More on JBS

Here are some pictures to follow up on the JBS Underwear campaign. These are some of the print executions, reminding us that "men don't want to look at naked men." So instead they show beautiful women acting like men...brilliant!

JBS Underwear

This is an international ad I found on Ads of the World. It is probably the funniest ad I have seen in a very long time! The woman featured in the ad plays the part so well, it makes us women wonder why we even like the pigs at all. Walking around naked, adding beer to cereal, burping, farting and watching racing on TV, yup that's a man alright. The only difference is she looks a lot better than a man does. The concept is brilliant; the ad grabs your attentions immediately and holds it. Unlike a lot of ads like this one (entertaining ads based on humor or shock), at the end you actually know what the product is. The use of repetition i.e. scratching her butt twice, keeps the product in view and focus on the underwear. The tagline at the end reinforces the product and gives the message of the ad. It's true, men don't want to see other men walking around almost naked. Although they probably don't want to see a beautiful woman farting and burping either; but the point is well taken. She is just like a man...but boy, is she easier on the eyes (well at least to men)

Everything in advertising is intentional right? I mean look at her place, filled with empty liquor and beer bottles, a pizza box on the table with a lone slice left, the empty fridge; what is all this stuff saying? In the infamous words or Austin Powers, “She’s a man baby!!!”

As a side note, I think the use of racing at the end is interesting. If this ad were an American ad, (HaHa, I know it would never make it on American television) but if it were, she would be watching football. You would hear the stereotypical announcer in the background or the referee making a call. But being an international ad, probably based out of Europe they use racing. I know racing in other countries is huge; and they don't do any of that silly NASCAR crap where it is considered a skill to make left turns a.k.a. driving in a circle. Take what you want from this, it is just a note of interest on culture and advertising to different countries.

The End...well at least for grading purposes

So as this semester draws to a close, Lilly asked us to reexamine one of the first questions she ever asked us. What kind of a media consumer are you? Has this class changed your perceptions at all? Do you still think of media the same way? Lilly, at the beginning of the semester, gave us a survey that asked us about which types of media we interface with regularly, how long we spend interacting with these things, and which ones were our favorites. We wrote on our blogs about it, you can check out the original post here. In fact, you should, because I am not going to retake this survey. I don't think my answers to the questions have changed. Do I still wish I had more time to read up on science, yes. Are my favorite movies still Dirty Dancing and Moulin Rouge, yes. The change doesn't include what I consume, it is how I consume it, and I don't think the survey's questions address that concept. Now, if you want to know how I have changed, I can tell you that without a questionnaire. I tend to look at things more critically. I don't take them at face value anymore; the media I interface with used to just skim the surface of my perception. Now I intentionally take more notice of it. I never realized how much media I interacted with on a daily basis because most of it went in one ear and out the other. Once I made the effort to become more aware of the media around me I really noticed how much there is, and the media I do notice I try to think about. It is no longer just stuff in the background, I try to come up with an opinion, even if it is simple as I like it or I don't like it. At least by making it a point to come up with an opinion, I am sure to continue to take notice of my media surroundings. I have been trying to find my niche in school for the past 3 years, and I think I finally found it. I love advertising; it stimulates my intellect (being a previous chemistry major) as well as my creative side (being raised with a father who's an artist). I find the marketing, idea process, and psychological concepts behind advertising so interesting. I want to thank Lilly for always trying to make an effort for the students. Having her for two classes lets you get the full scope of her dedication to the students. She teaches by example and not by broad concepts and terms, and is always trying new teaching projects, like this blog. I especially appreciate her keeping the students informed when it comes to internships, trips, contests, scholarships and anything else that might further our education in a non-conventional way.

Ads Here, Ads There, Ads Everywhere

I recently went to the Cheesecake Factory for my boyfriend's birthday and despite previously working there for over a year, when I went in, something struck me that never had before. There are ads in the menu, and although I realized there existence, I had never thought about the relevance of these ads. As an advertising major, it made me question the success of these ads. Are they really getting through to the target audience? I know finding outlets for unconventional advertising can lead to very successful campaigns, but in a menu? I mean even as an ad major I almost breezed right by them. They barely passed my perceptual screens! Think about it, when you sit down for dinner at a restaurant what do you do? You are focused on what is going to get you the food, and that is all. If you're hungry you quickly scan through the menu to find what you want so you can order your food and get it out to you as fast as possible. You're hungry, you want instant gratification, or the closest thing to it. The way the menu is set up, all the ads are on the left side and the menu items on the right side, so as you are looking through the menu, you can easily choose to just ignore the left pages of the menu. It is easy to filter the ads out; perhaps if they switched up the pages, so when you are looking for food on the right side, there is an ad there instead, it might be more successful. If you have ever been to Cheesecake Factory, you know they have an extensive menu (over 200 items) and just trying to figure out what to pick is a chore in and of itself. You are really not looking at the ads, you are trying to figure out which of these things am I going to get; the patrons are too focused on the overwhelming amount of choices. I will say that the ads do speak to the typical customer of cheesecake. The ads are a little more upscale, but not so overdone it doesn't apply to the average person e.g. designer jewelry and cruises. The question isn't do the ads fit the target audience but will they even notice them.

Are You Red?

