Dear Ralph Lauren,

After viewing the image of Filippa Hamilton that you allowed to be retouched to the point of distortion, I am sincerely concerned that you have no values, are completely unethical, and have no regard for the viewers of this advertisement. Not to mention the lack of respect, and the lack of concern for the mental and physical health of your models.
In no way is this image going to sell clothes. It is impossible to even look past the emaciated skeleton and notice what she is wearing. It is bad publicity. I have read many comments online from your loyal customers, and none of them are positive. One read, “…but this has just put a whole new spin how I view this company!” It turns people against you.
What do you suppose this image says to young girls and women? Viewers tend to typically want to look like the models they are seeing- but this is a completely unrealistic idea of what beauty is. It is an unattainable image that no one can live up to in real life. It is doing nothing but opening the door to even more eating disorders than are already present. It’s terrible that an image like this is what girls, as young as ten, are seeing and striving to look like. I hope you will be proud when an eleven year old dies of anorexia.
It is completely unethical and unreasonable that a pregnant woman, Gisele Bunchen, is photographed pregnant and then her stomach is photoshoped out. How about taking a picture of someone who isn’t pregnant instead if that’s the not the look you want?
The fact that you try and hide the picture of Filippa Hamilton and the fact that you’ve stooped as low as to try and sue critics for commenting on it has done nothing but made you look worse. It has done absolutely nothing but inspired critics to step up their efforts to expose you in the future. Copyright laws do NOT give you the right to threaten critics for pointing out obvious problems.
There is no point in photoshoping these images anymore. The public clearly sees what is going on and it’s making you lose all credibility. It’s like the public is being lied to- they know it’s not real. Lying and trying to silence critics is simply adding to the negative image you have now made for yourself.
I strongly urge that you discontinue promoting this unrealistic promotion of body image. Start using models who actually look healthy; stop making them starve. Start targeting real women! Furthermore, stop lying with your false advertising. Start stating “this image is___% photoshoped next to the copyright symbol. Maybe you’ll save a little girls life when she knows it’s impossible and gain some respect back.
Please take responsibility for your actions and do something about them. Fix what you’ve done and get some dignity back.

Sincerely,
Kara Scovitch

I believe that the public relations strategy used here was to make the event something that was for everyone. It applied to the lower/middle class with the low prices. It applied to the upper class with the fancy wine and glasses. It applied to families and children with the farm animals and hayrides. It also applied to adults with the music, dancing, and food. It was like a huge party for every one of all ages and classes. There were signs all over the road on the way promoting the event.

Throughout the event Boordy was constantly being promoted with the sales of shirts, wines, food, and other souvenirs. The event changed your behavior because it made you feel like you lived this kind of life-life on a vineyard. It made you feel like you were part of it and you wanted to buy the things there to remember it by.

I believe the wine tasting festival event and Boordy was extremely successful. It was so crowded when I was there. There were people camped out all over the ground with blankets, lawn chairs, tables, and some just sat in the grass. There was a huge gravel area in front of the stage with the band where everyone was dancing. On the outskirts of the crowds, there were huge lines to buy the food and to get into the barn to purchase the Boordy souvenirs. Everyone had a bottle of glass of wine in their hands- countless amounts must have been sold.

Public relations had definitely been used to promote the event and it was a really fun time. There was a great time and it was a memorable event for those who attended. I also think the vineyard made out pretty well and I believe they did their job to make the vineyard well known. I know a lot of people who plan on coming back to the event next year just because they did such a great job on it this year.

For example, billboards are one platform in which Bud Light advertises. It is smart, because many people will view it and immediately the product is on their minds. It is smart to place the billboards in locations where they know people will stop. Outside a large sporting event, or near bars or restaurants is a good place to set up billboards. The messages on the billboards are also carefully thought out. The one shown below is written in Spanish, and when translated, it reads: “As Good As They Honkey Woman Checking You Out.” This billboard is probably placed somewhere near the border of the United States and Mexico. It uses a sexual approach that makes the beer seem as good as sex. It gives a sense of freedom and I’m sure it catches Spanish-speaking viewer’s attention. It increases the audience by adding another language.

The sex appeal approach isn’t always so subliminal as words. Women are used in many ads. It makes the ads sexier, more fun, and also catches the attention of the beer’s target audience: men. The ads use women also catch women’s attention because they think when they drink the beer they look like those beautiful women.

Bud Light also uses sexual humor, and they use it in yet another form of media: commercials. This ad catches your attention. It makes you laugh and think happy thoughts about the product. Advertisers are smart because this commercial will play at a time when they know their target audience will be watching, like during super bowl, for example. This strategic timing is when many male football fans will be watching television and seeing the ads. Companies will pay RIDICULOUS amounts of money to have their thirty-second ad displayed at this time because it gets straight to their target audience.

