Friday, December 5, 2008
Journal 12
Journal 11
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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Journal 10
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
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Monday, December 1, 2008
Journal 12
I've learned that taking a second look at media can be rewarding, and sometimes it's not worth it. As far as advertisements go, If I really think about one, I will start to analyze it more than I used to.

Journal 12

A lot has changed in my writing since this semester. I really think that I have improved a lot in my writing. Although it has not been easy the writing assignments in the class have been helpful and helped me a lot with my writing skills. I have learned to analyze things more closely and pay attention to some things that I wouldn't have before. At first I thought the assignments were difficult and I didn't think that I would be able to complete them, but when I took the time to think about the topic and come up with some ideas, it became easy. I will continue to look at things from a different perspective because that has been very useful in aiding me with writing the paper that were assigned. There were many things in class that helped me improve my writing. I think that work shopping the papers was very helpful and it helped improve them. I learned that media is not always what we think it is, and you have to learn how to look at the media from different perspectives besides your own. Now I analyze everything more than before, and it is very helpful not just with writing, but with everything. I am more aware of how the media appeals to different audiences, and how they get those particular audiences to become more interested in whatever it is that they're advertising. All of the class assignments have been both helpful and useful to me, and I think that the techniques I've learned will be used in many other classes and for many other assignments.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Journal 11
As for our group project I was not able to see everyones ads due to going out of town. The magazine part though was not too difficult. It did not take long to come up with the idea of our magazine or the set up of cover and table of contents. I hope the rest of the project runs as smooth as it started out to be.
Journal 11
It didn't take me long to think of an advertisement to make an anti-ad for. Basically, I tried to think an ad, or company, that is so ridiculous and over the top with its promises and false presentations. I think if you looked up ‘over the top and ridiculous’ in the dictionary, a picture of a TrimSpa ad would be in the definition. With body image so important in our society right now, this anti-ad is appropriate for the issues young women are being challenged with. It was fun to make an anti-ad that resembled the original ad but replaced the pictures and words with ones that negate the words in the original.
For the group project, it wasn’t too hard to develop an appropriate magazine to incorporate all of the anti-ads but for one we had to manipulate an article into making it work.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Journal 11
My groups' ad's ideas aren't bad. I haven't seen them, but the concepts seem great. As far as putting them together, that's not hard at all. Just throw em' together.

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Monday, November 24, 2008
anti ad
JOURNAL 11
Controversies
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Sunday, November 23, 2008
Journal 11
Please post this journal by the END OF THE DAY on Wednesday, November 26.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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Journal 10
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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Actually, I don't think there are ever white mountains. When the sun is behind them, they're black, and when the sun is shining on them they're their natural colors -unless- it's really cold and there's snow.

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Hills like What?

