kommunikation

hallo, ich bin Adam und willkommen zu mein Deutsch Kommunikation blog.

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Prompt 3 Extended: Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury, “The Individual and the State: A Social Historical Analysis of the East German ‘Doping System’” explores a governmental scandal about a sports/medical technology. Compare this to a contemporary sports scandal of your choice, using at least two quotes from the reading. Take a local photo to illustrate the East German doping scandal in some way, and another photo to illustrate the scandal you choose.

A small new nation with little reputation on the world stage, East Germany leaped at every chance to get their name into the global sphere. So when the Stasi and East German Sports Performance organization met in 1974 to determine the best way to guarantee Olympic gold, systematic doping was the obvious choice. From the mid 70′s all the way to the collapse of the German Democratic Republic in 1989, the government sponsored athletic doping on a scale of which the world had never seen. Pictured above are examples of East German athletes in action at the GDR museum in Berlin. The exhibit detailed how important sports were to East German culture.

While “the GDR cheated its way to success, damaged the health of numerous athletes and left a legacy of cynicism around elite international sport” in the 70s and 80s, Russia has done this more recently (Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury, 2011, 220 - 221). Russia has had a history of systematic doping quite similar to that of the GDR. Beginning in the soviet-era, Russian athletic commissions and party officials formed agreements to fund the provision of steroids to all athletes participating in international events. Over the course of the past 30 years, Russia has had several run-ins with international anti-doping agencies with the most recent resulting in a ban from the 2018 Olympics (PBS.org).

These two doping dilemmas are similar in the sense that both attempt(ed) to cover up their doping campaigns. Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury detail the GDR system and that “central to the success of the system was secrecy, and that included not fully informing the athletes of either what they were consuming or what knowledge doctors and coaches had of potential side-effects from that consumption” (Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury, 2011, pg. 221). Similarly, there have been many papers published about state-sponsored doping in Russia, yet leaders of state sports teams and government officials routinely deny or brush off these allegations (Reuters.com). 

Overall, there is no denying that the GDR, being a soviet satellite, mirrored what they already saw in the Soviet Union. State-sponsored doping is an unfair and corrupt practice that helped win the East Germans the 1988 Olympics and is similar to the Russian doping scandals of today.

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Prompt 3: At Teufelsberg this week you will see a lot of graffiti. It's a cultural phenomenon here - highly skilled artists have been allowed to paint the walls of this defunct spy station. Some murals have lasted years, while others are painted over from one week to the next. As Ledingham tells us, “Public relations is best defined and practiced as the active attempt to restore and maintain a sense of community.” How is this graffiti a function of community building/maintenance? How might this space be different in the U.S.? Would the owners of this property or the federal government be likely to allow this long-term graffiti haven to continue untouched by anyone who isn't part of the community? Post a selection of murals to illustrate your post.

Graffiti as an art form is often viewed as a degenerate influence on the community in urban America. However, at Teufelsberg and many locations around Germany, graffiti is used to foster healing, discussion and community development. Local artists reclaim a part of their community with symbolic murals and idealistic messages. Paint is used as a healing tool and spy station walls morph into blank canvas. Art is used to portray messages of hope, love, and fun in a space previously used to foster the opposite values. Because the government legally allows street art in this area, it produces a place that citizens can use to communicate ideas and inspire eachother. 

The space would be very different if it were in the United States; the space would most likely either be torn down or lay abandoned filled with litter and meaningless graffiti. The building would most likely have been torn down before anything meaningful could be painted onto the walls. Had the graffiti culture appeared in the United States as it is in Teufelsberg, the local authorities would probably have it condemned as graffiti is typically viewed negatively in American culture.

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Prompt 2: You have now seen the Mercedes-Benz arena & museum, the BMW Motorcycle Factory, and the VW Autostadt. How are these various locations similar in terms of stakeholder engagement? In what ways are they different? As a tourist viewing these locations (rather than as a local fan, a native German, or a customer), which was more effective in creating a compelling experience for you? Think about the Ramshaw reading as you answer and include specific examples.

