Annuity

In fourth grade a teacher prohibited me of asking any more questions. Although I do not remember how many questions I was limited to asking, I have often wondered how a teacher, of all people, could set a fixed number of questions a child is allowed to ask.

I think of Mr. DeTurk’s efforts to minimize my questions as question annuity. Generally speaking, annuity refers to a form of investment entitling the investor to a fixed sum of money each year, typically for the rest of their life. Perhaps Mr. DeTurk was hoping that by giving me a fixed number of questions each day for the rest of the school year his investment (answering X number of questions) would entitle him to freedom from a brain-picking nine year old. His investment did not pay as well as he thought….I never stopped asking questions. In fact, in eighth grade my cheerleading coach made me a gift that spelled out my name in adjectives: the ‘I’ in Katie stood for inquisitive.

But not all bad has come from Mr. DeTurk’s question annuity. Because I never let his fixed number of questions stop me, I see myself as more than a fixed sum of thoughts, emotions, ideas, opinions, beliefs, etc. The only annuity plan I will invest in is evolving into the best version of me for the rest of my life. The only fixed payment in this annuity plan is the entitlement to be who I am and want to be. As with any investment, there is risk involved. It is not always easy to feel comfortable to be completely yourself, or to even feel like you know who you are. Risk usually leads to questions: “Why do I feel this way?”; “What makes me feel this way?”; and “How do I let myself feel more comfortable, more secure in who I am?” These are questions that I am still searching for the answers to, but that does not keep me from asking them in the first place.

As my graduation from college is just four months away, the number of questions I have seems only to be getting bigger; the answers further from my reach. In times when I am overwhelmed by so many questions I wonder if Mr. DeTurk’s fixed number of questions would save me from the unknown, but if I stay true to myself I strongly believe that my questions will be answered.

 

-xx Katie

What Will Be Will Be.

Hello. Is this the site you were looking for? Whether it is or not, I invite you to stay awhile, I’m glad to have you! Originally this blog was created as an assignment for a class in my sophomore year of college, however today it becomes my own. Since it’s creation I have fallen in love with blogging. Although I am just re-starting myself now, I have read and viewed hundreds over the last few months.

I.Am addicted! Always have I held a passion for writing but I have only allowed that love to seep out in academia. Maybe it’s the orange nail polish I’m currently wearing that has energized me to take to the keyboard this time without purpose but rather desire. For whatever it is, I have thought about starting a blog for a long time now and I am so excited to finally take to it! Any bloggers reading this? I sure would love to meet you if you are!

For now I must forge ahead on my preparations for a family vacation, which include narrowing two bulging double-door closets into a 24″ x 16″ suitcase. Let me note here, this is only the first of my mentioning of my closet. My real wish is that this blog will become the freeing of my fashion sense through a post by post snapshot of my closet! So do yourself (and me) a favor and bookmark this little ditty now,  then come back in a bit to see what it will be. And if you happen to have read to this point, leave a comment! Just a “Hello” will do. I would L.O.V.E. to grow to know readers as my posts grow!

Talk soon,

KT

Libel Case: Kate Winslet

Libel is a written form of expression that is not protected by free speech under the First Amendment, which is a legal concern for editors and publishers. It is the defamation of character, or harm to one’s reputation, as it holds a person up to public mockery, contemptuousness or disgust.

In May of 2009, Kate Winslet filed a libel lawsuit against Britain’s Daily Mail, an online paper. The paper claimed that Winslet lied about her exercise routine in a statement given to Elle magazine and called her “the world’s most irritating actress.” Winslet claimed libel damages from Daily Mail, saying that she was “distressed and embarrassed” by the paper’s claims.

Winslet’s legal basis for filing the lawsuit was that the Daily Mail’s article that claimed that she had publicly lied about her exercise routine jeopardizes her role as a role model for young women, especially as a mother-of-two herself. Winslet went on to further state, “I was particularly upset to be accused of lying about my exercise regime and felt that I had a responsibility to request an apology in order to demonstrate my commitment to the views that I have always expressed about body issues, including diet and exercise. I strongly believe that women should be encouraged to accept themselves as they are, so to suggest that I was lying was an unacceptable accusation of hypocrisy.”