Every year 3 million people die from AIDS. Friday, December 1st was World AIDS Day. There is a huge inspi(red) campaign right now created by Bono and Bobby Shriver trying to support awareness and raise money for better treatment of AIDS in Africa. I had heard about it some, (you may have seen some of the commercials) but I really started looking into it on Friday when Google had a small red ribbon on it's website. When you clicked on it, you were redirected to the website for campaign red. You find out how far the campaign stretches and all the connections they made so far. The idea behind the campaign is to purchase red products because they are desi(red). When you buy a red product at no additional cost to the consumer, the red company will then donate some of its profits to buy and distribute antiviral medicine for the victims in Africa. The hope is that when consumers need a product, and it is offered in red, they will choose the red product over another for the sake of doing something good, especially since it comes at no extra cost to them. Then soon other companies will follow suit. They will become red, because it makes good business sense to compete with current red companies. Some of the products currently available are credit cards, watches, and phones. Apple recently introduced their newest edition to the i-Pod family. Apple has gone red; they are offering the 4GB and 8GB Nano in Red. Check out all the products that support red here. Myspace and AIM are also supporting Red; the media is an important link to awareness. By donating space on their websites they raise visibility and interest in the campaign. The magazine Dazed and Confused, which I recently wrote a post about, is also sponsoring Red by encouraging readers to add photos and videos that show their red support. Not all products actually have to physically be the color red to support the cause, but many are offered that way. The campaign doesn't want it to be about buying a watch to purposely support red. The idea is that if you need a watch and you will hopefully buy the red watch. They even assume many people will buy a red product without even realizing or knowing what red is. With the profits from the first six weeks of the campaign, they can provide 40,000 people with ARV treatments for a year. You can follow up on this even more by going to their blog. They have been writing about the progress and companies who are starting support the cause. You to the power of red, that's the big idea. Check it out!

It's a bird, it's a plane. No it's.....

I recently found this ad from Cole Vision Corporation out of Quebec for Sears Optical. I originally found it on the adforum website. It shows a lady on a park bench looking up in the sky. She slowly reaches for her umbrella, opens it and places it over head. Shortly after, bird poop falls from the sky and lands on her umbrella. She closes it and puts it away. It is a great ad; it uses humor while clearly getting its point across. Anyone can understand the message being conveyed; the scene resonates with the audience. The idea of getting shit on is nasty and creates a strong emotion of disgust and discomfort with the viewers. The fact that her vision is so good that she could see the poop coming and prevent the whole ugly scene is very smart and creative. You should check it out. It is a short ad that readily and easily defines its message through the execution. I know adforum closes off access to videos after a week, so I will also link to another site that is currently playing the ad. Enjoy

By the way...sorry this is a little late, it has been a crazy week of projects and living at the library.

This read is easy to digest!

Recently, I discovered that Readers Digest doesn't just do magazines. In fact they do a lot of stuff, but my new favorite thing is their select editions. It is a series of four condensed stories in one book. You can sample four books in the time it may take you to read one. It allows for you try out new authors you have never heard of, but at the same time authors that have been selected for their adept story telling. These books also feature well known authors such as Marry Higgins Clark and Nicholas Sparks. The authors are often surprised at how well the story stays true to form despite the amount of information that was removed. Nicholas Sparks comments, "The editors of Reader's Digest Select Editions continue to work their magic. Their treatment of my novels couldn't be better." For instance, I just read the book Whiteout by Ken Follett. If you read the book in its entirety it would be 396 pages long, while the story I read was only 165 pages. At first I was skeptical, if I want to read a story, I want read all of it, find out all of the character idiosyncrasies, and the get to experience all the details of the story. But as I read it, the story moved quickly; it was suspenseful and interesting. I didn't feel like anything was missing. When I read reviews of Whiteout, people said it was a mediocre story that moved too slowly. I was surprised to hear the review, but it makes you realize that Readers Digest took out all the extra information that can drag down a book. But we've all been there; where a good story can drag on and on because extra details and information impede the flow of the story. There are just so many great books out there, and never enough time to experience them all. These books offer such a great solution! The books are short in pages to begin with, but the way they are edited makes them fast paced and quickly/easily read. I would recommend these books to anyone who feels like I do..."too many books, not enough time."

What's your footprint?

What's your ecological footprint? I found this interesting quiz that measures your consumption of the earth's resources. It asks questions about how you live day to day and determines how much land and water is needed to support your lifestyle. The biological capacity with 6.2 billion people allows for 4.5 acres per person. According to the quiz my consumption is 18 acres, and if everyone lived like me, we would need 4.2 earths to support my type of lifestyle. Even more surprisingly was that I was below average. The quiz gives you a comparison of how you rate to other people in your country. The average person in this area needs 24 acres to support their way of life. This number is crazy! Especially when we are allotted 4.5 acres. Once you take the quiz, and realize how much energy and resources you consume, they encourage you to follow up on it. Learn about how to improve your lifestyle and live lightly; they want you to join in the effort to make people around you aware.
They have a great website that lets you learn more about the cause and quiz. It answers questions about how the quiz rates you. It lets you see how your food choices, where you live, and the population of your city affects your footprint. It offers suggestions and ideas on how to change your lifestyle. The whole idea is interesting and gives you a measurable number to represent your demand on the environment.

Zunes Tunes

Microsoft launched their new media player, Zune, on November 14. It is definitely some competition for the well established iPod. It features a 3 inch 320x240 pixel display which is larger than the 2.5 inch screen on the iPod. Zune comes in black, white and brown and at 5.6 ounces it is heavier than the 4.8 ounce competition. Overall Zune is a larger product than the iPod. Zune is only available in 30GB where as the iPod offers a variety of sizes up to 80 GB. Zune features the ability to share music between people with the same media player, and they have made sure they didn't miss the opportunity to make this well know. You can send or receive information over a 802.11 b/g connection when you are within 30 feet of each other. The detail that they aren't making as well known is that it is only good for three days. You can share your music, but if they want to keep the song, they have to go out and get it for themselves. The Zune is not yet compatible with Vista, and somewhere deeply embedded in their website they have disclosed this information, but it is another glitch that is not well known. Both players are equally priced, but I think if Microsoft wanted to strongly compete, they should have made the price lower than the iPod, given Apple's strong market share. Microsoft has historically not done too well with hardware, so it will be interesting to see how this venture fairs. May the best media player win!

Christmas in October?

