Media Blog Reflection

After doing the Media Blogs, I've realized how much media impacts people's lives. I've never really watched much T.V. so I had never really thought about how much media affect us. However, now I realize  Up until now, I've never really realized how much media promotes new things that are the most up to date or what they want you feel when you think of a certain product. Now, I see that I've been just like any other person you could meet on the street. A person who looking for the latest stuff and the stuff that can bring them the most action out of their lives. In reality, I was a puppet of the media and a slave to the advertising products. As of now, I realize that all I was doing was that I was buying into the media messages like a hungry kid who just wanted more food on their plate.

Now that I'm aware of the media messages, I'm able to identify the effect it has on people. For example, some companies like Target or McDonald's has a mascot with the company's overall message, that associates with their brand or product. Therefore, when you think of that brand or their products, you associate the mascot that has the company's message. Based on what the mascot looks like and the way it makes you feel, you can change the way you feel about products. In addition, being aware of media consumption can help us think what is true from false. Some advertisements make it seem like they can give you intangible things like love, hope, and happiness. However, by being aware of media consumption we can see that we can't obtain those things from the products that companies want us to buy.

I feel that I have become media literate. After analyzing advertisements, connotations, and other techniques, I've been able to see more of the media's way of doing things and their approach. I don't think that I'm super good at it yet, but good enough to get a pretty good idea at what the media is aiming for. At this point, I think that I can identify the message of advertisements and who the advertisements are aiming for. For example, in this era, companies that sell the latest technology will appeal more to young teens and young parents. On the other hand, the local community companies appeal to their long-time customers rather than branch countries.

I think that my media consumption habits have changed because now I can see the messages that companies are trying to convey. Although, the media and any other types of advertising make their product look good, convenient, and better than any other product out there will always be another company that says they're better. The past me would never be able to identify what the company thinks their consumer's identity and what they want, what people naturally want to afflict themselves with, or what type of advertising techniques the company uses. Instead, I'm able to see that this product is appealing to us because "this" reason, the company sets up an identity that we want to afflict with in their product, and what advertising techniques the company is using.

After studying media, I believe that having media literacy is important. If we don't have any media literacy then we will always be the little kid with the plate asking for more food. By having media literacy we will be able to see how the media uses words to warp the meanings of words. Without any media literacy, we can buy into the words meanings. For example, the word "slim" sounds better than the word "skinny." Therefore, when we hear the word "slim" it has a more positive effect than the word "skinny." When most people see this they would feel good about themselves, but realistically, both words still mean the same thing.

An educated consumer is someone who can identify the different techniques and always be filtering the unnecessary information media gives us. Without educated consumers, we would just mindlessly buy a bunch of junk that we don't really need. Educated consumers are the stepping stones that realize the problems and think of a way to fix it.  This allows us not to fall into the trap of the media who keeps feeding us with more ideas that "all  we need is their product" or "this product will solve all of our problems." 

Thanks to all the media blog posts, I've realized that there is a whole lot of media in the world and that media exists in many different places. Media doesn't only exist in T.V. advertisements, but also in articles, music videos, and songs. Inside these places are hidden messages that we hear, but we don't really realize. There are all sorts of different messages and these messages have different meanings to different people. Some can make them feel sad or happy, some make people feel achieved, some cause pity which makes people want to take action, and some get us to want more. It is these messages that are driving the world today and the people in it.

I feel that media is like a big puzzle filled with a lot of complicated pieces that we are unable to put together. The images and words that the media shows us is the image that they want us to see. However, with no mind to solve the puzzle, we end up just give up by giving into the media's message.

The PianoGuys: Cello Wars (Star Wars Parody)

Now that it is officially the end of May, I thought I would finish the month of May with a Star Wars post.

The first thing that I noticed is the black and white cellos. I thought that this symbolized opposites; as well as, the forces of good vs. evil. The forces of good vs. evil were seen when the guys started attacking each other. At first, the attacks were pretty mediocre, but as the music started to crescendo, the attacks became more "brutal-like." Then, when Dark Vader comes in there is a huge amount of sound and tension. The tension is broken when Dark Vader starts playing the accordion. The tune then becomes cheery. The forces of good, or the white cello is playing the higher part. While, the forces of evil, or the black cello plays the lower part, which shows the good vs. evil that was present in the beginning. This continues into the next section when the music changes, and the two cellist throw attacks at each other again.

Playstation 4 Commercial

First of all, the advertisement uses the ad technique, need for affliction. We "no longer need to be sacred because everyone is doing it" gives a confidence boost in you. the boost of confidence makes you feel alright with yourself and that you no longer have to hide it. Since we are being just like everyone else, its okay. The ad also makes you aware of the other people like you, but singles you out because the advertisement almost seems like it knows you habits.The advertisement also gives uses the simple solution technique. The commercial says that "you can keep going all day long" by having their product. This makes the product seem like it will solve all you problems instantly.

