Seriously Reebok?

Last year a controversial Reebok add was posted at Reebok’s partner gyms in Germany. The advertisement read “Cheat on your girlfriend, not on your workout.” This add offended many women across the world and was looked at as “disrespectful,” which later resulted in Reebok removing the add and apologizing to those who felt insulted by the add. 

As a women, I am very offended by the add but I don’t find it surprising that a company would launch something like this. I believe that this is a form of offensive advertising that should have never been displayed. What about the female customers of Reebok? Are they suppose to come second to a workout? 

Many people sent letters to the company expressing how they felt about the add. Here’s my letter to the CEO of Reebok Uli Becker. 

Mr. Uli Becker,

I am writing this letter in regards to your recent Reebok add posted in your gym’s located in Germany. “Cheat on your girlfriend, not on your workout.” Really? This seems a little odd to me. Are you saying that mean should value the time they spend in the gym more than they value a relationship with their girlfriend? Or are you saying you should respect your workout plan more than your girlfriend?

This form of advertisement shows a disrespectful and dishonest attitude toward women and your company should be ashamed to provide this type of advertisement. Did you really think that this would be perceived any other way?

Should your female customers “cheat on their boyfriend, not on their workout?”  Or do you want them to accept the fact that you are promoting disrespect and infidelity? 

As a women I find it extremely offensive that you would advertise cheating as if it is okay. When was it ever okay?

This has clearly brought you all publicity but is it the type of publicity you would want as a company? I think it would be best if you choose not to disseminate this message because your fan base is at risk. Many people like myself will no longer support your product because of the disrespectful and heartless message.

 Anonymously,

An offended customer. 

Fixng Brown’s Biggest Mistake

One of the most controversial young celebrity couples with out a doubt would have to be Chris Brown and Rihanna. After looking like the ideal couple in 2008 the pair had a run in with domestic violence when Chris Brown assaulted the International star on the night of the 2009 Grammy Awards. 

So many people showed Rihanna support after the incident. Celebrities and fans reached out to her in numerous ways and oddly this helped her launch her career and become the Pop International Superstar that she is today. 

After this incident Chris Brown lost a lot of respect from fellow artist, fans, and people of the music business. Radio stations would no longer play his songs, his videos were no longer played on television channels, and he was no longer allowed to attend award shows. He was at the top of his career and was suddenly forced to start all over after making a terrible decision. 

This event has caused a spiral of negative publicity for Chris Brown over the years. Eventhough time has passed and Rihanna has forgiven Brown for what he did, he can’t say the same for everyone else. 

There are numerous Chris Brown hate pages, articles, and Tumblr accounts across the web. Many people spend hours on twitter sending outrageous tweets to his personal account. In some cases he replies, and his responses are never really nice.  This gives Chris Brown more publicity but it’s not the publicity that he wants.

As a public relations professional I would stress the fact that it is not possible to please everyone. He has already disappointed so many people that not everyone will have positive things to say about him. 

Next, I would work on letting him know what is appropriate and inappropriate to say in public. In this case the less you say the better. The same goes for twitter. We would actually use his twitter account for promoting different things that he is doing instead of for leisure. In this case this is one of the best things for him.

Since Rihanna has forgiven him and acknowledged the fact that everyone makes mistakes I would try to have her say positive things about him when asked questions interviews and have her let the world know that she has forgiven him and it is okay for everyone else too.

It was said that Chris Brown came from a home that endured domestic violence. He watched his father abuse his mother when he was a child so the cycle repeated itself in this case. I would look into partnering with an organization for children who come from homes that contain domestic violence or start a personal organization that helps people cope with domestic violence that they saw as a child.  As well as donate money to organizations for battered woman and talk to children who are experiencing the same things that he did as a child. 

 Of course everyone will not be accepting of the things that Chris Brown does and he will be scrutinized no matter what. Organizations may not accept his donations or want anything to do with him. Fans may not believe that he has changed and continue trashing his name.  People may accept the fact that Rihanna has forgiven him but continue to dislike him. 