After visiting various automotive factories and museums in Germany, I have noticed public engagement on a level unlike what is found in the United States. Just as “sports heritage venues often emphasize the history of the sport or the team to sustain the legacy of the place and create a meaningful experience for the visitors,” so do these automotive powerhouses (Ramshaw, 2013, pg. 17). The Mercedes-Benz Arena & Museum, BMW Motorrad, and VW Autostadt all serve to communicate their company history, unique brand personality, and the joys of owning one of their machines to anyone who visits. These arenas, museums, and factories, having significant brand influence through recognizable names such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and VW, become “places to visit, to stand near to, to touch, to record an image of or, perhaps, to experience more intimately through a tour” (pg. 18). The main differences lie in the type of machine each is offering (i.e. automobile, motorcycle, bus, etc.) and what experience they provide (ranging from a BMW day-trip to the factory to a five-star VW vacation for the whole family).

As a tourist viewing these locations as opposed to a customer, fan, or native-German, there was definitely one thing that stood out and was more compelling than others throughout my experience. I appreciated how most, if not all, material in the experience was accurately translated and there were English-speaking guides. Although all of these companies are German, they also do business around the globe and having tour materials in a variety of languages shows me that they interact in cross-cultural communication.

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Prompt 1: Research the GDPR online privacy regulations that went into effect last Friday. Link to an official government communication from the EU or another governmental body about these new technological restrictions. Then, find an example of art or advertising in the the city you’re in (not online) that deals with similar issues of privacy or surveillance.

The GDPR, or General Data Privacy Regulation, is the largest change in privacy law in over 20 years and was just enacted in the European Union on May 25th, 2018. The law was passed in 2016 and was enacted this year to give companies time to prepare for these sweeping changes. Here is a link to the European Commission on Data Protection:  https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en. This site provides sections such as “Rights of Citizens” and “Rules for businesses and organizations”, as well as a full-text version of the GDPR.

I have included an image above of an advertisement I have seen many times around Berlin. The advertisement is pretty cut-and-dry; “Strong for your Privacy.” is printed plainly at the top, followed by a graphic of a mask and the Firefox website. The ad communicates the desired message of privacy protection as well as taking advantage of the GDPR hype to get noticed.

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Prompt 2: Museum Communication meets Metropolis: At the museum, look for two examples of science or technology to relate to the film: 1 - Find an exhibit that suggests the film was accurate in communicating the future. 2 - Find an exhibit that suggests the film was inaccurate in its vision of the future.

Metropolis is a film released in 1927 that portrays a bleak future in which the wealthy few prosper off of the backs of the many. Workers live underground and spend their lives on 10 hour shifts handling machines that power the metropolis above. An example from the Museum of Communication that suggests the film was accurate in communicating the future is pictured above. What I have included is an image showing technologies introduced in the past 20 years that have shaped our lives. Things like the iPhone and iPad have brought technology to our fingertips but have allowed the dismantlement of our privacy. This mirrors the future from Metropolis; technology is the driving force in society, many people spend hours on end on machines, and privacy is no longer sacred.

An example from the Museum of Communication that suggests the film was inaccurate in communicating the future can be found in the Oh Yeah! temporary exhibition on German Pop-Music. The “Love Parade” was a techno-music festival held in Berlin from 1989 to 2003, with reboots several years afterwards. The reason it shows inaccuracies with Metropolis’ communication of the future is because it shows technology being used to gather people from many walks of life, create music, and celebrate love.

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Prompt 1 Extended: Capture an advertisement that you think would be ineffective in the U.S. Tell me why it would be ineffective, and then describe how you might do it differently for a U.S. market. Post a photo of the advertisement so that your classmates and I can see what you're referring to. (Note: You cannot post something in German and say "it would be ineffective because it isn't in English" or something similar. Think in terms of the intended message, intended audience, and how both are communicated - would the spirit of the message be ineffective? Why?) Make a connection to at least one of our readings from the program.

Pictured above are posters advocating for the Communist Renaissance in France. Translations include “Break the chains of the European Union” and “Macron & EU: They destroy our Social Conquest”. The Pole de Renaissance Communists en France or PRCF are advocating for a rebirth of communism and the dismantlement of democracy in France and the rest of the European Union.

These posters would most likely be ineffective in the United States due to a difference in culture. As we have learned from our readings, culture can be defined as “the set behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristic of [a] group” (GM Chapter 14, pg. 428). France, along with much of the European Union, has had direct experience with socialism and communism throughout history that has recently been seen in a romantic light due to the current EU government’s shortfalls (Cato.org). In contrast, American culture has, since it’s infancy, celebrated the strength of the individual and the power of a self-balancing capitalistic model (newhistory.org). These fundamental historical differences produce a present-day culture that values different economic models and favors different ways of governance. 