On a side note, I found this commercial really stereotypical. The advertisement seemed to make a lot of assumptions that may or may not be true among people.

MissRepresentation

In the video MissRepresentation, they talked about the typical stereotypes for women. "Women are weak" or "women are chatty" are some examples of the stereotypes shown in the video. I think that women often let these stereotypes define them, and as a result, we accept those stereotypes as a part of our identity. Even if these stereotypes might be a part of who women are , it doesn't mean that this is everything a women's identity is about. I think that there is a whole lot more than what people depict. Not only that, but the video also talked about stereotypes for guys. "If guys don't show masculinity then they are looked down on" or "men don't know how to express themselves" were the stereotypes presented in the video. I can't say for sure because I'm not a guy, but I think there is more to guys than what we see. I also think that the stereotypes for both guys and girls are just things that we want to see.

Merchants of Cool-The Internet Got a Whole Lot More Dangerous

Frontline's Making Cents out of Teens: Merchants of Cool was pretty interesting. The two things in the video that stood out to me the most was "Mook" and "Midriff." Even though Mook and Midriff stood out to me the most, they were both really disturbing.

Mook is a created character that was designed to be obnoxious, in your face, loud, and crude. When the video first showed him as a real life person his actions were really disturbing to me. I don't think that I know any person who would jump into poop water like the way he did. The way Mook acts just seems so unethical. He seems to be  the type of person that doesn't take anything seriously, does what he wants to do, and wouldn't care what other people think of him.

Midriff on the other hand appeals to girls. According to the video, it's all about" your body being your best asset." Midriff appears to promote your features. by showing off your body and its features, you're naturally going to attract attention. It's almost like "your asking for it." I think that trouble will naturally come, whether it's gossip or criticism. I also feel that Midriff promotes too much about one's body, and ignores the other things that makes a person a person. Midriff gives us simple solutions by saying this is a nice body and that is all that matters. 

Unboxing a Samsung Galaxy 6 Became Way More Exciting

The commercial begins with Alfred who just got his new Samsung Galaxy 6 and he is unboxing it. All of a sudden he gets a messages saying, "They're coming." The next thing you know, Alfred is running from these people after him, destroying objects around him, and pummeling the people after him. While he is running he yells things at his Samsung Galaxy 6 like "I need a ride" or "Plan B! Plan B!" Since Alfred couldn't get downstairs to where his ride is waiting he switches to Plan B, a helicopter picking him up off the roof of the building. Alfred then casually switches back to talking about the many features of the phone like multitasking.

The commercial uses the advertising technique avante garde. The Samsung Galaxy 6 seems to be ahead of its time by altering Alfred of incoming danger, arranging for vehicles, and having features that other phones don't have. This gives the viewers a feeling that by having this phone your ahead of time, and you have the ability to outmaneuver your opponents. Samsung reinforces the idea that the phone is ahead of its time by putting the message at the end, "The Next Big Thing Is Here.'

The music is also very dramatic throughout most of the commercial. The quick tempo adds to all the action, and every times Alfred hits one of his enemies the music becomes louder. Then, when Alfred becomes in more of a pickle, the music becomes more intense and lower. When I saw this commercial, I was really caught up in how quickly it went, and the music blended perfectly with each scene. It keeps the viewers on their toes like they can't wait to see what happens next.

The PianoGuys- Kung Fu Piano: Cello Ascends

Have you ever heard of The PianoGuys? The PianoGuys is made up of two musicians.  The PianoGuys wanted to perform their music at the Seven Wonders of the World, so this is their video for the first wonder of the word they went to, the Great Wall of China.

I found this song to be very calming. As I listened to it my mind felt at ease like it melted into butter. I love how this song sounds, and I feel that it really fits the location. I also think that the scenery plays a big role. While the video is playing, you can see different views of the Great Wall of China and the nature around it. I think that this form of ethos gives the effect that the music in nature are becoming one. In addition, in the video they show the symbol of ying and yang. I think that this reinforces the idea of music and nature becoming one by symbolizing that there is a balance between nature and music. Another effect is the black and whiteness. At the beginning of the song everything is in black and white except the instruments and the PianoGuys. Then,   suddenly there is color in the scene. I think that this adds a dramatic effect. As the music becomes faster there is more color, but when the music slows down at the end, the colors goes back to being black and white.

Here is a little extra. This shows how they got the piano on top of the Great Wall of China.

Grocery Outlet Bargain Market

The Grocery Outlet Commercial makes use of the ad technique of Transfer/Association. First, Grocery Outlet uses the words, "But Wait, There's More" to show that Grocery Outlet has all the items  that we need.   At the same time, the commercial changes to a different landscape, which features a different product. In addition, Grocery Outlet uses the girl puppet with the Grocery Outlet as a mascot. For the viewers,  when people think of Grocery Outlet, they think of the mascot puppet. As a result, we think of Grocery Outlet and all of the many products it has to offer. The words, "But Wait, There's More" also promotes Grocery Outlet's jingle, "Grocery Outlet Bargain Market." Since Grocery Outlet is trying to say that they have all the items we need, the jingle is saying that all the items they have is at a bargain. 