The case has been resolved in which Winslet received $40,000 from Daily Mail for their fallacious claims toward Winslet. The ruling stood with Winslet receiving a settlement because there is evidence proving that the statement the Daily Mail issued is in fact false. Winslet has had strong feelings about the body issues many women have and has made numerous statements, describing her beliefs that women should accept themselves for who they are.

At first I thought that it was ridiculous for Kate Winslet to file a lawsuit against the Daily Mail, but after reading her high beliefs that women should accept who they are and her claim that the false information could taint her image and position as a role model for young girls I realize that she isn’t just making a big fuss for the hell of it but rather to make a point and to stand strong in her beliefs and values.

As with all libel lawsuits, publishers and editors have to be extremely cautious of what claims they make about people and repeatedly check their sources, because libel cases are made based on the feelings of defamation a person who has been spoken of feels. This leaves little room for publishers and editors to win cases, as their only way to do so is to prove that the statement is true, or to defend the statement as opinion rather than intentional misstatement, because opinion is protected from libel.

Because this is a case processed by London’s High Court, it is hard to say what legal principles or laws were involved. However, libel lawsuits in the U.S. date back to the New York Times vs. Sullivan case in 1964. At the time of the Sullivan decision, the Supreme Court made civil courts distinguish whether plaintiffs in libel cases were public or private individuals to control the threat of libel cases. Both public and private individuals had to prove falsehood, damages, and carelessness.

Public Relations Campaign Against Negative Publicity

Slumdog Millionaire, the highly acclaimed 2008 Bollywood film, made a name for itself after receiving ten Academy Awards in 2009 in which it won eight. After its high appraisal, links to an Indian charity within the movie lead to negative publicity.  

A fictional ‘Hope Orphange’ was featured in the film in which a criminal gangmaster tours the slums of the city of Mumbai in an orange minibus. ‘Hope’ is written on the side of the bus, and the gangmaster offers to ‘rescue’ the children. However in ‘rescuing’ these children, they are forced into a life of begging and prostitution. The negative publicity came from outcry by the Hope Foundation, a charity providing shelter for orphaned and abandoned children in Kolkata, a city in West Bengal India, after receiving an outpouring of calls and emails from the public who had confused it with the fictional ‘Hope Orphange’ in Slumdog Millionaire. The Hope Foundation uses the same orange colored buses labeled with ‘Hope’ on the side as the ‘Hope Orphange’ did in the film, which resulted in the confusion. The makers of Slumdog Millionaire have been forced to issue clarification.

The Hope Foundation has been a charity for ten years and runs fifty-five projects in Kolkata, which include offering food, shelter, healthcare and education for orphaned and abandoned children.

Negative attention has been brought to the Hope Foundation by accident. Clarification should be a large step in the right direction. What is that direction? It’s not just getting rid of the negative attention; it’s turning the negative attention into positive attention, and keeping the attention. The goal is to protect and advance the flow of accurate and truthful information throughout the world, especially to viewers of Slumdog Millionaire who may have the wrong opinion and ideas about the Hope Foundation. The Hope Foundation is an international charity with bases in Ireland, the UK, and Germany, besides Kolkata. The capacity of the Hope Foundation helps define its well-organized, professional scope.

The first strategy will focus on informing the public, across nations, of the true mission of the Hope Foundation. This will require the Hope Foundation seeking the public in order to set the record straight. The use of PSA’s to showcase the services the Hope Foundation provides will be a great way to reach out to the public. During the PSA the website will be advertised and opportunities for donations made.

Secondly, a board of Hope Foundation spokespeople will be created including actors/actresses from Slumdog Millionaire to help promote the organization and to continue to keep attention. The board will travel throughout India and the world promoting the philanthropy of the Hope Foundation and volunteering at local shelters throughout the world.