The fundamental differences between the European Union and the United States can complicate international relations and public communication. With the rapid onset of globalization, the “increasing economic, social, and political interdependencies around the world” (Zerfass, 2015, pg. 785), the Communist Renaissance potentially will want their message to be adapted to reach the American public without alienating them. If pulled directly, translated, and posted around major American cities, the result would be just short of disaster. 

First, the poster appeals to anger with the European Union. As mentioned before, European citizens have had experiences with their central government that Americans have not experienced which has led them to regress back to communistic ideals, i.e. overreaching regulation, wasteful spending, wealth inequality among member nations (washingtonpost.com). Although it can be argued that the United States shares these experiences, American culture tends to place blame on the politicians and not the political system. The closest appeal some American’s could stomach for a call to switch to communism is the toxicity of big corporations and wealth inequality brought about by capitalism.

Second, the poster advocates for communism. In America, a nation with a history of hunting down communists and sending them to prison (amnh.org), the idea of openly calling for a shift to communism is a culture-shock. Therefore, taking all into consideration, adapting this poster for use in the United States should substitute the EU with big corporations and substitute the word communism with something to the effect of “positive change”. My idea would be a minimalistic poster with different facts about wealth inequality in America and statements of brotherhood and community.

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Prompt 3: Luke Lalor from AlphaPool Content Marketing is coming to talk with us about his firm and what they do. For this post, you need to take careful notes during Luke's talk so that you can go out this week and find an example of something he discusses. Specifically, you need to identify a concept he discusses, then find an example of that practice (1) done well, and (2) done poorly.

pictured above; Alpha-Pool.com

One thing that Luke Lalor discussed when he visited earlier this week was the practice of celebrity endorsement. AlphaPool lists many instances of celebrity endorsement on their website – all of which they have orchestrated to boost both the brand and celebrity’s public recognition. One example Lalor discussed was Ellie Goulding’s partnership with DEICHMANN (shown above). An example I have found in Paris this week of this practice is pictured at the top of this blog; it shows an advertisement featuring Kristen Stewart for Chanel Perfume. 

embedded above; Kristen Stewart for Chanel - YouTube

pictured above; Kardashian’s Cleanse Tea Sponsorships - Instagram

A bad example I have found online of celebrity endorsements is the recent trend of “Fit Tea” endorsements. The Kardashian Family is well-known for endorsing these types of products. The issue with this type of endorsement is that it is not as highly organized or professional as in the examples from AlphaPool and Chanel and that these brands often try to get as many B-List celebrities as they can to post a picture with their product. The result is the overexposure of the product and consumer annoyance with the brand and “celebrity”.

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Prompt 3 Extended: Advertising / Public Sphere: Public Communication and Democracy. Find an example in Berlin (not TV, online, etc.) of communication from a regional, city, or national governmental body about a particular technology. Drawing on Habermas, examine it first from a public sphere perspective: What information is needed about this technology for citizens of a democracy to have informed civic debate and deliberation about it? Then, drawing on Jaganathan et al, examine it from a rhetoric of advertising perspective: What persuasive arguments might a manufacturer or distributor of the same technology want to make to the public?

In 1964, Habermas describes a “public sphere” as “a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed [and] access is guaranteed to all citizens” (pg. 49). The picture I have included shows an information board detailing the security checkpoint that lies ahead. From a public sphere perspective, this board is extremely necessary – especially in a location such as France. France, along with many European countries, faced public backlash countless times throughout history because citizens often didn’t receive what they deemed as adequate information from their government (See French Revolution of 1749, Revolutions of 1848). These revolts ensured the strengthening of the “principle of public information which once had to be fought for against the arcane policies of monarchies and which since that time has made possible the democratic control of state activities” (pg. 50). 

pictured above; Map of 1848 Revolutions in Europe (Total War Center)

Above is a map showing the locations of revolutions and peaceful reforms in Europe during 1848. These revolts resulted from rising tensions between citizens and their respective governments. After the Age of Enlightenment ended in 1815, Europeans grew dissatisfied with the traditional, shadowy government processes of monarchical systems and began pushing for Republics and Democracies, in which the citizenry is engaged with the political process (Britanica.com).

