Here are examples of effective thesis statements by previous SMAD 373 students.
- The Fox Network's television show COPS is considered one of the pioneers in reality television. However, when researched more closely it becomes evident that COPS shows more of a detrimental depiction of unreality than it does the actual day-to-day life of a police officer. The show clearly misrepresents crime and race, and does so in a way that deceives viewers into believing that they are watching a documentary when, in actuality, they are being manipulated by producers who are only concerned with the bottom line.
- The year 1982 saw a major convergence of soda pop and popular entertainment. Coca-Cola, one of the largest corporations in the world, purchased Columbia Pictures, one of the major studios in the world's most beloved hybrid of art and commerce. The Columbia-Coke partnership yielded a number of blockbuster movies, and for some years was a triumph of synergy for both companies. While not every film made under the decade-long ownership was steeped in product placement, there was enough for it to negatively effect the quality of Columbia's films. Films like Murphy's Romance, and to a lesser extent Tootsie and The Big Chill, demonstrated that Coke's self-promoting in Columbia's films was excessive.
Write a paragraph that introduces your topic and articulates either a preliminary thesis statement or preliminary research questions. Of course, you can expect your statement or questions to evolve and change as you continue your research and writing. I will respond individually to each post and I invite you to contact me directly if you would like additional feedback.
Please note: this blog post is due on Friday, November 2.
The Disney corporation has monopolized the market of how they are viewed, allowing for a mass ideological spread of ideas through their media texts, mostly to young children. There are specific themes within Disney movies, specifically The Beauty and the Beast, that involve racism, sexism, domestic violence, subjugation and all around negative, damaging messages. Disney has commercialized children’s culture in the process of building it’s empire, that has influenced how children play, get to know themselves and develop self-image and perception of the adult world. Disney spreads an ideology that reinforces the structure of society with an authority not unlike that of a charismatic leader who exudes a magic presence, when there is underlying wickedness the masses don’t acknowledge.
ReplyDelete-Maddie Wigle
Wow, this is a powerful indictment of Disney that makes me want to know more! I like the final line, with its language of wickedness and magic (two essential elements of any Disney film). But some readers might find the word choices overly dramatic. I'm intrigued by the focus on Beauty and the Beast, in part because it's one of my favorites Disney films. One word of caution: the issue of commercialization may take the paper into another direction, and could possibly expand the scope beyond a 10-12 page paper.
DeleteIn the past five years, Toddles and Tiaras has become a wickedly successful vehicle for The Learning Channel, producing a spin-off series and several special TV programs about the young girls and their families. The show is campy and entertaining, but the true cultural narrative lies below the formulaic pop. Toddlers and Tiaras constructs and reinforces cultural ideals of beauty and gender, teaching young girls and boys how to look, how to act and also how to please the greater societal standards. The show bolsters the hegemonic ideologies of sex and expectations and becomes, for many, the first text in the critical years of shaping thought and behavior for years to come.
ReplyDelete-Molly Haas
Ah, yes, The Learning Channel. That makes me wonder: what exactly are we learning? I've never seen Toddlers and Tiaras but I had the impression that it's about beauty pageants for young girls. I didn't know boys were included. It sounds like an interesting media text to analyze and I'd like to know more about what you've found or expect to find. And just to play devil's advocate for a moment, are the images and cultural ideals found in T&T any worse that what we see on, say, the Disney Channel?
DeleteAMC has become a very successful network over the last 5-6 years, due to hit shows such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad. They have been able to compete with successful networks such as HBO by using the same formula HBO uses for its shows. Also since it is a basic cable channel it has provided easier access to quality dramas. What strategies have made AMC a hit network? How much influence do advertisers have on hit programs? Does AMC promote creative independence? How has AMC set itself apart from HBO while using similar strategies?
ReplyDelete__Ethan Hughes
When you first wrote about this topic on the index card, you mentioned that you wanted to examine whether Mad Men and Breaking Bad promise the idea that there are no consequences for immoral or illegal actions. I found this question quite interesting--but the statement above suggests that you've changed your focus to a comparison of AMC and its competitor HBO. Is that correct? If so, what HBO shows would you analyze?