The plan is to keep the attention on the Hope Foundation in order to turn around its current publicity. With this public relations campaign I think that by having celebrity spokespeople it will be very successful, but often time celebrities in the spotlight seem to have an unfortunate event or action bring negative publicity to them, which could also affect the appearance of the Hope Foundation.  Take Freida Pinto for example. As the main actress in Slumdgog Millionaire, if she would be to have a run-in with the law, the negative publicity that would surround her name could swing into the Hope Foundation and cause the public opinion of the Hope Foundation to decline.

Product Placement: The Killers

Product placement (PP) is used heavily in films made today as a way to cover the soaring cost of production. PP is a win-win advertising strategy. Not only is it able to make revenue for the film production companies but it also helps the company who makes the product earn money as their products receive name recognition and gain popularity. While PP for film production companies makes money short term, in the long run the products placed continue to make money, initially through box office viewers, then DVD viewers and finally movie rentals for years after release.

I recently watched The Killers, an action packed romantic comedy starring Katerhine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher and Tom Selleck. Jen (Katherine Heigl) had recently been dumped by her boyfriend just in time for a family vacation to Nice, France, leaving Jen no choice but to go with her parents, an over protective father and laid back mother. After an awkward encounter in the hotel elevator, Jen meets Spencer (Ashton Kutcher) and they agree to get a drink together. Spencer, an undercover, government-hired super-assassin retires from his job as the two fall in love and prepare for life together back in the U.S. Soon after, Spencer celebrates his 30^th birthday only to receive a letter from his old boss asking him to come back. The next day Spencer learns from his neighbor and co-worker turned attacker that Spencer has a $20 million bounty out for him. As the movie progresses, more and more neighbors turn into bad-guys and leave Jen and Spencer running from everyone. Meanwhile Jen speculates that she may be pregnant. The movie concludes when Spencer and Jen learn that Jen’s father was the one that put the bounty on Spencer to make sure that he really did get out of the business and wasn’t trying to kill him.

Running ninety-three minutes, the movie was chalk full of product placement. The action, comedy and romance combination of this movie allowed for a variety of different products to be placed. Romantic comedies, also known as a “chick flicks”, targets female viewers interested in a fun movie for girls’ night. But throw in some action and the male audience grows, as it becomes a movie of interest for a young couple that wants to see a lighthearted movie in the beginning of their relationship, a great compromise that gives the ladies the romance and the guys the action. It’s also a great compromise for advertisers selling male oriented products that might over look the movie because they know most guys won’t be drawn to it.

While watching the movie I was able to make a list of products strategically placed in the film.

• Maalox
• Apple laptop computer
• Ford F-150
• Ford Mustang
• Cadillac Escalade
• BMW
• K-mart
• First Response
• Volvo
• Evian
• Ford Firebird
• Silk Soymilk

I think that these products were chosen for the movie by the advertiser because they could easily fit many of the scenes in the movie by the fact that the movie offered action, comedy and romance. The genre of a movie is going to be a large determining factor to advertisers, as to whether it is worth the money to place their products. I think that producers determine what products are placed in their movie by the popularity the product already holds. For example, placing Ford into the movie was most likely a no brainer because it is known as the All-American car. I think that producers are probably also biased according to their opinions, whether for example they prefer Coke or Pepsi, and selfish in that whatever company is willing to pay the most to place their product receives the spot.

There were quite a few cars that were used in the film, mostly different makes of the Ford Company. I think that the any of the cars that were used in the film had a great impact on the viewer because they weren’t just sitting in the driveway or being driven to work, they were used during the runaway scenes when Jen and Spencer were trying to flee from the bounty placed on them.

Spencer drove a Ford F-150 as his company car, which was probably the most successful product placement because it was shown driving on and off the road, over curbs and through a construction site, rather recklessly, and although damage occurred to it, it didn’t fail him. In particular scenes it was shown as a good choice of vehicle for everyday driving from home to work and in other scenes, as in Spencer and Jen’s runaway, to symbolize the Ford Company slogan, “Built Ford Tough”. Most of the other cars that were used were crashed, problematic or only briefly shown which helped put the Ford F-150 in the spotlight too.

