Iconography of the U.S.

As an American who has traveled outside of the United States to other countries, I always felt at home with the sight of a Dunkin Donuts. Any of my friends who have traveled outside of the U.S., even those who have studied abroad found that when they got to a Dunkin Donuts while they were away they felt a sense of relief and felt like they were in America, no matter where they were in the world. Dunkin Donuts is an icon of the United States, here in North America and abroad in other countries.

Dunkin Donuts opened in Canton, Massachusetts. This brand became iconic to the United States with the marketing tools they implemented. They started a slogan, “America Runs on Dunkin” in 2006 and this is when it truly began to represent something special to first Americans, and second travelers abroad from America. Currently, Dunkin Donuts can be found in over 30 countries around the world.

The logo of a coffee cup that has the initials “DD” in the well-known orange and pink color scheme has become a mediascape across the globe. The logo has become so well known from this picture that it has become very comfortable to us all. One reason that we have all become so comfortable with the brand, internationally, may be due to the fact that it has been serving coffee across oceans for about 27 years now and has made a lasting impact. The marketing tools are also very inducing and we recognize the orange and pink from afar.

Although Americans will see the brand and immediately relate, they may not recognize the products inside of the store. Like any other product or business, it must change to fit the country that it is in and the people that it is serving. The difference will be seen in the products, like the Choco Nut Donut in Thailand or the Grapefruit Coolatta in Korea. But don’t worry, it will “Keep you running wherever you go.”

The cultural response to the Dunkin Donuts image is pretty positive across the board. The friendly like atmosphere and slogans keep the customers coming back for more, no matter where they are. In America the icon is accepted by many and even a place we can consider ‘close to home’ no matter where we are in the country, or world.

Dunkin Donuts does seem to have an American feel to it and may not be as accepted in Europe or somewhere that would prefer a different feel. Americans are not necessarily loved or hated anywhere but I can say that the eating habits of Americans may have a negative image attached in other countries that may be naturally more healthy or experience a different type of food custom. A coffee house that may be more accepted due to its worldly like experience and coffee from many countries may be Starbucks. It is also located globally, but already has a European coffee appeal in the U.S. Either way, they are both very iconic in America and abroad. 

The Brain/Pharma Ads

Viewing the 3D tour of the brain made me think about all of the times that I hit my head and since I recently hit my head very hard in the front I was more interested in learning about this area of the brain. Luckily I found out it is not as important as some other sides of the brain. Clicking on each section and being able to read a concise paragraph about that part’s function helped me understand the brain and its functions more than I did before. I have taken some psychology classes and have learned about the brain so I knew some of the information but I definitely learned a lot from the 3D tour.  I think that the information was easy to learn on this website because it is not fancy doctor terms or anything too difficult, the language used is definitely aimed at a general audience and the visual of the brain helps me connect what I am reading with my own brain and see what parts of my own head are very important.

I do think that this is a good example of the idea that the “truth can be made visible” because as Michel Foucault determined, it is experimenting, measuring, analyzing and ordering that help us see the truth through vision. I think that being able to study the brain like this is the truth being made visible. As the example in the textbook points out a brain with no drug use and a brain with drug use look very different and this is the truth being shown in a visible picture. There is solid evidence that the brain of someone who uses drugs differs from the brain of someone who does not use drugs.

The Advil advertisement had a checklist of symptoms that the medicine is supposed to cure. The list includes headaches, backache, muscle ache, menstrual pain and minor arthritis pain. It also has the slogan “the every pain reliever.” The list of symptoms that Advil treats is listed with check marks and is the main attraction to the ad. Advil apparently works wherever it hurts.

There is actually no list of side effects on this advertisement, which I am surprised about. If you read the bottle there are many side effects listed, probably more than the amount of symptoms it is meant to treat. The advertisement promises the consumer that their pain will be relieved if they take this medication. The pill bottle promotes what the pill will look like and creates brand recognition; whenever someone sees a bottle like this one they will associate it with Advil. The copy on this advertisement is plain, simply and clear that it will relieve whatever pains the consumer is experiencing. Even the colors used are meant to make the consumer memorize that Advil is associated with these exact colors.Even though this advertisement doesn’t have people in it to sympathize with, I think that it is just as effective because it is an upbeat ad and it is familiar to us. 

Pastiche

Pastiche as defined in our vocabulary list is an aspect of postmodern style —that of plagiarizing, quoting, and borrowing from previous styles with not reference to history or a sense of rules. 

