Erin DiBona

Du konntest nicht einmal mit meiner ungeteilten Aufmerksamkeit umgehen

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Woche Vier

Blog Drei: 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.

The graffiti at Teufelsberg is the free expression of the people. The art on the buildings represent a culture healing. The graffiti helps the people voice their opinions and views of their society and allow others to see different opinions through art. The graffiti keeps the buildings at Teufelsberg standing. Without the graffiti art Teufelsberg would have already been turned into luxury apartments. People paying to see the graffiti funds the people’s ability to keep the space as a creative outlet for all German citizens.

In the US graffiti is generally seen as sketch art that vandalizes buildings, rather than giving them character. The US government would probably have gotten rid of a graffiti park like Teufelsberg because of fear that the space would be turned into a place where crime is high. In the US the more graffiti on the walls of buildings generally correlates to the more crime in that area (LiveScience). In most places in the US fines are in place so that graffiti art has to be taken down (Denver Post). I believe it is because the government can not benefit from graffiti they do not value it. Graffiti has always been a form of art and the US government sees it as a form of serious crime due to correlations (Graffiti and Crime). It is a shame that the US does not value graffiti like Germany does in Teufelsberg. Graffiti can be beautiful, inspiring, and brutally honest.

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Woche Vier

Blog Drei: 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.

“Doping in the German Democratic Republic, which was central to the national policy for sport from the mid-1960s to the collapse of the Soviet satellite in November 1989, has been represented as fundamentally different to other historical and contemporary examples of doping” (Dimeo, 1). The article above advertises the doping scandal that happened during the Soviet reign. It walks through the setting of East Germany and if the doping scandal was true or not. It is brought to light with Germany going to the World Cup in 2014. As the Soviet reign in Germany ended,  there became “...overwhelming, hard evidence of some of the doping, and that since the country no longer exists as a separate entity it has been easier for the details to be publicly aired” (Dimeo, 2). It became clear that after the Soviets left, they had been dosing their athletes for years and had started doping them from a young age.

“What is important to note is that the use of performance-enhancing drugs was a systematic part of . . . East German sports policy, and that it involved a wide variety of people . . . the drugs were provided by the state, and all aspects of the athletes’ development, including those relating to the administration of drugs, were supervised and monitored by specialists in sports medicine” (Dimeo, 8). This concept that doping was a fundamental part of sports is being repeated in Russia. Russia has repeatedly been disqualified due to doping, but this does not seem to stop them. Doping in Russia was banned in 2016, but according to one player he seems to believe the scandal was not an accident. “‘You'd never know if it was on purpose or by accident, but obviously that's been banned for a year and a half and I can't imagine that that was something that happened on purpose,’ said John Shuster, the captain of the U.S. men's curling team” (NBC Article). Because the ban on doping athletes is still relatively new in Russia, his teammate does not seem to think it was an accident. A teammate of the accused athlete states “...that there is absolutely strength and conditioning and fitness in curling and you know it (doping) will give you a little bit of an edge’“ (NBC Article).

 The idea of doping does not seem to be condemned by the accused athlete. If anything, his teammate seems sympathetic. The same idea ran through East Germany. When the doping scandal of East Berlin was taken to court, “...over 1,000 former athletes were asked to testify, but only 300 did” (Dimeo, 19). The fact that the majority of athletes did not testify proves that the people did not think the doping was wrong. They did not have a problem with it. Even with long term side effects the former athletes of East Germany did not care.

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Woche Vier

Blog Zwei: Research the GPDR 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 city you’re in (not online) that deals with similar issues of privacy or surveillance.

On May 25th, the EU put into practice a new regulation on data privacy. On the official GDPR website, the GDPR focuses on “consent,” “right of access,” and most importantly “the right to be forgotten.”  According to the EUGDPR website, “the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the most important changing in data privacy regulation in 20 years…” This regulation revolutionizes data privacy. The idea that people have the right to be forgotten is a major change in data collection on the internet. Almost every website has cookies that track your online shopping and google searching habits and this information is used to make money.

The above art represents the idea that people are always being watched. It is hard to go anywhere in public without there being some kind of surveillance footage. The photos represent the idea that someone or something is always observing you and there's no way to stop it. The eye is always looking and the camera is scanning your face in order to ID you. This idea that you can not escape online data being collected on you is being changed through the new GDPR regulations. In a IT Governance article, the GPDR is described as “a 21st-century approach to data protection” The new regulated “expands the rights of individuals to control how their personal information is collected and processed, and places a range of obligations on organizations to be more accountable for data protection.” The people are getting an opportunity to control their data collection online and decide whether or not they want an organization using their information or not.