DeleteMedia Text: 50 Shades of Grey
ReplyDeleteEven from the early days of the Internet, people have been continually surprised at other people’s willingness to take time out of their lives to create content for and engage on the Web. “Fanfiction” represents a huge community of writers who write derivative works, using already established characters and worlds from works such as Harry Potter or Twilight. These derivative works signify a large investment of time and effort, and are almost always posted online for free; authors reap rewards only in the form of feedback and perhaps a small amount of online recognition. But what happens when these derivative works are published and marketed as original writing? What happens when these authors begin to make money off of something created using someone else’s framework? The book 50 Shades of Grey has made millions of dollars, but it started its life as a piece of Twilight fanfiction. Does this mean that 50 Shades author E. L. James is stealing from Twilight author Stephanie Meyer? How much can one author borrow from another before it is considered plagiarism or intellectual property infringement? Can any author actually write an original work? Do derivative works only become a problem when they enter into the publishing market and begin to generate revenue?
Marisa Seitz
First I'm going to try to boil down your research questions into a possible thesis statement. I sometimes find this is a useful exercise. Here goes: Fifty Shades of Gray and other works of fan fiction that have evolved into best- selling books present great money-making opportunities for book publishers. But for book lovers and authors the benefits are less obvious and mixed at best. [Insert here your hypothesis about the cultural impact of the book.] So here's my advice: take a position and remember that it should be one that others might challenge or oppose. Also think about the ever-present "so what" question. If the relevance of your topic is not clear, think about finding and explaining a relationship and/or connecting your specific questions to a larger issue.
DeleteFictional stories have been used over centuries to teach moral lessons and help people understand life. ABC Family uses fictional shows like "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" to continue this trend. With the rise in number of reality TV shows, it is alarming how often people reject them as "trashy" and "untrue." While the shows may be somewhat scripted, the reality shows like MTV's Teen Mom reveal a side of human nature often hidden by well-written characters in fictional dramas.
ReplyDeleteQuestions I will research: Why are people so quick to reject the reality of reality TV? How do people identify with fictional characters? How do they identify with reality TV stars? Do people think reality shows are less realistic than fictional shows? If so, why? Are people afraid they are like the people they are judging on reality shows? What makes a show a reality show? Do businesses make reality shows in the public interest or are the made purely for profit?
- Ame Wood
Your thesis bucks the trend of trashing reality TV, which makes it intriguing and original. Your questions are also interesting, though I wonder how you'll answer the first one. Do you plan to survey or interview people? Have you found a source that addresses your question? I think you mentioned finding relevant sources in the psychology literature, and this sounds like a good fit. One small critique: your question about judging seems to muddy the waters a bit by introducing competition shows, though the shows you mentioned by name do not belong to that category. All in all, though, a solid start!
Delete(Khyre Dean)
ReplyDeleteThe mass media has the power to reach large audience and promote all kinds of messages and agendas. These messages can vary and are dependent on which company is in control of a certain mass medium. An interesting quality that can be observed in mass media today is the reoccurrence of certain themes. Weather it be hyper sexuality, police brutality, or the glamorizing of disturbing subject matter such as torture. Taking a deeper look into these themes there is a shocking connection that can be made with these themes and occult traditions and ideals. Is this purely a coincidence that the mass media contains occult themes and symbolism? If so, then what is the purpose behind the continuous use of these types of themes?
*Note:
This is a very rough paragraph that only reveals the tip of the iceberg of information that I want to research. Upon further research I have no doubt that I will find some clear links between the information in order to easily formulate key topics that I would like to discuss in my paper.
This statement takes a clear position that others might challenge or oppose. As I mentioned in class, this is one characteristic of a strong thesis. What I didn't mention, however, is that you should be careful not to make it too easy for someone to challenge or oppose you. In this case, a counter-argument quickly came to mind: the three types of content you described (hyper-sexuality, police brutality, and torture) fall into the category of deviant behavior. I suppose occultism could be seen as a subcategory of deviance, but I'm not sure about that. Here's my advice: think about the meaning of occult. Does it accurately describe the themes you mentioned? What has been written about occult themes in the media? Where does you idea fit into the existing literature? In short, I think more you need more background information--and a clear definition of key terms.