Isn't it a little ridiculous to see holiday decorations before Halloween? Not according to Lowe's who launched their seasonal set up a full week before October 31st. They claim consumers are starting their shopping sooner and need to accommodate the demand. Holiday decorations and shopping used to commence the day after Thanksgiving right? Doesn't anyone remember "Black Friday?" AdAge blames Wal-Mart, who in 2005 started their holiday campaign November 1st, a full three weeks ahead of black Friday. This year the strategy has been repeated, but with many companies following suit. Even Best Buy had print ads in October issues of magazines. $457 billion is expected in holiday shopping this year (Adage) so it is no wonder companies are trying to tap into that as soon as possible. As a consumer there some issues with this: how often do you promise yourself you are going to get done early, and you do. But then sometime between being done and the actual holiday you find more things that you know your family or friends would love so you get those things too. This is why starting early never works, you just end up buying more gifts!!! And of course this is great for the companies. Who doesn't want to end up selling more than intended? But there is also a fear that a company could offend their consumer. The ads and holiday excitement quickly grow tired. People get sick of seeing the holiday crap, while others get irritated that the company is pushing the hype on them so early. Home Depots Chief Marketing Officer is well aware and said "We want each holiday to have it's time. We thought going before Halloween could backfire on us. We want to maintain the integrity of each holiday. If you go too early you can violate the sensibilities of the public and people can sometimes resent that." There is something to be said for this. Aren't companies losing some of their profits by skipping holidays? And he's right, I don't want to start thinking about Christmas before the Holiday season actually starts. Although, I know on some level it must be working because I actually saw a Christmas Tree in someones window the other day. How sad...

Dazed and Confused

Dazed and Confused is a magazine in the UK published for young adults. It is a strong, successful independent magazine that has been running for 12 years. The creators were working for another magazine in the early 90's and realized that the company was oblivious to the talent and creativity that was emerging all around them. They branched off and created this magazine that went beyond the sacred trinity of fashion, music and film. They broadened their scope to include art and literature as well as social and political issues in the community and worldwide. Their stories include underground youth movements, young up and coming talents, new trends, interviews and inspiring stories with journalistic quality. They review new technologies and cover campaigns and overall try to educate and inspire youth. Dazed has an artistic edge; they are always featuring bold new designers, captivating photography, and new trends in music and fashion. The magazine often holds contests and presents awards to their readers, which often kick starts careers for these young people.

During a time when many magazines are struggling, Dazed and Confused has had five years of continuous growth. It is one of the most successful independent publications today. It's a great magazine focusing on art, culture, upcoming talent, and poignant issues.

Kirstie Alley a Bikini Model?

Today on Oprah, Kirstie Alley was brave enough to show herself in a bikini; she paraded herself on stage in a maroon robe and bathing suit. Now we all know the power that Oprah has, and her loyal following, but I know a lot of people tuned in specifically to see the "fat actress" show her stuff. I guess the question is who really cares? I didn't tune in personally, but the chatter before and after the show demonstrated the fanatical interest in seeing a Kirstie's transformation.

Since last October we have seen a different television ad every month showing Kirstie Alley stating her progress and promoting Jenny Craig. Of course it is a big accomplishment to lose 75 pounds; I can see Jenny Craig using her as their spokesperson, but as for the bikini, there was a lot of hype for Kirstie's 10 second flash. First of all, she isn't exactly what I call bikini ready. She had to wear "stripper hose" in order to hold herself in...that's a bit much. Here's another thing, she said she started off at 220 pounds and lost 75, which would make her 145 pounds. I'm sorry but a 5'8" woman does not look like that when she is 145 pounds. I am 5'2" and I once weighed 145 and I was half the size she is; I'm sorry, but there is just no way she is 145 pounds. So either she hasn't lost 75 pounds or she was heavier than 220 to start with...a much more likely option. If you look at her at her heaviest she was a BIG woman, and with her height, 220 is a bit low.

I think she deserves a big congratulations for how far she has come, but I also think she needs to come a lot further to get the kind of media attention she received. I just don't believe it was that important to see a still obviously overweight woman feel uncomfortable and awkward on stage. If you do care, Kirstie has a blog that you can read to follow her weight loss journey.

Bob Barker Come on Down

On October 31st, Bob Barker announced he will actually be retiring in June 2007 after 35 years of being host of The Price is Right. He said he's "decided to retire while I'm still young" and at 82, he's just a spring chicken. He felt it was an appropriate time to retire because he will have reached two important anniversaries, 35 years on The Price is Right, but also 50 years in television overall. He says he will miss it a great deal, and hasn't retired any sooner because it has been so much fun. The Price is Right is the longest running daytime game show in history. Barker started his game show career with a show called Truth or Consequences, followed by the short lived The Family Game only to be replaced by the infamous The Price is Right. Barker has won 17 Emmy Awards as well as being inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 2004. They have already been looking for Bob Barker's replacement for two or three years, knowing this day would inevitably come. There is no way he will ever truly be replaced; he is one of the most well known and loved personalities on television.

So what will Bob be doing with all this extra time on his hands? He wants to sit down for a couple of weeks to find out what being bored feels like, then who knows. He knows he wants to continue working for animal rights, especially his own DJ&T Foundation. He will also consider movies, but he wants it well known that he "refuses to do nude scenes. These Hollywood producers want to capitalize on my obvious sexuality, but I don't want to be just another beautiful body," he says jokingly. Well at least he still has his morals.

We will miss our silver haired sweet talker come June, but just remember "help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered."

Nicky Wins!!!

Go USA! If any of you follow motorcycle racing (which most of you probably don't) you are sure to know that Nicky beat Rossi this weekend in the final race in Valencia. It has been an exciting season! It came down to Nicky Hayden and the best motorcycle racer in the world, Valentino Rossi, from Italy, who has won every year since 2001. Nicky had the points lead coming out of the U.S. Grand Prix, but it seemed week after week his lead slipped as Valentino Rossi gradually moved up the points pole, and week after week, Nicky kept making mistakes. It was close last week in Portugal when it all went wrong! Nicky had been doing great all weekend during practice and qualifying and felt strong and ready for the race. He was sure he could get some points back so he would be more ready for the final race in Valencia, when it went all bad. His teammate Danny Pedrosa crashed and took Nicky out with him! Check out this footage. You can see the crash and how upset Nicky gets, who by the way is usually very mild tempered. The infuriating thing is instead of running over to help Nicky pick up his bike, Danny just throws his arms in the air and walks away, which leaves Nicky no chance to get back in the race. A DNF (did not finish) costs a lot points, especially when Nicky had so few to spare.

