blog 8

With technology moving so fast and changing every single day, we know that just about everything we can think of will be designed sooner or later. Television and the internet are closely related and are some of the fastest changing pieces of technology. We are now able to watch videos because of YouTube on the internet. Just about every major network has previously aired shows on their website as well for viewers who missed it on television. I think it is only time until television and the internet because one.
Our lives are practically run by technology and we are always looking for things better and faster. Websites are basically run on advertisements, but they are much better than commercials. The viewer does not have to watch the ad and can still stay on the website. On television, the viewer has to watch the commercial or must change the channel to watch something else. With television shows on the internet, there is usually only one commercial per break in the episode. Watching videos has become so popular on the internet. Some perk of the internet is that people are able to pause their shows and also do multiple things while watchimg as well. I can imagine a new form of television on the internet very clearly with all the technology at our finger tips.

blog 7

I think that advertising to teenagers is one of the most influential forms of advertising.  Most teenagers have so much extra money to spend because they still live under their parents' roof.  Teenagers usually have jobs to earn money for the things they want.  They are always looking for the newest product on the market and the coolest new toy because they want to fit in and keep up with society. When teenagers are trying to find out who they are, they feel pressure from their peers and from society to conform and fit in. They will do whatever they can to purchase the newest pair of jeans or the latest ipod.  

Advertisers know that teens love television, so they will use shows to get their product out and known among teenagers. Television is capable because of advertisers.  The advertisers pay the networks for their commercials.  Even television shows are made for a specific kind of audience in order for advertisers to display their ads.  MTV is a channel that is virtually an advertisement itself.  The shows on the channel are cheaply made and many of them are advertisements that have simply become a show.  People enjoy the ads because they are entertaining.  People like to see things that are familiar to them or associate things that are familiar to the product.  Advertisers have the greatest influence on teenagers because of they are still learning and may be naive while they are trying to find who they are. 

Product Placement in TV Shows and Movies

I think product placement on shows is one of the best ways for companies to advertise because the advertising is more subtle than commercials or print ads.  People feel connected to television shows and movies because they play off of human emotions to tell their story.  People relate to the emotions of the show and they feel comfortable with what they are viewing.  When people are hooked into the movies and the shows, they are generally going to respect the product usage on the show.  When likable characters are seen using a certain product, the viewer is going to associate the cool character with a cool product.  

Teenagers are especially prone to this type of advertising because of their intake of pop culture.  Teenagers love television and movies and they are always looking for that place to fit in in their life.  When they enjoy a movie or a show, they are typically the ones who will copy the things they see in that show.  They may copy what a character says or does, or even what brand of soda they drink.  Celebrities in the television shows or movies are also influential to the teenage population because teenagers trust them and therefore trust the products they may be using. 

Ad Ananlyzing

The first contextual ad I saw today was one on Yahoo.com that was advertising a Dell computer.  The ad showed a butterfly to represent a spring 2-day sale. Prices were listed for certain computers and the ad said to hurry because this offer had an expiration date. The demographic market is males probably ages 35-45.  The ad emphasized the use of the computer for business and used terms suitable for adults that may not attract a teen. Some American Core Values that were activity and work. The ad emphasized that consumers would be the type of people to do much of their business work on these computers. The consumer will have the comfort knowing that this product is one that will make life more efficient so they can do their business work better. The brand of the product is Intel and Dell.  The computer has the feature of  a 19'' monitor.  Consumers can visit the website for more information. 

I think this ad is effective because it simply states descriptions of certain computers and it pulls at people to notice the great bargain price they are getting their computer.  "You won't be able to beat this price ever again because it is only a 2-day spring sale," is the message they are trying to throw across. People are always looking for the new technology and cheaper prices. The people that would buy a computer are usually a little sophisticated and may be smarter when it comes to which company to buy from, so all they actually want in an ad is the information about specific computers. 

One of the billboards that always catches my eye is the ad for Pepsi.  The billboard is actually quite simple, yet I do think it is effective in its simplicity.  The word LOVETC. is printed on the billboard and the logo of Pepsi is in the "O." The demographic for this ad would be young people age 18-25. One of the American core values would be humanitarianism because it is telling you to love, whether it is to love others or love Pepsi.  This ad is effective because it grabs your attention and it uses a transfer of emotion.  It is telling you to love and have emotions surrounding the idea of love and then transferring that emotion to Pepsi with its logo in the center.  

The radio ad I kept hearing was the Wendy's ad for their spicy chicken sandwich. This ad caught my attention with its ridiculous "ode to perfection poem" about their new sandwich. This ad appeals to the demographic of men age 15-25 because the poem was very immature for something an older adult would want to listen to. The main product a consumer is getting is the spicy chicken sandwich.  The quality is that it is made to perfection and the features are the condiments that are also put on the sandwich.  