We see pastiche in today’s media all of the time but we do not realize or acknowledge that it is a remaking of something from the past. The Simpsons is a cartoon television show that frequently takes popular culture and makes parodies in their episodes. In the example that I chose, The Simpsons is clearly a pastiche of the famous movie, The Shining. In the photo attached it is clear that the scenes were directly taken in the cartoon from the movie. The cartoon itself though is taking a seriously scary movie and making it into a humorous part of an episode.

This pastiche that I chose is one with parody. The Simpsons is a cartoon show that is known for making fun of popular culture and situations that are relevant and serious. In the past this show has made fun of celebrities with serious problems involving drugs or alcohol as we all political situations that would be considered quite serious by many adults. This show is definitely aimed at a lighter audience that is more ‘in touch’ with the issues but wouldn’t be offended by the humor found within it.

The Shining is seen as a seriously scary film that was created in 1980. The parody pastiche of The Simpsons on this movie questions the status of the original film because it takes the scenes out of context where one used to find it frightening and makes it humorous for the same group of people to laugh at. I find it interesting that the same scenes can draw different emotions just because of the context in which the scene is taking place.

The Graph Jam website is a pastiche because it is a place for people to compile information about popular culture and the history if it. The information itself is not necessarily clear and it takes an understanding of history of popular culture to completely understand the graphs. The whole website is about issues that are going on and giving a funny twist to how we look at these issues. It’s a funny website.

This is a pastiche with parody because there is a sense of humor behind the graphs. Although the issues that the graphs may represent are serious, there is a funny nature behind them that is understood by those who understand what the underlying issue is, that it is trying to represent.

These graphs lay out information from pop culture in a clearer and funny way. For instance, there may be a graph about how we put our money in a bank and we give them our money in fees. Although this is something we understand we are doing, we don’t think about how funny the concept is until it is laid out in a graph on this website. It’s a system that we abide by, but the graph questions the fact that we overlook the idiocy of the system. 

Culture Jamming

I chose this particular advertisement because I disagree with most clothing ads that showcase a rail thin girl in their clothing. First of all, a regular person who is not so thin will not look like that in their clothing and secondly, no one wants to look like that. I worked for a retail company as an intern in their marketing department and the clothes that they chose went on the models that they chose because they say the research they have done on their target market says that the 70+ group would be more likely to buy clothes on a person who looks how they want to look. I don’t know anyone who wants to look so frail and sick.

The signifier in this advertisement is the body posing of the woman. She is frail looking and very passive. I chose to change this ad and create the new one to take on the role of détournement. The new representation of the advertisement is antagonistic compared to the first ad. When I looked at the original advertisement all I could see was an ad for anorexia, an eating disorder.

I used the girl in the advertisement the same as she was because her positioning and what the clothes looked like on her were already perfect for an eating disorder advertisement. To be honest, I haven’t seen any eating disorder advertisements but there should be more of those and less like the original Ralph Lauren ad. The original ad is sending off a bad image for women and girls who like that brand.

In more recent times, it seems to me that most of the women that are considered role models have more curves and are proud of them, like the Kardashian sisters or Scarlet Johanson. Those are the type of women that should be publicized in advertisements like this, but showing off their curves not trying to look sickly. There has been a lot of media attention recently towards women who are too skinny, like Lindsay Lohan in some recent years, but the brands that use these stick models don’t get the negative feedback. And this tells them its okay to do.

I chose the copy that I did because I envisioned this type of advertisement in a health clinic or at a doctor’s office, like the ones that they already have about alcohol or drug abuse. The copy that I chose was to make it less of a ‘you’re anorexic’ advertisement and more of a ‘if you need help’ positive advertisement.

The oppositional reading will hopefully make the point that some of the clothing advertisements go a little too far with the severity of their models body images. I want it to be known that it is not okay to look like that girl and that maybe Photoshop had something to do with what her body looks like. As long as the point of the new text on this advertisement says ‘its not okay’ and ‘its not normal’.

Media Tracking

The form of media, which I used the most, was Facebook. I used it almost once every two hours that I was awake because it is very accessible on my phone and it is entertaining when I am bored at work or walking from class to class. But for as often as I do log on, I only visit the media site for less than 5 minutes at a time so I would say that I was on that social media site for less than 3 hours in the duration of this assignment. I watched television for about three hours in the 48 hours and it was mostly right before I was going to bed or while I was getting ready for the day in the early morning (more like background noise).

