Persuaders Key Terms

-Neuromarketing: 
MindSign Neuromarketing is a company from San Diego that has begun to study subject's brains while they watch movie trailers to analyze their response to the marketing stimuli.


-Emotional branding:
The Coca Cola can/bottle uses colors as a form of emotional branding. The red and black demonstrate power, while the yellow shows happiness. The bubbles painted on the can and the silver stripe also give an uplifting look. 


-Branding/creating a culture around a brand:
Air Jordan sneakers were first developed by Nike for NBA legend Michael Jordan. Now they have become arguably the most recognizable and worn sneaker in the United States. They have moved from just basketball shoes, to casual sneakers and even cleats. Currently there are over 45 various types of Jordans on the market. 


-Narrowcasting: 
Pay Per View is an example of narrowcasting. As the name explains itself, only audience members who agree to pay a certain fee will be able to watch the programming. Boxing is notorious for having the majority of their large fights broadcast on Pay Per View.

-Rhetorical Marketing:
A huge part of rhetorical marketing is celebrity endorsement. A good amount of audience members (probably not the smarter ones) often want a product simply due to the fact that some famous claims to use it. For example, the Call of Duty commercial that has a lot of celebrities like Kobe Bryant and Jay Leno playing the game in real life is an attempt to get people who follow them to buy the game.

-Under the Radar Marketing: Mainstream marketing includes radio, television, and print. One example of under the radar marketing is viral videos. These are usually amatuer-made videos that start off on youtube or other video websites that could potentially lead to fame or recognition for those in the video. One example of this is the Numa Numa dancer.

-Across Media Marketing: This is one of the more popular marketing techniques. One example is how television commercials and shows promote Facebook. However, you must go on the internet and sign up to be a user of Facebook.

-Guerilla Marketing: This tactic can be often controversial, as it is usually unexpected to the potential customer. One example of guerilla marketing is how Volkswagen put a sign reading "I wish I were a..." with a picture of a Volkswagen GTL, hanging over every spot in a parking garage.

Internet vs Democracy

1. Based on this debate and previous readings What Definition of democracy do you feel is most fitting for us to use in-conjunction our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies?


I feel that direct democracy (definition) is the defined best of all the different forms of democracy. What stands out to me is that they say how it is for "the people who choose to participate" which is how I feel a democracy should be run. It is also best for our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies. With our technological advancements over the last couple decades, people are now connected more than was ever seen possible. When it comes to democracy, I feel that the anonymity of the internet is a positive aspect in how it allows people to discuss various ideas and topics while getting feedback from others with the same or different opinions. 



2. How does your answer to #1 fit into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies, and what are some tangible examples of this? Do you feel this is an important issue that needs to be addressed further?


I feel my answer to question one goes hand in hand with this topic. Now a days, countless numbers of people are using blogs to voice their opinions about various topics anywhere from sports to politics. The connectivity and anonymity, as I discussed in my answer to "The Mob", can be seen mostly as a positive part of the internet. People are able to have a voice and be honest, whether or not what they have to say is taken into consideration is a whole different story. However, these anonymous posts can't always be trusted. For example, someone can post a fallacy on their Twitter page and anyone who reads it could think it is true and use it as a source. This is why citing is so crucial. 


3. Define and describe the phenomenon of the Media echo-chamber as described in the Internet Debates. What are some examples of this silo effect, and do you believe it is an issue that need to be addressed? Why or Why not?

The media echo-chamber has been a very common phenomenon throughout world's history. Media echo-chamber is when a certain person tells a story (which is usually true), to another person or group of people. After the initial story, those who listened go on to spread it, and the chain reaction begins. Along the way, different parts of the story will be taken out and new parts added in, resulting in a story is significantly changed from the original. There are many proven examples and others that are not. For example, one of the most famous stories that is said to have been changed over the years are the stories of Jesus Christ. Many experts feel a media echo-chamber could be the reason we hear such amazing stories of him.


4. . What are some ways that expertise and authority could be (or is being) enforced on the internet? Who would be behind these forces? Why do you believe are they needed or not needed?