Then came the final race of the season, Valencia. Nicky was starting in the second row ..not good for our American, especially with Rossi in the first line. The start was quick and Nicky was fast, he quickly got into second while Rossi got stuck in seventh. It was so exciting, it looked like Nicky had a chance after all, but Rossi is an amazing rider, and had the whole race to catch up. Then in his attempt to get closer to Nicky, Rossi fell!!! No one could believe it! ROSSI FELL!! He quickly got up but couldn't make it past 13th place. All Nicky had to do was ride a safe but steady pace and the championship was his. And that is precisely what he did. He dropped down to third but maintained a steady speed and ended up winning the Championship 5 points ahead of Rossi. Check out the video below in the post titled Valencia Race! It is great, you get to see cut throat racing, Rossi falling, and the end is the best!! Nicky is so overwhelmed with emotion he can barely ride his motorcycle. Then to show what a classy guy Rossi is, he comes up to Nicky, pats him on the back and shakes his hand. To give you some reference while watching the video Nicky is number 69 on the Repsol Honda and Rossi "The Doctor" is number 46 on the Camel Yamaha.

Valencia Race

Here is the video of the Valencia Race Nicky - number 69 on the Repsol Honda vs. The Doctor (Valentino Rossi) - number 46 on the Camel Yamaha.

Congrats SJSU!!

Wow! San Jose State came in top five out of 820 different student entries from 230 schools. Check out the news story here. (This was filmed during a press conference in our class when the announcement was made. It was an interesting and exciting experience, and a great way to see first hand what it is all about.) The top five student entires came from University of Wisconsin, Elon University in North Carolina, Washington University in St. Louis, and Savannah College of Art and Design...which I am also a former student of. Yay SCAD! But of course, not as much as Yay SJSU!!! What an accomplishment for our three students, not too shabby for a resume either. To get an ad aired during the superbowl costs about $2.6 million for 30 seconds. This is Huge for a college student! They have an incredibly hectic schedule to follow, but I am sure they are having fun while doing it. We don't know what the storyboards or the ideas are yet, very hush hush, but it will be great when we can finally hear the concepts and even more exciting to know that we won...notice I didn't say if. We have the best students, faculty and ideas in the country!! Duh! GO SJSU!! If you want to follow the story more closely you can check out the Chevy Ad Challenge blog, or the faculty advisor's blog.

Deja Vu?

On October 18th an 81-year-old Florida man made national news when he was stung in the heart by a spotted eagle stingray. James Bertakis was fishing with his grandchildren on an Intercoastal Waterway when the stingray flopped into the boat. Bertakis was apparently trying to get the stingray out of the boat when it stung him. It is an odd coincidence so shortly after Steve Irwin's untimely run in with a stingray. The Crocodile Hunter died at 44 early last month while filming an underwater documentary in the Great Barrier Reef when he was stung in the heart by a stingray. Fortunately, James did not pull out the foot-long stinger, as did Irwin (or maybe even because of the knowledge from his death) and was rushed to the hospital. He had a collapsed lung and pierced left ventricle; doctors were able to remove the barb and close up the wound in his heart during surgery on Wednesday and Thursday. He is expected to make a full recovery, but due to his age, the healing process will be slow and monitored closely. Most reports are calling this an attack, but it is pretty hard to envision a fish out of water thrashing about an attack. I would be more comfortable calling it a crazy coincidence/freak accident. At most the stingray felt threatened and acted in defense. Either way, it is an interesting twist of fate so soon after the world mourned Steve Irwin in such a similar accident.

Bill Gates House

It's funny how things seem to come full circle. Just to give you a little background info, I am an administrative assistant at a very exclusive country club in Menlo Park (top 100 in the nation); and our chef is one of the top chef's in the world. Anyway, we took our boss out to lunch today to celebrate Boss' Day, and we got on the conversation of Bill Gates. So I mentioned what we discussed in class yesterday about the technology in Bill Gates' house.


Then Chef begins talking about the locator that you have to wear, the art on the walls and temperature preferences. It turns out he was with the Gates' for a week interviewing to be their personal chef. See full circle. He was explaining about the technology in his house, and the ridiculous size of the house. He explained that the locator was mainly for security, and that you had to have high status with Bill to have anything change in the house. Not to mention Bill always gets priority. So if you're strolling through one of his over sized rooms with him, don't expect to see your favorite artist on the wall. So how does the story end? Well they really liked Chef, but they wanted another chef to go up against him for a comparison. They looked for three months for someone that could compare to chef. Then it turns out a friend of Bill's old chef was looking for a job, so they hired him because it was a friend of a friend sort of thing. So what does Chef do? Becomes the personal chef of Steve Jobs of course...go figure!

Green Machine

The green machine, developed by Nicholas Negroponte, is an upcoming laptop for under $100 made for poor countries. One Laptop per Child, OLPC, is sponsoring Nicholas in his endeavor. The computer needs to be a durable, so it will be wrapped in a rubber skin. The battery will be charged by the wind up crank; one minute of turning the crank should provide 40 minutes of energy for the computer. The screen will have an LED display which uses 1/10 the power of the average computer screen today. It will run on a free software such as Linux and have a 500 megahertz processor. It will be able to do much of what a regular computer can do except store large amounts of data. There will just be one gigabyte of memory but will have four different USB ports to allow for external devices. They have also removed any extras within the computer. They claim that in the average computer, 2/3 of the software is used to manage the other third. They are just going to put in what the computer needs to run. They do plan to have access to the Internet through a mesh network, P2P, developed by MIT. The computers will be distributed directly to ministries of education by the millions to keep down costs. The ministries can then distribute the computers to schools and the children. They want the kids to be able to work with the computers in the classroom as well as at home. Computers are a way to access information around the world as well as a tool to help them learn. Both of these can be crucial for the development of these countries; their youth can become more educated and more aware of the world around them. Brazil, Thailand, Nigeria and Libya are planning to pilot the product. It will then be passed through Central America and parts of Africa. Many other countries in Asia and Africa have expressed interest but are still not on board yet. They are still looking at different designs for the product.
The product is still in the development stage. Just recently the test boards became available for the computer. They hope to have the product out by the end of this year or the beginning of 2007. Once 5-10 million have been ordered and paid for manufacturing will begin.

