Extra Credit Blog Post

Prior to taking RTF 305, I had never before used a blog.

The positive aspects of using the blogs in the course was how it forced the writer to utilize knowledge gained through readings and lectures and apply it in a concise, functional blog post. This helped reinforce concepts so that when it came time to review for a test, most of the most important concepts were already ingrained in the mind of the student.

Technically, I had very little difficulty in using the blogs after the initial set up. When I first received the email saying that we would be doing a blog I was a bit confused about the process of creating one since I had never before, but after setting up my blogger account it was not technically difficult. Conceptually, I had no difficulty and in fact the blogs helped me immensely.

I had no real difficulties in the blog process and therefore had nothing to overcome in order to accomplish the blogs.

The most interesting blog prompts were the ones that allowed us to specify contemporary examples from our own personal knowledge because they required more creative thinking than simply rewording concepts from the book in our own words. A good example was the blog prompt asking us to specify an example of the hollywood’s three-act structure. The least interesting blog prompts were the ones that were only based on history and a good example of this was the prompt asking us to identify forces that acted on the development of radio, such as government intervention. None of the prompts were particularly difficult.

I would recommend using a blog in a future course, particularly a course that requires extensive reading for the reason that it keeps students accountable for the information in their reading and rewards those that do keep up by making the blogs far easier. In addition, the blog posts were an interesting and interactive way for students to express their varying opinions.

In regards to improving the blogging experience, I would highly recommend closer consideration of the blog prompts. It is essential that the prompts be intriguing and inspire creative application of class concepts. Other than that, I felt that the blog process was overall very helpful and effective in keeping students involved and in the know on class information.

Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report.

Just for grins, this is a video I had been wanting to share with the class for a while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzRKEv6cHuk

Globalization and Hybridization

Globalization is the process by which nations, cultures, and people worldwide become more connected to each other, despite boundaries of physical space. Globalization is increased and enhanced by digital development and increased development of internet infrastructure. Increased communications between far displaced people leads to greater trade and commercial convergence and international flow of media technologies and content.

Globalization leads to increased hybridization in the international marketplace. This means that the interaction between two or more cultures leads to a new culture combining elements of both. Hybridization is influenced by globalization due to increased communication between cultures and leads to hybridized media products as commercial powers attempt to utilize successful formulas in new environments.

A good example of hybridization in media for use toward a global audience is the ad campaigns used by McDonalds. These ads are modified and shown in many nations using many languages and advertising various fast food products sold in different countries. They aim to bind people in differing cultures to a common brand through their designed hybridization of advertising.

10 International McDonald's ads: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/56240

Advertising Appeals

The old spice commercial “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” is a powerful and persuasive advertisement because it promotes the idea that its product will allow any man to achieve at least one aspect of the level of success and allure, which the commercial’s main character exhibits. The ad essentially follows a handsome, African-American man who opens the commercial by addressing all ladies and asserting that while their men cannot be him, they can at least smell like him by using old spice body wash. The commercial is outrageous in tone and follows the character as he travels from a bathroom to a boat to riding a horse, all seamlessly transitioned, but at the same time the ad is effective in getting across its central point. While the commercial is humorous, it is also memorable and makes men want to buy its product to emulate the stylish and sophisticated man of the ad.

The appeal used in this advertisement, though in a humorous and hyperbolic manner, is the appeal to achievement and prominence. Essentially, this type of appeal is connected in peoples' minds with being successful, respected, and seen as high-class. Any product that uses this appeal would basically be saying that it will either make or help someone move up in the world, become more prestigious and achieve greatness. Such appeals are not always accurate, but it is peoples’ desire to be above those around them that compels them to purchase the product, in an effort to gain a competitive edge in the world.

The “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercial is a clear example of an ad utilizing the achievement and prominence appeal because its message is that if a man uses old spice body wash, they will be more like the man in the commercial. This man is portrayed as handsome, successful, and suave, all of which are characteristics commonly sought out by men and thought of by men as irresistible to women. The style of commercial makes it memorable by being humorous, but the main appeal is in comparing the fictionalized “man” to the actual man watching the commercial and saying: do this and you can achieve the status of a prominent, awesome hunk like me, which is something you should all want.

The original commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE