Extra Credit Blog

Our last blog! Before being in RTF 305 I have never used a blog for either class or personal use. I think the positive aspects of the blog were: One, it allows you to voice your opinion without being held back. Two, it keeps you current with all the concepts learned throughout the semester making it easier to succeed on the tests. Third and lastly, it really helps you with your rhetoric and writing skills. At the beginning it was tough to figure out how to embed things and make them look clean and neat when they are displayed for the reader.

 In the beginning I was having trouble grasping the concepts but as we went through TA sessions, Keara would tell us what were doing wrong and how to improve on those mistakes in order to receive full credit each time for our blogs. I feel that I was able to over come the difficulties I encountered with the blog. I am partial to whether or not I would recommend the use of blogs, I think some things are helpful and others are hurtful to the learning process. To improve the blogging system they should be highly opinion based and not graded so strictly, this discourages kids from stating their opinions.

“Yes, You may use my blog in a report or a paper.”

Globalization

Cultures and societies have grown together a great deal over the last few decades. Through technological advancements and developments in education and language, this has become made possible. One of the main reasons for this unification is globalization. A good definition for this is the development of stronger ties between people across further areas, cultures, and societies. These bonds come from technological advancements which allow people to reach one another more easily. This induces the spread of cultures and ways of life that ordinarily would be kept isolated from society.

One concept which has been enhanced by globalization is cultural imperialism. This is the name for a specific culture having a sweeping effect and influence on the rest of the world. Before technology made globalization possible, cultures had to be spread by mouth or personal contact. The only way a European could show an American how he lived was to sail across the Atlantic and meet face to face. Now, one can just turn on the TV to see what is going all the way across the world. With this easy access to information, people in different cultures can see how others do certain things. This makes it possible for one influential society to "rule the world" in a sense. If this society provides a more appealing and attractive way of life, others will adopt the lifestyle. This means that the culture will spread and will have a stronger effect and hold on the rest of the world. As people have seen the way Americans lived over the past few years, the United States has developed a very strong identity as an "imperialist culture" which citizens across the world admire, enjoy, and aspire to.

One of the aspects of U.S. culture that has spread through ll societies is Disney. By its entertainment value and attractiveness to kids, it has become an icon of American life which everyone takes part in. It generates billions of dollars in revenue and has a hold on consumers that will not soon disappear. In this way it enhances the American cultural imperialism.

Because human nature causes people to seek entertainment, things like Disney are necessary to society. People can sit down with their family and watch a Disney movie and be sufficiently entertained for hours. Then, as if that were not enough, families from all over the world take vacations to Disney World or Disney Land all the time. Disney became famous and well-known because of TV. People could watch Mickey Mouse at home on the screen and we have all fallen in love with him, for lack of a better term. On Halloween you will see plenty of "mice" running around and on Christmas morning, boxes of Disney presents will be opened everywhere. When people think of icons of U.S. culture many things come to mind. At the top, however, are things like McDonald's, freedom, and this: . As Disney becomes more popular and more people take part in the craze, more money is spent. In this way, an aspect of American culture has gripped the world so tightly that it can effect even the global economy. This could be good or it could be bad. It all depends on individuals themselves and how they want to live their own lives.

Advertisement Strategies

The ad I chose to use was an alcohol ad, because in college and on college campuses I think that alcohol is very prevalent. This is an old ad from Cabo Wabo tequila, and to describe the ad best it is inferring that you would take the bottle from the very attractive female's undergarments and then chase the the shot of tequila with the lime between her breasts. Although it infers that, the ad leaves you very curious as to what actually happens in real life. I think this is ad is both powerful and persuasive. I think it is some what powerful with slogan it gives off "Take your best shot." This is telling men that you can drink this tequila and you will be a man's man. I think it is very persuasive, the reason I think this is because someone who normally wouldn't drink might drink seeing this ad. This ad gives off the interpretation that if you drink this tequila you will be surrounded with these kinda of women doing these kinda of debaucheries. And for men who have low confidences and have not used alcohol much in the  past this kinda of ad sends the message that women will be a sure thing if you drink this alcohol.

This ad pertains to the concept of product placement. Product placement is the process of embedded marketing of products as part of content of film or television shows. Examples of that could be the placement of name brand products in films, t.v. shows, or commercials. In the Slides one example is the promotion of the mini cooper in the film the Italian Job. It is a name brand car, in a huge studio movie. It goes fast does tricks and is driven by stars. Making the audience believe if they drive that car the can be like a star. Another one which is very similar to the one I choose is the absolut vodka ad with the very muscular and stud looking male who is completely naked with only a bottle of vodka covering his groin section. This ad would put curiosity in a female's mind and the ad I chose would  place curiosity in a male's mind. They use the beauty of these people to intrigue the customer about their product.

The ad I chose satisfies the product placement appeal, because it markets its product very well by where the product is placed in the ad. It embeds the tequila into women's body making the audience much more attentive then they normally would be. The ad by Cabo Wabo contains each of the following advertisement characteristics: sex, aggression, dominance, attention, aesthetic sensations, and makes the audience curious. It shows sex obviously by the amount of clothes the female is wearing. It displays dominance by saying if you as a man drink this you will be an alpha male and a dominant man. It brings attention to people by just how revealing it is, it grasps people and says this is how much fun you could have if you used this tequila. It gives off sensations by people who are aroused at the sight of this attractive female. And the way the ad is displayed  it makes the audience curious to what the ad would look like if it were fully shown.