Must See TV Top Three

With as many stations as there are on television, you would think there is bound to be something good to watch. And yet, despite infinite channel surfing, you can rarely find something of interest. This makes it even more difficult to say which three TV shows were the most influential or important. I would have to say that The Simpsons, the original Star Trek, and Survivor are three shows that have had a definite impact on culture or evolution of television programming.

Survivor pretty much kicked off the reality show phenomenon as we know it. It began as a major hit television show in Sweden called Expedition Robinson in 1997. In 2000 it made its way to the U.S. and was a huge success. The Situation Comedy was soon replaced by the Reality Show. Soon to follow was The Bachelor, Joe Millionaire, America's Next Top Model, The Biggest Loser, The Apprentice and Big Brother. You name it, there is a show about it! It could be argued that MTV's Real World was the origin of Reality TV, but it was really survivor that changed the format and began the craze that we have today. The Real World was the first to throw strangers together and give them a confessional, but Survivor made it a competition. Reality TV today is almost always based around that competition - voting someone off, and awarding a prize to the last person standing. This is a very different concept from the original Real World which is why after vacillating over which program was more influential on Reality Television I opted for Survivor.

The Simpsons is the longest running American sitcom and animated series. It is also the the first animated series to be aired in prime time other than the Flintstones. The show deals with political, religious, and other controversial issues through humor. The Simpsons have permeated pop culture and are part of people's general knowledge. Who hasn't said "D'oh" on one occasion or another (which by the way is an actual word in the Oxford English Dictionary) or told someone to eat your shorts! People love The Simpsons; there is merchandise to collect, fan clubs to join, and don't forget to try to solve the mystery of their true location.
Here is an ad that uses Marge Simpson to demonstrate how well the product works, but also demonstrates how identifiable the Simpsons have become. The consumer can immediately interpret this ad because Marge has become part of people's basic understanding. The success of The Simpsons also led to the creation of other animated series such as Family Guy and South Park.

The original Star Trek aired in 1966. This television show generated five related series, ten movies, as well as a legion of fans affectionately known as Trekkies. Gene Roddenberry wanted to address existing challenges on Earth, but its setting in space provided a non-confrontational situation for its viewers. Star Trek dealt with heavy issues such as warfare and discrimination. Lieutenant Uhura was an African-American woman with a respected title and role. Star Trek even had the first interracial kiss between Kirk and Uhura. They didn't stop there; there was also a Japanese American, a Scotsman, and a Vulcan. This ability to live in harmony despite obvious differences was a major statement within the show. Star Trek also played into the populations interest in space travel as the race for space with Russia coincided with the show.

Midterm Continued!

This might be my new blog if I can't fix the glitches in my original blog. I got the blogroll to work within this blog and becuase this new blog was created in beta and not simply switched to beta from the old blogger it is working better. I copied the posts from my old blog to here so that you can see all the same posts, but you won't be able to see any of the comments. If you want to see comments, you'll have to go to my old blog. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Stern Stands the Test of Time

Howard Stern, the Shock Jock, has revolutionized radio through his outlandish and sensational behavior. His controversial sexual and racial humor has always balanced on the edge of obscene. He pushed boundaries and tested regulations. If he could get away with it, many other stations would follow. He would constantly push the envelope and sometimes face the repercussions. And though he may have had to deal with the penalties, in return he got a fan base with unprecedented loyalty. An article published by Sirius Radio says, "he is the number one national radio host among males 18-49 years old and ranks number one in many of the 46 major markets where his show is broadcast." There are no real set guidelines from the FCC and Howard was always willing to find out how much he could get away with. When the Federal Communications Commission started to pressure Stern to tone down his act, he opted to move to Sirius Satellite Radio instead of changing his persona or selling out. Sirius is excited the Shock Jock is joining their company. They recognize his talents and the strength of his fan base. Sirius believes it would only take 1 million subscribers to pay for the deal, and with the current scope of his audience, this would only be a small percentage of his regular listeners.

Face it, today's crowd won't buy it

"A guitar beats a woman every time," and while I don't know about that, I would say it probably beats this movie! This quote couldn't better exemplify the womanizing, obnoxious, egotistical character of Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, played by Andy Griffith. This movie gives an accurate depiction of how power granted through fame in the media can corrupt someone, but as far as entertainment value is concerned it is lackluster and repetitive. The cheesy and over-dramatized acting leaves something to be desired, while the plot is sluggish and drawn out. Lonesome Rhodes is a drunk hiding from the pressures and responsibilities of life when he is discovered by Marcia Jeffries, played by Patricia Neal. She meets Lonesome while broadcasting her radio show appropriately named "A Face in the Crowd," from the county jail. She becomes intoxicated with his rambunctious and powerful personality, and persuades him to become a regular on her radio show. His booming voice, maniacal (and annoying) laugh, and down-home honesty captivate his audience. It turns out America loves him just as much as Marcia, and as Lonesome's ratings increase, so does his ego. Through his success Marcia becomes the woman behind the force, but also becomes a woman in pain. Despite his invariable philandering, Marcia's naivete lets her trust and believe his steady stream of lies and unfulfilled promises. This becomes a prolonged theme in the movie that quickly gets tiresome. All this leads up to an anticlimactic ending salvaged only by Walter Matthau's honest and candid monologue. As the release of the 50th anniversary DVD approaches, I would strongly recommend that you spend your money elsewhere.