DeleteMusic has always possessed a certain political power, especially with younger generations. During the 1960’s we saw the influential hand of music as our country fought through a period of racial tension, anti-war sentiment, and evolution in individual rights and self-expression. It’s incredible how the phrase, “History repeats itself”, rings true as the last decade has been marked with war, financial insecurity and rising racial and class tensions. However, while the music of the late-60’s and 70’s appeared to be a positive outlet for self-expression, today’s mainstream music seems to be accomplishing quite the opposite, creating a divide between different groups of people by pushing extreme political agendas through different genres of music. By analyzing songs from various genres and looking at the artists, producers, and record labels behind the creation of these songs, it can be seen how the music industry has become an avenue to promote political extremism.
ReplyDelete- Mason Alls
I've paraphrased your statement in an effort to capture your thesis in a nutshell: "Today's mainstream music is creating a divide between different groups of people by pushing extreme political agendas through different genres of music. In fact, the music industry has become an avenue to promote political extremism." This is crystal clear and could certainly provoke opposition--two marks of a strong thesis. To me, your argument seems counter-intuitive and I'm hard pressed to think of a popular song that pushes an extreme political agenda. Can you give an example of one? Two other questions: how do you define mainstream music? What specific genres and/or artists do you plan to analyze? Country and hip-hop? In short, a great start but include more specifics, please.
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ReplyDeleteThis is my new topic.
DeletePeople socially put the Disney princesses into three different groups: the Cinderella classics, the middle, and the modern. I believe that Disney moved away from the Cinderella classics to the modern princesses like Brave due to backlash of the stereotypical female. Most of the backlash came from mothers who did not want their daughters to turn into the stereotypical princess. I will focus on certain aspects of the stereotypical female and how those traits have been portrayed throughout the three Disney princess eras.
~Jocelyn ALlen
Thanks for posting your new topic. I enjoyed talking with you about your ideas and sources. In fact, I'd like to see your thesis statement reflect more of the great ideas you told me about. For example, please write (briefly) about the mother who made a career out of speaking against the traditional Disney Princess. And explain how your model of the princess stages differs from that of other scholars. You could refer to the article and chart you showed me--and your revised version. In other words, our conversation showed me that you've engaged with the Disney Princess literature and carved out a clear position for yourself and I'd like to read a thesis that articulates the same engagement and position.
DeleteSocial issues are often a prevalent theme in movies, but what about future social issues? The topic of robotic rights and sentience is an issue that we have seen in movies including Blade Runner (1982), Bicentennial Man (1999) and more recently Prometheus (2012). These movies present the ideas of whether robotic beings can truly be sentient, have feelings, and be viewed as their own form of life worthy of rights. Gattaca (1997) is a movie that centers around genetic discrimination and presents it as a social issue of the future, although it is actually beginning to rise as a real-world problem that laws have not yet caught up with. Can movies set in a future setting present viewers with ethical questions that have not yet come to light, but that are perhaps on the horizon?
ReplyDeleteAs I've done with other students, I'm going to take your questions and create a possible thesis statement. "Futuristic movies from Blade Runner (1982) to Prometheus (2012) raise ethical questions that have not yet come to light, but that are perhaps on the horizon." This is a good start--but not really debatable. To strengthen your idea, I'd like you to take a position on these media texts and how they might help people grapple with emerging ethical and moral dilemmas. What kinds of lessons do we learn from these movies? And how might they contribute to public debates about biotechnology, robotics, and other issues?
