SIMULATION THEORY ANALYSIS

The advertisement uses a constructed reality of what is perceived to be an ideal view of female models who display having perfect, straight, clean and white teeth.  The roles of the models are used to portray what a healthy and desirable set of white teeth can look like to enhance one’s own beauty as re-enforced in ‘Big Ideas’, saying that “a female fashion ‘model’ embodies our current knowledge about what women are and our attitudes towards what they could (should) be”.

By including the visual appeal of attractiveness, it simulates what the ideal woman should look like.  The creation of dissatisfaction of reality by not having white teeth solves this problem.

The narrated voice throughout the advert, in particular, “What would happen” with the answer of a smiling model displaying her white teeth replying it would “light up the room” simulates how much better a woman’s quality of life could become if they used the product themselves.

By incorporating woman from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, it simulates that the product is not exclusive to only the good looking-having white teeth will make you good looking.

Gucci by Gucci - Raquel Zimmerman, Natasha Poly and Freja BehaErichsen Campaign

The ad from Gucci uses a constructed reality of beauty and style.  The model is presented to the reader, with nothing else than herself and the product.  The model embodies the reader’s current knowledge that she is strong, sensual and driven by desire for both her achievement and unmistakable feminine allure.

The reader’s attitude towards the product is constructed to believe that this is a signature fragrance for the modern day icon.  It makes its entrance early and like all Gucci women, leaves a lasting impression.

This is simulation: You may be a Gucci woman by scent, but not in reality.

This attempt at altering the add so that it no longer resembles simulation was achieved by removing the product and all signs that referred to Gucci, by replacing the product so that now the woman is holding a dog and the new key message of “always adopt, never buy” turns the attention of the reader to support a well-known cause for the protection of animals by NOP group Peta.

MODERNISM THEORY ANALYSIS

'LG art cooling'

‘LG Art Cool Converter’ is a full-page advert that appeared in The Age Melbourne Magazine in December 2004.

This ad identifies and confirms the power of humans to make, improve and re-design the environment in which they live in with the assistance of technology. 

The modern technology (air conditioner) enhances the bedroom as it allows the individual owner to re-design the environment they live in by improving the climate to suit their own unique comfort levels.

The advertisement is also an example of modernism due to the fact that it’s a representation of a product that displays distinct features such as its cutting edge, fresh and original design.  

The air conditioner is unique, through its modification from a typical wall mounted unit to one that is portrayed as a piece of art designed to complement and enhance ones environment.  This is re-enforced with the message “with a wide range of stunning colours and shades there is one to match your decor”.

Also, the ad brings to the viewers’ attention that consumers, as individuals are able to make rational choices by the range of colors and designs that can be selected from.  It demonstrates the modernist theory that individuals are in control of their destiny rather than having their destiny forced upon them.  “Individuals are in control of their own destiny, rather than being controlled by it…”.

‘What makes Subaru, Subaru’ exemplifies modernist rational.  The ad aims to speak to opinion leaders, using its strengths of durability, performance and responsibility to deliver its message.  

It represents a product with distinct its cutting edge technological features that are designed to assist its user through its, “unique combination of standard Subaru All Wheel Drive and a boxer engine that together deliver unrivaled performance.”

The ad incorporates use of populist tabloid writing of short and sharp sentences with key words highlighted boldly.  Its “engineering excellence” that’s “recognized time and time again by industry experts for its world class safety, reliability and durability.

It conveys its environmental responsibility; the Subaru plant in the heartland of America produces “zero landfill”.  

The ad distances itself from any emotional devices in favor of rational and educational facts to tell the reader of its unique capabilities and how it can benefit them.  It simply defines its core values of the company, products to consumers.

This attempt at altering an ad so that it no longer resembles the theory of modernism was achieved by removing all key messages that were associated with the car and its capabilities.  

Once the image was solely of the three cars I included some bright colors along with money so that it is now an ad for the chance to win a Subaru on behalf of a lifestyle magazine called that’s life which is well known for its reader’s competitions.

Are audiences dependent on technology? Have these new technologies affected the traditional models of audience?

One of the great challenges modern media outlets face in the wake of the ever-growing popularity of social media is effectively understanding and responding to their audience.  

The task is complicated by the inherently elusive, intangible, and unpredictable nature of media audiences.  Consequently, media organizations have historically devoted substantial financial and analytical resources in trying to understand their audiences.  Given the time spent by audiences consuming the media, it is hardly surprising that much debate has focused on the exact nature of the relationship between audience and media output.

The influence of traditional mass media organizations is being challenged at an unprecedented level of audience participation and co-creation in online media production.  This participation and involvement has created a negative impact by blurring the lines between consumer and producer, audience and public.  

Social media has given voice to the opinions of millions of individual consumers worldwide.  While traditional mass media continues to be central to the dissemination of (mainstream) information, these same channels however are now being increasingly influenced by online conversations taking place through social media.

The media’s relationship with its audience is fighting against contending powers and counter powers are seeking to use social media to in a sense, ‘mobilize’ audiences in order to influence the way people relate to the world of information that is around them.  

This reminds me of something that I have always thought was the best way to describe the changing audience engagement behaviors taking place before our eyes, “the people formally known as the audience have become active participants in both shaping media content and public disclosure.  

For to long has an audience been perceived primarily as a singular passive recipient of media content even though an audience may comprise of multiple individuals with different interests and opinions.  Social media has evolved into providing platforms and networks, which are necessary to return the power of the media into the hands of the people.

The Internet has both broadened and fragmented the contexts of communication.  This is why the Internet can have a subversive effect on intellectual life in authoritarian regimes, which has taken place throughout the Middle East over the past 18 months.  

Whilst that rings true it must be acknowledged at the same time, the less formal, horizontal cross-linking of communication channels weakens the achievements of traditional media.  This focuses on the attention of an anonymous and dispersed public on select topics and information, allowing citizens to concentrate on the same critically fixed issues and journalistic pieces at any given time.

The price we pay for the growth in egalitarianism, offered by the Internet is the decentralized access to unedited stories.  In this medium, contributions by intellectuals lose their power to create a focus.  The media create a picture of the public, but it goes live, as it were, only when people participate in its creation, not least by turning themselves into an audience.  

It’s important to appreciate that while the internet has enabled the public to be able to compare and switch websites (and therefore, switch product choice) at the click of a mouse button, by offering a wider choice between competing services, while the user is able to remain anonymous from the supplier.

Howard Rheingold predicted this in 2002; he observed how technology enabling social media was beginning to converge with mobile telephony.  His observation that mobile devices would help individuals coordinate actions with others was also about how groups of people (audiences to the marketers of those devices) would grow new forms of “social power” to organize their activities.  These forms of social power would enable what Rheingold called “associations of amateurs” who were quicker to adopt to change than the “established industry leaders” to find new ways to profit from a fast evolving social practice mediated environment.  Social media offers a sense of “privacy”, in the sense that there seems to be no one physically around to monitor the user consume online content.  

Sitting in the comfort of ones own home, an audience participant might think they have private choices at their fingertips even though their online may be monitored without their knowledge or consent.

The increased interactivity of new media technologies via mechanisms such as social networking sites brings with it a variety of new paths for gathering information about ones audience ranging from their appreciation or emotional response to the content they consume, to their recall or engagement with the content, to specific behavioural responses.

In my next post I will be discussing some of these online analytical tools that help bridge the gap between what is valued content and what will end up being some Internet space junk.