Oh, Cosmo

I almost hate to admit this, but like many other girls in our class, my favorite magazine is Cosmo. As a 22 year old female, it appeals to me...gossip, cute guys, oh, and sex, sex, sex. Here is the break down of Cosmo: 65% advertisements, 35% sex and 10% other. Now, once you actually break it down, it makes you question, "Why the hell am I reading this crap?" Does liking this magazine make me a shallow person with no concern for the real issues? I don't think so, well at least I hope not.



People enjoy reading magazines for entertainment; it is the superfluous info that has no real world value that most people look for when they pick up a magazine. If I wanted to hear about the issues, I'd read the newspaper. I don't read this magazine for its adept writers, and skillfully composed prose. It is a fun magazine suited for its audience. A woman doesn't want to read "How to Please Her Man" or "How to Look Good Under $100" like she's reading the New Yorker. She wants it simple; this is strictly leisure reading. This isn't something she picked up for educational puposes, (well at least not in the traditional sense) so she doesn't want to have to read it like its a text book. The features are exactly what the typical reader is looking for. As for the advertisements...there are far too many, but this is a woman's magazine filled with info on makeup and designer clothing, what do you expect? And the reality of the situation is, I am not willing to pay any more than I already am. Like I said, it is fun, light reading; not something I really want to invest a lot of time or money in. So with all these advertisements, do I think they affect the content of the magazine, well that depends. I don't believe the advertisements affect whether or not articles about makeup or clothes will get published; those types of articles are the basis for the magazine. In fact, I am sure they would write about lipsticks anyway, but when it comes to the brand selections, there is no escaping the fact that Cosmo uses complementary copy. Cosmo may write about lipsticks, but the fact that Revlon placed an ad, has quite a bit to do with the reason Cosmo suggests Revlon as the lipstick of choice. At least I am aware of why they suggest Revlon or Covergirl; it isn't an unbiased, researched suggestion, more like a symbiotic relationship. People recognize most women's magazines are practically catalogs, but you have to look past that, and enjoy the magazine for what it is...entertainment. That's it...fun, easy, superficial entertainment.

Trigger Happy Much

Tonight on CBS Eyewitness news there was a piece that I couldn't believe! Check it out for yourself! A man lost his dog to a trigger happy cop in South San Francisco. The owner took his year old boxer to the park where it often played with other dogs. His dog and another began to play rough, at which point the owner of the other dog screamed. Her husband, an off-duty police officer, ran over and shot the boxer. I mean come on! Dogs play rough! The cop couldn't give the owner a chance to get his dog before he killed her? Dog fights aren't over within seconds; there is no need to take such drastic action so quickly. Not to mention they weren't fighting... I know we have had our dog problems in San Francisco, but these cases were due to negligent, stupid owners, who often trained their dogs to be aggressive. What about the lady who used to lock her son in the basement so the dogs wouldn't attack him, and then was shocked when the dogs killed her son. The woman was an idiot, a dog that displays that kind of aggression needs to be put down. Don't jump to conclusions about a breed or dogs in general because of the morons in the world. The owner of the boxer described the scene and could barely talk he was so upset. He said his dog had the other dog by the ear, which is one way a dog will play, (I have two that always tug on each others ears) if she had gone for the neck of the other dog it might be different. Once the officer shot the dog he described how she just went limp, and died. What a sad, ridiculous thing to happen. Anyone who has a pet knows how they become part of the family. To watch your dog get shot because she was playing...well there are no words. You would have to shoot me too in order to get me off the guy. That is some bull shit right there, and totally uncalled for. How infuriating!

Mercury News Comparison

As I was reading some posts about the differences between the newspaper and the internet version of the Mercury News I realized everyone did the same thing. They compared an article that could be found in both mediums, but no one was finding any conclusive differences. Some people said the articles online were more informative while others believed the newspaper had more information. It just depended on the article they chose to compare. So I decided I would compare the layout and access to the information. As a consumer of news, I think it is important to be able to access the information you want quickly and easily. The front page of the newspaper has the beginning of various articles they feel are particularly interesting, as well as a small index in the bottom corner to show which pages different sections begin on. The home page of the website serves a similar purpose; there is a lot of information that generally leads you to other sections and topics. The layout of both the front page of the newspaper and the home page of the website offer major sources of interest and are often cluttered, but once you navigate past the front page, the website becomes so much quicker and offers a lot more. If you go out to the site map navigation becomes incredibly simple. It is cleanly laid out, easy to read, and lets you get to a section of interest quickly. The broad topics let you find what you want fast, then helps direct you to countless subcategories beneath it. It doesn't matter what your looking for, it helps you narrow your search quickly and easily. Trying to find something in the newspaper can be tricky and incredibly awkward; the big cumbersome papers never seem to fold the way you want. I realize that most of the information can be accessed through the homepage, but the site map offered a cleaner layout to follow. If you do decide to navigate through the home page, it provides a lot of extras the newspaper couldn't possibly offer like, breaking news, videos, blogs, discussion boards and podcasts. There is access to the yellow pages, traffic reports, and a Bay Area calendar. The calendar is great; I wait for Thursday's newspaper because it has the "eye" in it. This is a section that reports upcoming events for that weekend and the week to follow. It is practically the whole reason I subscribe! With the website I can actually search the calendar for specific types of events and dates. How easy is that? As far as access to information, you can't beat the website. It provides quick access and a lot more small interest articles, as well as tons of extras. You can look back on archived information and search by topic. Newspapers are big, awkward and don't offer any extras. In this up-to-the-second world we live in, the paper just can't compare.

As a side note, and small pet peeve, I thought I would mention another thing about newspapers that I find very annoying. The fact that they'll print an article on two different pages, and we're not talking about page one and two! I don't want to start reading something on the front page and continue reading on page 4C (which is not even in the same section); I want to read the end of the article where I began the article. With the clumsiness of the newspaper, I hate having to peel it apart every time I start a new article. I realize everything can't go on the front page, but lets try to keep it in the same section!