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Woche Vier

Blog Zwei: 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.

“...where heritage values are actively shaped and interpreted in the lives and experiences of real actors rather than passively accepted as inalienable and unassailable cannons of truth” (Ramshaw Pg 2). After touring the Mercedes-Benz arena and museum, the BMW Motorcycle Factory, and the VW Autostadt, it is clear that the quality of the car is of the highest importance to these organizations. They way each car is made is individualistic and valued. All these brands have defied the odds stacked against them and continually created newer faster cars despite critics saying it can’t be done. The tours themselves were all pitch sales to grab attention. One of the major things all the tours did were using their brand logo and models of cars and motorcycles to grab your attention. “The meaning-making element of the tour perhaps becomes easier if there exist recognizable collective heritage elements” (Ramshaw Pg 4). The cars displayed were all famous cars without history that a person could identify and recognize. They were strategically rehearsed to make you want to become a consumer of their products. All of the tours explained their values and goals of their company and how the stakeholders’ demands of better, faster, and newer are what drive the organizations to create new products. Though all the tours had some similarities, all three organizations have different approaches to sell and show-off their products. The Mercedes-Benz museum goes through the history of the car brand. The museum runs through every model of car and contains hands on parts that can be examined and appreciated. The museum is used to elude of the brands luxury cars and high status in the world. For the BMW museum, it displayed its most complicated to make motorcycles. It did not highlight its classic models and focused only on the new. The Autostadt tour does focus on the new as well, but only the highest class vehicles that also have the highest price tag. This tour was also the only that allowed us as the potential stakeholder to choose which brands we saw.

I would say that the Autostadt tour was the most compelling to me because of what was offered to do at their location. There were beautiful ponds and gardens and nice restaurants that circled around the car museums. The tour also allowed us to sit in some of the most expensive cars and play around with them. The hands on experience of the tour was the most compelling to me.

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Woche Vier

Blog Eins: 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. 

In Metropolis, the major theme is technology is going to take over society and try to destroy it. This technology will be influential across social classes and will deceive many. In the Museum Communication, a variety of technology is displayed and is shown how it was able to communicate to the societies it was developed for.

One of the technologies was a clock. A clock is a basic form of technology that most people do not recognize that it is one. But clocks are one of the most influential pieces of technology to date. Every culture runs on a clock. At a certain time this or that must be completed. In the US, time is one of the most valuable things a person can have. The slogan “time is money” is commonly used. The movie Metropolis shows a man working to keep the clock running and shows the Mayor of Metropolis son trades places with him. The son works a long 10 hour shift and is exhausted at the end. Time is literally controlling him. He must keep up in order to show the correct time. In this sense, Metropolis foreshadowed the future. The average working man is controlled by time and works on a time clock.

Another important technology is a plane. The invention of the plane allowed people to connect in an even greater way and traveling became more achievable. However, according to Metropolis planes should control us in some way and/or manipulate us, rather planes enable us. They allow us to see more of the world, and they allow us to travel places safely. Planes are one of the safest way to travel now. They are dependable and with automatic technology they rarely have issues in the sky. In this example, Metropolis’s idea of technology in the future is unfulfilled. Planes have given people a new way to see the world and communicate with people. Planes have not controlled us or tried to manipulate us.

Sources:

Metropolis

Plane History

Clock History

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Woche Vier

Blog Eins: 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?)

“Ein bett für alle fälle unser bett jabo, ein klassiker zuverlassig seit 30 jahren”

--“A bed for all trap. Our bed sturdy, a classic. Reliable for 30 years”--

In this ad, the company is advertising the bed and its shelves with lots of storage, so much storage you can store a person in it. The reason this ad would not work in the US is the ad promotes the idea that the woman in the bed is cheating on her partner. “A perceived lack of ethics is, in the final analysis, the surest way to leap from a potential problem to an actual one and this is why public relations scholars have dedicated increasing attention to ethics” (Botan Ethics Pg 7). While there is supposed to be humor in this ad, it would not be considered funny in the US. From their website, the company, Regale, sells “shelf systems, beds, cabinets and home accessories from Scandinavia.” The ad would have a poor image in the US because it supports infidelity, which can translate that the company has a lack of morals and therefore a lack of ethics in practice. The ad’s aim is to say that is version of bed, sold from Regale, has plenty of storage for all your things and that it is long lasting. It is intended for people needing an innovative way to storage more of their possessions. While the ad may work in Germany, it would fail in the US.

