Prior to me attending RTF 305, I had never, nor had I ever considered using a blog for scholastic or personal reasons. However, after using the blog for my RTF class, I now have a serious desire to continue pursuing blogs. One of the positive aspects of using the blogs in the course was the constant interactivity between the students and the teachers that blogging weekly provided. Additionally, the blogs gave students, especially myself, a reason to keep up with the weekly readings, screenings and slide shows from class-- I would very seldom fall behind on any particular reading or lecture. A difficulty I had on the blog postings was that I felt as though there should have been options to choose from. Every week, the teaching assistant assigned the blog posting, and we were all required to do that one posting. I feel as though in the future, students should get a choice from at least three potential blog topics, all covering the material from class. Personally, I felt that I was often more comfortable with some topics than with others. By giving students the option to choose from several topics, this would not only make the postings easier for the students, but also the students would be more interested in a topic which they have chosen personally. For me the most interesting blog prompt was selecting a film and analyzing it according to the traditional three ac structure. I enjoyed this prompt because I have a love for film, and I was able to analyze one of my favorite flicks in ways that I had never before. I would undoubtedly recommend using a blog in future courses, whether they be RTF or a separate major. I feel as though I have already listed the numerous ways in which I feel as though the blog postings were beneficial to me and my classmates.
Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Globalization and Burger King
Globalization is generally defined as a process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures, and people, and is further supported and accelerated by technological developments. Within the digital world, globalization is essentially a digital convergence which includes the ability for greater production possible in poorer places. Additionally, the mobile phone infrastructure is expanding; however, the internet infrastructure still only occupies two-thirds of the world population, with many nations being marginalized.
Globalization is directly related to cultural imperialism. Cultural imperialism is when cultural flow reflects imbalance in global power structure. This is demonstrated when global media flow is unequal in terms of direction and volume. Today, a small number of US or transnational conglomerates dominate global media flow. Within the last hundred years, the Western culture has been designed to help people become consumers. With this overbearing influence, all cultures become similarly Westernized and Americanized. As the remainder of the world becomes increasingly more modernized, many people lose their local, indigenous, or national culture, and additionally the people gradually lose their cultural autonomy and national sovereignty. In this increasingly globalized world, more and more cultures and people are becoming more modernized and connected. Although this may be viewed as a positive, many ancient and preserved cultures are finding it more difficult to maintain their integrity and avoid the corrupting influence of this modern world.
A media source that I feel is a paradigm of cultural imperialism is the "Whopper Virgins" campaign. The campaign included Burger King executives traveling abroad to segregated countries. They then had the locals try the Whopper sandwich. Overall, the crew traveled to Thailand, Romania and Greenland. All of the participants had never tried a whopper ever, and each person enjoyed the burger. Clearly, this is a blatant example of globalization and cultural imperialism because it involves people from the Western World, the US, throwing their culture among the isolated denizens of these foreign lands. However, the film crew's intentions were not to impose their culture among the citizens; rather, they merely wanted to introduce them to a food that they most likely have never sampled. After the people sampled the Whopper, the Burger King crew was shown trying the local's food, and expressed an appreciation and love for the indigenous food. Overall, the Burger King campaign demonstrates globalization and cultural imperialism of American culture among foreign nations.
http://www.whoppervirgins.com/
Globalization is directly related to cultural imperialism. Cultural imperialism is when cultural flow reflects imbalance in global power structure. This is demonstrated when global media flow is unequal in terms of direction and volume. Today, a small number of US or transnational conglomerates dominate global media flow. Within the last hundred years, the Western culture has been designed to help people become consumers. With this overbearing influence, all cultures become similarly Westernized and Americanized. As the remainder of the world becomes increasingly more modernized, many people lose their local, indigenous, or national culture, and additionally the people gradually lose their cultural autonomy and national sovereignty. In this increasingly globalized world, more and more cultures and people are becoming more modernized and connected. Although this may be viewed as a positive, many ancient and preserved cultures are finding it more difficult to maintain their integrity and avoid the corrupting influence of this modern world.