More ways public cannot help but see Bud Light ads are when they are displayed on the sides of trucks. Like the billboards they are sure to pass many viewers and catch their attention. With their flashy colors, they are very hard to miss. Signs, and magazine ads also serve this same purpose.

Using the multimedia approach is a well thought, and very wise plan. Audiences are basically forced to see they product; it is unavoidable. This approach is very effective and overpowering.

Never being a person who believed in capital punishment, the book only furthered my reasons to be against it. An innocent man almost got put to death and another innocent man in the book actually did get killed. I believe that capital punishment is just an easy way out for criminals, they should have their entire lives to sit and go crazy in a cell thinking about what they did. I don’t think anyone but God should be able to determine when one’s life should end… especially when there is not even evidence 100%. I’m sure there are many more cases in the United States where criminals have been killed, only to find out years later they were innocent after all.

This book has had an impact on my life because it is about such a serious issue and concern. It has made me more aware about the issue and more interested in it. I believe the book has strengthened my belief against capital punishment. It has made me have a stronger stand on the issue.

The Innocent Man has influenced what I read. It has made me more interested in crime stories that are real such as Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, which is the true story about when the author was raped. I also find things about executions interesting such as The Execution of Tropmann by Turgenev. It focuses on how wrong it is that people actually enjoy and take pleasure in public executions.

Not only has what I read been influenced, but what I watch, as well. I loved the movie The Life of David Gale. It reminded me a lot of the book because an innocent man is framed and put to death; he was not as fortunate as Ron Williamson. All movies about justice being served interest me. I just saw the new movie Law Abiding Citizen last week and thought it was an excellent example of how justice is not always served.

John Grisham’s book gave readers an inside look at what really can happen when people with power do not truly care about solving a crime, and they just want to look out for themselves. It is scary to think that things like this happen in the United States, in today’s society. The Innocent Man really brought that to my attention. It was a suspenseful, interesting, and well-written book. I would definitely consider it one of my favorites.

(This picture is of Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson, the two innocent men convicted of a brutal murder. This is them in court as they hear Judge Landrith dismiss all charges, April 15, 1999.)

Though love and finding happily ever after are often common themes in almost every Disney film, there is more to it than that. In most instances there is always a gorgeous, perfect damsel in distress, who also happens to be a princess. Her prince always saves her and he is always strong and handsome. This imagine in itself is an example of hegemony, though it is not the best idea or concept of how things should be, we accept it as such because society does. So from watching Disney movies, young girls get the image imprinted in their minds that beauty means young, very thin, and a beautiful voice. Boys get the image of a strapping, handsome prince.
The other negative underlying theme here is that to be happy, the princess needs her prince. This gives the impression that a woman cannot live happily ever after without a man. Instead of focusing on things like careers, friends, or the usually present broken family, the films usually always focus on falling in love.

With that being said, there are many positive themes and messages that come from Disney movies and I believe the good definitely outweighs the bad. The movies are about finding love- and they teach that it is okay to love someone different than you. Movies like Pocahontas, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and many others all show the main character falling in love with someone who is a different race, class, or ethnicity than them. It helps promote less racism and show that everyone is equal, which I think is a great message to send to kids. Though there is sometimes conflict about this issue, like when King Triton is furious Ariel loves a human, in the end, the differences are put aside and everyone is happy.

Some movies are about a different kind of love. For example, in the Lion King, the movie is about Simba’s love for his father, and it’s about his journey growing up and him finding the courage to love himself; he finds his pride to become a leader and do what is right. It also teaches about the circle of life- that people die and move on to heaven. Mulan is another example of this because she wants to do what is best for her family. Toy Story is all about friendship.
Messages like that are very inspiring and beneficial to children. I think that as time goes on, the movies are starting to focus on themes other than love between a boy and girl.

However, I do not think these messages, positive or negative, are something that influence children to some huge extent. For example, if a young girl watches the Beast be mean to Bell, I don’t think 20 years from now that is why that little girl now thinks it is ok when her husband hits her. I don’t think if someone falls in love with someone from another race they think “well, this is ok because John Smith and Pocahontas did it!” I think it just puts a subtle message in their head like, “ok, just because someone looks different than me doesn’t mean they are.”

I know as a child, I was immersed in Disney movies. They are all I wanted to watch. I have almost everyone made since the 80’s, and I still go back and watch them sometimes today. I believe it is more for the entertainment factor than anything else. I remember the catchy songs and characters from when I was a child, watching the movies brings me back to my childhood.