I thought this ad was also effective because it made a direct order to listeners to come in and just try one of their new spicy chicken sandwiches.  The poem was humorous and caught my attention as well.  I think the ad may not be as effective because it is on the radio versus a television and you cannot see the sandwich, but it makes consumers aware of the product. 

 

    Most people would seem it peculiar if the husband of the household stayed home and took care of the children while the wife went to work earn the money.  The media gives society an image to follow and people seem to think that anything going against image is wrong. The media portrays women as fragile individuals that are expected to have certain jobs around the house.  Women are not supposed to be the "bread winners" of the household because it just is not their job.  Women are expected to clean, take care of children, and have minimal paying jobs because their husbands are supposed to earn the large income.  Media has made us almost believe that men are incapable of caring for children and women are incapable of earning a well to do living for their family.   Because women are seen as the soft spoken individuals who are supposed to stay at home, they do not have as much influence in the world today.  Men are supposed to make all of the important decisions and have much of the power. 

     I think this same idea can be applied to school as well.  Girls tend to be very cautious about what they say in class because they are often afraid of what others may think of them.  At the same time guys tend to be more out spoken because they feel that they already have a lot of power because they are male.  I think girls think they are always feeling the need to prove themselves.  I think media gives boys and girls an image of what they are expected and at the same time I think many of them are trying to break these stereotypes.  I think it is hardest to act upon this in school because it is a time when students feel they are being judged and are trying so hard to fit in.  

TV Show and American Core Values

I chose American Idol as a popular television show in America that represents many of the American Core Values. The show is so popular because it is a representation of the epitome of the American dream.  Achievement and success is the main value of the show because the American Idol winner endures a stressful competition and their talent is measured by the American audience.  The new American Idol may become the next new big star in the world of music.  One of the greatest aspects of the show is that anyone can audition for American Idol.  The only restriction is an age limitation, but besides that, there is a huge freedom in who is eligible for the competition. The  American audience also witnesses the activity and work of the contestants every week until one idol is crowned.  As the audience watches the show each week, they will notice improvements in the singers and the progress each contestant has made. The judges point out a singer's improvements, work ethic, and overall success for each week.  

The audience of American Idol votes after every live performance to determine who will continue in the competition.  Individuals who are unique are often times the most popular and celebrated contestants, even if their singing ability is lacking. Popular singers are also usually youthful.  There are age restrictions for people beyond their thirties because Americans value the freshness of the someone young.  Although people like individuals, they also like the contestants to have the same accepted standards. People like being able to relate to an individual if there is an adherence to group patterns. The judges often base their opinions on conformity as well, so a contestant that does not conform may not be as popular.  

To keep up its popularity while it still reaps in the benefits, American Idol has had episodes in the past to raise money for charities.  They do this to make it look like they care about people because people like to see kindness and humanitarianism.  They have many sponsors and adds for material comfort things (like Ford and Coke) that people will see while they watch the show.  The show is also aired at certain times that are efficient to most audience members.  It is on a week day after the dinner hour that it is most practical for people to watch the show. 

Ultimately, American Idol has become a cash cow and most people never thought it would become such a success. The reason it has had such incredible success is because the show teaches that talent, success, and fame are some of the most valued ideas of American culture.  While they keep the show appealing for children to watch, they are also aiming the youthfulness at adults as well.  Americans like contestants they can relate to and they like seeing some ordinary person, like themselves, become a knockout star. 

Children and the Media Video

The main idea of this video is that media influences the lives of children more than in the past and this is causing a larger problem for the society than people really understand.  This video expressed a lot of bias because it only reinstated the bad effects that media is having on children. Even though there was evident bias, I still agreed with much of what the video said about the product placement because I do not think it is helping anyone to be surrounded with more media than is already out there. Kids have so much influence because they are the wave of the future, so they are being marketed to more.  The goal of many companies is to insinuate their brands into the children's lives and turn them into lifelong consumers.  They say a result is that there is going to be a health care crisis. 

 There is a lower priority on our children's social development and I do not think kids are benefiting from playing video games, watching TV, and playing on the computer all day.  I agree with the article that kids are consumed more with the technologies they own.  I know that the marketing and media towards kids will only increase and the video made me feel as if there is no hope for the future generations to simply have fun playing outside or doing some other activity that does not involve watching a screen.  I hope kids can be educated about what they watch earlier so they realize how this marketing is influencing them.  

What is Media?

When I asked people what "media" was, almost everyone listed different forms of media they use every day.  Any form of news was the most common answer.  I realized that when most people think of media, they do not realize how many other sources of media actually influence them.  Nobody mentioned music, advertisements, or cellphones which are things most people use or see all the time. From the people I interviewed, the most common sources of media that they use on a daily basis are television, internet, and magazines.  I think if I had interviewed people over the age of about forty, I would have probably received different answers.  Everyone also said that the main way media influences their lives is that it simply provides information. They also said they use media mostly for entertainment.  I learned that media are in many more places that we usually think about and most people do not realize how much they are influenced by it.