France, having a history in which citizens have chopped off the heads of their leaders for lack of communication in the governing process, has a lot to potentially lose from not keeping the public informed. On the information board pictured at the top of this post, French authorities have detailed the security screening processes ahead and, arguably, more importantly, states that it is a direct result of the Paris terrorist attacks of 2015. This information is enough to allow for civic discussion, but there has been no push back and I would argue that this is because most would agree that prevention methods for terrorist attacks are more favorable than the potential alternatives.

pictured above; Increased Security at the Eiffle Tower – result of terrorist attacks

According to Jaganathan et al, “in the language of advertising...a variety of attention seeking device[s] (Goddard, 1998) [are] utilised to evoke the responses”, and, “advertisers have used language as a ubiquitous, contemporary and creative medium of persuasion to affect the intellect (logos), conscience (ethos) and the emotions (pathos)” (Jaganathan et al, 2014, pg. 152). From a rhetoric of advertising perspective, the above information board provides a straight-forward approach to persuading a compliant response from the public. Using the Paris terrorist attacks of 2015, the information board gives the public a reason why their privacy is being violated that appeals to both ethos (conscience) and pathos (emotions). This persuasion method, though extremely effective, is something not alot of distributors of security technology are going to use. It is appropriate for government-run / sponsored entities like the Lourve to use this method but private entities may not want to associate their brand with the event.

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Prompt 2: Capture an image from the portion of the BMW Motorcycle factory where we’re allowed to have photos – anything you like (something cool, obviously). Discuss the concept of communicating/connecting with internal & external stakeholders, and how this tour accomplishes both of those things (refer to the entire tour and to things we learn from the tour guide and the promo videos). Draw specific connections to the Zerfass reading - quotes w/ page numbers are a good way to do this. 

In today’s business world, every business must adapt to globalization: “increasing economic, social, and political interdependencies around the world” (Zerfass, p. 785). The Public Relations sector has a growing responsibility to a growing number of publics – some speaking in different languages and coming from vastly different cultural backgrounds. According to the world-class public relations model, “organizations should perpetually and simultaneously think global and local and act global and local” (p. 786). With strategic industrial locations around the world and millions of global customers, BMW strives to fit this model into their communications processes. 

One thing I immediately noticed upon entering the BMW Motorcycle facility was the display with a neon-blue light reading, “make life a ride” (pictured above). This was the first instance of public relations I witnessed on the tour; a simple message to whoever comes to tour that these motorcycles make life more enjoyable. Moving throughout the tour, the message broadens to communicate the value of a BMW product, the innovation of production, and their response to globalization. One response the company had to give on the topic of globalization was the diversity of their product line-up. In the article by Zerfass, Sriramesh writes, “paying attention to the immense diversity that exists in the world is going to be critical to the success of public relations activities in the 21st century” (p. 787). BMW recognizes this and mentions its product diversity in it’s tours to potential consumers. 

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Prompt 2: Ecoland / Tempelhofer Feld: Public Communication of Health Sciences and Technologies. Find the community gardens at Tempelhofer Feld. Compare how they communicate sciences and/or technologies of health (such as nutrition, sustainability, etc.). What values are expressed? How are they similar? Different? Do you see any miscommunications?

pictured above; trophies from Ecoland

During the tour of Ecoland, the companies values were laid out in front of us and repeated many times. Ecoland valued trade with less well-off nations, a sense of community, developed & sustainable agriculture, and the list goes on. These values were communicated through presentations made by the tour guide, the technologies he showed us, and what we experienced on the tour. One such science that was displayed was the frequent presentation of their levels of “organic” prestige. The science that backs this label allows for Ecoland to sell their products at higher prices and buy their partner’s produce at higher amounts. 

pictured above; Post-Board at Community Garden

At the Community Gardens in Templehofer Feld, there was less direct communication and more observation. When I walked in, I had immediate thoughts of some post-apocalyptic village but these thoughts slipped away when I noticed a method to their madness. All of the gardens were open to everyone – there were no artificial boundaries like fences or gates. This expressed the value in its name; this is for the community. The use of the post-boards and fliers also adds to their value of community outreach and development. Many flyers were posted with the intent of educating the passerby of what grows where and what local businesses use the produce that is grown there. Also, on the main board near the front, near the large map, there is an information sheet about organic produce which shows the value the community garden places on trustworthy food sources which is similar to Ecoland’s values. 

