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.