I believe that these strategies meet the PRSA Ethics Code and could possibly help Chris Brown restart his career. These tactics could help him appear in the media for positive things instead of every article being negative and providing another reason for people to judge him. 

 

Can’t Get Enough of Mrs. Carter

Whether you love her or hate her you cannot deny the fact that Beyonce’ is an excellent performer and a savvy businesswomen.  With endorsements from companies such as Pepsi, L’Oreal, and Vizio many jump at the chance to have the captivating performer endorse their products. 

In March H&M announced a new partnership for its summer campaign with global superstar Beyonce’.  The singer would appear in television and print ads featuring pieces from the H&M summer collection.

The print, and out door billboards introduce Beyonce’ as “Mrs. Carter in H&M.”  The main theme for the campaign is that women can be all things: strong, vulnerable, sensual, maternal, fun and flirtatious.

With that being said the commercial shows Mrs. Carter on a beach in the Bahamas, her latest single Standing on The Sun plays in the background as she dances and models H&M’s new summer line.  The concept of the commercial is to capture the different emotions of women represented by the four elements – fire, water, earth and wind. 

The commercial typically runs in the late afternoon, while the ads are in magazines and on billboards. H&M knew exactly what they were doing by snagging Beyonce’ for this campaign. After taking time off while pregnant with her daughter Blue Ivy, her fans are ready to see her in as many ways as possible. Of course members of the “Beyhive” (Beyonce’s fan base) are going to be the first ones in line to purchase the swimwear.

H&M uses demographics to study the characteristics of women to reach its audience with this campaign. They are trying to show that women can be all things and help bring out confidence in every women

H&M did an excellent job with putting this campaign together and reaching its audience. As soon as rumors started to swirl about a possible collaboration with Beyonce’ things went viral. Not only does it bring interest to the brand but it also gives Beyonce’ great press for her world tour and upcoming album. 

Women around the world have looked up to Beyonce for her sense of style and now they have the chance to wear the same threads at extremely affordable prices.  So many people are excited about this collaboration and it doesn’t hurt that we get an extra Beyonce’ dosage while reading magazines, watching TV, or walking down the street.

Whether you love it or hate it Beyonce’ is everywhere.

The Fantasia Barrino Story

Like most of America when American Idol first began I was super excited. I couldn’t wait to watch the audition process and then later watch the contestants perform and compete against one another. I really loved the third season because it consisted of so many talented people. I honestly liked something about each contestant but I fell in love with Fantasia Barrino. She was extremely talented and I loved her personality. At the time the only thing anyone really knew about her was that she was a nineteen-year-old teenage mother with a big voice and bigger dreams. 

A few years after winning American Idol and putting out an album she let the world know that she was a high school drop out with extremely poor reading skills. The media took this story and ran with it so she decided to tell her story through an autobiography entitled Life Is Not a Fairytale.

I was in the sixth grade when Fantasia announced during an interview that she would be releasing an autobiography. As soon as the book came out my mother went to Barnes and Noble to purchase it. She ended up reading it first but I wouldn’t let her tell me anything about it because I wanted to enjoy reading it myself. I remember one of my close friends was also reading the book, but she went to a book signing and actually met Fantasia. Of course at the time I was extremely jealous.

It’s always fun when you have someone who has read the same book as you or watches the same television show as you because then you are able to talk about it with someone. My friend and I were actually reading the book at the same time so as time went on we would check in with each other and talk about the book. My mom on the other hand really wanted to make sure that I fully understood what happened to fantasia and the things that she went through.

In the book Fantasia expressed that as a young child she was bullied because of her skin tone, hair, and the size of her lips. Kids would often call her “big lip Tasia.” She was later raped in the gym of her high school by another student. This is what ultimately prompted her to drop out of school. She became pregnant at a young age and was in an abusive relationship with the father of her child.  Not only was she a teenage mother, but she slacked off in school so much that she really didn’t know how to read before she dropped out. American Idol came along and she saw this as the big break that she was waiting for. After almost missing her audition she went on to win the competition, but it wasn’t easy. Fantasia caught a lot of slack from viewers who believed because she was a single teenaged mother she shouldn’t be “America’s Idol.”

