It may be stupid but its also dumb

 

     In Merchants of Cool I learned that a Mook was stereotype made from marketers in order to target teenaged boys. In order to boost up sales, marketers are able to sell the idea of permanent adolescence in which boys are stereotypically obnoxious, carefree, stupid, and in your face. After learning this, the character Patrick Star came into my mind and is a perfect example of the Mook. The show Spongebob Squarepants was created to target an age group typically 18 and under. The show itself is able to sell the message in which friendship is valuable through two idiotic friends which happen to be both males. Because the two main characters are male, the gender specifically being targeted is male. Both characters are idiotic, loud, and carefree but Patrick Star is extremely exaggerated. Patrick Star is so stupid that he cannot tell the difference between a trumpet and mayonnaise. However, there was an episode in which Patrick switches his head and becomes smart. At the end of the episode, Patrick chooses to switch his head back and become stupid again because he values friendship. After, he returns to being loud and stupid. So, both friends return to having endless fun through idiotic adventures forever.

Do whatever we want with Miley?

     After watching Merchants of Cool and learning that a stereotypical Midriff was a creation, made by marketers in order to target females that are prematurely adult, one female singer came into my mind. Miley Cyrus. Over the course of a few years, I was able to grow up alongside Miley Cyrus and see her transform from an innocent appearing southern girl,  into a wild and carefree woman. As she was younger and reached her fame through the character Hannah Montana, we saw that her fans typically composed of the ages between 5 to 15. As she continued her career as Hannah Montana however, I was able to see that her popularity had declined. Today, she has made a comeback as a wild and carefree women who does not care about the opinions of others. In one of her songs she says, "Remember only god can judge ya, forget the haters, because somebody loves ya". Yes, Miley's intentional messages towards adolescence that it is okay to be unique and not to be ashamed of themselves because of societal norms is great. But, is the technique she uses in order to sell this message appropriate? Many critics have argued that Miley is the embodiment of the stereotypical Midriff. She, in my opinion, is exposing sex and drugs to prematurely adult females. This can be seen through her wild performances, her instagram accounts, her website, and all throughout the media. In her performances, she is basically nude, dances very sexually (twerks) , smokes weed, etc in order to tell young girls that it is okay to be unique. Is this really necessary? Apparently, yes. Although i don't agree with this technique, it is clearly effective with all the fame and money she is making. She is targeting girls are are maturing and are realizing their sexual desires so she tells them that it is okay to be able to express this desire.


Link to a video of her smoking a joint as she receives an award:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoF0PpgUalQ

Tall, Blonde, and Gorgeous is the trend. Get with it.

 

  I was scrolling through my feed on Instagram and I came upon a picture of McDonald's fries that included a caption of "Tall, blonde, and gorgeous". Then I realized that this was a perfect Ad for my media blog because the meme of the fries explains why the billboard is appealing.

     The advertiser used the technique of wit and humor and sex appeal in order to divert attention to its product. The phrase "Tall, blonde, and gorgeous" is used to appeal to those who seem to find an interest in tall, blonde, and gorgeous, people. I find it smart that McDonald's used gender friendly words and did not use words to specify if it were used towards male or females. Wit and humor was used because the phrase "Tall, blonde, and gorgeous" was used in describing McDonald's fries. When people purchase fries, they often do not describe their fries using these words. Because of how strange and outrageous for someone to describe fries as tall, blonde, and gorgeous, it is funny. So, the audience is entertained.

     Sex appeal was used because the words are often used to describe people that are typically models. This touches on societal norms in which the idea of superiority is composed of those who are tall, blonde, and gorgeous. The need for affiliation is used. Since majority of people are not considered a part of that societal norm, the advertiser is telling you to purchase the fries in order to become closer to that norm. Although you may not be receiving a tall, blonde and gorgeous person, you would still be able to receive tall, blonde, and gorgeous fries. So, the phrase, "There's a McDonald's for everyone" was used in order the support the idea of, every one can achieve superiority if they purchase McDonald's fries.

Do you like you?

