Hi, it's Jasmine.
Some of you seemed blown away by "Merchants of Cool". In my opinion, the documentary just reinforced what I already knew. We've been exposed to advertisements for our whole lives, so I think by now, we all know that we cannot always trust them. We often make fun of ads that are make exaggerated claims, but at the same time, we know that they're biased - that's a huge part of what an ad is. So, if "Merchants of Cool" was a shock to you, if it made you feel like you've been lied to your whole life, why was it such a revelation?
For me, marketing isn't evil. It's simply a part of our lives that will always be there. Although we can't avoid advertisements, we always have a choice - companies have no way of forcing us to buy their products. Like I said in a previous post, life without advertisements would be woefully empty. Although people complain about the hidden advertising on MTV, they still enjoy watching it because it's entertainment. We complain about the amount of commercials on TV, but why do we still sit there and watch them? Once again, it entertains us - commercials can be pretty interesting and funny. Also, I remember in class, we talked about Disney - stating that it pretends to be something that it isn't. It doesn't matter much to me that Disney doesn't live up to its family-friendly reputation. The truth is, Disney produces many good TV shows and movies that aren't always rated G. I think that the actual product matters more than what the product is "supposed" to be. After all, according to Hayakawa, nothing is "supposed" to be anything - everything is based on our individual perception.
So, who thinks that advertisements are evil? Or good? Or somewhere in between?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hey Jasmine, Yes I agree with your points. I wasn't that suprised by merchants of cool. Many of us have seen programs like it where the "man behind the curtain" is revealed. I think advertising is pretty much an absolute must and I don't feel like I'm being used when Disney aside from making the lion king, sponsors ABC,(because lil kids don't really watch ABC when they are still watching lion king, so in a way disney grows with the kids) yes the dannon commercial is a lil annoying, but the wendy's commercial, i loveeee it! I still don't eat at Wendy's but I can see how I am starting to just like the company because I like their "humour" like they said in "merchants of cool" the marketers are trying to make me think they "understand" me hahaha. But maybe if they doo understand me they'll make better products suited for my lifestyle etc which could be a benefit of all their "teen research". And i hope they do use their information to make better products but i recognize that doesnt always happen. I think a lot of the marketing has also made our generation a lot more cynical.
If anyone saw that movie I think it was umm "Josie and the Pussycats" and anywayyyy (dont see the movie) but its kindof scifi and futuristic. The music companies incorporate subliminal messages to brainwash kids and everyone becomes zombies but then Josie and the pussycats come to the rescue. That movie pertains exactly to everything we've been talking about and is a little scary.
Hey, it's Erin. I agree with Jasmine - "Merchants of Cool" was not an amazing revelation because most of it (general if not specific) I already knew. I have to say that I don't think marketing is evil; it's necessary. How else would you get people to buy your product/service without marketing and advertising? I think that once you understand the way marketing is used, you have the upper hand. Think of it this way. You, the consumer, have an incredible amount of power. You buy one product and not another; you go to one store rather than a different one. If you are unhappy about something, don't just sit there whinning! You control where your money goes. Like I said before, it you have a problem with the attitudes (etc) portrayed in movies, TV shows, songs, etc, DON'T BUY THEM! Because if no one's buying their product, the people in charge will change it very fast. Their goal is to make money and as long as they're making money, they won't change their technique.
Post a Comment