This book impacted my life in many different ways. It really opened my eyes to issues such as rape and teenage pregnancy. When I read the book I was eleven-years-old so these things were basically foreign to me. Fantasia’s story showed me how important it is to take school seriously. She struggled without an education and opportunities like American Idol are rare.

I always enjoyed reading autobiography’s but this book definitely made me want to read more. Books like this are about real people and real issues. To see someone who struggled so much finally make it is definitely an inspiration. I honestly love books like this because unlike a gossip blog with extravagant stories you get the truth.

Who Lives In A Pineapple Under The Sea?

Unlike most kids I was never really obsessed with different cartoons. I didn’t wake up early on Saturdays, eat cereal, and watch the newest cartoon episodes.  I loved shows like That’s So Raven, Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, and The Proud Family, which was my only exception for a cartoon series, until I discovered Spongebob Squarepants.

After discovering the show me and my cousins wanted everything Spongebob. We had Spongebob radios, bed sheets, backpacks, pajamas, shower curtains, and rugs. If we saw it we had to have it.

Spongebob is connected to the networks of Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, YTV, and MTV. Eventhough they are no longer making new episodes the show is still watched by many viewers and reruns are shown on Nickelodeon.

The network has done a great job of cross promoting. They have already tackled film, clothes, food, room decorations, books, electronics, and toys. So what is there left to do?

For Halloween candy companies would sell Kraby Patty’s that looked just like the one on the show. Wouldn’t it be cool if there were a real Krusty Krab that sold the exact same food that they sold in the cartoon?

Theme Parks such as Universal Studios and Kings Dominion both promote Spongebob Squarepants. Theme Parks such as these two could create a Krusty Krab restaurant of their own and have scheduled meet and greets with Mr. Krabs, Spongebob, Squidward, and the other characters that are in the show. Kids would love to eat in the restaurant and would get the thrill of meeting Spongebob himself!

Another way of cross promoting through theme parks would be to create a Bikini Bottom Splash Park. The park would include a wave pool surrounded by sand, water slides, the houses of all the characters, and of course The Krusty Krab restaurant. The park could set up the houses just like they are in the cartoon and allow visitors to walk through and see the insides Personally, as a college freshman I would jump at the chance to be able to walk around Bikini Bottoms.

Everyone knows that Spongebob loves catching jellyfish. So a game about catching jellyfish would be somewhere in the splash park for those who want to see what it is like.

Of course this mean of cross promotion would appeal to kids but also the kid at heart. Even adults would be curious and want to visit Bikini Bottoms or taste the signature Krabby Patty. Not only would this quench the curiosity of many viewers but it could also spread awareness to the show itself.

Social Networking Gone Wrong

Have social networking websites taken over your life? Do you find it easier to communicate over Twitter rather than having a conversation with someone in person? Social networks have been a helpful form of communication but does everyone feel this way?

According to an article entitled Facebook and Twitter Are Killing Social Skills, researchers believe that these social networking sites are making things harder for the latest tech savvy generation.  They found that sites with limited character space are affecting peoples’ confidence in holding face-to-face conversations.

The sites are also being blamed for many of us losing the ability to use body language as a way to express ourselves. Researchers also believe that Twitter and Facebook contribute to a growing reluctance to chat with strangers.

A random survey was conducted to see how other people felt about this issue. Many of the respondents simply grunted in the street and continued walking as they text on their phones but, researchers found that 4 out of 10 people claim that social networking sites have had a negative impact on their personal social skills.

 A spokesperson for uSwitch.com, which carried out the study, said: “Social networks may have become part of today’s social fabric, but they are putting paid to basic social skills. Four out of ten people believe online networks have had a negative rather than a positive influence on society. There’s a distinct danger, people are becoming less comfortable having face-to-face conversations.”

 

As a part of the “Millennial generation,” I would have to agree. Whether it is texting, tweeting, or playing the latest game today’s teens and young adults spend a countless amount of time on their phones. Times have changed, and this generation has more problems communicating in a personal setting than those of the past. Now teens can be in the same room and still communicate through a social network such as Twitter.