Mommyblogger & Feminist Unite

I recently came across an article in the Metro, "Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper", about the blogging conference for women held in San Jose in July. After the success of the event, BlogHer was created as a way to connect to different women and search blogs by interest or topic. Their conference brought many different types of women, which no doubt led to conflict, and not so civil discussions. One woman, Sherri wanted to add her two cents about mommybloggers, "I've spent one evening in San Jose...near a handful of obnoxious 'mommybloggers' and I already want to rip their fucking ovaries out. I don't want to hear about how many times a day your retarded kid poops or stabs itself in the eye with its own foot. I don't want to hear about how it was extracted from your smelly, overstretched vagina." Wow Sherri, tell us how you really feel.


The feminists at the conference slam the stay-at-home moms for abandoning their career to be with their children. While, the moms argue that the whole point of feminism was for the right to make a choice. Yet, in another room, women who love to blog about sex get together. Even here, the women differ drastically. Young women who like to talk about their sexual escapades, and wives who question how much of their sex lives should be disclosed can find commonality in what they want to talk about. Despite all of these women's different ideas, values, and interests, they all came to generate more opportunities to get their blogs out there. Only 12% of the top blogs are written by women. (Technorati) The women at the conference hope to change this. They hope by getting together to find common communities in the blogosphere, they can create a more prominent place for women blogs. If you want to get involved in some of these conversations, you should check it out at BlogHer, just try to keep comments like Sherri's to a minimum.

The Race for California

We've all heard them; those annoying campaigns that run endlessly during elections. In fact, right now it is pretty hard not to see one. With the upcoming Governor election in California, Phil Angelides and Arnold Schwarzenegger are launching ads in full force. And just in case you have been hiding under a rock for the past couple of months, you can check out ads for Schwarzenegger and Angelides. Unfortunately the candidates aren't satisfied with simply promoting themselves. They all insist on running ads that smear their opponent in hopes that even if you don't like them, maybe you will consider them as the lesser of two evils. They all promise a better California and a brighter tomorrow, but with all the shit flinging and smoke they blow up your ass, who knows what the candidates really stand for. The latest ad by Phil Angelides reminds us of the evils of Bush and then follows up by showing Schwarzenegger repeatedly rooting for the President; seemingly trying to demonstrate that our current Governor advocates for corruption. The tagline is "Arnold Swarzenegger is for George W. Bush. Is he for you?" In reality, all of the opinions and "facts" in these campaigns are so slanted and taken out of context, it makes it impossible to make an informed decision. For once I would love to see a campaign that was actually based on the candidate's platform. It let you know what the candidate considered "the important issues", what he wanted to fix, and how he was going to do it; and not once would it mention the opponent or use smear tactics. That in itself would be reason enough for me to vote for someone. I want a Governor who can start his potential leadership position on a well communicated, mostly honest, and positive note.

Dinosaurs, Records, and Now Books...Nah

Are books following in the footsteps of the dinosaurs? Are we looking at the Ice Age for literature as we know it. I am not sure, but I would have a hard time believing people would let books be replaced without a fight. Who wants to sit at their computer to read? Even if I have to read and edit something as short as an article for my work newsletter, I print it out; I never read it off the screen. I have never used, or even heard of these readers for e-books, so I don't know how they work. They may be great, I don't know, but there is something about a book people love and want. I can just toss a book in my bag, but with an e-book I would have to make sure it is protected and secure before I could take it anywhere. Ok, I may be anal about my computer, but a book?!?! Do I really want that kind of responsibility over a story? What about the battery? I really don't want another thing that needs to be recharged; I already have enough electronics that need their battery life monitored. The great thing about a book is, even after my ipod dies, I still have something there to entertain me. I don't want to have to depend on a battery to read my story, or be tethered to a wall. And I don't want to have to scroll; I quite like turning pages, thank you. Here's a scenario we all know...You're lying in bed reading your book, when you come to the end of a chapter. It's a really good story, but it's getting late and you aren't quite sure if you should start a new chapter. You glance at your clock and flip ahead in your book to see how many pages you would have to read to find out what happens next. Is it going to get too late if I keep reading, or should I just put the book down now? You find out it is 20 pages to finish the next chapter, now chances are you know what 20 pages is, and about how long it takes you to read that; but do you have any idea what an inch on a scroll bar means? Probably not. Sure, it is convenient to able to check things quickly on a computer, maybe to reference an article, but if you truly want to read a magazine, you want the real thing. I know of a lot of companies which hoped to save money by stopping mailings and puting their newsletter online instead; but most of the time, the idea is put down by the readers who insist on having the paper in their hands. I know, I know, it has happened before; records were replaced with CD's...but that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen with books. Quality played a big part of that. People were willing to get rid of their records because the sound quality from a CD far surpassed what vinyl could provide. What significant improvement is an e-book going to have over a regular book? I can't see any. It isn't more convenient, it doesn't provide better quality, and it isn't easier to read. So why then, would I chose to change? I don't know about you, but it would take some real convincing to get me to read a book in an electronic version. And if there are enough people who feel the same way I do, then I don't believe we will see the extinction of books anytime in the near future.

Download This

If you really wanted to stop illegal downloading you would have to make lawsuits more common. The only reason someone is going to give up getting something for free is if there is a legitimate risk involved. In 2003 only 261 people were sued for sharing music; in proportion to how many people illegally download music, this number is very small. They need to do more than make an example of a small percentage of those who share files and warn that it could happen to you too. No one believes it will actually happen to them because it so rarely happens. People have to believe that if they share files, they will be prosecuted. It is expensive and difficult for the RIAA to go after people and monitor the internet, but if illegal downloading is making as much of a financial impact as they claim, they need to invest the money to try to stop it now so they don't lose even more money in the long run. File sharing needs to be associated with something that people feel is an actual crime, like theft; most people feel it is not really stealing.

The Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2004 was a bill that actually proposed jail time if it became a law. It allowed up to three years of jail time for people who shared more than 1,000 songs on P2P networks. I think the idea of going to jail would be a much stronger deterrent than paying fines. If they really wanted to stop people from file sharing, they should have thrown a lot of money and legal power at getting this bill passed.

