Cynthia Magelitz

Comm 406

The Persuaders

2/20/2012

M. Larson

Consumer Bombardment

     In this documentary, "The Persuaders," all one needs to understand is that every one is the consumer and the goal to any advertising agency is to sell the product to the consumer in a pervasive and informative fashion in order for the consumer to be persuaded into buying into the hype of the product.  Everything is advertised including politics. While an individual is standing in line to pay for their goods or even pumping gas there is a form of advertising happening right before them. It is true that as consumers we are bombarded with what is the best brand ( in so many words) with images, and why it is the best brand. According to an article in Forbes magazine titled, “Unsolicited Advice Supermarkets,” over 65% of purchase decisions are made in-store and that in-store advertising represents little over 5% of marketing budget, although the article states that no solid evidence links purchases to the in-store advertising. Companies spend millions of dollars researching new products to sell to the consumer  and advertising space becomes anything and everything.

     Walk into a convent store, 7-11 for example, While an individual is standing in line to pay for their goodies a nice 52 inch flat screen is suspended from the ceiling flooding the sub-conscious mind with images of other goodies to buy in the store and messages from other outside mediums, such as; who Billy Bush is going to be talking to this evening on ‘Entertainment Tonight.’ Advertising agencies become more creative with space and how to utilize this space to get the message across and know that retailers are hungry for business will find ways to be creative in getting the message across to the the consumer. This documentary also points out the vast regions of greed, and possessiveness consumers are willing to consume for their own good and how advertising agency thinks nothing about the amount of money spent just to lure the consumer into thinking this is the best buy. 
     Advertising agencies are all about lining their own pockets and keeping their employees busy with ways of creating competitive advertisement in order to continue getting the business to keep their agency in the game of advertising.  Another question arises when watching this documentary is whether or not the companies that spend millions of dollars in advertising truly have the consumer’s best interest at heart. A product will not sell unless the consumer likes it and in order for a company to get the consumer to like the product they are pushing on the market is to promote the product as the best buy for the consumer's hard earned money and to convince the consumer that they (the advertising agency) believe enough in this product that you, the consumer, should have faith enough to try it once. “Consumers are like roaches, you spray and spray,” this quote states what the consumer sub-conscious is naive enough to believe  anything and that the more consumers are bombarded with sugary adds of any product advertised the more the consumer, or roaches, will come to consume.  As consumers, do we really understand what is happening around us or is the consumer wanting more?  Even the consumer is a walking billboard for some of their favorite products by the logos we sport on our clothes.    
     Bombardment of advertising has become a part of everyday consumer life and the more the consumer is saturated with product brand names the better it is for the company selling the product to stay in the capitalistic loop. Every well-known brand of consumer product wants to stay in business. Companies such as Apple, Protector and Gamble, Kraft, and the list can go on, use pseudo marketing which makes individuals, the consumer, feel as if they are a part of the bigger picture by buying the product therefore the consumer is made to feel that the company has their best interest at heart.
     Song Airline, a wing off the Delta Airlines family, aimed to market themselves as a company that understood the consumer personally. Unfortunately with all the money Song put into advertising did not help them stay in the air as Delta discontinued the low-fare Song when Delta filed for Chapter 11 in 2005. Song Airline was too busy worrying about being all brand, apple martinis and designer made flight attendant uniforms before it was about business.   Song lasted for two years under the Delta umbrella fighting for recognition in competition from other airline’s low fare offers such as, JetBlue and Air Tran. These other airlines  were more consistent in offering low fares and had been operating longer than Song. A strong identity is important, but is not as important to the service one is selling and one of Song’s problems was the marketing strategy as brand before service, the other main problem was Delta Airlines was not being managed properly therefore filing for bankruptcy two years after Song was introduced to air travelers looking for a product at a reasonable price.  Song marketing became too wrapped up in its logo, designing cocktails and aiming a lot of its marketing strategy towards women flyers before it actually had a business strategy to compete with the other airlines. Delta tried to stay afloat but was stifled by other competitive airlines just two years into it's introduction with their answer to competitive low-fare causing Song to crash and burn out of air travelers memories. Leaving some to say Song who?

