Media in Our Lives
Part I:
Today I woke up and spent about an hour on the phone with a close friend of mine. It was nice to catch up and see how they were doing, as well as to just talk to about whatever came into our minds. After that, to procrastinate, even more, I spent about 45 minutes on Instagram. I finally got up and made myself breakfast while listening to a new artist that I discovered on Instagram. I found his music on Spotify and played it while I made and ate my food, all for about two hours. At 12:00 I had an online tutoring session that went on for about an hour. I then went to the store and called my friend because I found a few items that I thought he might be interested in.
I use technology fairly often in my day to day life. Activities such as checking Instagram are almost second nature to me when I am bored. I do not rely on Instagram for support, I simply use it to find funny videos to laugh at or interesting reviews of guitars. I use technology nearly every day due to my school life. Having Email, as well as Google Docs and knowing how to use it is a necessity for school. My homework, grades, and calendar, as well as other school associated events, are all posted on a Website, RenWeb. All of my classes use Google Classroom as a secondary form to assign homework. I can confidently say that I would not be able to complete every assignment without having to use technology. Media is also a large part of my life. Advertisements today are everywhere physically and digitally. Because technology is a necessity, corporations can data mine and collect your personal information so that they can sell it to other companies, most of which use your information to post advertisements that they think you will enjoy and buy from.
Part II:
There are four big ideas in media studies and analysis: Messages are constructed, messages are representations of the world, messages have economic and political purposes and contexts, and individuals create meaning in media messages through interpretation. In my IB language and literature class, we viewed several commercials having to do with the beauty industry, and discussed them afterward.
Commercial One: Beauty Pressure by Dove (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I) (Contains graphic images)
The first main idea of media analysis in this commercial is very evident. It begins with a slow-paced zoom in on a little girls face but as the music pitch increases, the video starts a very fast passed series of images and clips of female bodies in advertisements for makeup and beauty products. Many of these images and clips can be seen as graphic and uncomfortable, at least for me, to view. The second element is very significant because fashion is an ever-growing art in modern society, and is affecting people at young ages. This commercial is trying to expose the negatives so that parents can address them properly. This is also a marketing scheme to give examples of negative advertisement from other beauty products, to promote their own beauty products, thus creating a white knight image. The third point is also very clear in this video add. The economic reason is to promote Dove products and to demote other beauty products because they are portrayed as negative. The fourth point is the meaning of the advertisement. In this add, the meaning is to inspire parents to talk to their children about fashion and the beauty industry, before the advertisements can. This shows a younger child that is exposed to it, thus creating an urgency to the message because the beauty industry is getting to her at a very young age.
Commercial Two: Greenpeace "Onslaught(er)" by Greenpeace (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWaekMdpDDE) (contains graphic images)
The first point in this video is clear that it is a mock of Dove's "Beaty Pressure" video. It has a similar introduction of a zoom in on a little girl. The images shown are first of nature and a healthy environment however it quickly changes to clips of trees being cut down and forests being removed. These images provoke a very negative message and it is only later in the video that you understand the point. Point number two, the representation to the world. This add shows the harm deforestation for growing plantations for harvesting palm oil for Dove products. The third point is the economic and political message. This is a form of an environmental organization speaking out against the deforestation in Indonesia for Dove products. It emphasizes the pain that is being inflicted on the environment, just for beauty products. The last point shows that this add is directed to all Dove product consumers and generally everyone who cares about the environment. Its message is one of urgency and importance.
Commercial Three: Own Your individuality by Rimmel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHUDHmBS_Pk&feature=youtu.be)
The first point in this commercial is that the images and clips displayed are very exciting! They have a fast-paced flow, however, each clip is displayed long enough for the viewer to understand what is happening. Throughout the advertisement flashes of neon colors are shown and the sounds of a drum circle create a chaotic environment. The second point is that this add is based in London, not in the US. It is focused on a showing of the individual personalities of people in London and making concrete the importance of having fun and expressing yourself by buying Rimmel products. The third point of this advertisement is that there is no one "look" or appearance for all makeup. There are several because every person has their own individual, unique, and important look. The fourth point furthermore presses the point of individuality in makeup, specifically in buying Rimmel.
Summary: I learned a lot about these commercials by analyzing them with the four big ideas of media studies. I really found it interesting to compare these commercials and discover really subtle but important points.