The Apple computers, Evian bottle of water, Silk soymilk or Maalox were all hidden in the movie. They weren’t placed at points where you would think to yourself, “Hey, there’s an Evian bottle.” but the placement takes enough of your attention to recognize the familiarity of a product the next time you visit a store in which it is sold.

Product placement is not like the typical commercials, print ads in magazines, or Web ads that get under your skin, they are seamlessly placed to catch your attention while not bothering your movie going experience. Product placement can be seen as an expression of culture, both the practice of product placement and the idea. In practicing product placement citizens are reminded of the brands that we know and love and their importance in our culture. The idea of product placement is in and of itself an expression of our culture as product placement becomes ubiquitous to all films, much like advertising is ubiquitous to our culture.

A Cosmo Girl’s Advertising Myth Anaylsis

First published in the U.S. in 1886 as a family magazine, Cosmopolitan is now an international magazine for women. It has come to be known for its articles on relationships, sex and fashion. For this reason, Cosmopolitan holds a controversial position on many checkouts stands in grocery stores and other retailers across the world.

Advertisements throughout Cosmopolitan have been known to focus on the exploitation of women. Increasingly unethical standards for the appearance of the female body are tied to almost all the advertisements between the covers. Sex appeal is portrayed as the ultimate priority and success for a woman. I find it deplorable that in a magazine oriented for females, such advertisements are consistent throughout. Why do we, as women, allow ourselves to judge each other on such characteristics that are so insignificant in the scope of what the female gender encompasses.

It was at this point that I began looking for advertisements that don’t associate females with a value, as a sex symbol, or dismember body parts for the accomplishment of lust or desire. I looked for ads that promoted a product through the use of conservative, natural and real-life characters, settings and scenarios. I also paid attention to how a consumer may comprehend an ad. Myth analysis is a way in which one can understand an ad in observance with how the ad works at a cultural level. That means looking at the ad to see how it defines people, social norms, and further our world. The following is a summary of my findings for five different ads in the December 2010 issue of Cosmopolitan.

The first ad I came across was one about a birth control pill, Natazia. The ad concentrates on a girl, probably in her late twenty’s laying on a bed made with a crisp, white comforter, completely clothed, and wearing natural makeup. The scenery behind her appears blurred, although you can make out a scene of nature with trees.  The ad is simple, it reads, “ You know the thread count of your sheets. But do you know what’s in your birth control pill?”

One may come to the conclusion that birth control is a mature topic. Conservative, simple scenery and models contrasting flashy scenes and models that are abundant in today’s ads, makes the ad seem serious and sophisticated, qualities that a sexually active woman would possess.

The next ad that I found that was able to sell a product without any obscene sex appeal or flashy backdrops was one about Abilify, a prescription medication that helps control the symptoms of manic and mixed episodes of Bipolar 1 Disorder in adults. This time the use of a male figure walking along the beach clothed in jeans and a plain white T-shirt sells the product. The sky shows a black cloud behind the guy and makes it seem as though it has passed and now blue skies are ahead. Much like to say that by taking this medication the darkness in your life, the symptoms of your disorder are relieved and to imply that a clear future is ahead. Consumers may also see the ad as a story that tells the tale of the resources that mental health diagnosed individuals have so keep  “the darkness” out of their future.

An ad for Pert Plus, a 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, includes a conservatively dressed model family with ordinary hair color. The ad appears to be saying that this one brand can be used collectively and will have the whole family’s hair looking great. Mom, Dad, brother and sister can all transform hair into looking great, when using the quick and easy Pert Plus.

I understood this ad to imply the way of life we live.  A 2-in-1 product offers the solution to the need for efficiency, calculability and control in our life. The whole family can use it, creating one stop shopping, it combines shampoo and conditioner, which cuts down on shower time—it simplifies life.