     Unfortunately consumers cannot go anywhere without being bombarded by a form of marketing or advertising message even here on Shepherd’s campus, the billboards, cross walks, and even in the bathroom behind the stall door there is a form of advertisement promoting something. Not all advertising is bad, but the consumer is defiantly being bombarded by it on a daily basis, in which the competition is competing for the consumer’s  hard earn money. Which is what it all boils down to, money, always has been and always will be about money. Thank goodness advertising allows the consumer to make this decision for themselves when it comes to investing their money by comparing one product against the other before the consumer makes the purchase. Advertising agencies do realize that an educated consumer is the best consumer which makes the task even harder for companies promoting a product simply because the consumer is not as stupid as the promoter would like them to be therefore the advertisement must be informative, an eye catcher and believable. Once the product does become a success the consumer will continue to get bombarded with persuaders of how great one's life will be once the initial investment has been made. Soon the consumer will not be able to see the blue sky for all the advertisements in the viewing way.

I am me,, I wear no mask accept this or not!

Cynthia Magelitz

Communication 406

2/8/2012

Goffman’s dramaturgical model of social life

Every morning when I get out of bed I pray to God and ask, “God, if You have a will for my life, I need to know what it is and what to do about it.” It is this bloggers belief that each and every individual over the age of seven wants to understand their function in everyday interaction within society whether it be in school, at one’s job, even shopping in the grocery store. Who are we, and what is our role to one another and what significant importance is one’s life to someone else’s and how important is one’s life to society. In Erving Goffman’s book, “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life,” examines and explains that life is a theater and the human race is its actors playing parts or roles that are or have been formed for one’s life, either by the individual through their own perspective or allowed to be formed through social mediums, such as school, work, a significant other, friends, and media advertising especially through print. How one’s life is shaped depends, this bloggers belief, is how psychologically balanced one is, the level of one’s self esteem and how comfortable one is in their own skin.

Goffman’s dramaturgical model of social life is a study that dates back into ancient history. In the later part of the twelfth century, William Shakespeare presented a play to the masses titled, “As You Like It.”  In act II, scene VII, starts with the speech, “all the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.” Like Shakespeare, Goffman presents to the masses the question of what is an individual’s role and how does each and every individual present themselves in their role as an individual in a functioning society for their audience who happens to be either their boss, co-workers, class mates, friends and so on. But just as important as questioning one’s role in the function of society is also what and who influences the behavior or the role one plays to the masses and do most individuals feel as if they are playing a role up on a stage for all the world to see or just behaving as themselves by using bits and pieces of examples into their lives as how to function as a ‘normal individual’ within society and are individuals easily shaped to what the whole of society feels an individual should perform and behave. It is a very deep subject. Each and everyone is observed. It does not matter what one is doing outside the realm of their own privacy and there is a matter of appearance and manner that has to be socially excepted while “on stage.” Once off stage one is allowed to behave as bizarre as one wants because who is watching other than God. It is this bloggers belief that social acceptance is influenced by the individuals training and their psychological perception that each and every individual is different. If the entire world is a stage and we are but mere players to life than we are looking on a daily basis for affirmation from our peers and will be influenced through this affirmation to perform better within society. Goffman feels that media advertising promotes a better chance for this affirmation in order to boost one’s self esteem and be accepted with the popular consensus of what is an acceptable performance and what is not.