I think the movies did not really affect my life and that of my family and friends except bringing us together to watch the movies. It is also something to talk about, and even sing to. It sounds sad, but my 20 year old roommate has Disney songs on her I-pod that we listen to sometimes! This is really the only ways the movies affect my real world now. I know I can be happy without a man, and I know that there is more to life than being beautiful. I think the movies reflected good morals and values and I recognized and agreed with them, but it was because my parents had already instilled them in me.

I think that Disney movies are great and I feel like people who say differently are looking way too much into it. I would never take back any of my Disney memories. I think it was a great thing to grow up on- much better than the violent cartoons of today. Disney is everywhere- but I don’t feel it is over commercialized because it is something the public loves. It works. Commercials are not annoying, or repetitive ever. When I hear about something involved with Disney I’m usually interested in it. Anytime a new Disney movie comes out, I’ll admit… I get a little excited. I think that Disney truly is working on changing the look of the traditional princesses and making it more appealing to everyone. This also proves the common theme in the movies that everyone is equal. A new Disney movie is coming out that I want to see. It has the first black Disney Princess. It is called The Princess and The Frog.

The New York Times article, Is Facebook Growing Up Too fast? , discusses the rapid growth of Facebook. In only eight months, the ever-growing number of Facebook members doubled. When it is a number like 100 million that is doubling, that is a huge success.

This social networking site is changing our lives now and forever. In all of history, communication has never been so easy between people all over the globe! Facebook co-founder and chief executive, twenty-four-year-old Mark Zuckerberg, explains that he hopes one day for the entire world to be connected. “Two hundred million in a world of six billion is tiny,” he says. “It’s a cool milestone. It’s great that we reached that, especially in such a short amount of time. But there is so much more to do.”

 Facebook is helping everyone in the world stay connected. In a matter of seconds you can find someone you have not seen since elementary school. It makes staying in touch with people much easier. Instead of a long distance call, or hunting in a phonebook, you can simply send a message or leave a comment to the person you’re trying to reach, and in seconds! It even helps the military. When troops are overseas, Facebook promptly, and inexpensively, connects them to their family and friends in a different country. It is even being used to recruiting.

 
 

Facebook, however, is not the only social networking site making an impact these days. Both YouTube, and Twitter, have become very successful as well. These three sites make not only communicating with others easy, but they make it possible to instantaneously share videos, pictures, and music. Now that the sites are being offered in many different languages, it is no surprise they have gone global so fast. It is also no surprise that they have connected people from all different areas of the world together.

These sites are impacting the communication style of our generation, the Millennials. As previously mentioned, we can now find the people we were friends with in elementary school-people who have moved away- people who we would have never been in contact with again if not for social networking sites. The sites break through social barriers and make it easier for everyone to be friends.

The site also helps bring families together. Many of my cousins live out of state and I do not get to see them as often as I’d like to. Some have children now, and are always busy. It makes getting in touch difficult. After Facebook, I get to talk to them all the time. It is also nice because I can look at pictures, and YouTube videos of the kids, so I don’t have to miss as much of them while living in a different state. This is the same concept that goes on with military troops. It’s a great way for them to see their families. In the article, a woman found her 5th cousin who was the entire way across an ocean.

These sites are not only affecting homes, but classrooms as well. I cannot even count the number of times a teacher has pulled up a YouTube video for the class to watch. Teachers find videos that relate perfectly to their discussion and students love them because it is interesting. I think is having a very positive impact in the classroom. It is nice to hear something other than the teacher just talking, and it improves comprehension when students can actually visually see what teachers are talking about. I think it is great that schools are keeping up to date with technology, they would lose a lot of student’s interest if they didn’t. In MCOM101, we even have a class website that is similar to Facebook, but it is exclusive to our class. Here, we make friends with others in our class, and can share information, pictures, and videos. I think it is a great way to get the entire class involved… and it is fun at the same time. Working on computer is something this generation is very used to and comfortable with, so it is nice that our skills are coming in handy at school.

Workplaces are affected as well. I believe it is a positive outcome. Businesses can now easily connect with other businesses in foreign countries. With such easy access, making business deals is more efficiently and conveniently available.

Sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are impacting the professions of journalism, advertising, and public relations. I believe all three areas are being improved. For example, all of these new sources are giving journalists a million new things to write about. They could find a totally new topic every single day. Advertisers are paying these sites to flash their ads at the top and sides of the pages, and in return, the ads get viewed by millions everyday. They get much more advertisement than they would on a billboard. Quick invitations, announcements, and again advertising/promoting, are benefits of these sites for those in the field of public relations.

