A Name Can Shape Meaning

Establishing a brand in the market involves much more than raw economics; the value a brand is able to acquire is a variable directly related to various social elements and patterns. This is clearly seen by taking into consideration the fact that the name a product brings on its tag can shape and determine the value it carries in a wide variety of senses. In turn, these vary from the actual monetary value, to how it is perceived by customers as well as society in general. An example would be two extremes of clothing stores like H&M and Prada. Both stores sell similar products and many times of similar quality, yet Prada has a much higher value in all the senses mentioned above; Not only is it more expensive but it is also highly esteemed by society. For example if someone is wearing a shirt that has Prada written on it, he or she will most probably be regarded differently than someone who is wearing a plain white t shirt. Additionally the person himself or herself might also feel different about himself or herself according to the brand of the clothing he/she is wearing. Therefore, the brands end up having in them embedded and thus transmitting some kind of message, be it of the brand itself, or even the person carrying/wearing it. This is the reason behind the fact that brand names have stand throughout history. Reasonably speaking it does not make much sense to pay for something that is so much more expensive when it terms of utility and even quality it is mostly the same as something much more inexpensive. With this in mind we can thus conclude that indeed it is more a matter of social rather than economical pattern determining the value given to brand-names. 

Youtube

             In The chapter Political Influence on Media, the authors talk about the methods the government-regulated political and social media.  They discuss how some governments have gone completely extreme and ban or taken control over companies or opposition. Additionally, they state on page 87 that “Most nations engage in media regulation that is nonauthoritarian in nature, combining government influence with the free market”. The first example that came to my mind about an artifact was regarding the relationship the government and Google have (government and free market). During the summer, when I was in China I tried to search for Lady Gaga on Google and I found no results; this struck me so much that I felt the urge to immediately take a picture of it. As you can see from the picture below, the search for Lady Gaga in China is completely censored. In addition, it is also said that some world cup soccer scores have been manipulated in North Korea. This make me reflect upon the wide variety of things that might be censored out there, and yet we have little to no awareness of it. The government in a way can change the view of its people and shape it to their convenience and interests. 

Army Dog Tags

An original Dog Tag from WWI

After reading chapter 8, I began to notice how the dog tags (also known as military tags) have had, over the years, their connotation changed. In chapter 8 the idea that in any media there is a preferred message but that people can change this message, is described. Dog tags are worn and required by every military solider since the first wars. The tags work as a means of identification. They have engraved important information that can help identify dead and wounded people, letting other people know basic medical information like blood types. Also, official dog tags are made of steel or any other abundant metal they during war time. But as we have seen, today non-military people are using these dog tags as a fashion accessory. At first non soldiers wanted to wear them to be seen as part of the military and look tough and masculine. They used similar dog tags as the soldiers. However, this has also changed. Today these modified dog tags allude to a wide variety of media messages. They change in the information they have encrypted, color, size, and shape as well as the material that it is made off. Some dog tags have a person’s information, favorite quotes, beliefs, name of their girlfriends etc. In addition, other people prefer to have their dog tags made with diamonds, and others in a different shape.

Modern Dog Tag made out of gold.

Different modern Dog Tags

Using blogs as business

Today, everyone can create a blog on the internet. It could be for a class, work or for fun, but the problem is that anyone can write their own opinion and start to affect the other people that read the blogs around the world. I have seen how today companies are using blogs to create more business. They talk about their products, their expected future and advertize anything about them. These have positive and negative effects, the positive is that people can read and learn and comment about their products and weather decide to buy them or not. The problem is when the companies start to abuse the blogs. I heard how some companies are creating fake people in order to gain more costumers. Monsanto a company that produces agricultural products worldwide is one. Monsanto was trying to promote genetically engineered/ Genetically Modified food as a way to solve world hunger. They know that food shortage around the world is a bigger political problem, but since their product was modified food, they created a blog, with fake people (groups) supporting genetically modified food. When a real person enters their blog and sees how all the “people” are commenting good things about the products they will but their product. I think that today media has made the line between what is good and what is bad very thin.

Marlboro and Formula 1

When the professor showed us videos on YouTube about how the TV and the commercials can play around with our mind. I remember how the cigarette Marlboro Company continued to sponsors formula one car’s during the races even though it is against the law for cigarette companies to sponsor car races. Since the first race of the formula 1 championship, Marlboro has been one of the main sponsors of the Ferrari team. From that moment on, on the spoiler of the cars there is always a huge sign saying Marlboro. In the picture to the left you can see an example of what I am trying to describe. But in 2005, the FIA (The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) came up with a rule that tobacco companies cannot display tobacco company names in their cars. For Ferrari, it was a huge disappointment because Marlboro has sponsor Ferrari since along time and also because of money. To sponsor a Ferrari team today, the sponsoring company has to pay millions. Fortunately Marlboro was willing to pay the amount but unfortunately, the formula 1 rules were not letting them. Since Marlboro was not able to advertise themselves in the Ferrari cars, what they did is a physiological advertisement. They continue to pay Ferrari sponsorship but instead of advertising Marlboro, on the car they advertize a barcode, which makes the people think it say Marlboro but it is just a bar code and has not even one word. Here is an example of the barcode used in last year’s championship.

In 2007, Marlboro did a survey asking people if they knew about the bar code on the Ferrari formula 1 cars and 83% of the people asked said: there is no barcode on the Ferraris.