In the world we live in today, I feel it would be extremely difficult for there to be any further advancement in internet security or authority. To say there is zero authority online and that you can do whatever you please is nonsense, as seen in the recent arrest of two middle school kids in a town near where I live for their threatening facebook comments (Article). I honestly feel that the government or police officials have a certain boundary that cannot be crossed. Another good example is the Rutgers incident. When situations get that intense, authorities will almost always get involved. My opinion is that there is no need for any more authority on the internet, and when that certain line is crossed, then authority can step in and take action.




5. Give a through example of an adaptation or improvement made by a of a social, political, or cultural group, government, business or individual to keep up with changing nature of the internet.


Plenty of groups in today's society are using the internet to promote themselves, and why wouldn't they. With almost everyone connected online, it is the perfect way to get your name out there. It seems like Facebook is coming much more popular with companies and businesses using it for advertisements. The New York Yankees, along with many other sports teams, have their own page that can be used to discuss the team, buy tickets, and view the schedule, just to name a few. They have done a great job keeping up with the changing nature of the internet. 


6.  Is democracy threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet?


I think the opposite about democracy actually. I feel as if the unchecked nature of the internet keeps democracy intact by some means. The allowed anonymity of internet users allows a "democratic" way of people to say how they feel and voice their opinions. Severely limiting and patrolling the way people act online would do some good, but ultimately it would take away from the freedom that many users go online and use in a beneficial way. 

Responding to Michael Schwartz

I completely and 100% agree with your post.  I felt like you did a great job opening up and introducing your ideas with that first statement and then the following questions, and continued by transitioning into what you would be talking about. As far as the actual meat of the paper, I like how you broke it up into the positives and negatives, and actually your negatives were very similar to mine.  With the positives, you did a good job going through each of the social network and other technological advances that are commonly used in today’s world and explaining their significance. What I agreed with most came in your paragraph about the negatives. I noted it in my post too, and that is how it’s a shame that  we have all this technology that can be and for the most part is used in beneficial ways, but there are still people out there who decide to use it to release their anger and immaturity out on others simply because they can. Anonymity can be a helpful trait or a harmful one, and lately we’ve seen in the news how harmful it really can be. Overall I feel you did a great job with this post. 

The Mob

When you bring the possibility of anonymity together with our modern connectedness, it is almost inevitable that there will be misbehavior and cruelty. However, the blame for that is not to be on our connectivity, but rather on each user’s personal choices. The fact that you can post almost anything online completely anonymous can be pretty dangerous, but beneficial at the same time. However, this question is not solely based on anonymity.

            The first asks about unintended effects that are the result of our connectedness, and I feel like a novel can be written on this topic. Just recently, the Rutgers situation shows a perfect example of this. A student posted a video of his male roommate having sex with another male on the web, and as a result, his roommate committed suicide. Clearly, the student did not intend for this to be the result of his prank. While it was extremely cruel and heartless, I’m sure that was the last thing he expected to happen, and as a result, is facing criminal charges. Another example our connectivity causing negative results happened in a local high school near my hometown. A friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook of a girl getting beer poured into her mouth and down her shirt by two guys, and when the school saw it, they expelled her.

            Facebook has become a dangerous site nowadays. Colleges now are looking at students’ profiles and even rejecting students if they see material they don’t approve of. The same goes for many jobs hiring young adults. At home, I see kids who are applying to colleges having to change their Facebook display names so colleges won’t find them. I’m sure to adults who never grew up with Facebook or any of the other social networking sites that it would seem a little absurd, but it actually is necessary to do, as sad as that seems.

                        Now, to get back to anonymity, I don’t think it’s possible to put a label on whether it is beneficial or harmful. It has it’s pros and cons, but I feel the cons greatly outweigh anything that can be positive about it. Anonymity can be useful online when it comes to posting in blogs or threads about various topics and giving your opinions. On anything from sports to politics, you can join a chat and give your completely anonymous feelings toward the subject. However, that is overshadowed by the negativity that has been spread through anonymous posts on the internet. On such website as formspring.com and even the honesty box application on Facebook, people can go on a certain users site and bash them without there being any chance of being caught. So although our modern technology allows us to do this, it is each users own, personal and immature choice to use anonymity in a negative light.

