RTF Extra Credit Assignment

RTF 305 was the first time I had ever used a blog. I was surprised by how easy the blog was to use. I found the blog to be a useful aspect of the course. It made turning in assignments very simple and it was helpful knowing that every assignment was due at the same time every week. Once I figured out how to work Blogger, I never encountered any technical difficulties using the blog. Conceptually, I had more trouble writing some blogs than others. I definitely found it easier and more enjoyable to write the blogs that allowed for some more creativity. I enjoyed the blog where we were required to pick a movie and then discuss the three separate acts. I also enjoyed the blog where we compared All in the Family to a modern sitcom. Perhaps these were the more interesting blogs to write because they dealt more directly with film and television. The blogs I did not enjoy as much were the blogs that required us to define terms from the readings and lecture and then provide examples, simply because these blogs were basically just rewordings of information given in class. I ultimately found the blog to be a very easy way to do homework assignments and blog postings certainly helped me learn information that was useful on tests, so I would definitely recommend using the blog in the future. The only problem I had with the blog was the grading. Despite providing answers for all of the required questions, there were several times where I did not receive all three points. Also, I constantly found myself wishing the blogs were due at midnight as opposed to 10:00, but perhaps that is just because I typically waited until late Sunday night to do them.

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

Globalization and the Media

Globalization is as term used to describe the process by which nations, cultures, and people throughout the world become increasingly connected and integrated. Globalization is facilitated by technological developments like cell phones and the internet, and other developments that make large scale communication easier. Ultimately, it has resulted in a more integrated world economy as more nations turn to market economies utilizing commercial media models. Globalization has led to marketing techniques like glocalization. A combination of the words globalization and localization, glocalization is a technique based off the concept that products with sell better in a region if they are adapted to better fit that region's culture. It is essentially taking an idea that was a success in one nation or locality and adopting it in another nation or locality. It is truly combining global ideas with local ones, and making products more specific and appealing to people of different cultures. This concept can be clearly demonstrated by looking at reality competition shows like "American Idol." Arguably the most popular show in the country, "American Idol" is actually a spinoff of the British show "Pop Idol." However, most viewers in America have probably never heard of the show "Pop Idol." Through the use of glocalization, the creators of the Idol series were able to create a show that was more appropriate and attractive for American viewers. The Idol series has actually resulted in spinoffs in 42 world territories and is one of the most successful television franchises of all time. By making shows that are specifically catered to the localities in which they are being viewed, the Idol series has become a dominant force in the world of television.

Sex in Advertising

The men's hygiene brand "Axe" is well known for its somewhat racy advertisements which can be very persuasive, especially to young men. A recent commercial for Axe body spray begins with a beautiful woman in a bikini running with great determination through the forest. Soon after, hundreds of other women in bikinis are shown running with the same determination through all types of terrain, some of them even swimming through the ocean. Eventually all of the women gather around a man who is spraying himself with an Axe product. The commercial ends with the man smiling. This is what we would call sex appeal in advertising. Sex appeal is one of the strongest and most used tools in advertising. This type of advertising uses sex to grab the viewers attention and then draws this attention to the product being advertised. A common feature in commercials using sex appeal is nudity, and scantily dressed, attractive people. Sex appeal in advertising is based around the idea that "sex sells" and when a product is connected to sexuality, people are more likely to purchase it. This is true in the case of this particular Axe commercial (and basically for all Axe commercials). The idea being portrayed in this commercial is that because this man is using Axe, all of these beautiful women must have him. Along with the fact that everyone in this commercial is practically naked, it is very clear that this commercial is using sex appeal. This type of advertisement is persuasive to young men, because although it is clearly very exaggerated, it makes them believe that women are very attracted to a man who uses Axe. This type of advertisement also works on women, because it makes them believe that they should be attracted to a man who uses Axe.