence, a need for luxury and to be of a high class. And they appeal to us with luring incentives for our motives to buy their product. In an ad I found recently, in Sacramento Magazine, I discovered such an ad.

The print ad I found was advertising Niello, a car dealership company that sells a large variety of cars. All of which considered as foreign and luxury cars to us. They represent brands such BMW, Porsche, Maserati and several others. When we tend to think of such brands we automatically think of high class individuals and luxury. But according to the ad, Niello is having a sale at all of its dealerships, giving people an opportunity to buy such luxury cars. They're offering 0% APR financing to those buying their cars. This incentive is a common advertising technique, recognized as Bribery. By offering 0% APR financing they are offering people something desirable, something extra in return for buying their car. As humans we're greedy so we see this opportunity, and if we have the resources we want to take the deal, to get that bonus of 0% APR.

Along with using Bribery to motivate ourselves to buy their car, they also appeal to our Need for Prominence. This need is our inner desire to be admired, looked upped to by others, to be seen as a figure of high social status. All of Niello's dealerships sell luxury cars, they want to buy their car because if we do we'll be seen as a wealthy figure. Think of the difference people would see you as if you came driving in a BMW compared to driving in regular car you have now (no offense). By having a luxury car you'll be looked up upon by others, making yourself feel good and better than others to an extent. This is what Niello is trying to tap into, they want you to buy one of their cars with the motive that you'll feel more prominent than others. It's a smart move by them  to use such incentives to attract people to their dealerships to buy their cars.