Fourthly I found an ad that was promoting platinum settings for James Allen engagement rings. The couple that was shown in the ad was clearly in love. Pictures showed affection and physical contact but both were dressed in neutral colors looking naturally beautiful in beach settings.

This ad defines engagement to be luxurious, worry free and all about love. But do most newly engaged couples spend their free time on beaches watching the sun reflect off the engagement ring? Is that what newly engaged couples are suppose to do? It doesn’t matter, once a long-term girlfriend sees this ad, that’s what she wants.

The last ad I came across was one for a new, tropical remix flavor of Orbit gum. The scene showed tropical fruits that implied what the flavor will taste like, pineapple, oranges and kiwi. There was a female model dressed in an Orbit gum white lab coat with a white-toothed smile.

This ad defines people to be obsessed with outward appearance, in this case fresh breathe and white teeth. It also implies that it is normal to think of a tropical flavor as refreshing just as many people think of a tropical picture to relieve stress.

Advertisements mean a lot more than we may realize when flipping through a magazine. I often times don’t stop to look at the ads, but the split second it takes to turn the page, a consumer feels an emotion toward an ad. Maybe it’s the simplicity of a 2-in-1 product of Pert Plus, the refreshing tropical flavor of Orbit gum, or the relief of mental health problems by Abilifiy, whatever it is, we subconsciously notice the models, scenes and stories that advertisements tell and our culture shows it.

Women In Advertising

Since the 1960s, feminist Jean Kilbourne has been working to increase media literacy rates. In particular she is noted for her work in increasing the awareness of the portrayal of women in advertising.

As I watched Killing Us Softly 4, the fourth of a series of documentaries, I was taken back by exactly how important yet neglected this topic is. In the last few years, with several celebrities coming out about eating disorders and myself coming to an age when physical appearance is held at a very high regard, both by males and females, I have started to realize the significance advertisements have on the views and expectations of women in the world. However, the height of which the world’s standards for women are, are unrealistic. Take for example, the ideal body of Barbie. Measuring a 36 chest -18 waist -32 hips, these are the proportions of a woman that would be fatally unhealthy. The world has mustered up this ideal woman that is based on absolute flawlessness. And thanks to graphic technology, models and celebrities appear to be just that, flawless. Reality check, they aren’t! As a female it is hard to watch these women walk down the runway as skinny as their stiletto heel and pose tirelessly for the perfect shot, after sitting for hours in makeup and hair, and yet their appearance to be edited. It’s sickening, literally my stomach feels uneasy, and not because I have starved myself like many of these women do.

Even though the documentary was a serious topic, it was an enjoyable watch. Filming it as if to make the viewer feel like they were in a lecture setting was cool. I liked that Kilbourne made sarcastic comments, prodding jokes targeting the advertising companies not the women, in almost calling them out on the “low-blows” at women they make.

I wrote down two pieces of information that struck me the most in my notes while watching. First, I liked when Kilbourne mentioned the phenomenon of being a size 0. We, our society, are made to believe that the smaller the size a woman wears signifies her beauty; because of course the skinnier you are the more beautiful you are. But she also mentions that girls are taught to become nothing, as size 0 has the most appeal to a woman. So to think that it is the skinnier, the smaller a woman is, exudes pride? Of course not, but that is what advertisements are telling girls, young ladies and full-grown women! Secondly, I found it humorous when she briefly spoke of high heels made for babies! That’s a hilarious idea but one that makes sense in the spirit of advertising tactics on women. Might as well start the targeting as young as possible, right? (I hope you sense sarcasm!)

I can’t wait to share this information with my aunts, cousins and sisters during Thanksgiving and watch more if not all of Kilbourne’s documentaries over winter break! I’m fascinated with this and want to begin critically reading my favorite women’s magazines and stop myself from becoming another victim to this insanity.

Social Networking in the Hot Seat

I remember sitting crowded around my home computer with my two sisters many a Friday nights in my late elementary and middle school years talking to friends, secret admirers and crushes for hours on AIM. With only one computer in my house and three girls only one year apart, my parents had to establish a forty-five minute limit so that we all got a turn.