The least form of media that I used was Page Six from the New York Post. I read this media site when I am home because my mother reads it and she will tell me about stories I would be interested in. I logged on for less than 5 minutes one time in the 48 hours that I was tracking my media usage. Other than that I used Twitter for less than 2 hours each day because as much as I do look at my Twitter and Facebook accounts, I don’t stay on for long periods of time. If I do stay on long its to read a story that’s trending or look at pictures a friend posted.

I spent all of my waking hours communicating with another person or people. I am in a constant text conversation with multiple friends and by constant I mean that it never ends throughout the entire day. I checked my e-mail three times a day (6 total) over the past 48 hours because I have to be up-to-date on all of my e-mails incase something important comes up or a class is cancelled J. I spent less than two hours speaking on a phone call though which is interesting because I am constantly on my phone, just not speaking directly with another person, mostly texting, checking Twitter, Facebook and my e-mail.

I spent a short amount of time using one-way media because I don’t have a lot of free time to sit and watch a television or listen to the radio. I listened to the radio for one hour each day (2 hours total) because I drove for one hour each day during this 48 hour period. In the car I use the radio for background noise, I’m not one to blast it.

I would be lying if I said I was surprised about the amount of media I used in the past 48 hours because my major is communications and I am naturally a social media person, since it is what my career will be. I will not decrease or increase my media usage because it’s a part of my career. If anything it will naturally increase as I enter the working world in public relations. 

Creative Commons

A website that allows for people to post what they want without copyright to worry about is a great idea. The “vision” of this website is to achieve universal access to knowledge about culture, research and education. The website is international and I truly believe that this can help the world understand everything that is going on, in all places around the globe. The actual mission of the company is that is develops, supports and stewards legal and technical infrastructure that maximizes digital creativity, sharing and innovation.

The Creative Commons website alters the way we understand ownership and copyright because it creates a place for people to go to share knowledge and allow for others to copy. The main part of it is that it allows for people to use the information. For example, I read a case study on Nine Inch Nails The Slip and they posted songs for people to listen to completely for free and it wasn’t just a 30 second clip! They posted the whole song. From a public relations perspective (which is my major) this is a brilliant way to gain followers and attract attention.

I may be thinking of this with a public relations spin to it because that’s what I study but I think that this affects the work of others in a positive way. Another case study I read on this website was about a website, www.gotoknow.org which was created in Thailand for people to share knowledge about anything with each other. I think that this would be a great way for a non-profit group to get the word out about their missions, or really any other organization. I think that the subjects of a work are definitely affected in a positive way because this is optional and each user is aware of what this site stands for.

The Creative Commons license would have altered the works cited in the text of Gone with the Wind because when the end of the copyright protection was in the near future, outside writers were hired to write sequels to this book. Instead of the copyright being prolonged, the characters themselves became the protected expressions of an idea. The creative commons license would have enabled the book to be reproduced as opposed to how it actually is, which is that they cannot be reproduced.

I don’t think that the Creative Commons project would afford protection to the right of publicity because as we learned in the Bela Lugosi situation, publicity is strongly protected. Celebrities who have personas or likeness that they are specifically known for have the right to convert their personal image into a property right. I don’t think that any celebrities would give up the rights to their own personality or image because that is a true income for them, like for example Kim Kardashian who is in a lawsuit currently for a company using her persona in a commercial.

The Creative Commons project is a great way to gain publicity or to bring out ideas but in recent years there have been many restrictions with copyright and ownership, especially in music. How will musicians or actors make an income? They need their rights and for us to purchase their creative works. 

The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh 1889

Self-Portrait

The photo of myself differs from the symbolic representation on me in many ways. First, the photo of me only shows what I look like, not what I like do to. The icons and symbols that were put together in the representation that describes me is symbolic for what I like to do and what makes me. The photo of myself shows my face and my hair and eye color, but there is no explanation as to whom I am and what events occurred in my life to get me to that place.  Another thing that differs is the look of the photos. Although they are both me, one is physically me and one is things that make me. The ‘physical me’ is there and behind my smile is everything that you see in the second photo that is just a representation. The second representation of me is not all of me, there is much more than meets the eye or than I will admit. These are just a few symbols and ideas that have carried with me throughout my life.

A viewer’s perspective of these symbols can change who they think I am. A viewer and myself may not see eye to eye on the meaning of some of the images that I chose.

