I really enjoy learning about the different ways people connect using specifically the internet. I had never known all of the different applications that people use to speak, vent, and discuss personal issues. It seems like after taking this class and learning about media literacy I notice the ways in which people communicate on the internet level as well as peoples need for communication with others. An example of this can be found at http://www.jasondunn.com/ which is an example of a personal blog.
Viewing first hand how manipulative the media is in agenda setting and forming opinions, I have a new critical outlook on the media. Using the example of the present media coverage of the candidacy for presidency, the media has taken pointless information like Hilary’s looks and John McCain’s age and made them issues within the public. Media is very manipulative and sometimes biased, without stepping away and viewing media while understanding its tactics a viewer can become subconsciously influenced. After learning about how manipulative the media is, I have a better understanding and critical outlook upon what the media covers.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/25/politics/main2397926.shtml
Learning the new programs like Illustrator and Flash really opened my eyes to another aspect of media literacy. I was not familiar with the two programs before class, and although I struggled with Flash, I found it both interesting and important to know how advertisement banners and different websites used the programs. I enjoy the fact that I now have better knowledge about advanced programs that I can use to outlet my creativity as well as better understand the internet.
http://www.w3schools.com/Flash/default.asp
After the brick experiment, I wanted to see if anyone else on the internet had thought of things to do with a brick. I was surprised to see how many people put 50 plus uses for a brick on their blogs. Blogs are a medium of expression that is very new to me, and I find it interesting how much personal, pointless, meaningful, information people put onto their blogs.
The experiment we tried doing in class made me think about subliminal advertising and its effectiveness. This Absolut advertisement makes me think of how the Apple logo may have a subliminal message on viewers. The constant logo of the bottle found in every advertisement in every medium can make viewers try and find the bottle in everything that they look at, constantly subconsciously reminding them of the product.
The movie we watched in class called “How to Get Ahead in Advertising” made me think about how other products that are not glamorous are advertised. I looked at tampon advertisements since often feminine hygiene products are not thought of as glamorous. This advertisement truly shows how unglamorous products are advertised as embarrassing. The tampon’s feature is that it can be hidden in your hand so no one has to see your unglamorous tampon. I think advertising for feminine products should be reversed and instead of enforcing the element of embarrassment with feminine products it should be the opposite.
After the assignment of looking at docile bodies in the media, it made me think of how much I loved the Dove campaign. The new Dove campaign uses normal women varying in height, weight, color, etc and uses them in simple white bikinis to promote their product. The campaign is highly successful because I think women are sick of seeing the docile bodies and feeling like they are a standard to live up to. It is nice to see real women flaunting their bodies instead of unrealistic women with perfect bodies that are photoshoped.