In the HuffPost’s annual Gallup Poll, the survey “asked 1,535 American adults about the moral acceptability of 20 behaviors, and having an affair was found to be the very worst, with 91 percent of respondents deeming it morally wrong.” A data expert from NPR stated that “I did find a 2012 study in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. And what they did was they looked at the way that people felt about infidelity. And it found that all participants, regardless of sexual orientation - because they did include different couples in there - found that sexual infidelity elicited more distressing feelings actually than emotional infidelity.” In an article from the American Conservative, “In 1973, about 70 percent of respondents described extramarital sex as “always wrong.” In 2016, this percentage was actually higher—about 76 percent.” In all of these articles, the statics about Americans and their feelings towards infidelity remain the same: Americans deem infidelity wrong and therefore this ad from Regale would not make the company a profit in the US.

In order for this company to be successful in a campaign in the US, the company would need to do research on US culture, what is accepted and what is not. They would need to come up with a strategic approach to communicate to the American people. “A strategic communication plan then adopts steps, or strategies, for addressing that problem with target publics and employs a series of measurable tactics through which to implement those strategies” (Botan Ethics Pg. 1). It is proven, through successful campaigns of Budweiser, using a puppy to invoke heart tugging emotions, Doritos, using American humor to advertise that their Doritos are so good dogs will do tricks for them, and Coca Cola, advertising that their beverage brings people across the world together, that Americans need to be able to relate to the situation in the ad in order for the product to be purchased. A more acceptable ad, for example, would be add showing kids jumping on the bed, hiding in drawers, and playing roughly, while the bed remains in tactic. This ad shows how durable the bed is, while showing that there is a ton of storage in the bed. The ad would be more successful if it advertised more directly what they were offering, which is a bed with storage shelves. Having a house of rowdy children is common and children often break furniture and cause a mess and being able to have sturdy furniture and storage for personal items is a demand for most American households.

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Woche Drei

Blog Drei: 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.

Luke Lalor and his team of professionals work with companies to produce content on social media platforms to promote an organization. They specialize in tailoring content to specific countries and then distributing it across all media platforms. One of the topics Lalor mentioned they have done work in is helping organizations get out in front of bad publicity.

Pictured above is a local Body Shop store. The Body Shop of Paris used the ad above to spin a positive light of a recent crisis they had. In this crisis, the Body Shop employees were verbally abusive and racist to a Malaysian man who was buying beauty products for his wife (Netshark Article). To offset this crisis, the company has focused on the values, and they are publicizing all the good they are trying to do for the world. They did not address the issue at hand though. The following is a release of their mission as a company. “At The Body Shop we must be proactive in the fight against climate change. Our goal by 2020 is to reduce our CO2 emissions and electricity consumption by 50% and our domestic water consumption by 25%. For this we favor renewable energy sources and efficient energy management systems. As long-time supporters of waste reduction, we strive to minimize the amount of packaging used during the transportation of our products and their recycling” (The Body Shop). This is company handled their new media poorly. They did not address a pressing worldwide issue of racism and instead focused on their green values. By not addressing the issue, the company as a whole will now be remembered in France as racist.

A good example of a company using media to get out in front of bad publicity is Morrison’s ‘Milk for Farmers’ campaign (Crises Campaigns). Milk farmers were on strike because of grocery stores taking advantage of the farmers. To ensure Morrison, a British supermarket, would not lose profits from these strikes, they met with farming industry leaders to discuss the issues. Morrison decided to launch a “new brand that will see 10p-per-litre of milk go directly to dairy farmers” (The Independent). This campaign was successful due to its positive media and swiftness in response to unhappy farmers. In recent news, Morrison updated their brand even further to now give back 23p per litre of milk to give back to struggling farmers (Farmers Guardian).

Luke Lalor stated that positive media can spread quickly if produced correctly. It is important to get in front of negative attention and to produce content that appeals to the people in that region. By meeting with farmers and launching a new brand, they saved their sales and image. By The Body Shop not addressing the racism at their store, their image in Paris was damaged and their media of positive organization values became their only way to make profit. An organization’s image is important, which is why Luke Lalor and his team are such a valuable asset.