DeleteProduct placement has been a form of advertising since the early 1900’s. Recognizable brand names and products are commonly seen in big movies and popular television shows. Product placement not only allows the consumer to see products in different mediums, but also allows the brand owner to reach niche audiences. But how much is too much? There’s regular product placement, where a character may be drinking a Pepsi or eating at Subway, but then there is product placement. As we know as viewers, the television industry is a money making business. But some television shows have literally given episodes completely over to the advertisers that shamelessly insert their products without care at how obvious it is. In The Vampire Diaries, the AT&T Mobile Hotspot MiFi is blatantly placed in the episode so obviously that it completely ruins the intense emotion that happens in the scene it appears in. In Cougar Town, an entire episode is devoted to Dr. Pepper. So does product placement get excessive? Does a television show lose credibility when it palpably gives itself over to the advertisers? What are some ways advertisers are over using their ability to place their products? What shows excessively use product placement?
ReplyDeleteMadison Smith
This statement contains a clearly defined topic and takes a strong position: "AT&T Mobile Hotspot MiFi is blatantly placed in the episode so obviously that it completely ruins the intense emotion that happens in the scene." My one concern at this point is that the statement I just quoted sounds like your opinion--perhaps there are some viewers who are not bothered by the placement. Which brings us to the question, How much placement is excessive? Is this purely a judgment call or is there some objective measurement? I think these are very interesting questions, and possibly difficult to answer. What have you found in your research? Have others tried to answer this question? If so, you might summarize their findings and analysis and then present your own.
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ReplyDeleteThe lack of diversity in the media leads to stereotypes. If you are watching a news story it is likely that many of the classified "experts" interviewed will be white males. Chances are if you are not seeing a white male on camera you may be seeing a hispanic or African American, often as the subject of a criminal investigation. This lack of diversity creates and enforces stereotypes. White males are educated individuals, and other ethnicities serve to escalate the crime rate. This is true in other forms of media as well. Television shows have started to adopt characters who represent a minority demographic in to their shows. Though there are some programs that do offer diverse outlooks on these groups most shows fail to provide any new insight. Instead of offering a different perspective about these individuals and their way of life, the characters feed stereotypes. For example. shows like Modern Family have homosexuals represented in their cast and The Big Bang Theory has the role of intellectuals played out in a variety of characters. Both intellectuals and homosexuals have been noticeably absent in previous sitcoms but have recently come to the forefront of plot lines. The presence of these characters could initially be seen as a way to represent minority groups or to attract niche audiences. However, if looked at with further scrutiny and seen over a length of time, it seems to reinforce pre-existing stereotypes. For instance, every homosexual is not a sassy gay male and not all intellectuals border on having social disorders. Do shows like the Big Bang Theory and Modern Family enhance stereotypes while trying to promote diversity? Do shows like this influence the way people think about these minorities? What measures could be taken to change the stereotypes but still promote diversity among casts?
ReplyDeleteKatherine Parker
This statement could be more concise (especially at the beginning) but overall it succeeds in capturing my attention and drawing me into the topic. By the end of the paragraph I want to know more. It has the marks of a strong thesis: It takes a position, it's specific enough, and it passes the "so what" test. In short, well done! I'm intrigued by your final question and wonder if you have any ideas about how to promote diversity on entertainment TV without falling back on familiar stereotypes.
DeleteThe production of television "sitcoms" have enjoyed a long history of continued success, partly because of their sometimes original story lines or captivating actors, but also because of a formulaic approach that has been repeated time and time again. This sitcom formula ensures media corporations they will see a return in investment and almost guarantee a hit show that will have multiple seasons of success and revenue. However, the reproduction of television shows almost identical to one another can have negative effects on the viewers, primarily in terms of gender roles and the ideology of family. The consistent formula applied to our favorite sitcoms contain familiar characters and generalizations such as, husbands that appear lazy and unintelligent, wives that work primarily in the home and care for the children, and families that contain 2-3 children who all appear smarter than their clueless parents. Is there a great dilemma between the media giants' responsibility to produce successful shows with high ratings and long TV life-spans and their responsibility to produce shows that accurately portray our society's gender roles and families? Does the repetition of these formulaic shows truly impact our society or are the shows actually just portraying reality correctly?
ReplyDeleteThis is another fascinating topic, with a clearly defined focus: TV sitcoms and how they portray the family and gender roles. I like the question about how the TV networks face a tension between producing successful shows and accurately portraying society's gender roles and family relationships. Of course, the networks might not see it this way. Have you thought about looking into advocacy groups that try to ensure accurate representations on TV? For example, Children Now is a group in California that advocates and does research on behalf of kids. One of their projects involves monitoring TV portrayals of race, age, gender, etc.