 Through Goffman’s dramaturgical model of social life suggest that each and every one of us wears a mask. With each role that one plays there is a new mask to be worn because there is a new role to be played even if one is talented enough to play several roles at one time, i.e.: mother, soccer mom, and a taxi driver all in one hour. Through advertising, especially advertising aimed at women our role is to be sexy, skinny, have great hair, wear fabulous clothes, and be incredibly naive in order to be accepted as what society’s stage would have a woman’s role to be. It is this bloggers opinion that any woman that buys into what advertising says a woman’s role should be is incredibly naïve and lacks self esteem and has allowed themselves to be swayed by popular opinion as to how one should behave, dress, speak, and function in society. So I will continue to be who I am, and I will continue to ask God, whom is my stage director, what His will is for me in my performance of life and not be concerned about Goffmans theory of dramaturgical model of social life and all the psychological pressure it puts on an individual to perform at their best.

Gender and Advertising

Cynthia Magelitz

Comm 406

Women, Gender Roles and

Magazine Advertisements

01/23/12

 Advertisements especially in magazines and on billboards for as long as I can remember have always been a source of influence within American society. Women are portrayed as the weaker sex and men are strong and resilient to the elements of harsh reality. Unfortunately and more often than most advertiser would not be willing to admit to gender roles in any type of advertising and that gender roles are truly exaggerated. In the video, Codes of Gender, director and narrator Sut Jhally points out how we, as Americans, especially our young adults, are influenced by advertising agencies to over look the controversy in the advertisement by directing the attention to what sells the product, which is sex and glamor through the approach of an artistic view of the product. Today’s advertisements are more pervasive, and highly errotic especially for women. In the series Killing Us Softly 4, Jean Kilbourne points out that advertising is and always has been especially destructive towards women and not just for women in the United States but for women across the globe.

Figure 1 The caption states: The pickle, long live the French Cuisine

This is a picture advertising a pickle. What does a pickle have to do with a goose portrayed as a  sexy woman? Nothing, but it does get the viewer attention, especially if the viewer does not know French and does not realize that this is a food advertisement. Goose must be a favorite dish to the French cuisine in order for this advertisement to make this goose appeasing to the viewer eye as sexy and already dressed for the kill. Clearly there is the absents of respect for women as they too must be thought of as a delightful dish and go well on the side as a pickle does with a sandwich.  The woman's head has been replaced by a land and water fowl which gives the impression that women are no different than animals and should be treated as a non-intelligent mammal and if served properly can bring delight to the taste bud. The Goose/woman is looking away from the viewer and is just an object to be looked at as if one is looking at a painting in art gallery.

Figure 2 Advertisement for Hummer with two Russian women

This advertisement is for Hummer. The women are not only sexy but masculine and the Hummer in the back ground is the phallic symbol between them. This type of stereotyping leads to a negative perspectives for women not just for the Western culture but for women worldwide. This leads the viewer, especially women to believe that driving a Hummer is not only sexy but dangerously exciting. This clearly sends a message about masculine power and emphasizes the relationship between gender relationships without using a male model but instead using the car as the masculine force. The danger is that this type of advertising sends a sad message to our young women that they are only attractive if they are incredibly sexy and have a gangsta mentality at the same time.

In the past women had been taught that they must be lady like and accept the conditions of life without question. Women were to be dainty, submissive, and weak. When women where finally allowed to enter into universities in the late Nineteen hundreds it was not just to get a degree and go out into the work force it was also to find a man to settle down with and spend the rest of their life serving this man and the family they would create together. Women where taught that love comes at any cost and to accept their husbands discipline as a form of submission to accepting who is in charge or face being thrown out into the streets to fend for themselves. Thank goodness women started to see the light and realize that no normal individual should live in fear of their significant other just because society approves of this type of relationship discipline.