 
  A song that I have grown attached to after hearing it air on the radio several times is the song, "Try" by Colbie Caillat. The song reflects on society's beauty ideals and questions those who alter their image with makeup, clothes, etc. The question proposed is whether people alter their image to please others or themselves. She suggests that you don't have to try to please others but in fact please yourself. Many people accuse her of arguing that you should not change your physical appearance. They say she assumes that everyone changes for others. However, people don't understand that she is not opposed to changed. She understands that not all people change themselves for others. She just urges people to do it for the sake of your own happiness and not others.

Wait a second,
Why should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself
Do you like you? Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try

     She clearly says you don't have to try meaning you have a choice. If you want to try and it makes you happy, then go ahead! No one's stopping you!

     I fell in love with this song even more when I saw the music video. In the beginning, it showed women of different sizes, colors, shapes etc. They all were "dolled-up" with makeup, fake eyelashes, etc. As the video progressed, each one of them started to take off their makeup revealing their natural face. A woman even took off her wig revealing her bald head. Although the women took these stuff off, they were happy with themselves. 

     When I hear this song, it gives me a sense of confidence. It reminds me that I don't need to change myself in order to fit in. I can be happy just the way that I am. I wear makeup too and I do it because I love applying it on, not for society's idea of perfection. Others like to paint a canvas but I like to paint my face with makeup.

How to be an active Dad

     Ever since we started analyzing print ads in class, I do not think i will ever look at print-ads the same anymore. I can not look at an ad without pointing out a technique the advertiser used in order to sell a product. Recently, an ad that caught my attention as I was flipping through one of Cosmopolitan's magazine was Vicks' Dayquil and Nyquil. This caught my attention because it was the only ad that did not seem to fit in a magazine full of women, fashion, and cosmetics. The ad displayed a split picture of a dad during the day with his children and the same dad sleeping at night. Words printed in bold labeled, "DADS DON'T TAKE SICK DAYS. DADS TAKE DayQuil NyQuil" It also listed several discomforts that the medicine claims to treat.
     I noticed that the picture itself was trying to advertise the basic appeal of the need to achieve. By including a  picture of a dad taking care of his kids during the day, the advertiser is claiming that DayQuil would help you achieve obstacles during the day. In this case, the the father is achieving the obstacle of having to take care of three children regardless of his discomfort. The other picture claims that NyQuil would help you achieve more sleep by treating your discomfort. Thus, you would be ready to achieve more obstacles the following day. The ad was also advertising the basic appeal of the need to nurture. The ad was able to appeal to paternal instincts by including a father and children. This suggests that the product would enable you to nurture your children with ease.
     The advertiser also used the technique of weasel words that claim the product to fully function without making any guarantee. The list claims to treat "...coughing, sniffling, sneezing, aching, fever..." but does not actually guarantee that the product will work. Using the word, "DADS" and a picture of a dad, they advertiser was able to target specific demographics of middle-aged dads. The phrase "POWER THROUGH YOUR DAY" was used to target Psycho-graphics of those who are active and have a can-do attitude.

    

All you need is love!

     In The Persuaders, there was a topic upon “Love Marks”. Advertisers use this strategy in order to appeal to everyone’s desire to be loved or attain affection. In this Trojan commercial, they show a man and a women kissing. They specifically chose them kissing as a sign of affection. By doing so, they are telling people to buy the condoms in order to be loved. They also chose to choose the specific phrase “ultra-smooth for her, intensified for him” to appeal to both sexes. It also shows a picture of the product itself. The product labels “FEELS LIKE NOTHING’S THERE!”. By implying that using the condoms would make you feel as if nothing was there, this will appeal to more people because this means that you and your partner would be physically closer. In other words, there would be no restrictions from pleasuring your partner. It also labels, “Natural Feeling for HIM, Ultimate Stimulation For HER!”. The word natural does not actually guarantee that the condom is entirely made from natural products. The words ultimate stimulation does not actually guarantee that she will feel ultimate stimulation when wearing the condom. In The Persuaders, one of the men was explaining how these types of words are chosen for factual truth and not eternal truth.

Link to the commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcZ_NPAzkY4