Thursday, October 29, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Writer's Blog: Summary & Paraphrase
Mad Men by Heather Havrilesky
Havrilesky opens her essay by describing how Americans are always searching for an upgrade instead of appreciating the good they already have. She then supports her claim by suggesting that this is the ideology behind AMC's Mad Men. She describes details of multiple characters from the show that further reflect her reasoning. For example on page 172 in the first paragraph she describes how the American Dream is mass produced causes the characters to suffer the consequences of the costs. Don is then forced to suppress his feelings for Betty in order to divorce her and be fully engulfed in his true love for his career. How can we be sure Don would fully perpetrate to anything? The premier suggests Do still is not comfortable with submitting his whole life to his career. With not being tied down to a woman, he is free to attract women who have more intellect than him, as it seems that he enjoys the constant challenge rather than being matched. A quote that I have been attached to in this piece of literature is in the begging when she describes how Americans are always searching for something better; "It's a sickness that's infused into our blood, dissatisfaction with the ordinary that's instilled within us from childhood." I admire this quote because it angles out the reality of American's mindset in a way that can easily be related to.
Havrilesky opens her essay by describing how Americans are always searching for an upgrade instead of appreciating the good they already have. She then supports her claim by suggesting that this is the ideology behind AMC's Mad Men. She describes details of multiple characters from the show that further reflect her reasoning. For example on page 172 in the first paragraph she describes how the American Dream is mass produced causes the characters to suffer the consequences of the costs. Don is then forced to suppress his feelings for Betty in order to divorce her and be fully engulfed in his true love for his career. How can we be sure Don would fully perpetrate to anything? The premier suggests Do still is not comfortable with submitting his whole life to his career. With not being tied down to a woman, he is free to attract women who have more intellect than him, as it seems that he enjoys the constant challenge rather than being matched. A quote that I have been attached to in this piece of literature is in the begging when she describes how Americans are always searching for something better; "It's a sickness that's infused into our blood, dissatisfaction with the ordinary that's instilled within us from childhood." I admire this quote because it angles out the reality of American's mindset in a way that can easily be related to.
In class Lab: Presentation Group
Paraphrase: The Veggieburger McDonalds ad specifically targets meat loving audiences, based on the German language it is written in. Additionally the words “Jetzt neu: Der Veggieburger” conveyed two messages. First the words “Jetzt neu” mean “Now the New” implies renewed opportunity for a healthy lifestyle. Second, “Der Veggieburger.” tell the audience that McDonald's Veggieburger is the only Veggieburger worth buying. Summary: The Veggieburger McDonalds ad focuses on promoting a new and healthier lifestyle for Germans. Quote: “Jetzt neu: Der Veggieburger.”
Thursday, October 22, 2015
In Class Lab: Textual Analysis
1.
PETA, Mercy for animals, and Freedom For Animals
2.
The pig ad is intended for shoppers who purchase
their pork from Walmart to convince people to buy their meat elsewhere. The
hair product ad is targeted towards women to influence them to purchase
cruelty-free products. The PETA ad targets upper class fur- wearers to
emphasize the abuse animals went through so that people could wear the fur. All
three of these ads make the buyers feel guilty about what they’re buying and
enlightens them to abuse that animals go through.
3.
There are derogatory slogans written on all
three of the ads to hook people’s attention, and also provides facts about
animal cruelty.
4.
The purpose of this text is to bring attention
to animal cruelty and relate it to everyday things that people buy, that they
aren’t aware are related to animal cruelty. The images are snippets of the
cruelty that animals go through. The creators are anti-animal cruelty, and are
trying to influence people to stop buying products that support animal cruelty.
5.
They seem to be working towards their purpose by
also targeting women in all three ads. The hair ad appeals to women because that’s
who would be buying the product, the Walmart ad would most likely target women
as well because women typically do grocery shopping for the household, and the
fur ad appeals to women because women are more likely to wear fur than men. The
creators want to stop animal cruelty.