DeleteThe modern military first person shooter has risen to the status of de facto industry leaders among video games. Largely thanks to the success of the “Call of Duty” franchise (whose yearly releases routinely break records for biggest entertainment launches across all mediums) the contemporary first person shooter has spawned countless imitators — despite the extreme unpopularity of the modern military conflicts that the games draw their inspiration from. Very distinct from the morality complexity and ambiguity of contemporary military conflicts, games of this type present a glorification of America as a modern military power in an ultra nationalistic kind of way. The impact of these games is not an exposure to violence but their role as an extension of a modern military industrial complex.
ReplyDelete— Jeff Wade
This is an interesting perspective on first person shooter games. Could you explain what you mean when you say these games are "an extension of a modern military industrial complex"? Depending on where you want to take this, you might want to look into the work of Lt. Col. Dave Grossman who has studied how the military uses video games to train soldiers. Another possible resource is the PBS documentary Digital Nation, which explores how modern warfare resembles video games.
DeleteIn short, the topic sounds fascinating and timely but the connection between video games and the military needs to be more clearly defined.
In modern days, the word “otaku” is a Japanese term that is used to refer to someone who has a strong obsession with something, one of those things being animation. In this country, it’s used in reference to an obsessive fan that likes something from Japanese pop culture. The term tends to have negative connotations, as it is associated with negative stereotypes from the behavior of these extreme fans. Considering this behavior, in its association with animation, I want to examine the following questions:
ReplyDelete1. What are the qualities/characteristics of specific animated titles that result in creating these “obsessive fans?” (I will try to find a couple bigger titles to have specific media texts to examine.) How does this compare to a different title that may be popular, but lack the “otaku” type of fans?
2. Why are people so attracted to these titles? Are there common reasons for different fans becoming obsessive over these animated shows? Behavioral or psychological patterns?
3. Does the reasoning for the obsessions fit with the animated show’s intentions? In other words, are fans becoming obsessed with things for the wrong reasons due to watching this animation? Are there any misunderstandings and if so, what are the problems associated with this? Is this detrimental to the attitude others may have to particular animated titles or the genre as a whole? Is there something that should be done to change any of these ideas?
4. Despite negativity toward “otaku”, what positive associations can be gained? Is there value in having obsessive fans than what they are generally given credit? Could this idea serve as a role model for other animation companies to want to achieve? Any examples of this now?
After more research, my thesis will take a side of whether obsessive fans (otaku) are misunderstanding the animation they watch and the negative impact of this (such as making the wrong assumptions of a culture) or if there is a positive nature to animation companies having “otaku” and the value they serve.
-Kristin Silver
This is an intriguing and original topic. I have a few concerns, however, that I would like to see addressed in the proposal and certainly in the final paper.
Delete1. A strong thesis statement answers the "so what" question. In other words, why is this topic important? There are a few ways to address this question. For example, you might argue that otaku is important because it shows the globalization of media and the fact that information and entertainment flows not only from the US to the rest of the world, but vice versa. And this in turn enriches our media landscape.
2. What specific media text(s) will you examine? I don't currently have a clear idea of the content and the themes involved.
3. Where do you draw the line between a "normal" fan and an obsessive fan?
Every election, Americans are encouraged to exercise their vote and let their voice be heard in the political sphere of the country. Modern elections however, fragment citizens’ choices and political views to a binary political spectrum. The two-party system is unequivocally dominant, not only in the electoral arena but in the mainstream media coverage that unfolds before the election, which in turn propagates information solely regarding the presidential candidates of the two dominant parties of the country. Subsequently, an independent voter whose political ideals are far from mentioned in the red and the blue rhetoric of the electoral race has relatively limited access to information regarding third-party candidates. It is evident then—and yet popularly unchallenged—that the mainstream media reports only on the issues of the economically well-established parties which in turn propagate the dichotomy of the two-party system, a dichotomy that misrepresents the range of ideas of Americans in the political spectrum and thus harms the integrity of democratic involvement.