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Woche Drei

Blog Drei: 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?

“Citizens behave as a public body when they confer in an unrestricted fashion—that is, with the guarantee of freedom of assembly and association and the freedom to express and publish their views” (Habermas Page 1). The photo above contains the background of a communist rally in Paris. Passing this rally there were cars parked in the middle of the street with newspapers, pamphlets, and communist flags. “Newspapers changed from mere institutions for publication of news into bearers and leaders of public opinion—weapons of party politics” (Habermas Page 3). These newspapers contained the communist plan for government and how it compared to France’s current government. These forms of technology were used to educate the French people of the ‘communist way.’ In order to process the communist party rally, the people need to understand what communism is and how it is implemented in government compared to France’s current government.

“While the language of advertising needs to be concise and manifest a great impact, every element used via the codification also portrays the different styles in putting forth a message creatively” (Jaganathan Page 2). The pamphlets handed out were written in different languages to communicate to all the people in the region of Paris. In these papers, the argument is made that the French government is corrupt and that the only way to save France is to reform to the Communist Manifesto. In order to combat this type of communication and demonstration, the government can come back with examples of where communism fails and why communism actually limits the citizen, rather than freeing. The government will have to appeal to the public sphere.“By “the public sphere” we mean first of all a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed” (Habermas Page 1). The government would have to present the argument against communism in a multilingual way to address all citizens. They would need to cut down the utopian idea of communism and address its true agenda through past history examples.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism

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https://youtu.be/TUWi9ytJhDc

Woche Drei

Blog Zwei: 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.

“The relationship between sports and popular music forms an important, although little understood nexus of cultural production” (McLeod Page 1).

The above photos are of two very different types of technology. The first picture depicts the sport of ice skating during the reign of the Soviet Union in East Germany. The second photo is of a game called ‘The Pain Game,’ and you must be 16 or older to play. On the surface it seems that there is absolutely nothing in common between these drastically different games, but in realty they both contain a key aspect of each other. Pain. Besides the science behind how much pain a person is willing to take for a reward, the two are completely different. The technologies however used in both inflict pain and the only way to make it through the pain is to grow stronger and more resilient.

“...athletics, which fundamentally stressed practice, work, and effort over leisure and pleasure (Zang 25)” (McLeod Page 6).

Figure skating throughout history has been known for its extreme difficultly and demand for discipline. The main technology used in the sport is the development of ice skates with sharp blades. These blades have been known to cut through skin and potential seriously injure an athlete (History of Figure Skating). The risk of pain in figure skating is high, but the reward could potentially be winning gold at the Olympics. This idea that the pain is worth the price of being a figure skater. In the Pain game, pain is written right into the title. The idea is that the heat, whips, and uncomfortable vibrations are worth it to win the game.

People subject themselves willingly to pain in this game for the potential of being the best and the winner. The idea is the same in figure skating. Athletes subject themselves to the pain of breaking in new skates, which can cause serious blisters and bruising, to become a better figure skater. When a figure skater falls the skates have the potential to harm them. In the pain game when someone makes a mistake the technologies are used to harm the player who mess up. The technologies that make up figure skating and the pain game both cause pain, but the people participating take the pain for the chance of a greater reward and recognition among colleagues. 

“Music and sport allowed individuals to assert their excellence as soloists while remaining part of a cohesive group” (McLeod Page 4).

The songs I chose for each respective topic, where done so because I could envision the essence of each within the songs. I chose a popular Taylor swift song for figure skating not because of the lyrics, but if you take out the lyrics and listen to the beat, the beat describes a conflict. This song has the potential to allow for a story to be told. Figure skating is a dance and the beat of this song allows the athlete to add a personal flare to their routine.

The song I chose for the Pain Game is one taken from a Halloween movie. The song keeps the players in suspense and makes them stressed because they never know when they will mess up next and be subject to the torture of the game. The song is fast paced and keeps emotions at the edge of the surface. The pain from the game is long lasting and if it distracts you, you can lose the game.

In the end, the Pain Game and figure skating have little in common, but the technologies in each are connected by their purpose, to inflict pain to make you stronger. That is not to say ice skates hurt forever, rather the person using them becomes stronger physically to rebuff the pain. In the pain game, the more you grow accustomed to the pain, the less it hurts. You are expecting it.