I am a Millennial. I grew up using virtual social interactions frequently and continue to on a day-to-day basis. There are times when I am more comfortable sending someone an instant message, a text message or an email than having a face-to-face conversation. Take this quiz to see how Millennial you are!

The social networking trend has impacted the style of communication my generation uses infinitely. You are very likely to overhear a conversation end with, “Facebook chat me later!” or “Text me when you’re ready!” We, as I speak for Millennia’s, have become so accustomed to technological ways of communicating, so much that an obstacle between face-to-face communications has been created, as we prefer to communicate through text, instant message and social networks than to partake in face-to-face or telephone conversation. The Millennia’s have created a divide between older generations and ourselves as we continue to use communication styles of our own that other generations are less familiar with.

As so many young people are social networking site users, sites of this kind have impacted the classroom, both positively and negatively. I am lucky enough to have graduated from a public high school in Pennsylvania, labeled an Apple Distinguished School, because laptop computers were supplied to the student body each academic year of high school. We used a site called Moodle, a virtual learning community. On this site we participated in small group and class discussions. This online community was similar to a social networking site in that virtual interaction took place. Communication among people who shared similar opinions and interests was visible. Like my high school, many schools are noticing the positive uses of social networking in the classroom. Some believe that, “By integrating social networking technologies into educational environments, teens have the opportunity to learn from adults how to be safe and smart when participating in online social networks. They also learn a valuable life skill, as these social networking technologies are tools for communication that are widely used in colleges and in the workplace.” By educating school age kids about social networking, it in turns educates the community, as parents, relatives, and families are influenced by the students.

Like most things, when there is good that comes, bad follows. Although social networking sites are beneficial in the field of education they also have their cons. For example, a majority of students have habitually wasted countless hours of study on Facebook. Facebook allows social interaction that doesn’t require physical activity, contributing to a movement toward a lazy generation. However, I think that the most important negative impact is that the kids that are susceptible to bullying in school are now experiencing cyber-bullying. These kids are unable to escape the harassment even in the comfort of their own home. This is a very serious issue and has been the cause of many suicides by young children.                                                                                                                                                                                          
Senator Kemp Hannon, of the New York State Senate, writes that, “The necessity for protective measures to ensure the safety of minors who actively use social networking sites is crucial. Cyber-bullying is rising at an alarming rate and it all too often has devastating consequences.” A study commissioned by that National Crime Prevention Council has lead to further awareness, describing that 46% of high school teens have experienced cyber bullying, while 35% of middle school students have had the same experience.

As for social networking sites and the workplace, I think that there may potentially be more negative impacts than positive. Before a Millennial even enters the workplace, being a member of social networking sites is disadvantageous. Future employers use social networking sites to find out all details of applicants that wouldn’t be provided on a resume or in an interview. According to Alison Doyle of About.com, “One hiring manager I spoke to always looks at the applicant’s web site if it’s listed. Another told me that she would try to find out as much about the candidate as she could, including looking up the person online.” Once a Millennial receives the job, he or she must close the communication gap of older generations. What a Millennial refers to as “communication skills,” might mean formal writing and speaking abilities to an older worker, while the Millennial is really referring to being e-mail and instant-messenger savvy. Social networking has started to weaken the line between private use and corporate interests in the workplace. While an employee is researching for an upcoming presentation, they may drift into their Facebook account only to become distracted.                                                                                                                                                                          
Social networking sites such as YouTube and Twitter have greatly impacted journalism and advertising. YouTube, the largest worldwide video sharing community, offers the ultimate source of advertising. People get annoyed at TV advertising through commercials but there is a unique draw to YouTube to watch commercials, video reviews of products and funny mockery skits of products. Twitter account holders also tweet about products that they have recently used, reviewing them in a positive or negative light. This is involuntary advertising that companies don’t have to pay for yet benefit from.

