What I have learned...

If you were to ask me to build a house, I wouldn't know the first thing about how to do that.  Asking me to decorate a room is ten times easier for me to achieve.  I have parameters, boundaries, light, expectation.  This research paper is my first attempt to build a house.  My fear is that it will be built out of sticks, and the big bad wolf of expectation will blow it down.

Like any good house, your paper needs something solid to stand on.  In searching for a good topic to create the foundation of my paper, I realized I had too much to choose from.  I became overwhelmed with so much information to process, it was like standing in the middle of a field trying to pick the best spot to break ground.  I had to go back to the beginning and read all my posts and response papers one by one to see where I could begin...again.

One aspect of this class that really intrigued me was how a commercials attempted to speak to consumers through denotative and connotative means.  Since that segment, I have never looked at advertising the same.  As I plodded along through the world of not-really-free internet for more sources of information, I began to wonder... if so many things were considered tasteless and inappropriate for public viewing, how did they make it to the internet, or the shelves at the grocers, our televisions, or t-shirts for that matter?  What did this say about us as consumers?  If it's so bad,  why doesn't anyone do anything about it?  I realized that I was looking in the wrong direction.  I finally had my question...

How does censorship depict social norms?

This, to me, is a great question.  Ads from 40 years ago are completely different than they are today.  If there was a beauty product showing too much skin, it was either stricken from television, or shown at night only.  Now, you can buy milk, bread, and the most recent copy of  where, in all caps and bold print, you can find out the most up to day sexual positions that will drive your boyfriend crazy!  All wrapped in a pretty cover picturing a completely nude (and pregnant) Demi Moore.  That raised quite a stink!  If it was so bad, why wasn't it censored?  Whose job was it to censor these "atrocities" made public?  Or, did the public really want to be shocked?  This is what I want to know.

As a society, we strive very hard to create the "good neighbor" ideal within ourselves.  We also believe that we know better than our neighbor what is good for society as a whole.  We think we have all the answers... so we hide our Victoria Secret catalogs from our children, make sure they don't watch certain things on television, buy them the latest shoot-em-up game (at least their isn't nudity or sex), judge someone by what they have decided to wear that day or by what they "liked" on FB, make healthier decisions for dinner, quit smoking and drink more red wine... all in the name of what is socially "normal" today.

Connotative and Denotative Outlook on Popular Culture

My current perspective on advertising gave me many things to think about- myself as a consumer, my children as consumers, if my consuming nature is a want versus need, etc...

My topic is the connotative and denotative aspects of advertising, and if companies directed our feelings at more wants than needs, or vice versa.  Sadly, I do not know much about the topic, so this will be a challenge.  In my home, we live on a very needs-only  lifestyle.  It was about nine  years ago that it was the other way around.  In short order, we had the proverbial (and literal) Persian rug ripped out from under our feet, and we have lived on the other end of the spectrum with a completely different set of eyes.  It's been a humbling, yet liberating, experience that I wouldn't trade for the world.  At this moment, I am so out of the advertising loop, I don't even know where to begin, or how to answer any research question I could think up.  I believe Estevan gave me a very good way to determine several factors.  He suggested I watch television for one whole day, with the focus on the commercials and who/what they cater to throughout the day.  This way, I can determine several factors:

1- Does humor or fear affect attention to a product?

2- How is a brand valued?

3- What has been said or written about how the brand makes us feel?

4- Is the length of a commercial detrimental to the products success?

5- Are there more ads targeting men?  Or women?

By viewing what I see connotatively and denotatively, I should be able to determine what is deemed most important in today's culture and society- perhaps even by the hour!

What I still need to know, or discover, if there have been written sources to collaborate with and support my research for this topic.  I do not strongly purport all my sources to be internet related.  I also welcome my peers to lend a helping opinion, since I know there are some die-hard advocates, as well as opposers, to the subject of marketing.

Only On The Surface...

Justin and I have been together for 17 years.  We rarely use the word "love", "husband" or "wife".  Many years ago, we came to the understanding that a relationship is more than the word love.  The institution of marriage is more than the paper you acquired.  With the invention of social media, however, as soon as your relationship status changes, all hell breaks loose.

Several years back, Justin and I changed the way we viewed our relationship.  So, we decided to start calling each other "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" again.  Additionally, to "make it official" and even more hilarious, we changed our relationship status from "married" to "in a relationship".  Our hope was to positively influence those around us.  In one minute, that status change started a mudslinging event we never anticipated.

Literally within seconds, we had roughly 15 comments each asking what had happened to our marriage; asking if either of us had some place to go.  Offering to watch the kids if we needed help.  Sending apologies and condolences.  We received a few phone calls.  Most surprisingly, some even went so far as to post one was not good for the other.  It was preposterous, degrading, depressing and eye opening, to say the least.

Break ups used to be a semi-private affair.  You called in a few of your besties and they helped you dry your tears, say some choice words about your ex for your benefit, drank a bottle of wine with you and supported you through the first few tough weeks.  Finding a new loved one was a joyous occasion... probably celebrated with more wine, planned group dates, discussing silly quirks of the new love interest, finding out their astrological sign and imagining a new future.  Word of mouth about a new relationship treated the experience slow and sweet.  It also treated a break up with compassion and you could be selective about who you shared your pain with in tolerable segments.  Social media has put a new spin on things.

I have seen nasty divorces become a world-wide event.  I have seen new love interests become victims of cyberstalkers.  Instagrams of what someone did with their ex-boyfriend's belongings are immediately posted.  Negative and positive comments start to fly as fast as the fingers can post them.   Wives/husbands begin critiquing the Friends list to remove ex in-laws from possible retaliation.  Daughters and sons have verbally assaulted their own parents concerning a new love interest, and will even un-friend their own family members.  Men take pictures of themselves with their new younger wives as a weapon against their older ex-wife.  Regardless of demographic, anyone and everyone can either become a social media star, or it's victim, in moments.