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Woche Drei

Blog Zwei: 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.

“Curtin and Gaither (2007) identified four clusters of studies in international public relations: (1) analyses of how national cultures influence public relations practice, (2) analyses of the relevance of US-centric public relations models in other countries, (3) comparisons of public relations practices across regions or countries through case studies, and (4) studies of international public relations practiced by governments” (Zerfass Page 1). The BMW tour was a campaign to sell us, as potential stakeholders, their motorcycles. We were not allowed to take pictures on the tour and the tour guide was not allowed to mention some things when asked questions because of government control of those public relations. The government has to approve all media campaigns through BMW and us taking pictures would’ve have been cause for arrest. This is an example of government using international public relations to control the image of BMW. Also, on the tour, the guide, Martin, mentioned that the US dropped to #3 on the list of top stakeholders of BMW motorcycles, and he kept mentioning how we needed to buy more motorcycles to put us back at #2. This mentioning shows how much BMW keeps up with its stakeholders and cares about their status in their company. Martin stated that BMW as a company tries to make the best quality car at a price that stakeholders are willing and able to pay. They do not make the most expensive motorcycle possible because no one would be able to afford it. This shows how the company analyzes stakeholders’ willingness to buy their product and how much they are willing to spend.

“The communication function will be shaped by general trends that affect global companies: digitalization, change of customer needs and stakeholder expectations, increased interconnectedness, efficiency expectations as well as increasing emphasis on risk management” (Zerfass Page 7). One of the unique things BMW does and emphasized during their tour was the uniqueness of the bike depending on where the bike was going. Meaning, the bikes sent to England are not the same design externally than the ones sent to the US. The customization of bikes shows that BMW does research on the regions it sells to make a motorcycle more appealing. An attractive motorcycle in Germany is not the same look for a motorcycle desired in France. BMW also internally cares for their employees. Their employees are internal stakeholders, and they are cared for as such. The employees’ comfort is taken vey seriously in consideration in the production plant. The employees are not rushed to make as many bikes as possible because quality matters over quantity to BMW. The employees also have comfortable work chairs and stations because BMW wants their employees to work for them for a lifetime, and making comfortable happy work environments for them ensures they will stay. Martin mentioned that if an employee is sick for a day there is no one who could replace him because he is essential. The employees are hired in the hopes of them staying for a lifetime. Overall, BMW works hard to keep its clients and employees happy to ensure the highest quality good is going out their door and they are receiving the highest possible satisfaction when driven by a client.

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Woche Drei

Blog Eins (erweitert): 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. 

“..Uses the term cross-cultural communication to refer to exchanges of messages among the members of different cultures.” (GM 14 Page 436) The above video is from my trip to Munich in which I observed street artists sing their own rendition of popular pop music. The song in the video is from a Swedish band called Daft Punk. The song, “Get Lucky”, is popular across the world and is easily recognizable. Though the song is Swedish, it is sung in English because most cultures, especially in Europe, can understand and listen to pop music sung in English. “Diversity within an organization’s public relations team can help ensure successful cross-cultural communication at home.” (GM 14 Page 443) This decision to sing the song in English is the band’s and the street musician’s awareness of other cultures across Europe and their acceptance and likeness of pop songs sung in English.

“Even though an organization’s message might need different encodings for different cultures, the message should ideally remain shaped by the values that unite the organization.” (GM 14 Page 437) When we were in the streets of Munich listening to this street band, people gathered around to listen and enjoy the song. Pop music was used to unite the people in the street, who I could not communicate efficiently in German to and them to me in English. The street musicians are just one example of pop songs in Germany that are played in English. Pop music in general uses English in their songs to connect cultures worldwide. The beat of the music might change from country to country to sound more appealing to the people who live there, but the song remains the same. Pop music defies cultural lines. While in Berlin at a local restaurant on the TV came on a famous Taylor Swift song. Though the people around us spoke German and not a lot of English, they too understood and connect with the song with us. The pop song was used to find common ground between us.

“By communication, we mean any exchange of information—verbal and/or nonverbal—between the sender and the receiver of a message” (GM 14 Page 436) Pop music uses verbal communication to stretch across cultural lines. English pop music connects people. When the Soviet Union controlled East Berlin, Bruce Springsteen held a concert that connected and gave hope to East Berlin. Though, Springsteen spoke in English, his music communicated his thoughts and feelings to the German people. (Huffpost) Pop music has continued to connect people throughout the world through its ability to break cultural boundaries. It’s verbal messages, whether happy or sad, and its beat have connected the world. The proof is hearing a Ed Sheeran song in a local bar or a watching a local street band in Europe thousands of miles from the US sing a song you know and learned at home.