Monday, November 10, 2008
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
Journal 10: Due Wednesday
Monday, November 3, 2008
journal-9
the aid that came to mind was one that just came out. Its the Dwyane Wade commercial about how he is always getting hurt and he not going to be the player he once was and that he was a waste of darft pick. The thing that catches my attention is the fact that Dwyane its paying attention to what is being said, its like he has something to prove.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yADhJ7q85xw
This one gets me evertime. I think that evoking these kinds of emotions is the job of the advertising companies. For sure, if there commercials don't evok any kind of emotion out of a person they aren't going to buy their product.
This definitely grabbed my attention because this guy just runs around hitting people, and it's funny. The commercials that grab my attention most of the time are funny or stupid commercials. Or commercials with hot girls. Sports do it for me too.
Journal 9
I remember those stupid Herbal Essences Shampoo commercials from a while back. They were just so over the top and awkward to watch around family members that it'd hard to forget them. Shampooing your hair DOES NOT feel that good. But hey, it caught my attention. Also, the iPod commercials are really cool. They combine catchy music with silhouetes dancing on a solid color to produce some trippy visuals that you cant help but watch.
I dont like the new commercials for Nintendo DS games. It's just two ditzy girls playing random games and having idle conversation about them. Thats it. It just seems soooo bland and boring.
Anyways, I think that its ok for advertising companies to capitalize off of how we analyze these images. They arent meant to be read into too deeply, theyre supposed to deliver the message to buy a product, and u cant get mad at a company that knows how to do that well
Journal 9
Usually the Geico commercials with the talking gecko get my attention. I like them because they are usually pretty funny and the lizard has a pretty awesome British accent. The commercials catch your attention by making a lovable character and making it so that you don't even realize they are trying to sell car insurance. They will have a Steve Irwin imposter spying on the gecko while he talks to someone about their car insurance. Through the jokes and everything they still get their message through that 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on can insurance, I'm sure most people think that when they think about Geico.
I don't like commercials that are for like life insurance or something that show a little kid with his father. The little boy is watching T.V. and sees a commercial for life insurance and then asks his dad if they have it. The dad turns to his kid and smiles and says yes son we do; and the little boy smiles and says good! This tries to inspire parents to get life insurance and if they don't it somehow means they are bad parents and don't care about their children.
I don't think we can blame the companies for capitalizing because we aren't thinking critically. I think it is our own fault if we become mindless drones and get sucked into the commercials for the entertainment value.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Journal 9
In the last couple weeks, a new commercial came out and really caught my attention. I was laughing hystrically for 5 minutes after this commercial. The commercial is for Guitar Hero and features 4 famous athletes playing in a band. Kobe Bryant, Tony Hawk, A Rod, and Micheal Phelps are hilarius in the commercial and show that anyone can play and have fun. They even use the Risky Business idea that makes it even more funny. We are very responsible for our own critical thinking because thats what helps make the commercials so funny, only if you actually watch and analyze them.
Journal 9
The whole objective of this was to find voice recordings that told a side story that were related to the first and second Halo. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get involved until close to the launch of Halo 2, so I missed out on a lot of details concerning AI and the other characters involved.
I will forever remember this because of the reality of actors interacting with their fans and such.

Journal 9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwRISkyV_B8
Journal 9

The only ads that I see on a regularly basis that I actually enjoy watching are the "Messin With Sasquatch" Jack Link's beef jerky commercials. I think everyone that this company has come out with our hilarious and they always make me laugh hysterically. Another reason why I like these commercials so much is the fact that they all take place outside in the woods in the middle of nowhere. I like the woods. So when commercials take place inside and are advertising the latest cleaning supplies, I am bored out of my mind and angry that the commercial is not funny. And if you think about it, an average commercial lasts about 30 seconds. So this short time frame better be full of some entertaining dialogue and action that catches my attention because if it doesnt immediately, I will surely change the channel to something more intriguing.
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Saturday, November 1, 2008
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Friday, October 31, 2008
Journal 9
*Your journal posts have been a little bland lately- remember, you should feel free to use links, pictures, and creative text presentations to visually reinforce your point*
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My style is definitely something that is subject to change depending on the audience. If I am writing for school I can have a very formal style, but if writing an e-mail to a friend, it will be informal. I don't necessarily think about the style as I'm writing, it has just become common to change it depending on the purpose. Voice is another thing that can be changed and is heavily weighted on my audience. A great example would be the exercise we did in class the other day given our different scenarios. In one scenario I was supposed to be writing to my teacher about a bad grade she gave me; in the other to my friend about how I thought it was unfair. The two were outrageously different in both style and voice. I think most people change their style in voice without even realizing it depending on their audience.
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Thursday, October 30, 2008
Journal 8
I guess my style would change depending on my audience. I would try not to use big words or words, strong symbolism, or tough concepts when attempting to capture the attention of kids in elementary school.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Journal 8
Journal 8: due Friday 10/31
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Journal 7
Audiencej
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The media is an even better example of how writing changes according to audience. The media targets certain audiences and addresses them in specific ways. In my paper I discussed how Surfing Magazine targets avid surfers and fans to buy an issue. Their advertisements use similar tactics to help the consumer buy certain products.
Journal 7
But, if I were to take the audience into account, I think it would be a big part. I mean, I don't want to write a paper gory war if it were going to be read by little kids, and I wouldn't want to write about a talking teddy bear that likes honey and has a tiger with a springy tail if I were writing for adults.
Audience is a HUGE part for media and advertising. Take commercials for Sketchers for instance. Their younger line-up ads have cartoon super heroes and what not that should appeal to the younger audience.
I really like what the author of “The Role of Audience” said about writing for a teacher. I guess it helps a bit to put myself in their shoes to see what they might be looking for.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
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Jouranl 7
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Monday, October 20, 2008
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Journal 7: Due Wednesday 10/22
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
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For my website, i chose the Fable 2 launch center on ign.com. My topic is about video game magazines, and the cover article features Fable 2. The launch center has a timer counting down to the game's release, as well as photo and video galleries. There is also a list of videos on the launch page that shows assorted aspects of gameplay or interviews with the creator. The use of visuals on this page help to make it more interesting to look at, and help show what all of the videos are about. I feel that this site shows a great deal of accurate and up-to-date news on the topic. The creator of the site obviously put alot of care into making it, as they knew that their target audience would be expecting something of high quality
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http://fsu.edu/
Journal 6
Myspace is a great way to see how visual and textual are in relation with music.(rap)
I have that one of the artists I listen to has a myspace page. Just about everything on his page matches him. His page also matches his style of music. His music mostly talks about how real of a person the artists is and the street life. He used text as a way to put out to fans that he is real by putting "Da Realist" on his page. Also by having money showed all ober his page because that is what the street life is about. Making and getting money.
Journal 6
My essay analyzes the relationship between the text and visuals of the Backpacker magazine. I went to the main page of backpacker.com and was pleased to find all the details I have been describing in my essay. Their was a picture of a backpacker in the middle and he was in some remote area with giant mountains behind him. Also, their were advertisements surrounding the picture, along with other backpacking related videos. Myspace and Facebook are often helpful ways to get to know people better because you can always list your interests or post videos of activities you like to participate in. It is not always an accurate way to find out about someone however. Also, I believe it is easier to relate to pictures on a webpage, due to the fact that they always seem to grab my attention faster than written text. However, this is not the case in all types of situations when visual text and written text are shown together.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Journal 6
I chose GodSpeaks.com because it is directly related to my topic. Seeing as how my topic is incredibly broad, this website fits into one of the categories nicely.
The web page itself is quite discrete in that it is just like the billboards themselves. One of the first images you see on the site is a billboard with sayings that change every few seconds. The layout of the page is incredibly simple, which fits the text discription at the top of the site:



