Mixed Signals

The Axe and Dove controversy surrounding the Unilever company is very interesting.

I agree that the Axe ads are over the top and degrading. And, I will also be the first to admit that I was one of the first ones to praise Dove when I saw their ads about true beauty. In fact, I remember after the first time I saw the ad, I went off about how excited I was to see a beauty product portray women in a positive light. I am always commenting on how young girls have such a misconstrued idea of what it is to be beautiful, and I usually place the blame on the media. However contradictory the company is in the two ad campaigns, I think they should continue on with Dove ads because they are among the very few that project positive images into the minds of viewers!

HotGirls

The NY Times article, For Clues on Teenage Sex, Experts Look to Hip-Hop, didn't necessarily present shocking information. However, I was intrigued by the structural organization the writer chose to organize the information. The part about the HotGirls organization was mentioned at the very bottom. Although I would not have place it at the top, I would have moved it higher in the article. Also, it said something about alcohol, peer-pressure and drugs acting as the real factor in hook-ups following the bumpin' and grindin' to hip-hop music on the dance floor--I would have liked to see more information on this. It seemed as though it was taken mildly, and kept hip-hop music as the focus and 'enemy' as far as the relation to teenage sex.

Drive it off of TV...where does it turn?

The NY Times article about protesters marching in front of the homes of media directors is very interesting on many levels. First, I find it interesting that BET added shows like a gospel talent search and reality TV show about affluent blacks. How are two shows going to change anything? I like to think, why make the change if it's only on the surface, and doesn't have heart behind it? By adding those two shows to pacify protesters seems to me like they are doing it to meet a quota--in the same way advertisers will add in or cast characters of varied nationalities to simply meet the 'diversity' quota. Second, another point that comes to mind. They are trying to hold the media companies responsible for the content they air like music videos. If TV stops airing the videos, they are, more than likely, already accessible on the internet, and will become even more so available if TV networks refuse to air them.

Bleepin' Bleep!

I never realized just how interesting media channels are with the things they choose to bleep out of songs. For the purpose of background noise, this morning I turned on CMT and let the music videos just play as got ready for work. The TV is in the living room, and I was in my room doing my make up when some pop song came on, I don't know the name of it, but it's something about wanting to be a rock star. Well the lyrics say something about the girls come easy and the drugs come cheap. But, here's the kicker....they bleeped out the word drugs! Honestly why bleep out drugs, and not women. Not to sound like super feminist, but to me it sounds like they are saying it's ok to be with multiple women and take advantage of the easy ones, but OH NO DON'T DO DRUGS! Why they bleep that word, I really don't understand. Are they looking at the morals and the fact that society backs anti-drug campaigns? But sure, lets tell kids that it's cool to have the women all over you!?!?!

Just an interesting observation, and a sign that this class has forever changed the way I listen to media!