I love social networking technology and I think it is having an overall positive impact on the world today.

After spending my Tuesday night watching The Biggest Loser on NBC, I picked up my laptop and decided to investigate the show’s website mentioned on the television. In all of the episodes and seasons of The Biggest Loser I’ve watched, this is the first time I actually went to the website.I was impressed at what I found, and it was very easy to see correlations to what we’ve talked about in MCOM101.

website

Of the many different media uses, including: information, instruction, decision -making, values transmission, socialization, entertainment, interactivity, and self-understanding, it was evident to me that all of these uses were clearly on the website.

The actual layout of the website is very organized and eye-catching. There are many visuals, pictures, and video clips to choose from. Some of the videos are showing flashes of what is in the video before you even click on it, so it makes viewers want to watch more than just the little glimpses they are seeing.

The most obvious media use recognizable is, of course, entertainment. The Biggest Loser is a reality television show and a competition among contestants. It is something viewers want to continue watching because they want to see who will win. I also think the idea of the show- people losing that much weight so quickly and in a healthy way is amazing to watch in anyone’s eyes. On the website, there is a place to view every single episode, so fans never have to miss a single one. There is a little blurb about what will be on next week to keep the masses interested and hold their attention. There is also a section labeled Biggest Moments, which shows highlights where intense things happened on the show. One of the moments was when a trainer made a girl work extremely hard and was very tough on her.

The whole webpage is filled with both information and instruction. There are many links on the site to healthy diets and exercise plans. A page full of recipes is included. There are links where viewers can listen to the trainers talk about health issues such as smoking, and exercising while pregnant. There are even tips instructing how to eat healthily at restaurants and even fast food places.

Decision-making is shown as just previously mentioned. The website has advice, and instructions for healthy decision-making. By making people feel better about themselves and their decisions, it makes them want to watch the show too. It’s nice watching people who are going through the same thing as them. They can relate.

I believe value transmission is evident here because the website is trying to get the viewers to change their life by adopting values to make themselves healthier. Whether it is not drinking fattening beer anymore, or passing up a trip to McDonald’s, the site is encouraging the start of a new and healthy lifestyle.

Socialization is present on the website. There are many groups and clubs to join to help motivate people to lose weight. Being in a group with others tends to help people’s success rates and therefore, they want to be a part of something. There are blogs on the site and also a place where you can sign into Facebook. This interactivity on an online community is a perfect example of socialization. You can also follow past cast members and see where they are today after losing their weight. Even though viewers are not actually interacting with them, it feels like it because you get to follow their lives even after the show. Again, it is very motivational.

I think that self-understanding plays a key role on the website as well. Because the show is about people losing weight and becoming healthy, it is easy to make the website appealing to those who are going through the same thing. The contestants are all different ages, races, genders, and sizes so many different people can relate to them. I think the site, and the show, make people feel like they aren’t alone and I think it helps motivate them. Instead of feeling bad about themselves, they develop a positive attitude and want to try to change their lives for the better. The site even has a spot where viewers who are trying to lose weight can upload videos and show their progress. The viewers can help encourage each other.

I believe that the site is very successful and a great idea. I think it is great there is a show with such a positive message. It shows such motivation and determination, and it makes me admire the people on the show. The show always makes me want to work out after I watch it. The fact that there is a site that does even more than that- trying to help people with ideas for recipes, exercises, diets, clubs, and motivation is great.

The site is about advertising for the show and for products off of the show that are beneficial to the owners, but something like this is beneficial to the viewers as well. They are actually helping people and making a positive difference in their lives and I think that is fantastic.

I honestly cannot think of anything else I would add to the site. It is very informative and interesting. It does its job of selling the show and keeping people interested all while actually being beneficial to viewers. There is a lot of information, and a lot of resources and links. I think the website is very complete and it would be hard to improve it anymore.

At the end of the project it was clear that I was definitely one of the many in a high tech society addicted to the convenient and common mass media. I realized that the things I’m involuntarily exposed to aren’t as important to me as the things I choose to expose myself to. It’s hard for me to go a day without those things. Sometimes I literally would have to pick up my phone and look at it because I was sure I had gotten a text message while it was on silent. From being unable to fall asleep, to being unable to get up in the mornings, mass media definitely plays a large role in my life. In situations such as school and work… it is necessary to have Internet access.
I feel like if we have all of this instantaneous technology, we might as well use it. I don’t plan on cutting back my mass media addiction unless it ever gets to the point where I can’t accomplish what I need to in a day. It’s a great past time. Unless the consuming of media is to a completely ridiculous point of obsession, I think it is something society should continue to use and take advantage of.