I can personally say that my social skills are not as good as they could be. I spend a large amount of time on Twitter and Instagram and I do think that this has been the downfall to my personal social skills. I have always been a shy person when it comes to meeting new people but once I warm up to someone I am totally different. In high school many students would communicate with other kids from different schools on Twitter but if they saw the person in public in most cases they would be afraid to speak. Twitter creates a barrier that isn’t there when you are in a face-to-face situation.

Eventhough I feel this way, not everyone does. Other teens feel that Twitter has made them more sociable and eager to meet new people. 

Not only has the constant use of Twitter hindered the social skills of today’s youth but it has also had and impact on students in the classroom. Since Twitter only allows 140 characters it is becoming harder for students to do lengthy writing assignments. Their grammar has taken a turn for the worse and they’re beginning to write papers in the same format that they would conduct a text message.

 Twitter does have positive attributes such as being able to spread a news story quicker than a broadcaster can cover it. However, it does consume the lives of our Millennial’s.  Although teens have differing opinions on whether twitter has helped or hindered them I think one thing is clear. Spending less time on social networking sites could help our generation more than hinder it.  

 

 

A Glimpse Into The Future

The year is 2035. Exactly twenty-two years into the future.  The world looks like a scene from the Disney Channel movie Zenon Girl of the Twenty-first Century. Can you believe that the minds and lives of humans are more dependent on technology than they are now? 

Times have changed and the ways things operate are totally different.  Everything has become easier and the extra steps we use to have to take have been eliminated. 

Picking out clothes for the day is now an easy task. With the quick press of a button your closet checks the weather and determines what clothes would be appropriate for not only the weather but also the occasion.  Instead of ordering food through a waiter, restaurants’ now have touch screen menus and hologram bills.  Television shows are now viewed through holograms and cars require programmed fingerprint scans instead of keys. 

Diseases such as Cancer can now be cured through a body scan and researchers are getting closer to finding the cure for HIV/AIDS. Toy stores have machines that can take a picture and create a Barbie doll that looks just like you. All college textbooks are available online. Every family has an iRobot to assist with every day tasks and motorcycles now have a fly option to stay out of the way of traffic. 

The 15^th edition of the iPhone has just been released and is available in different colors. Newspapers are no longer made due to the need to recycle. Everyone has an iPhone now so this really isn’t a problem. Each iPhone is equipped with a media button that provides you with every Newspaper that was ever published. News travels a lot quicker due to the media alerts that come straight to everyone’s phone. 

The President does skype calls that reach every person in the United States. Voting is now done by an iPhone app. The government is pretty much the same but with major improvements. We are no longer in a recession and there are more jobs now than ever before. 

Things seem pretty cool, right?

Well, lets switch to a place where things aren’t so perfect. Crime has increased tremendously and war has become the new norm.  Technology has taken a turn for the worst with the disbanding of every big named company.  Those whose lives were once consumed with technology now have to learn to live without it. News travels slowly and many people are unaware of what is going on in the world. 

Still in the world 2035 things aren’t very pleasant for this side of the world. Instead of ending a recession and improving our U.S. government everything is ran through a dictatorship. There are strict rules about what media people consume and how they consume it. Blogs no longer exist and neither does freedom of speech. All of the luxuries that I described in my utopian world clearly do not exist here.

With all of the advancements that have been made over the past decade how could we ever go back to a world without technology? 

I don’t think that my predictions for a utopian world in 2035 are too far off. I may be a little ahead of myself with the flying motorcycles and iRobot nannies but, as far as an iPhone 15 I think I am dead on. Newspapers and magazines will no longer exist and all forms of media will be online or accessible from some type of portable device. I don’t see a big change in the fields of radio and film. Movies may be shown by hologram but I think radio will be relatively the same. 

As for my world in 2035 as a 41-year-old married mother, I hope to be well off in my career as a WNBA General Manager. My husband and I will probably be taking lessons from our kids on how to use the latest technology, which seems very weird. With new advancements in technology every year I’m sure I’ll be just as clueless as my parents and grandparents are now.