6.
The Walmart ad represents evidence that we used
to support our answers through the picture of the pig behind bars; signifying
the unfair lifestyle the pig goes through in its short life. The hair product
ad at first comes across as a typical beauty ad, except for the skin abscess on
the side of her face and the slogan written underneath the picture. The fur ad
provides evidence linking compassion towards the animal to how wrong wearing fur
is because most people wouldn’t harm their own animals for fur, so why should
other animals suffer?
7.
Collectively, the ads ads promote vegan-ism/vegetarianism
while aiding the fight against animal cruelty by exposing facts to the public.
Rubin's Essay Questions & Summary
1. The insight that Rubin offers about the Coca-Cola ad revolves around the ad targeting specific people in the workforce, and then placing them on the poster based on levels of importance. The evidence she provides to support her analysis is described in each area of the ad that she analyzes and connects the relevance of the time period to her opinions of what the ad is saying and how. For example, in paragraph two on page 180, she says; "Another important factor to consider: everyone in the ad is white. During the 1950's there was still a great deal of racial prejudice and segregation in the United States. Coca-Cola was attuned to white society's racial intolerance and chose in this ad to depict what they undoubtedly saw as average Americans, the primary demographic of the audience for this publication: Coca-Cola employees." She persuaded me to accept her conclusions and agree with her analysis by supporting conclusions she made with strong, factual evidence.
2. She incorporates historical context by connecting the time period to specific points in the ad and explaining why the ad was designed how it was. This information contributes to her analysis because the historical context heavily supports her opinions and ideas about the ad. For example, in paragraph three on page 180, she says; "In 1950, then, the kind of diversity that Coke wanted to highlight and appeal to was economic and war - related. Today, such an ad would probably represent the ethnic diversity missing from the 1950's version, with smiling, young people of diverse skin colors and racial features relaxing with Cokes, probably now in can rather than bottles."
3. The main question that I would answer using this analysis in what ways has advertising evolved in the last sixty years? What specific events lead up to this change in American culture?
4. Ads like this 2014 Infusium product have represented how much power attractive women have in magazine ads. This ad is not even related to men yet there is a sex appeal hinted to draw attention. I think that even though the context of ads may have changed over time, the white men will always be the main focus of most advertisements.
Summary
Rubin's essay reflects a relevant analysis to compare ad's in the past to present day advertising, and how specific characteristics have changed over time. This analysis is relevant because Rubin establishes authority in describing aspects of the ads in a way that any audience can comprehend. She begins the essay by discussing why advertisements are created in the first place; to persuade. She then goes into detail as to how "specific advertisements are tailored to their audience via text and images that reflect and appeal to the ideas, values, and stereotypes..." From there, she goes into describing how these points are relevant in the Coca-Cola ad by directly correlating them to thoughts she has applied to the ad. She directs act aspect of the ad and explains why it is relevant that the ad was designed a specific way. For example, she relates the time period of the ad to the amount of white makes pictured in the ad, as this would be Coca-Cola's main targeted audience. She closes her analysis by explaining how Coca-Cola has "reflected the values of the time, their enormous success eventually meant that Coke ads helped shape the American identity."
2. She incorporates historical context by connecting the time period to specific points in the ad and explaining why the ad was designed how it was. This information contributes to her analysis because the historical context heavily supports her opinions and ideas about the ad. For example, in paragraph three on page 180, she says; "In 1950, then, the kind of diversity that Coke wanted to highlight and appeal to was economic and war - related. Today, such an ad would probably represent the ethnic diversity missing from the 1950's version, with smiling, young people of diverse skin colors and racial features relaxing with Cokes, probably now in can rather than bottles."
3. The main question that I would answer using this analysis in what ways has advertising evolved in the last sixty years? What specific events lead up to this change in American culture?
4. Ads like this 2014 Infusium product have represented how much power attractive women have in magazine ads. This ad is not even related to men yet there is a sex appeal hinted to draw attention. I think that even though the context of ads may have changed over time, the white men will always be the main focus of most advertisements.