Only after people are legitimately worried about the consequence of downloading would advertising be effective. It would serve simply as a visual reminder of what would happen if they went against the law. One ad could start with a guy sitting on a bed listening to his mp3 player, and as the shot pans out, you pass through some bars, and realize he is in jail. The message would be something to the effect of "Aren't you glad you downloaded that music now? You're going to need all the entertainment you can get in here." Another ad could compare a $15 CD with $250,000 fine, and ask if it was really worth it. I am not great with clever taglines, but I am sure someone could come up with some great ideas for a campaign like this. A campaign that reminds people that it is an actual crime with a serious and real punishment behind it.

Apple Picking

When life takes away your apple, it is impossible to make apple pie! I have been without my mac for 3 weeks now, and it makes me realize how much we truly depend on our computers. It's a machine that has become such a standard, required piece of equipment. Starting a new semester without a computer is becoming increasingly difficult. By the way, did I mention that one of my classes is Computer Application Basics for graphic design...a class that pretty much entails turning on a computer, clicking this and dragging that. This means I haven't been able to do the projects or participate in any classes yet this semester! Not good!

Then there is also this class...our daily posts have been considerably difficult. I can't just go home and let my thoughts slowly simmer and process for that night's blog. When you have to rely on friends' computers to do work, it is difficult to take any more time than necessary. As you can tell I haven't been able to take the time to create a blog role, add pictures or include any extras. It also makes me realize how much media I take in through my computer. I can't just sit down and explore my internet searches or check my favorite websites. I can't read my electronic newsletters or even check my email regularly. I have also lost the ability to access my absolute favorite form of media. How can you forget about the ipod? Without my computer I have no way update or more importantly charge my ipod. This means no music!! I realize they have electrical chargers but I am on a student's budget, and can't afford to go out and buy a charger right now. Thankfully, I have found a way to circumvent this last issue, but it is slow and inconvenient. I wish I could express how much I miss being connected, but suffice it to say, I feel totally handicapped without my comptuer.

Napster on Books

The demonstration of sharing media with friends led to an interesting discussion on the ethics of file sharing. As students swapped one CD for another the question was asked, "Is this ethically wrong?" Someone mentioned that this situation is no different than sharing books. I thought this was a very interesting point. No one has a problem when you get done with a book and let a friend borrow it. No one would say you're stealing literature, the publishing companies aren't up in arms about it, and no one can take legal action against you. Yet, isn't this even worse than sharing music? If you borrow a friends CD, and you love it, chances are, you're going to go out and buy a copy for yourself so you can listen to it whenever, and as much as you want. But how often do you read a book more than once? If your friend lends you their book, even if you really enjoyed it, you're probably not going to go out and buy a copy just so you can have it in your library. Think about all the money authors and publishing companies are losing; a CD usually costs $13, but what about a book? Most books cost $20 or more! Publishing companies end up losing more money per book that is shared than the music industry loses for CDs. Jason makes another great point; he reminded me that recording artists can benefit when their music is shared. They make a lot of money by touring, and if they can sell out concerts because of increasing popularity, they end up making money, not losing it. How does an author benefit by having their book shared? They don't; the only time they make money is when their book is actually purchased. Now, I can't say that I am not guilty of sharing books, but it makes you think doesn't it?

Media Consumer...Who Me?

What books would you like to read if you had more time?
I would love to be able to read more scientific based books. My original college degree choice was chemistry, I know, it's quite a jump to graphic design and advertising, but I still love science! The only thing that is difficult about reading this genre is that often these books are laden with technical terms that require additional research and time. If I had extra time to invest I would love to continue my scientific backround through books.

When do you listen to the radio? Do you listen primarily for music, news or talk shows?
Oh, how I miss the radio! The stations around here are terrible! I used to love to listen to the radio when I lived in Boston. It gives you the opportunity to hear a variety of music, new songs and bands, and if the station is good enough, you can enjoy laughing with the DJs. I mainly listen to the radio in my car. I think the radio is a great way to pass time when you're not overly stimulated...painting your room, doing housework, or driving long distances.

What was the last movie you saw in the theater? How long ago?
Memoirs of a Geisha...and you all know that was a long time ago, I can't remember exactly how long! It's a shame that it costs $10 to see a movie! I never want to spend $10 to end up sitting for two hours; if I wanted to sit on my ass, I could watch my TV for free!

What is your all time favorite movie? Why?
Hmm...well one of my favorites would be Moulin Rouge. I really enjoy the cinematography; the camera movement, and visual imagery are dizzying and entertaining to watch. I love the quirky characters. To be watching a story that takes place in France in 1899 and have them break out into Madonna's "Like a Virgin" is comical but more importantly brilliant! Of course, the girly part of me also enjoys the sappy love story that goes along with it.

Which of the advertisments on television or in magazines do you remember most clearly? Why do you think you remember them?
I love advertisements that are simple but make you think. An ad that has a clean design, with a one liner accompanying the picture is perfect to me.

Honestly, Blogs?

Ok, so this is my first blog entry...EVER! And as we're supposed to write about the media, I will add my two cents about this whole blogging phenomenon. I guess I never really got swept up into the "write my thoughts down for the world to read" trend. This whole thing is very foreign to me. Honestly, I feel I have better things to do with my life than type out my opinions...just in case someone who is obviously even more bored than I could have been to write it in the first place, might stumble upon it and want to read it. In general, I try not to sit down in front of the computer for hours and lose myself; it's too easy to start searching out the mindless and information and trivia that is so abundant on the Internet. I am not criticizing those who find value in this form of communication...I guess it's just not my thing. But I am also a very optimistic person and I'm willing to try anything once. I think overall it is an interesting way to present an assignment, and one that is better than handwriting a journal for a class (which I've done). As I looked through people's blogs, I noticed it at least gives the opportunity to be creative in the presentation of the page, and this I like. So, with some venting out of the way I am ready to start a new semester and try something new.