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Prompt 1: Computerspielmuseum / DDR Museum: Public Communication of Sport Sciences and Technologies. Compare and contrast an example from each museum that talks about, shows, or otherwise presents a science or technology used in sports. Embed a music video of one song you would choose to play along with each sport (one for each, two songs total). Use supporting quotes from McLeod to explain why you chose those songs.

pictured above; Poly-Play cir. 1985

In East Germany and other socialist nations, there was a focus on community, competition, and childhood. The artifact I chose from the DDR museum was a booklet of stickers used to congratulate young children on their athletic excellence. East Germany focused on educating the children to become good socialists and sports were a fantastic way to do this. The soundtrack I chose for this artifact is “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” – a classic sports soundtrack that has simple lyrics and a playful melody that seems designed for children. As McLeod says, “sports and music have largely been driven by and appealed to the energy of youth” (pg. 536). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSYWX7ZXd5I

Looking at a slightly older generation, East Germany attempted to attract the youth by using the newest innovation of the time – video games. The artifact I chose from the Computerspielmuseum is the Poly-Play system shown above. This machine contained several video games copied from the West (unbeknownst to the East Germans) and served to foster a sense of competitive community similar to the children's stickers from the DDR museum. However, this machine served less as a community tool and more as a marvel of the East’s technological ability. However, for most East Germans, they probably used it for another reason: as McLeod says, “it is arguably the very experience of sports, with its suspension of real time and space, that offers the transgressive release from oppressive reality” (pg. 535).  The soundtrack I chose for this artifact is Motorhead’s “Breaking The Law” not only because it is a “hypermasculinized sports rock anthem” (pg. 532) that riles the youth up, but also because it’s lyrics reflect the desire to break the rules and rebel against the mundane life of the socialist regime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k9hXLwAt5o

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Prompt 1 (extended): Pick a concept from the chapter 14 reading on cross-cultural communication and PR that you have seen exemplified during our time here so far. Perhaps at a cafe you've witnessed differences in how space is used (Proxemics). Maybe on a weekend trip you've seen ways that people from some countries view time differently than we tend to (Chronemics). Or perhaps you've seen a really clever ad that bridges cultural/linguistic boundaries. Post a photo or video, and explain how it captures or illustrates the concept you choose.

pictured above; French Cathedral cir. 1705

Germany, previously known as the “Holy Roman Empire,” has long struggled over their perception of religion. In the 18th century, the "nation-state" was divided into thousands of smaller kingdoms which were not united by a central religion. Philosopher and historian, Voltaire, is quoted during this time as observing that, “the Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire," yet, “Holy” remained in the name of the land until 1806. Skipping ahead to the early 1900s, Germany's government systems through the end of World War II were secular and some, such as the Nazi Regime, even discouraged religious practices. With a history such as Germany, how do we expect German culture to perceive religion in the present day? How does German culture communicate these perceptions?

pictured above; Census Map - Unaffliliated with Religion (Ergebnissen des Zensus 2011)

In present-day Paris, there are a total of 197 places of worship in city-center. Compare that to Berlin’s measly 11 (Berlinfo.com). Berlin, and Germany as a whole, has a culture that is less focused on religion compared with other nations. The percentage of German citizens who say they are unaffiliated with any religion is 35.4% as compared to only 24% in the United States. Those who lived in East Germany were subject to socialist ideology throughout the Cold War which discouraged faith and encouraged concrete physical community in areas such as sports. Even still today, we can see the striking regional religious differences in the map above showing those claiming to be “non-religious”.

Fun Fact: The Kirchensteuer, or Church Tax, has existed in Germany since 1827. All members of a church must pay a government tax to that church in the form of a paycheck deduction. In a 2015 poll, 84% of Germans said they disapprove of this tax model. This may contribute to German’s sour mood towards religion. (Der Tagesspiegel)

pictured above; Sign at Bus Stop Defaced by AfD supporter 

More recently, Germany has seen some changes to their cultural perception of religion. Culture is defined in Chapter 14 as, “behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought”. Regarding behavioral patterns, it has been publicized that over 200,000 Germans left the Catholic Church last year (christiantoday.com). Along with that, Germany has seen the dramatic rise of power of the AfD, which stands for Alternative for Germany. This organization is a far-right political party which was founded in 2013 and now is the 2nd most popular party in Germany (thelocal.de). The sign above stating “Muslims Not Welcome” shows the effects of this rise to power.  The party’s platform centralizes on blaming Muslim immigrants for the majority of Europe’s problems. AfD and its members’ rejection of other religions and sects of people shows a rejection of globalization – “the growing economic interdependence of the world’s people” (Chapter 14). The audacity of party leaders leads members to show their support for the party in more “vocal” ways, which explains the sign which reads, “AfD Territory” on the back.