A media source that I feel is a paradigm of cultural imperialism is the "Whopper Virgins" campaign. The campaign included Burger King executives traveling abroad to segregated countries. They then had the locals try the Whopper sandwich. Overall, the crew traveled to Thailand, Romania and Greenland. All of the participants had never tried a whopper ever, and each person enjoyed the burger. Clearly, this is a blatant example of globalization and cultural imperialism because it involves people from the Western World, the US, throwing their culture among the isolated denizens of these foreign lands. However, the film crew's intentions were not to impose their culture among the citizens; rather, they merely wanted to introduce them to a food that they most likely have never sampled. After the people sampled the Whopper, the Burger King crew was shown trying the local's food, and expressed an appreciation and love for the indigenous food. Overall, the Burger King campaign demonstrates globalization and cultural imperialism of American culture among foreign nations.
http://www.whoppervirgins.com/
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Dodge Charger Freedom Ad
A recent advertisement that I considered powerful was the Dodge Challenger Freedom commercial. The ad was originally aired on June 12 during the US-England World Cup soccer game. In the commercial, a British solider emerges from the woods to inform his men of oncoming US troops. The British soldiers quickly set up for battle, and await the arrival of the American troops. Suddenly, three black Dodge Chargers appear from the woods, and lead a charge toward the stunned British troops. As the enemy men run from the US, George Washington is seen driving one of the Dodge Challengers with an American flag. The British continue to scamper in fear, as the voice over says, "Here's a couple of things America got right: cars and freedom."
I found this commercial to be very powerful because of the sense of American patriotism and pride it instilled in myself. Also, Dodge timed the advertisement flawlessly, by having the premiere coincide with the US vs. England soccer game. The ad's message was clear and simple: be American and purchase a Dodge Challenger. Additionally, I found the ad to be extremely persuasive because in a sense, it reminded American consumers to support American companies like GM, instead of foreign automobile companies.
As mentioned in the November 1 lecture on advertising, one of the appeals of advertising that is pertinent to this commercial is dominance. Often, the appeal of dominance is used in commercials when the product being advertised is placed against the alternative leading brand. Always, the product being advertised wins out in every category. Often, car companies use this technique to show how their cars are superior to the multiple competing brands. For example, in a Ford commercial, the company may elect to compare their car's features with Honda, Toyota, and Kia.
However, in this commercial, dominance is used to portray America's defeat of England in the Revolutionary War, and correlating that victory with the hopeful victory of the US soccer team. Additionally, the ad is implying that American brand cars, such as GM are superior to foreign brands. Clearly, the American troops are dominating the retreating Red Coats in this particular battle as George Washington in his black Dodge Charger leads the heroic charge. Overall, I feel as though this advertisement succeeded in its attempt to promote Dodge Chargers to American consumers as a whole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezk0e1VL80o
I found this commercial to be very powerful because of the sense of American patriotism and pride it instilled in myself. Also, Dodge timed the advertisement flawlessly, by having the premiere coincide with the US vs. England soccer game. The ad's message was clear and simple: be American and purchase a Dodge Challenger. Additionally, I found the ad to be extremely persuasive because in a sense, it reminded American consumers to support American companies like GM, instead of foreign automobile companies.
As mentioned in the November 1 lecture on advertising, one of the appeals of advertising that is pertinent to this commercial is dominance. Often, the appeal of dominance is used in commercials when the product being advertised is placed against the alternative leading brand. Always, the product being advertised wins out in every category. Often, car companies use this technique to show how their cars are superior to the multiple competing brands. For example, in a Ford commercial, the company may elect to compare their car's features with Honda, Toyota, and Kia.
However, in this commercial, dominance is used to portray America's defeat of England in the Revolutionary War, and correlating that victory with the hopeful victory of the US soccer team. Additionally, the ad is implying that American brand cars, such as GM are superior to foreign brands. Clearly, the American troops are dominating the retreating Red Coats in this particular battle as George Washington in his black Dodge Charger leads the heroic charge. Overall, I feel as though this advertisement succeeded in its attempt to promote Dodge Chargers to American consumers as a whole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezk0e1VL80o
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