As the saying goes, the star that burns the brightest usually burns the shortest".  Social media turns today's news into yesterday's news in one hour.

(THIS IS WHERE I HAVE STOPPED FOR NOW)

The Ad Game

This ad game is a tricky one.  I have rolled it over and over in my mind.  I recognize the importance of advertising using any medium.  It helps get new products and services to consumers.  It also allows companies grow and allows the economy to boost.  Advertising also allows companies to compete against one another for the buying edge.  I just don't remember when lying to the consumers became a part of the deal.  Yes, we wanted the discounts.  Yes, we wanted to be a part of something that catered to us.  How could someone not find it pleasurable to be catered to?  Most of us, however, did not realize what we were signing up to do.  In the beginning, there was no fine print-anywhere.  Since it was fashionable to reduce paper mail, we opted for our emails to receive the junk mail.  It was pleasurable to know we were doing our part for the environment.  No need to litter up our mail boxes or recycling bins even more!  Little did we realize what we had done.  Very little.

One of my favorite lines from Men In Black is when Tommy Lee Jones is giving the speech about what to expect when you join the MIB.  He said, "People, for the most part, don't have a clue.  They don't want one, or need one either.  They're happy-they think they have a good bead on things."  No truer words are spoken.  I believe this is the larger percent that are being catered to.  The status quo being the everyday Jane's and Joe's who bust ass daily to come home to family, dinner, and a few hours of tv before bed.  This is where advertising captures them and takes the consumer on a journey to a fantasy world of tight blouses delivering cold beer, men who smell like the ocean sailing away with the women they love, and families squabbling over minutes on a prehistoric cellphone plan.

Technology is akin to the Sasquatch.  It's a big, ugly animal that attracts devoted fans and staunch disbelievers.  It's had money thrown at it to be searched and studied.  It seems impossible to trace, yet we still have people out there who think they've got the image of Bigfoot.  With all the hullabaloo about scams across the board, some efforts have been made to clear the air.  Recent studies have been shown that to really sell a product, you need to engage the consumer and earn your way into their hearts. not leaving them feeling unappreciated and worthless.  I can only hope that common sense prevails for the commonwealth.  Hindsight may be 20/20, but certain immediate images in our mirrors are still larger than they appear.  

Keeping It Real...Hard

Controversial Viagra Ad

Sitting in a doctors office is a tedious thing.  It's quiet... soft music is playing in the background... no one talks to each other.  I've always wanted to burp loudly in that space and see what people do.  My son did it once and it made the entire waiting room jump out of their skins.  The both of us proceeded to laugh ourselves to tears.  The room giggled with us.  I think it would be a mixed review if a grown person did it.

Feeling the onset of droopy eye, I attempted to divert my sleepy mind with the outdated and poorly maintained reading materials.  My selections were limited- but I found one with a tawdry cover and promises of sexual bliss on page 123.  Apparently, there are even more up-to-date sexual positions that have been certified by a a bonafide sex doctor...all pun intended.  Who doesn't love those horrid attempts the mainstream magazines make at soft porn images and badly explained paragraphs?  I giggled quietly with anticipation and turned towards the back.  

As I stared flipping from the back to the front, the magazine fell open to a Viagra ad.  The image above was located at the top of the advertisement.  My eyes were drawn to the image.  Everyone enjoys a good magic show.  I've always wanted to be the assistant!  All the pretty costumes and the idea of being sawed in half!  Neato!  Soon, I was transfixed- what the hell did an old magician levitating his assistant have to do with Viagra?  I was so sucked into deducing the reason that when it finally hit me, I laughed right out loud.  It caught me by surprise so quickly, I didn't have the inclination, nor the time, frankly, to sensor my guffaw.

I began laughing all the harder when I remembered where I was: a urologist's office.  The other patients in the waiting room looked at me like I had gone mad.  I was going to apologize and explain myself.  However, when you have reached that hysterical point of no return, it's best just to excuse yourself, leave the area and catch your breath.  Thankfully, I returned from the bathroom and my name was immediately called.  I brought the ad with me and shared it with the doctor.  He thought it was pretty funny too.  I felt a small dose of relief that I could share this with someone.  I found out later this ad was stricken from publication because it was deemed too risque.

Even though I personally do not find anything wrong with the ad, someone out there with nothing better to do obviously felt this was an uncalled for attempt at advertising sex.  Who wouldn't want a more satisfied sex life, in my opinion?  Viagra's ad is a witty one.  When you create clever controversy, like this image did, the ad becomes the talk of the town.  This kind of free advertising works better than any amount of money the company could spend on making more clinically benign ads to appease social scrutineers.  On average, who doesn't think of sex at least once a day?  I feel the ad also makes light of an uncomfortable topic for men... and subsequently women.  Sexually healthy couples who are stymied by erectile dysfunction probably had no recourse before Viagra exploded on the scene (the innuendos are limitless!!).  Our culture is rife with sex, yet we have so many stigmas and double standards regarding it.  Especially for men.  Men are supposed to be automatons.  This is the myth.  I feel Viagra's "bedvertising" campaign is a good one because it opens the topic to conversation and exposes the real controversy: men have feelings too.  They're just made to believe they're not supposed to.

Blog...Blog...Blog...Blog...Blog...Blog...Blog...Blog...

Every time I hear the world "blog", with it I can hear the Monty Python tune "Spam".  But when you sing it, you put "blog" in for "spam".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_eYSuPKP3Y

Leave it to the Brits... Monty Python RULES!