Today I woke up and spent about an hour on the phone with a close friend of mine. It was nice to catch up and see how they were doing, as well as to just talk to about whatever came into our minds. After that, to procrastinate, even more, I spent about 45 minutes on Instagram. I finally got up and made myself breakfast while listening to a new artist that I discovered on Instagram. I found his music on Spotify and played it while I made and ate my food, all for about two hours. At 12:00 I had an online tutoring session that went on for about an hour. I then went to the store and called my friend because I found a few items that I thought he might be interested in.
I use technology fairly often in my day to day life. Activities such as checking Instagram are almost second nature to me when I am bored. I do not rely on Instagram for support, I simply use it to find funny videos to laugh at or interesting reviews of guitars. I use technology nearly every day due to my school life. Having Email, as well as Google Docs and knowing how to use it is a necessity for school. My homework, grades, and calendar, as well as other school associated events, are all posted on a Website, RenWeb. All of my classes use Google Classroom as a secondary form to assign homework. I can confidently say that I would not be able to complete every assignment without having to use technology. Media is also a large part of my life. Advertisements today are everywhere physically and digitally. Because technology is a necessity, corporations can data mine and collect your personal information so that they can sell it to other companies, most of which use your information to post advertisements that they think you will enjoy and buy from.
Part II:
There are four big ideas in media studies and analysis: Messages are constructed, messages are representations of the world, messages have economic and political purposes and contexts, and individuals create meaning in media messages through interpretation. In my IB language and literature class, we viewed several commercials having to do with the beauty industry, and discussed them afterward.
Commercial One: Beauty Pressure by Dove (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I) (Contains graphic images)
The first main idea of media analysis in this commercial is very evident. It begins with a slow-paced zoom in on a little girls face but as the music pitch increases, the video starts a very fast passed series of images and clips of female bodies in advertisements for makeup and beauty products. Many of these images and clips can be seen as graphic and uncomfortable, at least for me, to view. The second element is very significant because fashion is an ever-growing art in modern society, and is affecting people at young ages. This commercial is trying to expose the negatives so that parents can address them properly. This is also a marketing scheme to give examples of negative advertisement from other beauty products, to promote their own beauty products, thus creating a white knight image. The third point is also very clear in this video add. The economic reason is to promote Dove products and to demote other beauty products because they are portrayed as negative. The fourth point is the meaning of the advertisement. In this add, the meaning is to inspire parents to talk to their children about fashion and the beauty industry, before the advertisements can. This shows a younger child that is exposed to it, thus creating an urgency to the message because the beauty industry is getting to her at a very young age.
Commercial Two: Greenpeace "Onslaught(er)" by Greenpeace (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWaekMdpDDE) (contains graphic images)
The first point in this video is clear that it is a mock of Dove's "Beaty Pressure" video. It has a similar introduction of a zoom in on a little girl. The images shown are first of nature and a healthy environment however it quickly changes to clips of trees being cut down and forests being removed. These images provoke a very negative message and it is only later in the video that you understand the point. Point number two, the representation to the world. This add shows the harm deforestation for growing plantations for harvesting palm oil for Dove products. The third point is the economic and political message. This is a form of an environmental organization speaking out against the deforestation in Indonesia for Dove products. It emphasizes the pain that is being inflicted on the environment, just for beauty products. The last point shows that this add is directed to all Dove product consumers and generally everyone who cares about the environment. Its message is one of urgency and importance.
Commercial Three: Own Your individuality by Rimmel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHUDHmBS_Pk&feature=youtu.be)
The first point in this commercial is that the images and clips displayed are very exciting! They have a fast-paced flow, however, each clip is displayed long enough for the viewer to understand what is happening. Throughout the advertisement flashes of neon colors are shown and the sounds of a drum circle create a chaotic environment. The second point is that this add is based in London, not in the US. It is focused on a showing of the individual personalities of people in London and making concrete the importance of having fun and expressing yourself by buying Rimmel products. The third point of this advertisement is that there is no one "look" or appearance for all makeup. There are several because every person has their own individual, unique, and important look. The fourth point furthermore presses the point of individuality in makeup, specifically in buying Rimmel.
Summary: I learned a lot about these commercials by analyzing them with the four big ideas of media studies. I really found it interesting to compare these commercials and discover really subtle but important points.
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