Summary
Rubin's essay reflects a relevant analysis to compare ad's in the past to present day advertising, and how specific characteristics have changed over time. This analysis is relevant because Rubin establishes authority in describing aspects of the ads in a way that any audience can comprehend. She begins the essay by discussing why advertisements are created in the first place; to persuade. She then goes into detail as to how "specific advertisements are tailored to their audience via text and images that reflect and appeal to the ideas, values, and stereotypes..." From there, she goes into describing how these points are relevant in the Coca-Cola ad by directly correlating them to thoughts she has applied to the ad. She directs act aspect of the ad and explains why it is relevant that the ad was designed a specific way. For example, she relates the time period of the ad to the amount of white makes pictured in the ad, as this would be Coca-Cola's main targeted audience. She closes her analysis by explaining how Coca-Cola has "reflected the values of the time, their enormous success eventually meant that Coke ads helped shape the American identity."
P. 175 Questions- Mad Men
1. Havrilesy's main insight about Mad Men is how the idea of the American Dream is so far from the reality. In the fourth paragraph, she says; "Maybe this is why AMC's hit series Mad Men... resignates so clearly at this point in history, when the promise of the boom years has given way to two wars, a stubborn recession and a string of calamities that threaten to damage our way of life irreparably. Somehow Mad Men captures this ultra-medicated, postmodern moment, underscoring the disconnect between the American dream and reality by distilling our deep seated frustrations as a nation into painfully palpable vignettes."
2. Havrilesky establishes her authority to write about this show when she thoroughly describes specific events that happen in the show. This represents her authority because it shows that she knows enough about the show and watches it enough to gather a conclusion based on evidence.
3. She appeals to reader's emotions throughout the entire analysis because she includes the audience in her analysis by saying things like "we can see here...". This makes the audience feel connected to the author and includes them in the analysis. A good example of this is in the third paragraph on page 174 where she states; "Behind the impeccable facade, of course, we see the longing in Pete Campbell's tired face, we see the fear in Betty's eyes as she sits down to dinner with her brand new mother in law." By wording the analysis this way, any reader, even if they have never watched the show, can connect to what she is describing and feel involved.
4. I haven't watched Mad Men, but after reading this analysis I fell that I can understand the basic concept of the show as she described it. The author has inspired me to watch it simply to be able to further connect to this analysis and make an informed decision on whether I agree with her inferences or not.
2. Havrilesky establishes her authority to write about this show when she thoroughly describes specific events that happen in the show. This represents her authority because it shows that she knows enough about the show and watches it enough to gather a conclusion based on evidence.
3. She appeals to reader's emotions throughout the entire analysis because she includes the audience in her analysis by saying things like "we can see here...". This makes the audience feel connected to the author and includes them in the analysis. A good example of this is in the third paragraph on page 174 where she states; "Behind the impeccable facade, of course, we see the longing in Pete Campbell's tired face, we see the fear in Betty's eyes as she sits down to dinner with her brand new mother in law." By wording the analysis this way, any reader, even if they have never watched the show, can connect to what she is describing and feel involved.
4. I haven't watched Mad Men, but after reading this analysis I fell that I can understand the basic concept of the show as she described it. The author has inspired me to watch it simply to be able to further connect to this analysis and make an informed decision on whether I agree with her inferences or not.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
"Stay Sweet as you are" - Analysis
The author of this essay, Doug Lantry, begins with a clear thesis that focuses on the sexism in ads directed towards women, and describes the advertisements to support his claim. These ads are from the 20's, 30's and 50's. He uses the pictures as evidence by describing them in a way that supports his claim and helps the reader to understand why he has made his claim. Lantry doesn't acknowledge any counter arguments in this essay. The author makes his authority relevant through his vocabulary and how he writes this essay. He uses a commanding tone to resignate himself as an influence to the reader.
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