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My paper relates the the visual content of the newspaper. The link above is connected to the newspaper back where I'm from. This website really shows how visuals and text interact. The first thing you see is a the bold headline and a picture. The site provides differnet tabs for each section of the newpaper. When you click one of the tabs, more articles are given to choose from. You can click on really anything to read more about the subject. Different colors are seen right away as you go onto the site. It is some what coded with major healdines in blue and less important articles in black. I think this is a clever technique used by Tampa Tribune to distinguish what the major topics are. The colors catch a reader's eye right when they view the page. Many websites use color and font size, like this one, to advertise and promote different things.
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http://budweiser.com/index.aspx
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Seeing how my topic is on the relation between the image of book covers and the actual text, I choose to use this blog. The posts show readers what other people think are good book covers along with one that aren’t so good. I picked this because part of my paper talks about how the image of a book's cover is often what draws a reader into it. The image has to be a strong to spark the reader’s interest. This blog shows that the image of a cover really does make a difference; one post even makes a comment about the illustrations of the cover.
Journal 6
9/11
The topic of my paper is (or will be once I get all my thoughts together) is September 11, 2001. The website posted above is a website meant to help children understand what happened on 9/11. The facts are correct but not very exact. Instead of saying the exact number, it estimates. The colors of the whole page are red, white, and blue, the most obvious point of patriosism the article contains. For a child this is a great page. It gives them a general idea of the events without burdening them with too much information. Although the page is pretty crowded with other links and whatnot it is it is still appealing to the eye. It’s important that the people realize that webpage’s can be created by anyone, with different opinions and incorrect facts. Facebook and Myspace are created by that person themselves and therefore are only reflective of what the person wants the world to think of them. Anything else can be deleted. Take pictures for example, an attractive picture can be deleted and the one in a million shot of a not so attractive person actually looking good is put up and therefore the world think they are good-looking. Misleading. Pictures are different in words. Words give you straight facts. Usually people cannot argue with facts and therefore they are important. Pictures however give emotion, something words may have trouble evoking. The pictures give the words meaning and they are dependent on each other.