ReplyDelete- Jose Morales
This topic is extremely timely and obviously relevant to the concerns of SMAD 373. It's hard to dispute your argument that the presidential race has devolved into a binary political spectrum. I was just reading an article by Eric Alterman in The Nation that lamented this sad state of affairs and the media's complicity: "Even topic reporters have demonstrated a lack of interest in questions of governance in favor of those devoted to personality and strategy." I hope your proposal will identify which media texts you plan to analyze. TV news? Magazines representing different political viewpoints? Websites offering even more diverse perspectives? This important piece of information is missing from your paragraph.
DeleteThe connection between music and politics, particularly political expression in music has been seen in many decades throughout US history. However, in recent years political music has decreased dramatically, especially during presidential elections and times of upheaval. Examples such as Occupy Wall Street and the 2012 US Election elicited very few reactions from dominant music artists .They have increasingly chosen not to express their political opinions in their songs in account of not losing profits and sales from their albums. Unfortunately, this can reduce political involvement and awareness among the younger generation who are more likely to hear discussion about failed relationships, sex and material wealth. If music artists continue to not take risks outside their typical music bubble, it can further intensify political ignorance and limit an individual’s knowledge about the outside world.
ReplyDelete-Sarah Hasnain
This is an interesting argument that runs counter to that of another student in this class. I'm open to the idea that political music has decreased, but to make this argument more persuasive you need to define political music. I assume you're not limiting this to songs for or against a certain political party/candidate or for or against a particular war. In your proposal be sure to address this question. I'd also like to know which specific artists and/or songs you plan to analyze.
Delete“Survival-horror” video games are a sub-genre of action-adventure video games and typically involve aspects of gameplay, such as limited ammunition/resources, health, and movement, which defy the typical norm of elements seen in many “successful” games today (such as constant and intense action, as seen in the popular first person shooter game). The term “survival horror” came about after the release of the popular series “Resident Evil” and has since been used to define other games with the same features. These games also feature environments, sound effects/background music, and other specific aesthetics that immerse the player into the game, embodying a character that must face some of the most horrific and terrifying scenarios that no person would want to face in real life. With these ideas in mind, I want to research the following ideas to help explain why any person would even want to play a horror game in the first place and why certain horror games have become so popular:
ReplyDelete-What specific aesthetics are seen in horror games that are unique to the genre, specifically the original Resident Evil games (and possibly one more game that I will decide on)? How do these aesthetics (grotesque monsters, ominous noises/screeches, dimly lit rooms/mansions/environments, limited [if any] forms of weapons to provide comfort and safety, etc) contribute to the overall enjoyment of these games?
-What psychological aspects upon the player occur in playing horror games: adrenaline in over-coming goose-bump inducing/heart-pounding obstacles in “fight or flight/live or die” scenarios? Why do players continue playing games that scare them? Is there a sense of accomplishment for achieving difficult/terrifying tasks?
-Kaitlin Silver
This is an original topic and I expect that your research will uncover some interesting information and insights. As I've mentioned to other students, however, you'll need to address the "so what" question. In other words, why is this an important topic? Does it shed light on any larger social issues? If so, what are they? For example, first person shooter games (see Jeff Wade's post) have a connection to the military and modern warfare. Can you identify a connection between "survival-horror" games and some issue or problem in the broader social or cultural context? Can you explain why we need to be informed about these games? Do they contribute (for good or ill) to our social and cultural environment?
DeleteThe number of controversial television shows on the air today is constantly increasing, having a huge impact on our generation. One TV station that has developed a number of shows that have a huge impact on American society is Bravo. Most of their shows are targeted towards the younger demographic and range up to adults as well, having a wide range of impact. Although some of their shows promote positive messages of individuality and creativity, many of them do not. Bravo television series, The Real Housewives, has a negative impact on it’s viewers by promoting physical beauty and perfection, immature behavior, and excessive consumer consumption; further reinforcing the popular aspects of today’s society.