Dentyne Ad

One day while I was flipping through some magazines, I came across a Dentyne advertisement. In a big font was the words, "Get 40 Minutes Fresher Breath After Nomming." The number 40 was in even bigger font, and was very bold. The advertising technique used in this ad is the Facts and Figures. By really making the number 40 stand out, it makes the Dentyne gum really superior. The word, "fresher" after the 40 contributes to the emphasis of 40. Both the 40 and the word "fresher" combine together to deliver the explicit message and to show the superiority of the product. The explicit message of the product is that by chewing this gum, your breath will become fresher. 

The lighting of the ad also contributes to the effect of the message. Near the top of the ad, the lighting is darker, and near the mid-bottom of the ad the lighting is lighter. The lighting is especially light on the words "fresher breath" and the picture of Dentyne gum on the bottom of the page. This kind of glorifies the Dentyne gum product, and adds to effect that this product is superior. 

Ickey Shuffle Geico Commercial

At the beginning of the commercial Geico's catchphrase, "15 minutes save you 15% on car insurance" Geico is using the advertising appeal, need to achieve through the part of commercial that takes place at the grocery store. Through Ickey's celebration, it makes Geico's catchphrase true. Since Ickey is saving money with Geico, he is more likely to "win" than other people. Ickey promotes Geico by making consumers believe that Geico helps you save more money; therefore, you have more more to spend on things that matter to you.  This was shown through his celebration, and proclamation that he is "going to get some cold cuts." 

In Geico's catchphrase, they use the word "save." For the viewers, the word "save" is like a scapegoat for us. We the consumers are naturally drawn to anything that can help solve our problems because we love taking the easy way out. When we hear the word "save" we usually associate it with a  very positive connotation. This is very appealing for us since it makes us think that this certain brand can help solve our problems quickly. Geico uses the positive connotation to draw ourselves to them. We come ready with the intention to save money by just hitting the save button

UnitedHealthcare Commercial

In this commercial, UnitedHealthcare is trying to promote that they have the simplest health care system. They establish this by using the basic appeal, need for guidance. The beginning of the commercial establishes that the couple gets hurt while dancing. Then, the commercial shows that with UnitedHealthcare, you can have online doctors that can help take care of you. In addition, because it's online, it's instant. The fact that you can see a doctor online gives the viewers the vibe that they don't have to wait for a doctor in a waiting room, and that their problems can be attended to immediately.

Additionally, throughout most of the commercial is the couple's "our song" is played . When they hear their song, the couple starts to dance. The dance that the couple does starts of simple, but then it gradually becomes more intense. The intensity reaches the point where the woman jumps with the hope that her partner can hold her up. Instead, the result was a dramatic fall due to the man not being ready. The dance shows another advertising appeal, need for aesthetic sensations. For us, the viewers, we are attracted by the way the music sets the mood. UnitedHealthcare wants us to feel that whenever there is some sort of art like dance around its okay to do some things you believe you can do. As long as you have UnitedHealthcare's health care system, then you'll be in good hands.

Subway Musicians Play Together From 9 Different Subway Stations

This is a pretty interesting video where these different musicians are all playing together even though they are in different subway stations in New York. 

http://www.wimp.com/subwaymusicians/


Some things to notice from this video is that all the musicians are using Apple technology. This promotes apple technology and gives them that ready-made-identity that was described in, "The Persuaders." Not only does it raise Apple's popularity by making it seem better, it indirectly saying that the people in the video  are "Apple people" rather than "Samsung people."

In the video, for a very brief moment was the words, "Wifi available at  this station." All the musicians were joined together via the internet.The very brief moment those words were shown really emphasized that this is being done wirelessly. In addition, it appeals to the audience by adding that flare. Since we see the sign, we know that it is done wirelessly, which makes it even cooler in our perspectives.

"Politics and the English Language" Question Response

Question: How effective is Orwell's analogy of the cause and effect of alcohol abuse to the demise of language?

Orwell's analogy is very effective because it shows the the truth of human nature and its relation with the English language. The first part of the analogy starts with Orwell stating, "A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure..." is similar to the way people try to comfort themselves. When we are feeling down, we tend to do things that make us feel better to escape the pain. Thus, we do what Orwell states as, "...and then fail all the more completely because he drinks." Orwell is telling us that we are only bringing our downfall more because we are only hiding from our failures. If we don't accept our failures, then they will always be present. This is like the English language because in our minds we think this false sense of comfort is right. As a result, in our minds we change the meaning of words to a meaning we are okay with. Since we constantly do change meanings, we accept these new meanings, which changes the English language.