.Figure 3 Advertisement from Maybelline, 1970's

Clearly the woman pictured is content with her black eye and willing to accept spousal abuse. Shame on Maybelline for even promoting such a controversial issue as this being acceptable because there is nothing acceptable about spousal abuse. This ad tells women that their roll in the marriage or relationship is to be submissive and it is better to accept the domination because Maybelline offers the perfect concealer with micro minerals to help the abused woman continue living the life in a perfect relationship, concealing to anyone that there is a form of abuse taking place.  Maybelline is suggesting with this advertisement that the abused individual should concel it and get on with life but just don't do anything to upset your significant other but if you do Maybelline is there to help. This clearly sends the wrong message to women by stating one should accept the abuse.  Maybelline surely feels that there is a market for this product simply because they want to help the abused hide the ugly truth and clearly no indication that Maybelline feels relationship abuse is wrong, unacceptable and should never be toloreated in any form, physical or mental.

http://www.sify.com/finance/Glamorous-car-models-imagegallhttp://vi.sualize.us/view/4ea76a5ea0a030653c77fcdb22cd862a/ery-auto-jcuoyAijfgd.html

Frith Analysis-Swiffer

Cynthia Magelitz

Comm 406

01/17/2012

Frith Analysis-Swiffer’s Women Mud and Dirt

Advertising has come a long way from its roots. Not only does advertising a product have to hook our attention through visual semiotics it has to speak the consumer’s language. Visual and verbal communication becomes the viewer’s interpretation and is also considered an important part of the analysis for the product being advertised. Through advertising the consumer is subjected to adverse and controversial ads that may psychologically and through technical effects make verbal or non-verbal statements about race, gender, feminism and masculinity. Some of the advertising that is presented to the consumer in this day and age of advertising through broadcast medium is humorous, may use nostalgic through music and most do not depend on intellectual analysis. One such advertisement that captures the funny bone with humor and nostalgic music is the Swiffer commercials. Swiffer is one of many products that are produced by the Procter & Gamble Company and through advertising of this product has produced a number of characters to help sell the Swiffer product line. The commercial that will be analyzed through the Frith method and discussed in this blog is the Swiffer ‘What About Love’ commercial featuring mud and dirt represented by two women.

The surface meaning of this commercial to the viewer is of two women made to look very small against a giant background of a kitchen floor in which these two women represent mud and dirt. Mud looks like mud and dirt looks like dust and dirt mixed together. In fact when dirt claps her hands together and when she is suddenly attracted to the bottom of the Swiffer cloth a little bit of dust fly’s off her. When mud is pushed around by the big mop she leaves a muddy residue. When the two in one Swiffer sweeper comes along to attract dirt off the floor a song by the band Heart, ‘What About Love,’ begins to play and when mud is attracted to the Swiffer dirt dissolving wet cloth mud exclaims “you’re quite the pick-up artist.” The commercial ends with a bold statement that Swiffer “gives cleaning a whole new meaning.” Yeah for the consumer who has had it with their old broom and dirty mop!

The advertiser’s intended meaning is that Swiffer products are better than the conventional product to clean dirt, mud, and dust and is better for the consumer’s hardwood floors, a cleaning product so "revolutionary" that the consumer will never switch back to what they were once using.  Swiffer has taken an ongoing problem of mud, dirt and dust inside the home by adding a humorous twist to the situation to demonstrate that their product does not leave traces of mud, dirt, and dust on the surface and that the consumer does not have to spend as much time cleaning the floor as if they would be doing by using the conventional method of cleaning through the use of a broom or mop.

The cultural and ideological meaning of the Swiffer’s ‘What About Love,’ commercial has nothing to do with love. Maybe love for a cleaner floor surface but not finding true love for mud, dirt or dust. This commercials ideological meaning comes off as an E-Harmony connection for mud, dirt, dust and even the hardwood floor in finding the satisfaction of being swept off in love at first sight syndrome, even though the intended ideological meaning is all other cleaning products that combat this issue are inferior to the Swiffer product. Culturally Swiffer is targeting not only the individual who likes a clean house but also the individual who is single and find themselves in the same predicament as mud and dirt being represented by two lonely women who are wondering if "they will ever find the one." In all of the Swiffer commercials the anthropomorphize object, male or female is lonely and looking for love to sweep it off into forever  happiness of contentment never to worry about finding love again and the hardwood surface is left to peace of mind. The target consumer may be the population of adults who are single and desperate for love or it is catchy enough to convince  any consumer that this product is the ultimate pick me up artist that guarantees satisfaction or your money back. Hm wonder if E-Harmony offers the same guarantee. The symbolic truth behind the Swiffer commercials is that this is a cleaning product that will make the consumer’s life much happier once the consumer switches from their old way of cleaning to the Swiffer way of cleaning. The product now becomes something for everyone and not just the single and lonely looking for love.

