Assignment #5

Ad Nauseam Sections 5&6

I found these two sections of the book, equally if not more disturbing than previous chapters, simply because the discussions on the evolutions of brands, and marketing seems shocking. I always had a feeling the subliminal marketing gears weren't always turning, but I am certain they exist in ways which weren't mentioned in the book. The real scary part is that although people understand that this technology in media is in existence, whether on purpose or simply because advertisements are trying to define a motto, or a brand and by definition it has to be grabbing and stay with the consumer.
For section 5: my question is why are people so afraid of the campaigns towards subliminal messaging advertisements, when by definition advertisements are meant to do that very job?
For section 6: my question is how do you know if you have fallen victim to the nature of advertising and the lure of brand marketing? How can you honestly tell anymore whether you enjoy the consumed item, or you just liked the label and then grew to enjoy the product.

Twitter Article
1. Thesis: to defend twitter's ability to connect people to the now, and to define the less than evil nature of this media network.
2. Agree 1: I agree with Johnson on the fact that twitter can be used as tool which promotes certain positive ends, environmental, social and so on. The idea that you can have a forum for any number of ideas which can be picked up and tweaked by the masses is impressive.
Agree 2: I also agree with Johnson in the fact that unlike Google, twitter gives people a forum which is connected to the current of information in the now, and that it allows people to stay in touch with whats happening around the world at this very moment.
Disagree: I disagree with Johnson on the topic of Twitter's perfect presence that the nature of twitter is for stronger connectedness rather than true social distortion. I believe and as we have discussed in class, that Twitter and other social media like Facebook spread our ability to connect socially very thin. We have less and less time to think independently of the masses, because we are immersed in it 24 hours a day.
Personal Use: I worked for a company which had begun using Twitter last summer, as well as the increasingly popular LinkedIn, which is a corporate job search and connection forum. Both of which I thought in the beginning were fruitless exploits of a company looking to spread their name around the technological highway. However, I was incredibly surprised at the speed in which is paid off, as a consulting firm, we had emails and more hits to the company website on the month we had installed twitter and linkedin, than any other month in the companies 15 year history.

5 things from merchants of cool

1. teens disposable income
2. paying "trendsetters" to create buzz and marketplace for companies
3. women=sexy men=macho/violent, wrestling? come on.
4. TV ups shock value, reality & TV melding
5. marketing strategy = manipulate teens world