Global Flow of Visual Culture

Cultural Imperialism - Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports is allowing America to view a soccer event for the purpose of promoting interest in soccer in the United States which still does not have a professional soccer team. They want to interest sports promoters and investors in this country in the hope of opening a new market for this sport. Television viewed globally is primarily US programs that are dubbed. This is promoting American culture.

Global Niche Markets - A niche market appeals to a select group within a population. An example of this would be the Smart Phone. This phone provides technical services that not everyone would consider important or necessary when selecting a phone. Chanel is another example. The products which include jewelry, purses, shoes and cloths are distributed worldwide to a select group of customers who have the financial resources and interest in owning such expensive products.

Global Brands - Ford Motor Company is a global company that still remains family owned. The image is known worldwide and the small vehicles are very popular in the global market. Ford began making major investments overseas over fifteen years ago. Their global perspective was very innovative. They were the only one of the Big Three that did not require government assistance. BEEP! BEEP!

The Digital Body

http://dezignus.com/retouch/

The link above are examples of different magazines showing the before and after pictures of the models. It is amazing how photoshop has become a basic step in the process of advertising and publication. Nobody is aware of what the real body is anymore. Everything seems to become the digital touch.

The pictures in the link show you some of the things people touch up; face, cellulite, chest, blemishes, complexion and more.

In todays world it is almost impossible to print a picture before being Photoshopped.

Digital cameras these days have a program that can "touch up" your photo right away. You do not even have to be a professional anymore to use any of these programs.

Cultural expectations are creating a huge market for people to quickly fix and hide things rather then actually exercising and getting in shape. Example: AB Flex, shake weight, AB cruncher... They are creating easy fast fix to get in shape using images of those people to help promote the product. Most likely the person using that one item did more then just use that product.

Visualizing Pharmaceuticals

Visualizing Pharmaceuticals

Advertisements by drug companies are selling a product to a common consumer who does not have the medical knowledge to make a decision on their own. The advertisement may provide only the most common side effects, but not the most serious. A solid relationship with your healthcare provider is required to make an intelligent decision. Sometimes the healthcare provider is working with the pharmacy company more than the patients' interest.

Latisse was selected as our example because the Food and Drug Administration sent an official warning letter to Allegan in September 2009 for its "misleading" claims which did not include or minimized the drug's possible side effects.

Are the advertisements ethical? The companies have bought a 30 second to 60 second commercial spot. They are going to trim their content in order to have any marketing value. It really is up to the consumer to do their own research.

Post Modernism Film

"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" Austin Powers The Spy Who Shagged Me, and if the imagination of Austin creator Mike Myerss is a film that is an example of Post Modernism. Austin Powers heads back to the '60s to keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world--and, more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin into irresistible catnip for women. Alot of Filmmaking these days are post modernism. Since postmodernism has been absorbed into the contemporary lexicon of filmmakers, it has become just another way to explore themes and characters. Austin Powers is an awesome movie that is hilarious and a way to look at the 60's in a whole new view.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118884/

Contact (starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey) is a postmodern movie trying to discover alien life form. It challenges the Christian belief system in God by placing Jodie's character in the scientific role of proving other life forms are out there. Life forms that are not represented in the bible. At the same time she finds attraction with a former pastor, who's beliefs are still very Christian. The film also has a political undertone to depicts that those who's belief systems are not "mainstream" will not be promoted and selected for highly publicized events.

The ideas are postmodern to bring attention to the mass American/Christian audience, that their view on how the universe was made might not be the only idea.

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction is a quirky tribute to old Hollywood crime dramas and "Pulp" magazines. I selected it as an example of a postmodern movie because it is filled with numerous pop culture references and juicy dialogue. It reignited the career of John Travolta and cemented Uma Thurman as a star. Writer-director Quentin Tarantino was the winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Matrix/Postmodern

The Matrix series of films explores a postmodern view of religion and government. The plot makes every attempt to explain to the character Neo the flaw of his denial in the Matrix. The Matrix is symbolism for the "why are we here" question of existence. While touching on various religions and cultural beliefs, the film explores a good versus evil battle in Neo's quest for the truth. In the end it is his own beliefs that were holding him back, and his newly opened mind allows him to succeed in his quest.
This is a postmodern view, because it encourages us to be open to new ideas, rather than going with the flow of society. If this story were done in the 1930's it would have quickly been shelved as communist and anti-American.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/

PostModerism CH 8

"A master narrative is a framework that purports to explain society, if not the world, in comprehensive terms. Religion, science, Marxism, psychoanalysis, Enlightenment myths of progress, and other theories that each set out to explain all facets of life are master theories or master narratives."

We choose to focus on both Pro Life and Pro Choice because these are both important issues in Todays world. They cause a lot of controversy around the world. It's been discussed for years.

The billboard for Pro Life is a baby that was "born to ride". It states that after 28 days of conception the baby already has arms... it is powerful to the person that sees this because it is a reminder that after conception the baby already has body parts and a heart beating. This appeals to the sensitivity of motherhood that most women feel.

The advertisement for Pro Choice is powerful because only 23% of the anti abortion leaders in the world are women. 77% are men and they make the decision. It is our choice and we should be able to make it.

Women need to think for themselves because 100% of men out there will never have to make that type of decision. If they do not want to be involved then they do not have to be.

The Commodity Self, Culture Jamming and Marketing Coolness

1. What is the commodity self and commodity culture? Find an example of the commodity self or commodity culture used in a movie, a television ad or an internet ad. Explain the commodity culture that the ad/movie targets.



The term "commodity self" implies an awareness that we are the sum of the products we employ. The commodity culture is when we have a brand and are impacted by a certain product... we have a relationship between the brand names, identity and ownership of the item.

Commodity self and commodity culture can be found in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI58wj4b4g0

Dos Equis is a beer. The guy in the commercials is the "official" Dos Equis guy. When people drink this beer they feel like they are the most interesting guy in the world like the "Dos Equis guy. He travels the world, plays all different sports, he's very cultured, knows different languages.. he is the most interesting guy in the world. His playground is the world... and he does not always drink beer but when he does he drinks Dos Equis.
These commercials with this guy shows that if you are interesting and full of life you will drink Dos Equis. This guy has become the symbol for this beer.


2. Marketing Coolness? Find an example of an ad that uses a counterculture or anti-consumerism to sell it's product. Explain the approach of the example.

Marketing Coolness is when the consumer brands their product with out letting people know they are branding it. For example Sprite. They say "Obey Your Thirst". They have commercials that are out there. People do not realize that they are subliminal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1latJ7K8zc

Another ad we found would be the "I am a PC". This campaign was part of the PC marketing 2 years ago. They were trying to let you know everyday people and free thinking while still advertising.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7NoRjI0H0


3. What is an Anti-Ad? What is Culture Jamming? Find an example and explain the strategy of the ad.


Anti-ad is when you are advertising different things all in one ad.. you are delivering mixed messages. Example the Bottled Water ad below. This is advertising that bottled water is bad. Culture Jamming is when something is added in the picture with some type of text to change the message. Example: the diamond picture.