ReplyDelete- Kristen Hotz
Questions:
1. What are Bravo’s most watched television shows
2. Why do people watch these shows
3. What are the ratings of The Real Housewives series
4. Why do people find interest in watching this show
5. What impact is The Real Housewives having on our society
6. What are reoccurring themes of The Real Housewives series
7. How do these fit in to the popular interests of today’s society
8. What kind of impact is this show having on the younger generation
9. Has this show made people change their views on certain aspects of today’s society
10. Are there any positives being displayed in The Real Housewives
You clearly identified a media text and pointed to possible social impacts. This is a very good start, but I would suggest a couple of changes to your paragraph.
Delete1. "Consumer consumption" is redundant; how about "conspicuous consumption" or "unnecessary consumption"?
2. "Popular aspects" is not very descriptive; how about "superficial aspects" or ""shallow aspects" or "formulaic aspects"?
My other suggestion is to think about the "so what" question and address it in your proposal. In other words, why should we care about this particular show? Is it more popular than others like it? Has it spawned more spin-offs? Does it perpetuate stereotypes about housewives? Come to think of it, that word is pretty outdated--why did producers choose it for the show's title?
Twitter has become one of the most popular and influential social media platforms. People enjoy "following" their favorite celebrity personalities, TV Shows, brands and more, but what about the faces of these organizations? It has been found that many of the Fortune 500 CEOs lack a Twitter presence. Those that do in fact use Twitter are not active, regardless of their number of followers. CEOs and executive managers should be utilizing Twitter to increase personal branding, as well as the branding of the organization they represent.
ReplyDeleteGuiding Questions:
1. Does the use of Twitter by a CEO/executive manager influence the way people perceive them (personal branding)?
2. Does a CEO/executive manager's personal branding translate to that organization's branding?
3. Is Twitter more popular among a certain sex in the corporate world?
4. Certain field?
Melissa Peale
I think this topic has potential but at this point I'm not sure you've addressed the "so what" question. In other words, why is it important what corporate CEOs are doing with Twitter? I see how this relates to branding and how social networking can create both opportunities and potential problems for a company's brand image and reputation. Here are a few things you might want to think about for the proposal:
Delete1. What specific company or companies do you plan to analyze?
2. Are there some that use Twitter effectively? If so, which ones and how do you measure their effectiveness?
3. You argue that CEOs should be using Twitter to increase personal branding. Why? Is this your argument or are others saying the same thing? What is personal branding and how does it relate to corporate branding?
Benetton is a clothing company based in Italy that was founded in 1965. Over the years, their reach has grown to include 6500 stores in over 120 countries. However, unlike typical retail marketing campaigns, their advertisements do not feature any of their products. In 1991, Benetton began distributing incredibly shocking and controversial images as their campaign. These graphics depict situations that shake societal norms and confront social issues related to things such as race, intimacy, and AIDs. As a result, the company became incredibly well-known in the public sphere, but is faced with constant criticism.
ReplyDeleteWith the primary intent to shock and possibly offend, do these advertisements defy what is ethical?
How does the company justify these ads, and what is their purpose? Are they successful?
What has been the backlash from these campaigns?
What is the overall public opinion of the company as a whole?
What effect do these ads have on (potential) customers?
Benetton is a good example of a company whose advertising campaigns deliberately push the envelope. Your questions about ethics, backlash, and public opinion seem especially helpful in assessing the campaigns. Do you have a sense at this point of what your argument will be? Are the Benetton campaigns unethical? What kind of backlash have they provoked? And moving beyond your questions, have they influenced other advertisers to adopt similar methods and tactics? Are such images ever socially responsible? What about the recent "unhate" campaign with photoshopped images of the Pope and an Egyptian imam (among other couples) kissing? Is the company only serving its own selfish ends? Or it it making valid political statements?
DeleteSports are a huge part of American culture, but that has not always been the case. The popularity of sports has skyrocketed since the television and other forms of media have become ubiquitous in the United States. This new audience for sports has forced sports to conform to a different set of standards which has changed the way sports have been played and how players act, on and off the field. Much more than ever, the media scrutinizes everything a player or team does to be able to paint them as a hero or a traitor, when these statements may not always be accurate. While the media has help to greatly increase sports players' income as well as their own through constant media coverage, it has put a whole new range of pressures upon the players and coaches in their professional and personal lives.