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Woche Drei

Blog Eins: 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?

“The Roots are Free

(Gerda's garden grows free)

The roots are free,

Who can limit it?

You are there,

In all our dances.

No one can take it,

No gardener they are chasing

With spade and lead:

The roots are free.

And if you lock them up,

In plant dungeons,

Then soon a germ will show

That he is much stronger.

Because his tendrils,

Tear the planks

Of the dungeon in two:

The roots are free.

So please this dream

Renounce the borders.

It grows a tree here,

Do not bother the barriers.

You can do it with the roots

Do not chop growth.

It remains here:

The roots are free.

It remains here:

Gerda's garden grows free!”

Finding the community gardens at the abandoned airport proved to be more of a challenge than I originally thought. These gardens do not fit the typical cookie cutter plants in contained locations made to look beautiful. The gardens are wild and taken care of by the people. The gardens are for the people. This idea that the gardens should have no boundaries coincides Ecoland’s mission to naturally farm. Unlike Ecoland, the Tempelhofer Feld is not for profit or comply with any standards. From the poem above that hangs on a pole in the middle of the gardens, it is clear that the gardens are meant to be free ranging. From a city that has seen so much damage and war, the gardens are liberating and freeing in a sense. They are used as a way to repair the once broken city.

“So while some brands charge forward with futuristic tech, others will take a step back to the basics.” (Hartford Page 7) The people of Berlin are taking the abandoned airport and turning it into a restored beautiful garden that contains natural crops. All of the technology in the garden is old fashioned. There are water bins that people use to fill up watering cans and take care of the plants. These bins are refilled by the people and were created by the people. There is a windmill to power the garden and all of the gardening is done by hand not by a machine. The people through their dedication to the gardens show their values of natural farming, commitment to growing natural plants, and their love for conservation of pure things. The people of the gardens are not trying to force plants to grow at a certain time, and they are not concerned for the plants natural wild habits. They encourage all gardening styles and support each other through gardening together. These gardens have brought the Berlin community together in a place that once hosted evil beings. Tempelhofer used to be a Nazi airport and was shut down at the end of WW2. (Abandoned Berlin) When the airport was reluctantly shut down the people had over 300 hectares of land and they decided to turn the ugly airport into something beautiful.

Sources:

Ecoland Home Website: https://www.ecoland.de/_ecoland/index.php/ueber-uns/unser-auftrag

Abandoned Berlin: https://www.abandonedberlin.com/2015/03/tempelhof-mother-of-all-airports.html

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Woche Zwei

Blog Drei (erweitert): Briefly describe how the readings by Nebel and 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 Nebel’s “Miscommunications in Science and Effects on the Public”, she describes the effects and truths of an article published on “maternal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use during pregnancy.” Nebel discuss the effects of the article’s oversimplification that SSRI drugs cause autism in babies. Nebel states that the article was written in a way that “only an expert in the field could understand.” The article discussed was only a single study and since then the allegations made were drastically dramatized. In Nebel’s opinion, oversimplification of medical studies in papers “causes unnecessary panic or sometimes not enough to stir.”

Stobbe’s article on “From Freeways to Antidepressants- Cautionary Tales of the Causes of Autism” states simply the differences between correlation and causation, which are often used interchangeably when they should never be. Stobbe declares that “Correlation does not imply causation.” He states that the assumptions made in studies “in some ways is not the fault of researchers. The advance of technology has allowed us to study huge numbers of patients, improving our ability in finding characteristics or events that occur together.” The example is a case on the relationship between antidepressants being used during pregnancy and the probability having a child with autism. The study showed that there exists a correlation between the use of antidepressants and autism, but one does not cause the other. Again, the article and media posts discussing this case oversimplified the study and cause a panic that taking antidepressants could cause a child to be born with autism. Stobbe states that because “media loves to grab your attention”, we must “be careful in where we obtain our scientific knowledge.”