Finding The Hidden Message

Think back to your favorite Disney movie, show, or even your first trip to Disney World.  Remember how excited you were to dress up like your favorite Disney character on Halloween? Personally, I’ve grown up on Disney. When my parents brought me home from the hospital my nursery was covered in Mickey and Minnie Mouse décor. As a child and even a teenager I never read into the underlying messages in the Disney movies. Until my mass communications class watched a documentary entitled “Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney Childhood and Corporate Power.”

 

As said in the documentary Disney uses images of Innocence, Magic, and Fun. How could you go wrong with that, right? Since Disney hides behind innocence we often don’t read into the underlying message. Kids don’t read into the sexual innuendos, well I didn’t. After viewing the documentary so many things were brought to light.

 

For example, African Americans are always portrayed through the Crows, Orangutans, and Monkeys. And these characters always sing about wanting to be a man. Latinos are always being portrayed as sneaky Chihuahuas. Asians are portrayed as Siamese Cats. Is this really how our society views these races?

Some of the more noticeable themes were how men and women were portrayed. The women are always cooking and cleaning and viewed as not being able to save themselves. On the other hand, the men are usually strong characters who always have to get the women out of trouble. What message is this sending to our kids? Are we telling our young girls that they will always depend on a man to save them from danger? I think there should be more movies about independence and feminism.

As a child I never realized that there wasn’t a princess who was African American like I am. Until everyone became so excited about the first African American princess Tiana. I was 14 at the time so I wasn’t really into the Disney princess movies but everyone in my family was purchasing Princess Tiana items for my goddaughter who was a year old. For her seeing a colored princess is normal but for me it wasn’t. 

Kids are expected to only see the good in these movies but I believe there is a good and bad message in every Disney movies. Although I am a little ashamed to hear what these underlying messages are I don’t see myself boycotting Disney any time soon. I recommend this film to anyone who has grown up on Disney movies; it is a real eye opener. This film definitely taught me what to look out for in not only Disney movies but also other movies I grew up watching during my childhood. 

 

 

 

 

Media: The Friend We Never Knew We Had.

Imagine a world with no mass media. No cell phones, televisions, computers, or radios. Not even an iPod to listen to music on the go. Its crazy to think about, right? Believe it or not there was a time when people did not have any of these things. I know what you’re thinking, what did they do? How in the world did they survive?  I was forced to answer this question when I was given the task to attempt to go without any media for an entire day. Yes ladies and gentlemen an entire twenty-four hours.

When I was first given the assignment to attempt to go without media for an entire day the first thing that came to mind was what am I going to do? Unless I am sleeping I am literally always consuming some form of media. Social media has definitely turned into a habit for me that is super hard to break. I mean it has been apart of my life since I joined my first social network Bebo in the sixth grade. 

 

 

As I began my day without media, I definitely did not see the bright side of this assignment. I was awakened by my alarm clock on my phone just as I am every morning because I don’t have an alarm clock. Usually I sit and check my phone for twitter and instagram updates or new text messages but this morning was different. I cut my alarm off and headed directly for my closet to find something to wear for the day. It just so happened that my mother told me to dress warm the night before so I didn’t check my weather widget on my cell phone. After finding something to wear I proceeded to get dressed and head out for class. This by far was the easiest time I had avoiding media all day.

I began walking to class and instead of having headphones in my ears with my music turned all the way up I was forced to go without music today. If I could insert a hundred sad face emoticons after that last sentence I would. My walk seemed so much longer! I got to class a little earlier than usual since I didn’t spend any time sitting on my phone when I woke up. Usually I sit and scroll through my Twitter and Instagram timelines but of course I tried to avoid it today so I sat and just waited. I decided to look through my notes that we took during the previous class to pass the time.  Once class was over I began placing my headphones in my ears about two songs into my walk back to my dorm I realized that I wasn’t suppose to be listening to any music today, placing my headphones in my ears and pressing play is like second nature for me. I didn’t even realize that I did it at first.

