Extra Credit Evaluation

1. I have used blogs before taking RTF 305. However, the RTF blog is the first blog I have used for school or assignments. Therefore, the various blogs that I have used in the past were used simply for personal notes (ie documenting days/schedules/thoughts.)
2. The blog was a positive aspect of the course in that it allowed us to apply our class material toward media that we could personally understand, such as TV, movies, advertisements, etc.
3. There were very few technical difficulties with the blog - the website seemed to make the blogging experience straightforward and self-explanatory. Conceptually, it was sometimes challenging to discuss media concepts that I felt I may not have fully understood, and also to provide good examples for these concepts that were not largely familiar.
4. When I felt that I did not understand certain concepts, and/or felt that I was unsure about an example, I consulted the textbook to find the best explanations/definitions available. This worked in some instances more than others.
5. The less interesting (and thus more difficult) blog prompts were the ones that addressed certain concepts in media (most being covered in the textbook / the lectures). An example of this would be writing a blog on globalization. Essentially this was expanding a textbook definition into a blog post, which was less interesting and more ambiguous. The more interesting (and thus much easier) blog prompts were those that had us find familiar examples in media to observe their characteristics. An example would be the comparison between an old and new sitcom. Those kinds of blogs were interesting because we could document our own views about certain media, and since we had a lot to say about them, they was easy to write.
6. If anything could be improved, it would maybe be the way the prompts are described. Sometimes the directions were a little too broad and ambiguous, leaving me a little confused about what I should and shouldn't write. If they were a little more narrow it might be easier to understand what to write about, and then of course, it would be easier to express all of one's thoughts.

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

Globalization

     Globalization is a process of interconnection across the world; it is a way of bringing together various nations and cultures by adding common elements between them, as to reduce social differences and encourage united progress.
     An increase of communal elements can be seen in the process of 'cultural imperialism.' This term refers to the process of one nation using media to control or influence members of another nation. By acting as 'cultural imperialists,' media seeks to unite members of a separate nation under a single mode of communication and world awareness. If one nation spreads the use of its media upon another, the two nations are intertwined in a common network of information. This allows the nations to be in closer contact with one another, and perhaps, in some instances, to have less differences in their understanding of the outside world. Thus, as globalization is meant to achieve, the concept of 'cultural imperialism' is capable of uniting two separate areas under a common banner of influence.
     Our recent screening of Slumdog Millionaire provides a good example of globalization, in that this film shows us an Indian airing of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' Originally a game show in the United Kingdom, this television program was rapidly exported to many other countries, becoming a popular media icon in places all over the world. Although Slumdog Millionaire is set in a country very distant from our own, the game show's sounds, rules, and musical cues are largely familiar to an American audience, and likewise countless audiences across the globe. This demonstrates how the culturally popular elements of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' have transcended into various cultures and become common elements between different nations. Despite the vast cultural differences between India and the United States, the staples of this game show are clearly shared elements between the two countries.

Advertising: Coca-Cola

     An ad that recently caught my eye was a nostalgic flier for Coca-Cola. Beneath the iconic white letters, 'Coca-Cola,' on a vibrant red background, I saw the words '5 cents at soda fountains.' And to me, it was a persuasive advertisement.
     I found this ad to be effective because of the sense of tradition and inclusion it created. Indeed I am already fond of Coca-Cola's flagship product, and am an occasional collector of Coca-Cola merchandise. For someone who is fond of Coca-Cola and its many cultural and visual traditions, this ad definitely established a sense of belonging; it suggested that many fans of Coke are familiar with Coca-Cola's fledgling years, knowing the nostalgic time period during which Cokes could be bought for a nickel, and were something of a novelty at bars and diners. What this sense of belonging serves to accomplish is to encourage Coke-drinkers to keep themselves within the historical family of an iconic product.
     The approach of this advertisement would then appear to be a nostalgic one; the creators of the ad did not intend to inform consumers that Cokes could actually be purchased for five cents. Rather, what they intend to do is create a nostalgic relationship between the product and the consumer, ensuring a long-running and personal relationship. Certain products in our society are very much capable of supplementing our personal identities; many are defined by the products they love, the companies they endorse, and the corporations to whom they offer their loyalty. For this type of consumer, the nostalgic Coca-Cola ad attempts to solidify the relationship. It reminds the consumer that the historical relationship is still alive and well in an ever-changing modern society.
     This nostalgic and traditional atmosphere was created by the text of the advertisement, but also by the colors and layout as well. Printed simply in two or three colors - red, white, and black - and displaying the classic Coca-Cola logo in a very basic and familiar font, the ad drives the sense of nostalgia even further. Essentially, the entire flier is not meant as a fresh, eye-catching new claim, but something so familiar and so recognizable, that the consumer cannot help but give his or her attention. This certainly seemed to be the ad's effect on me, as it served only to strengthen my loyalty to the product and increase my fondness for a historical family of consumers.