The areas of intersection between the photo and the collage that represents me lay in the energy that I give off. From my smile you can see that I am happy, which is what the balloons represent. Other than that, there are not many other areas of intersection with these two different representations of me. From just looking at the photos there are not many areas of intersection especially because it is just a headshot.

The photos that I chose represent me because they are from my roots and they have are symbols that have expressed who I am throughout my entire life, none of them are temporary. I chose the state of New Jersey because this is where I was born and raised, specifically in Bergen County. I chose to use a picture of a cheerleader because I cheered for my school and town for my entire upbringing until graduating high school; it was a major part of my life. I chose the balloons because I like to party but the busy desk picture represents how hard working I am both with my schoolwork and with my out of school jobs.  I chose the movie reel because I love to watch movies and when I was younger I really enjoyed writing and directing my own movies with friends and family.

In my photo my smile describes me rationally. I am a very happy person and I like to keep my spirits high especially when others aren’t. My smile tells about my kind and generous personality as well as about my openness. I have been called disarming based on my smile by multiple strangers in the past. It’s just a feature that tells my whole personality. 

Spectatorship and Power Relationships in Advertising

For the Ralph Lauren advertisement that represents a single person, the subject appears to be relaxing and unaware that she is the object of the photo. Besides the fact that she is clearly posing for a photo shoot, it is apparent that she is resting from a long bike ride. From the environment surrounding her it seems to be that she went on a motorcycle ride into the dessert and is resting. She seems to be in the middle of nowhere but she also has a presence that seems very aware of her surroundings. 

She seems as though she is not being watched or looked at by anyone. She doesn’t have direct contact with the camera and is appearing to be leaning against the motorcycle and looking out in the distance at something that is unseen by the spectator. 

Certain characteristics in the advertisement of the model and the environment support my point. First, the environment is very natural and rough. The floor is dirty and seemingly untouched as if the spot was chosen for the advertisement, not created for the advertisement. Another supporting factor is that the model is not looking at the camera. If this same photo was taken but there were many people in the picture she would still be the main focus without trying. The photographer wanted her to look as though she is taking a rest from riding her motorcycle so she is just leaning her body against her bike. 

In the second advertisement there are multiple people but only 3 faces of those people can be seen. The woman holding her bag has more power than the other people and it is apparent for many reasons. First, although not the only woman in the picture, she is the only woman whose face can be seen. Her skin is glowing as the sun bounces off of her face. She has the most skin showing as opposed to the other people in this advertisement who do not have much skin showing. She is the only person facing the front of this photo and she has a very powerful position. Her body is long and her chest faces the front of the photo making her appear assertive and powerful. 

 

Evidence in this advertisement that supports the claim that this female character hold the power would be that the males are both facing away from the front of the picture looking out and down. The female in the front of the photo is in movement whereas the other characters are sitting still almost placed as mannequins that she seems to be moving around their existence. 

Her gaze out in the distance creates a line pulling out that draws the eye to her alignment of the body. As a spectator, the eyes are drawn to this golden woman who seems to be holding all of the power of the advertisement in her body and expression.

Appropriation

Appropriating artwork is not stealing ideas but rather just borrowing and changing the meaning. This can been seen in many places throughout history in artwork, poetry, famous quotes, etc. There are many examples of appropriating throughout art in our modern culture as seen with many political campaigns and business strategies.

The poster that exclaimed, “Keep Calm and Carry On” was created with the start of World War II by the British government. The purpose of the poster was to increase the public’s ethics in case of an attack or invasion. The poster was originally created in 1939 and was one of three different motivation posters released to the public by the government. The artist of this poster is unknown to this day as this poster was just rediscovered in the year 2000 by Barter Books. It is believed that most of these posters were destroyed at the end of the war.

This poster has been appropriated many times in many ways. When the poster was rediscovered it became a trend. Many companies used the same poster idea beginning with the “keep calm” but ending with their own demand such as “Keep calm and drink coffee” for a café. A few examples are “Keep calm and buy stuff” and “Keep calm and have a cupcake.” These are the poster appropriated because it is the same idea just changing of the slogan. The poster fonts and sizes are usually the same as the original, just different slogans and sometimes-different images than the original crown.

The new meaning through the appropriated poster can be anything because there are so many different appropriations of this artwork. It depends on what it is being used for but there have been many different appropriations, almost too many to list. The meaning changes but the layout and the “jingle” do not change throughout the uses of the poster.