            I feel that all of this is both the result and cause of societal discourse, if that makes sense. For instance, someone having a bad day or something could use the internet to take out their stress on someone else to feel empowered. However, this could easily cause a chain effect.  Let’s step away from anonymity for a second though. Just the simple fact of always being connected can be seen as the cause for such discourse, as demonstrated in the documentary. For all of us, it is safe to say it would be nearly impossible to live if our technology away. I myself ,for instance, feel like I’m lost when I don’t have my cell phone. Whenever I break it or lose it, I am forced to go a day or two without it. In this short period of time I  feel like I am in a different world, completely separated from the one I am used to. Now, I am not one of those people who multitask and are texting on their blackberry, on facebook, and checking email all at the same time, so I could never imagine what it would be like for them to lose their connectedness. The fact that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are like that in the world can be seen as a main cause of social discourse, for without their technology, they would be lost. 

Social Media and Web 2.0 Questions

1. I believe that amateur user-generated content will have more success in the near future. TV shows and advertisements have JUST began using this type of method and as of now production values have been dropping, but I feel it's only a matter of time that we will see a large improvement. People my age and the demographic within about ten or fifteen years older than me I feel are the majority of people focusing on such TV shows and advertisements, and we enjoy seeing content that we can relate to and that of which makes more sense to us. Being familiar with a product and seeing how it is useful to someone of my age would make me consider buying it, and same goes with watching a television show. My advice to these companies would be to continue using amateur user-generated content and be patient, the results you want will come.

2. As of right now, the only social media site I use is Facebook, and I use it quite often. I'm actually on it right now as I'm doing this assignment. It can be pretty addicting and I go on it pretty much every day. I used to have a MySpace, but then when everyone began switching to Facebook I didn't feel the need to have two. A lot of people hate Facebook, but it is actually so convenient. It is a great way to stay up to date with your friends. For instance, my buddies and I from High School have a thread where we talk to eachother all the time, share stories from college, etc. It's a great way to stay in touch. I cannot see the day where Facebook will die out, because everyone has one. Businesses now are starting to use them now to reach out to clients and advertise. So in my opinion, Facebook will be around for my entire lifetime.

3. Transparency is a very important topic for social media, and in my opinion, more controversial  than offline interaction. Being too open on the internet can cause a LOT of problems. Now a days, you can't just put any picture you want on your Facebook and expect people not to see it that you don't want to. Once it's online, it's pretty much open game. There are plenty of things that can go wrong if you are too open on the web, such as identity theft and people hacking your bank accounts. You can never be too careful with what you publish online. Another controversial issue is colleges not accepting kids due to their Facebooks. Now I see all my friends from High School misspelling their last names on purpose so colleges can't find them and see pictures of them drinking or any other risque photos. The same goes with jobs, as they can potentially do the same.

Project Part 2

My medium, the Xbox 360, is commonly known for being used for video games. However, its' capabilities go far beyond that. For instance, with an internet connection and Xbox Live subscription, a user can play another user who is located across the globe. With a headset they can speak to them while they play or even call them when they're not, just like a cell phone. If you choose to set up the camera that comes with the system, you can video chat as if you were on your laptop using Skype or Oovoo. The Xbox 360 can also play DVD's eliminating the need for a DVD player. You can download the Netflix app and watch TV series or other movies. So the Xbox 360 encompasses the capabilities of a TV, DVD player, cell phone, internet, and camera.

Project Part 1

The medium I chose to focus on is the Xbox 360.
The content includes: graphics, picture, controller, internet, camera, microphone, and text.

The message goes beyond just playing video games. The xbox 360 can be used for numerous reasons, including watching movies, TV shows, video chatting, talking with friends, and sending messages. It's various ways to communicate and entertain are taken from the capabilities of a TV, DVD players, telephone, and computer.

My image will illustrate how the Xbox 360 has some of the capabilities of all these products