Overall, Germany’s unique historical situation has shaped it’s culture’s struggle with faith. As you venture through Berlin, you see less religious icons and more “technological marvels”, such as the Berlin TV tower seen towering over a church steeple in the first image. Recently, German culture has reflected less church attendance and more anti-Islamic rhetoric as the world moves through the uncharted waters of the 21st century.

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Prompt 3 (extended): We visited Sachsenhausen this week. The holocaust undeniably was a crisis and created a series of cascading crises for Germany, Europe, and the world over the following months and years. Thinking about the Guth reading, how does Sachsenhausen function as a response to that crisis? How does the organization utilize Sachsenhausen (and museums/memorials like it) to pursue healing, restoration, and a prospective vision for the future with the various publics affected by the Holocaust? Make specific connections to both the Guth reading and the ECC (Effective Crisis Comm) reading - again, quotes are a good way to do this.

David Guth, in his article, “Organizational Crisis Experience and Public Relations Roles”, defines a crisis as “a major, unpredictable event that has potentially negative results. The event and its aftermath may significantly damage an organization and its employees, products, services, financial condition, and reputation” (Guth, p125). Throughout his paper, Guth emphasizes an organization’s public response to a crisis and how crucial this aspect of public relations is. 

The Holocaust and the aftermath thereof, being both crises, warranted a swift response from Germany. In 1956, six years after the Soviet Union closed the camp, German organizations started adapting the camp into a National Memorial. However, during this time, the German government was less emphatic on the preservation of history so they destroyed much of the camp in the process. Guth states on page 135 of his article that “the lack of planning for crises is also a cause for great concern. Crises, as well as inappropriate responses to them, pose societal threats on a variety of levels. There are tangible losses associated with them, such as damage to property…” And this is exactly what happened.

The Sachsenhausen Memorial was wrought with destruction from the very beginning. When the Soviets took control of the camp in 1945, they were less focused on preserving what was there and more so focused on moving in and setting up a torture camp of their own. After they ceased operation of Sachsenhausen, the government of East Germany demolished several sections of the camp, including Station Z (the extermination section of the camp), to build artistic memorials such as the large obelisk found in the camp today. This projected a view of “burying our abhorrent past” and that was the main view of the German people during that time. Some German citizens even came to the camp to destroy buildings themselves; using the wood panels from the buildings as firewood for their homes. 

In the present day, there is a larger focus on preservation at the camp. Frequent attacks from Neo-Nazi’s in the 1990s caused many parts of the camp to be damaged. One of the main attacks was an arson attack on the few remaining living quarters. Instead of choosing to demolish and rebuild this section of the barracks, the German commission in charge of the camp decided to preserve this as to serve as a reminder of German history. This focus on preservation shows a public relations stance of solidarity. The commission wants to show the public the truth because anything less would be disrespectful to the victims of these crises. 

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Prompt 1 Extended: Briefly describe how the readings by Nebel, Stobbe, and Sun relate to one of the types of miscommunication of science and technology we have discussed. Find an example of public communication of science or technology here that also evidenced one of the types of miscommunication and explain how.

In her article “Miscommunications in Science and Effects on the Public”, Rebecca Nebel presents a depiction of our society’s sensational media machine. She began by presenting her personal account of a 2011 paper that was published showing that “maternal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use during pregnancy increased risk for having a child with autism” (Nebel, 1). She quickly moves to explain that the risk increase is statistically non-significant, however, the media picked up the article anyways. Panic spread, lawsuits were filed, and Nebel was left curious as to how this could happen. In the article, Nebel explains that the articles are misinterpreted due to technical jargon and selective reporting of the facts which we know as oversimplification.

Gary Stobbe in his article, “From Freeways to Antidepressants”, takes on another miscommunication we have discussed in class. He points out the relentless “______ causes autism” claim that comes every so often from the media. He then argues against the use of “Google University”, or internet news stories that do not report all the facts, for our acquisition of medical knowlege. He states that “Problem #1” of doing this is that “Correlation does not imply causation” (Stobbe, 1). He argues that many of these over-hyped news stories base their article on the miscommunication model we know as correlation ≠ causation.