“Keep calm and carry on” has become a pop culture phenomenon throughout America with everything from posters to cups and t-shirts with a picture of the poster and slogan (varying slogans). It is a commonly seen poster in college dorm rooms as well as in places of business.

The poster and slogan were commercialized for modern culture. In 2011 a company registered the slogan as a “community trade mark” but there are concerns because the slogan was used before the registration was placed. Then it was determined that it could not be trademarked because the words “are too widely used for one person to own the exclusive rights” (wikipedia).

Appropriation in my opinion, can keep history relevant and this British poster is the perfect example of that act. Not only can new day artists recognize great historical artists but also the appreciation for that art form and the era is clearly shown through the appropriation. There have been many great artworks appropriated including that of Andy Warhol, Alfred Hitchcock and even the British government.

Looking at Icons in Our Society

What or who is iconic? Why? What shared meaning do icons hold for us?


According to Peirce, iconic signs "resemble their object in some way." The book tells us that this definition considers paintings, drawings, comics, photographs, film and television images iconic. Later on in the reading though, an icon is described as an image that refers to something outside of its individual components, something that has a significant symbolic meaning for many people. Icons can represent a concept, emotion or meaning. Something that is culture specific or represents an era or area may be seen as iconic or as something of a greater meaning. These things become iconic to us because they are perceived as implying something deeper or more meaningful. 


From the text:
“Icon is an image that refers to something outside of its individual components, something (or someone) that has great symbolic meaning for many people . . . Image icons are experienced as if universal, but their meanings are always historically and contextually produced.”


Find a print advertisement (magazines are usually best for this) that uses an image icon. 

1. What or who is the image icon?


The image icon is a well-known singer, Beyonce Knowles who began her career in the group Destiny's Child but became an independent artist a few years later. 


2. What “universal” concepts, emotions, and meanings does it/he/she hold?


Since the beginning of Beyonce's career she has been projecting the image that she is a "fighter" and a strong woman. She gives off the impression that she is very independent and she is in charge. She has been a powerful influence for young girls who want to follow in her footsteps and become independent. Her music lyrics usually have lines that are empowering to females, "I'm a survivor, I'm going to work harder, I'm going to make it."


3. How does the advertiser connect these to the product/service being sold?


The advertiser uses an image of the singer standing tall with a microphone and spotlights on her. She seems powerful and large in the image as if the product is made for independence whereas most fragrance ads that I have seen will have a sexual woman or a "damsel in distress." They use her persona to send the message that the perfume will make you a strong individual woman.


4. Does it persuade you? Why or why not?


It does not persuade me because I do not like Beyonce but it does send me the message that this particular fragrance is meant for stronger women. 

Design Query

Courtesy of Chris Clarendon…

Is there a difference between “Art” and “Design” or are they one and the same?

Personally I believe there is a difference between art and design, they're not one and the same.

If they’re not the same, what’s the difference?

What is defined as "art" would be up to the viewer or as they say, "in the eyes of the beholder." and can be intentional or not intentional, where as I believe "design" is something planned and put together to be viewed in a certain way. A design is meant to be art but art can be anything. If that makes sense.

In your description of the difference, do you ever find yourself using terms such as “self-expression,” “function,” “monetary compensation,” “form,” “commission,” “meaning” or “aesthetics”?

Not exactly those terms but "form" can be inserted into my explanation of the difference. 

If you use any of these terms when defining the difference, are any exclusive to either “Art” or “Design”?

"Form" can be used for both art and design because they are both forms in my mind. 

If you wanted a nice picture to hang on a wall in your home, do you think you could produce it yourself after a sufficient amount of art education?

Yes, anything can be considered art in my definition. I could hang paintings from the six year old I babysit as art if that is how I see it. 

When you hire someone to do something for you that involves making aesthetic decisions, do you worry about getting your money’s worth?

I haven't been put in the position where I have to do that yet but if I paid for someone to make those decisions for me I would definitely be cautious to choose someone who can use an open mind and make decisions based off of my personal likes and dislikes as opposed to someone who can't stray away from their own views and design ideas. 

If you own an automobile, which is more important: how it looks or how it drives?

I do own a car, how it drives is most important because if it doesn't work how it is supposed to or I don't like the way I feel when I drive it then it isn't serving its purpose for me. 

Have you ever lived with an object you initially thought was ugly and then changed your mind about it after a period of time?

Yes, my mother's car. 

What changed your mind?

After a while, I got used to how it looked because I used it everyday and I started to like the style when at first I wasn't into two door cars.