ReplyDeleteHow have sports changed as a result of media, and how has media changed because of sports?
How can the media affect a sports player or coach's public image, popularity, and pay?
What is the effect of the media allowing instant updates in sports?
What is the history of the sensationalism and deification of sports players and teams?
Braden Tanner
This is a pretty broad topic, so my first suggestion would be to narrow it down to one sport. Of course, if you have other ideas for how to make the scope more manageable, I'm willing to consider them. For example, one of your questions deals with a player's or coach's public image, popularity, and pay. Do you have a specific player or coach in mind here? If so, this would be one way of narrowing your focus. So here's my main feedback at this point:
Delete1. The topic needs to be more defined and more specific.
2. I'm not sure you've addressed the "so what" question, explaining why this topic is significant and how it relates to issues explored in SMAD 373.
3. Finally, the questions you pose seems somewhat loosely related. Does a common thread run through them all? If so, try to articulate it.
The music industry is in grave danger of file-sharing. People all over the world are "sharing" or giving away music that they either bought or illegally laundered and the artist that created these songs aren't seeing a penny of the money they deserve. There have been many attempts to bring an end to these wrong-doings. The music industry is in dire need of an overhaul in order to preserve the music that is being created. The biggest issue is that many of the people that are pirating this music don't even see the issue that they are short-changing the artists that they are listening to under illegal terms.
ReplyDeleteIs there a way to safely protect the music that is being created from being seeped onto the Internet?
How badly is the music industry being affected by these "pirates?"
- Josh Stevens
I think the answer to your last question will be key to making an argument and establishing the significance of your topic. How big of a problem is music piracy? And who's being harmed? If it's the music industry, then I suspect there are many people who are less than sympathetic. But if it's the artists themselves, that's another story. At this point, however, it sounds like a matter of opinion ("grave danger" and "dire need") rather than proven fact. So my suggestion for the proposal is that you first present the facts and then argue that there's a problem--that will be more persuasive than first arguing that there's a problem and then presenting the facts. Also, what specific media text(s) do you plan to analyze? Are there some artists who have been more harmed by piracy than others? Are there others who support the idea of making their music available for free (or however much people want to pay)? If so, this debate might be one way to frame the issue. Of course, there are probably many others as well, and the important thing is to find a framework that makes sense for you.
DeletePostmodern television that has emerged over the past decade has challenged the traditional vision of the television show. The Office is a fictional comedy that uses several postmodern techniques including aspects of pastiche, intertextuality, and the cinéma vérité style, all of which classify it in a genre popularly referred to as the "mockumentary." Many critics of this genre argue that it is sloppy, unoriginal, and one dimensional. However, one must look past the surface of the program and observe the innovation of the genre. What prompted the shift between traditional modern filming styles to utilizing the cinéma vérité technique in fictional programing? There must have been some need to repackage the traditional sitcom. The Office no longer falls into one rigid category, but encompasses a variety of themes, genres and styles. How do these pastiche aspects evident in The Office affect the legitimacy of the "mockumentary" genre? These unique aspects of the program not only enhance the genre but the viewer experience as well, which leads to the question, how does the use of irony and intertextuality in The Office affect the audience's experience and connection with the show? Is the postmodern style seen in The Office truly innovative and transformative of television programming, or is it simply repackaging previously pursued themes?
ReplyDeleteRahath Alam
Very interesting topic: a clearly defined media text and a strong theoretical framework. I also appreciate your engagement with specific concepts from postmodernism, such as pastiche, intertextuality, etc. My only suggestion at this point is to address the "so what" question. In other words, why is this particular TV show significant? Because of its popularity? Its influence on other shows? The controversial themes it explores? Some other reason? Is The Office part of TV's broader evolution into postmodern style and substance? If so, what does this suggest about TV, its audience, and the broader social and cultural context?
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