Journalism is changing greatly because of YouTube. The “YouTube effect”, is the worldwide propagation of video clips. These video clips are created by individuals acting on their own. This new system is creating a more critical approach to the field of journalism. The omnipresent video technology raises the bar for journalists and limits the latent mindset of recipients.

The Day in the Life of a Marketing Agent

Media come in many forms. Companies gain millions of dollars in revenue each day because they are able to own many different types of media, and thus promote their products within the company. They are able to do this through the different forms they own, as a means to expand their products into new consumer markets. This practice is called cross-promotion.

Today, I will step into the shoes of a marketing agent and attempt to create a cross-promotion campaign for my favorite TV show at the moment. I for one am not an avid TV viewer. And for that reason, I rarely draw together the interest to watch TV series, because I don’t spend enough time watching them to appreciate their storyline. However, I have recently discovered, Giuliana & Bill, a reality show  chronicling the marriage of Giuliana and Bill Rancic. Now in it’s third season, Giuliana & Bill airs on The Style Network. The Style Network is a sister channel of E! Entertainment Television, both owned by Comcast Corporation.

The Style Network is a national broadcast that offers series featuring fashion, beauty, home design and multiple reality shows, all of which are on the subject of the betterment of one’s daily life. The Style Network viewer demographic is made up of women age 18-49.

While the Style Network’s targeted audience is females, the Comcast Corporation owns many sport franchises, such as the Philadelphia Flyers and the Philadelphia 76ers. Sports fans tend to be male in gender. Of the 26% of males who follow sports very closely, 23% were from 18-29 in age. This contrast in audience demographics creates a difficult obstacle in advertising a primarily female watched show to a predominately male audience. A successful cross-promotional campaign is going to require multiple strategies.

I propose that in order to cross-promote Giuliana & Bill, we have to find a way to get sporting event attendees to connect with Giuliana and Bill in a way that would bring them to the Style Network to watch an episode. I think that the demographic of men to target would be those ages 18-29. From 18-29 most men are single, dating, or newlywed. This means that a male could take his partner on a date, consisting of attending a Flyers or 76ers game, where the couple would be introduced to Giuliana and Bill as a couple like themselves. At this point, the next time the couple sat down to watch TV and saw Giuliana and Bill’s show they would stop skimming through channels and decide to watch an entire episode.

In order to create a connection, Giuliana & Bill needs to be advertised during games; both at Flyers & 76ers home games that take place at the Wells Fargo Center, owned by Comcast. During breaks throughout the game short clips from Giuliana and Bill’s show can be played on the JumboTron, followed by a quick message from Giuliana and Bill in which they are watching a game (either a 76ers or Flyers), addressing the fans and wishing the team good luck. This technique will show fans that couples, like Giuliana and Bill, can enjoy watching a game together. Hopefully persuading sports fans that see an episode of Giuliana & Bill on TV while skimming through the channels, to stop and watch the show, because they have become more familiar with the couple.

Next, players on the Flyers & 76ers, around 18-29 years of age, that are dating, engaged or newlywed need to create a short message to advertise Giuliana & Bill. Most times throughout a game, random players appear on the JumboTron and give a quick bio of themselves. If at this time, they were to mention Giuliana & Bill, fans would be more likely to look out for the show. For example, Flyer’s center, Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood recently married. If Fisher were to mention that in his free time he enjoys watching TV with his wife, who enjoys watching Giuliana & Bill, fans would be sure to start watching.

Let’s see if we have been successful. Comcast owns the Style Network, in which Giuliana & Bill airs, and sports franchises such as, the 76ers and the Flyers. In order to expand Giuliana & Bill’s consumer market, which currently consists of females, gathering viewers of a different gender is required. This is because Flyers and 76ers fans, like any sports fans, are primarily male. Efforts have to be made to connect a male dominated fan base of the Flyers and 76ers to a female dominated viewing demographic of Giuliana & Bill. The idea is that by cross-promoting Giuliana & Bill within Comcast, the product (Giuliana & Bill) will expand into a new consumer market (that of a male demographic).