Foot and Hand Refexology

Cynthia Magelitz
Comm 352
Foot and Hand Reflexology

Foot and Hand Reflexology

Foot and Hand Reflexology are known as zone therapy for relief of stress in the body. Reflexology helps the body by relaxing the stress and in this process of stimulating the area through reflexology releases pain relieving endorphins. The goal for reflexology is to clear a pathway of healing energy throughout the body to return the body back to a normal balance.

The science of reflexology maintains that all body parts have energy and that all body parts share information. These shared body points are called meridian zones. Ten reflexology zone meridians have been mapped connecting all organs and glands in one's feet and hands. The nervous system is considered an electrical system. Through massage motion of the thumbs produces a light or even deep pressure on each zone, concentrating on the tender spots. These spots may feel like there are little grains of salt underneath the skin. Reflexology treatments are used for pain relief from injuries and for faster recovery from illness.

Reflexology is an ancient massage science. The history of foot and hand massage is recorded as far back as 2300 B.C. in Egypt and 700 A.D. in Japan. The ancient Egyptians are believed to have actually developed hand and foot reflexology. In China, more than 300 studies have been conducted on the benefits of hand and foot reflexology treatments with a conclusion that reflexology can improve over 95% of over 60 different illnesses researched.

Benefits of reflexology therapy that have been documented include but may not be limited to are:
1. Reduces PMS
2. Lowers stress and anxiety
3. Decreases pain, nausea and anxiety for cancer patients
4. Improves asthma reactions
5. Accelerates bowel evacuation in constipation

 

what About Love

Cynthia Magelitz
Comm 406

What About Love    

     Recently a friend of mine posted on his FB page that ‘the new word for love for the ladies is time.’ One of my favorite commercials also approaches the same notion of time and love. Swiffer  will sweep the heart right off into forever being happy and content in little to no time. Swiffer promises all dirt, mud, and dust along with hardwood floors that the right something has just come along to make its heart skip a beat. I have to admit the Swiffer commercials are catchy and lame at the same time simply because dirt, mud, dust and hardwood floors do not have feelings, but because the creator of the Swiffer commercials have given these objects a personality along with music from my favorite generations, the Seventies and Eighties. I am hooked to watching any Swiffer commercial.     

     The Swiffer commercial that keeps my attention and has become my favorite is the one with the two women called mud and dirt. The music is by Heart, 'What About Love.'  One reason is the music.  I have been a fan of Ann and Nancy Wilson, the founders of Heart since I was 15, which is many many moons back, 1976. The second reason is the dilemma mud and dirt find themselves in every time the old mop or broom is used to pick them up or the fact they have yet to meet the right pick up artist to sweep them off the floor. Something I can identify with because I have yet to meet Mr. Right which makes me sympathize with mud and dirt feeling unattached to that special something.

     There are many reasons why the Swiffer commercials work for me. The music is catchy to the ear. The material content of selling the product is funny and the Swiffer commercials capture and keep my attention in which makes me interested in the product and if the Swiffer product actually does attract and trap dirt, mud and dust as Swiffer claims the products is capable of doing leaving your old dusting and mopping products behind and you the consumer satisfied with their product.

I am not sure if I understand what I am doing when it comes to posting a blog this way. I am so old school when it comes to this kind of stuff and all this may confuse me to the point where I will need chocolate, and this is bad because chocolate is my weakness and it is a buddy to my stress release, one of my buddies to my stress release....