Lena Sun discusses another factor of miscommunication in her article, “Anti-vaccine activists spark a state’s worst measles outbreak in decades”. She brings up the growing ‘Anti-Vac’ movement and explains consequences of it. She states that a study had scientifically “disproved any relationship between vaccines and autism”, yet masses of people still refuse to get their children vaccinated (Sun, 2). This has caused outbreaks of previously contained illnesses such as Measles. The denial of objective reality and fact in communication is known to us as denialism.

The picture that I included at the top of this article shows the front gate of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The sentence it shows is “Arbeit macht Frei”, which translates to “Work makes you free”. During the time of the Third Reich, Nazi Germany would put up propaganda posters showing the prosperous possibility of coming to Germany and working for your family. These advertisements were a form of oversimplification because the definition of “free” the posters depicted was never actualized. Instead, the Nazi’s worked these men to death, thereby showing their interpretation of the word “free”.

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Prompt 3: Review notes on Futurism. Read “The Futurist Manifesto.” What exhibit at the Mercedes Benz Museum do you think Marinetti would like the most? Why?

“We want to glorify war — the only cure for the world — militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of the anarchists, the beautiful ideas which kill, and contempt for woman” (The Futurist Manifesto, pg. 2)

To begin, Marinetti would have hated the location we explored today. In the Futurist Manifesto, he compared museums to graveyards, saying they are “identical in their sinister juxtaposition of bodies that do not know each other.” However, something Marinetti may have appreciated was the exhibit pertaining to the Nazi Regime and World War II (shown above). The quote I have included describes one of the 11 tenets Marinetti listed in his Manifesto. He describes an admiration of war and destruction and a celebration of notions most would regard with repugnance. The fascist regime of Adolf Hitler and the advanced war machine Mercedes-Benz ran for them during World War II are prime examples of Futurist ideology. This is why I believe Marinetti may have enjoyed taking a look at it; before reducing it to rubble and replacing the museum with a cemetery.

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Prompt 2: How is the Mercedes-Benz Arena utilized for public relations? Who are the key publics here, how are they engaged, and what types of relationship management strategies are employed to engage with these publics? Again, using information learned on the tour is a good idea.

The Mercedes-Benz Arena is utilized by the Stuttgart football team to develop public relations with several key publics. The first would be the most obvious: the fans. On the tour, we were told that Stuttgart football fans were a different breed of superfan (coordinating ways to cheer for the team, paying <€100k for box-seats, etc). The Arena becomes a second home to these fans and the team uses it to provide them with the best possible experience – thereby developing a positive brand connection. Another public would be the opposing teams coming to Stuttgart to match. On the tour, we learned that the opposing team has the exact same amenities in their locker rooms as the home team. Stuttgart uses their arena to communicate that they do not put themselves higher and therefore use the same style locker rooms. This is a hospitable act and serves as a public relations tool in a field in which you could throw the opposing team in a dimly lit, basement locker room. 

These are all examples of relationship management: “Farsighted, well-managed organizations know they must have good relationships with publics important to their success”

Stuttgart manages the relationships with the publics important to their success: the fans & the teams they play. The Arena also provides convienient areas to appease the media and sponsors in the form of player interview stations (as seen below). All of these publics must be pleased in order for the organization to stay afloat.

[arhindeutschland-blog]

Prompt 2: What sciences and technologies are communicated during the tour of Ecoland? Find one example to describe in detail. How effective do you think it is?

An example of science and technology from the tour at Ecoland is their practice of open grazing. The practice of open grazing has been used for centuries before industrialized agriculture. The trend has only recently become a hot topic due to the publicization of the mistreatment of animals in the meat industry. Today, the benefits of open grazing have been backed by the sciences of zoology and biology and can be considered an effective technology.

In this instance, I think the use of open grazing is extremely effective. Ecoland publicizes the use of this technology frequently and in a variety of ways. The packaging of their meat in stores shows two pigs grazing in a field of grass, the tour emphasizes the pigs’ access to fresh air on its farms, and the picture above shows the faithfulness to the cooperatives claims. The use of this technology has most likely contributed to an increase in morally-minded customers for Ecoland.