Media Uses in Action

Today TV programs, from news shows to prime time series, have created websites to advertise their show to more people in hopes to develop a strong fan base and to increase viewer population. Take the Ellen DeGeneres Show for example. A thirty-one Daytime Emmy Award winning talk show in its eighth season, hosted by comedian, Ellen DeGeneres has created a website for fans to learn about show information, ticket information, and a variety of other uses.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s website, which I will refer to as Ellen Online for easier reading purposes, is a bright, colorful website free of large distracting advertisements. While advertisements are seen on the website they are mostly discrete. There are quite a few links to other websites related to pop culture as well as icon links to Ellen’s Facebook, Twitter feed, and YouTube channel. This is like an advertisement within an advertisement. For example, the Facebook icon is advertised as a social networking site on Ellen Online, but when clicked, fans are taken to the Ellen DeGeneres Show’s Facebook page. The site in general uses this technique multiple times. “elveneleven“, Ellen’s new record label is advertised within Ellen Online, as well as American Idol, where Ellen serves on the judging panel. Once again, the ad within an ad technique is used.

The site serves users as a resource of information about the show in general, including past and future episodes. Highlights of past episode segments can be found on the homepage in the “Video of the Day” section. A week long, daily list of guests that will be interviewed is found in the “Show Info” dropdown menu. A search bar located at the top of the page allows new fans to find out what time the show airs in their zip code. How to go about requesting tickets is spelled out and a form to be filled out is provided. A calendar of shows with remaining tickets available is also accessible.

In addition to being a go-to place for information about the show, Ellen Online is also a source of entertainment. Although the show runs only an hour long, fans can be graced by Ellen’s presence 24/7 when using Ellen Online. To win a deeper place in viewers’ hearts, Ellen Online offers a “Backstage Blog”, including video messages from celebrities that are on the show, rehearsal bloopers and more. There is also a “Games” tab that offers online games and downloadable games for adults and kids. Fans can listen to music performances that aired on the show, look through funny picture albums and watch a range of videos. There is even a shopping feature that opens in a new browser window and allows fans to buy The Ellen DeGeneres Show merchandise, ranging from shot glasses to apparel and everything in between.

The question that remains is whether Ellen Online is a successful website. After navigating throughout the majority of the website, I would have to say that it is a successful site. It provides useful information through video, text, sound and pictures to teach us about our world. Users of Ellen Online are kept up to date on the cultural identity of Hollywood, a subject that most Americans are fascinated by.

Really it’s the fans, the viewers, and the users that make Ellen Online a successful website. Ellen Online has to be regularly updated and maintained because there is a need from and for fans to be constantly socialized and embedded in the transmission of the cultural values that we hold so highly in our society. In today’s obsession with pop culture, none of us want to be ill-informed, as to be in a social setting in which we cannot participate in conversation because we don’t know the latest gossip about a celebrity’s relationship status, fashion mishap or weight fluctuation. And because we are so closely wrapped up in this subject matter, Ellen Online provides us entertainment, and distraction. Learning about the people that are so highly thought of in our society is entertaining.

Ellen Online offers numerous ways to use the media it provides. It even provides interactivity amongst fans through Meebo, an instant messaging program that joins all virtual communities into a single channel to communicate. Although Ellen Online offers a way to communicate with others, it doesn’t have a distinct community. Random users post opinions and comments about pictures, stories, and videos on the site but there isn’t much of an interaction between fellow fans. I think that if Ellen Online users could interact in a more formal setting, such as a specific place within the website, the fan base would grow in strength. For example, if Ellen Online better facilitated communication online, fans who had attended the same taping of an episode could reconnect and develop a relationship, or fans planning on attending an upcoming show could correlate a meeting before or after the show and develop a relationship.

Overall I can only commend the creators of Ellen Online. It is a successful production of media for its users. Its offering of informative news to those interested in pop culture helps socialize them to become familiar with cultural and societal norms. All the while entertaining users with primary sources of these social norms, and further allowing the discussion of what has been learned and enjoyed to develop between users.