I had the hardest time with avoiding my cell phone! I can function with out music but you take my cell phone and you would think I lost my best friend. I noticed that I uncautiously pick up my phone put in the code and I’m just in another world. I literally can tune someone out if I’m doing something on my cell phone. I use my phone for everything; to communicate, view social networks, search the Internet, listen to music, and take pictures.  I slipped up multiple times and began using my phone. It was like I couldn’t resist it!

 

Finally my day without media was coming to an end. When I entered my dorm my roommate was watching a movie and I couldn’t be rude and tell her to turn it off, right? So I had another setback with avoiding media but I did way better than I expected. I couldn’t avoid all media because we are surrounded by it on a daily basis. Just walking on campus I was hit with flyers and billboards that were advertising sports games and parties. Even in class we were reading articles and literature, which are also, forms of media. Personally my day felt a little longer but I got through my work a little faster since I didn’t have the distractions of Twitter and Instagram. Don’t get me wrong I did have the sudden urge to pick up my phone and begin scrolling through timelines but I had my roommate hide my phone until I was done (Yay for me).   I couldn’t imagine being without some of the technology that we have now that makes life a little easier.  I can definitely say time flies when you have media. 

 

A Typical Day Controlled By Media

Have you ever wondered how many times you check Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook in a day? How much time do you spend procrastinating on social networks when you should be completing homework? Have you ever thought about how many text messages you send or even how much time you spend on your phone everyday? There are twenty-four hours in a single day. How much of that time do you spend consuming media? These questions never crossed my mind until I was given an assignment to log my media use for 24 hours.

Research shows that 93% of teenager’s ages 12-17 uses the Internet. 69% of teens own their own computer and 73% of teens use social networks. Media has definitely taken over the lives of people around the world, including mine. With smart phones, notebooks, iPads, and other new forms of technology media is becoming harder and harder to resist.

After the past forty-eight hours I’ve realized that my life revolves around media and technology. I literally use some form of technology at least every 10-15 minutes. Whether I’m in my room, going to class, or in the car I’m consuming some type of media. It definitely is one of the hardest things to resist.

My personal exposure to media begins every morning. I’m awakened by the multiple alarms that I set on my phone the night before. After cutting off my final alarm I usually lie in bed and check my phone for new text messages, emails, and posts on Instagram. My roommate and I fall asleep with the television on so I often wake up to Spongebob Squarepants. I’ve noticed that I even look to my twitter followers for weather updates because Towson’s weather is so unpredictable! So I pretty much consume media within the first five minutes of my day.

My next encounter with media comes in while I’m walking to class. I always listen to music from the time I leave my room until the time class starts. Most of the time I’ll listen to Beyonce’ and usually the songs I play depend on my mood. Eventhough I’m walking to class I’ve noticed that I spend time texting and tweeting as I walk to class which in some situations may not be the smartest thing to do. Once class is over I usually listen to music or talk on the phone as I walk to get something to eat or return to my dorm. If I choose to walk through the union I notice all of the flyers for clubs, shows, or parties. Sometimes I even notice the advertisement for the “Special of the day” in Paws or Susquehanna.

Finally my day was close to being over and I got to sit down and enjoy my favorite TV shows. I usually carve out time in my schedule so I can catch the shows when they first air. It was Tuesday so my roommate watched Pretty Little Liars as I took a shower. While I was in the shower I listened to music from my iTunes collection on my laptop. After I got out of the shower I had a little time to update my Tumblr and check on what my favorite WNBA team The Washington Mystics have been doing in the offseason. Then I watched Bad Girls Club and Dance Moms, which are two of my favorite shows. Even when I am watching something that I am really interested in I still continuously pick up my phone and check my social networks. Once I am settled in and ready for bed I lay down and before shutting my eyes I check Instagram and Twitter one last time. Before finally falling asleep I hear the many commercials that are playing during the breaks in between whatever show that just so happens to be on our TV. Finally I fall asleep just to be awakened hours later by my alarm and consume all of this media all over again.