In Sun’s article “Anti-vaccine activists spark a state’s worst measles outbreak in decades”, Sun describes how oversimplification of one discredited medical case caused the worst outbreak in measles in decades due to a group of Somalian mothers refusing vaccines for their children based off a doctor’s denialism that vaccines cause children to have autism. Sun writes about the difficulty in a community that was given faulty information and how they were encouraged by doctors who refuse to accept many cases that denounce the theory that vaccines cause autism. Sun writes on the effect these doctors had on the community and that being ill informed caused wide spread panic and measles outbreak.

The ad above, featured in the Germany History Museum, is an example of Nazi propaganda in which it oversimplifies Hitler being the father of the people. This ad and a multitude of others were used to put in him in a good light within Germany. But in reality, he was only good to people he deem to be superior in race. This ad deceived people, and when the war was over, the ads were used as a form of denialism for Germans who thought Hitler was good. Hitler used Stobbe’s statement of the media loving to grab people’s attention to boost his reign and oversimplify his objectives.

[eadibona-blog]

Woche Zwei

Blog Drei (erweitert): 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.

“Your organization is on the hot seat. Someone has screwed up and the whole world knows it.” (Guth Page 123) This quote embodies Germany after WW2 and Sachsenhausen functions as a historical response to Germany’s loss in WW2. For Germany, “they didn’t have the foresight to anticipate their worst nightmare” which was losing the war to the ally powers. (Guth Page 124) In response, Sachsenhausen, a concentration camp that held mostly political prisoners during WW2, was used as a symbol of Germany’s lack of preparedness to lose the war.

Guth states that “organizations less experienced in crises, the more likely it is that the public relations function takes a technical role.” (Page 124) At the end of the war, the SS planned on evacuating Sachsenhausen. The SS forced over 33,000 prisoners to walk northeast and if any prisoner was too weak, they were killed. Parts of Sachsenhausen were destroyed or hidden by the SS to mask some of the horrors of the camp. Parts of the gas chamber they had built were buried. The SS did this in the hopes that they would soon be back to use their horror death chamber again. In August 1945, Sachsenhausen was liberated by the ally powers, but soon after was taken over by the Soviet Union and used as a prison for political oppositions. When the Soviets took over Sachsenhausen, they saw the camp as an opportunity to use as their own torture prison, rather than seeing the horror that reek throughout the camp. It was not until 1961 that Sachsenhausen was shut down completely.

“Organizations are also vulnerable to sabotage, which involves the intentional damaging of a product of the working capacity of the organization by someone inside the organization” (ECC Page 5) Following the liberation from being a Soviet prison, Sachsenhausen was abused by its own people. Many Neo-Nazis tried to destroy the remaining parts of the camp to hide what the camp had been doing. These people did not want the camp turned into a memorial. They still believed what the camp had been doing was right and did not want to memorialize those who had died. After trying to set fire to the remaining living quarters of prisoners, German government decided to preserve the burnt building rather than rebuild it to kept its history and honor those who were brutally harmed there.

“…crises provide opportunities with the potential to leave the organization stronger in some ways than it was before the crisis.” (ECC Page 4) The camp today is a memorial for those who suffered within it. The camp is filled with museums and tell the stories of its prisoners. The camp has several memorials within it and a statue was built taller than the main watch tower of the camp to symbolize that the Nazis are not the most powerful anymore. The statue is also used to cut off the vision of the entire camp to hide what happened there. Sachsenhausen is now used as a memorial to honor the people who died within the camp and to make sure that they are not forgotten. The German government has worked to preserve the camp and to uncover and expose the camp’s horrible past in the hopes that it will not be repeated and the people it affect can be honored.

(I chose not to take pictures at Sachsenhausen out of respect of my neighbors who are Jewish and asked me not to. For them it is a sign of disrespect to photograph concentration camps. I chose to use a photo of the bricks on the streets that have the names and dates of people taken and killed at Sachsenhausen. These bricks are a memorial for those who died at the camp and I believe that it is more important for them to be memorialized and honored than to photograph the point in time where they were reduced to an inhuman level.)

[eadibona-blog]

Woche Zwei

Blog Zwei: 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.

“…more than just places in which events take place; they are now places to visit, to stand near to, to touch, to record an image of or, perhaps, to experience more intimately through a tour…in short, the stadium has grown in importance, from an often aesthetically indifferent utilitarian structure to an iconic symbol of a place, team, sport and/or event.” (Ramshaw Page 3)

The Mercedes-Benz Arena is has become more than just a gathering of devoted football fans to watch their beloved Stuttgart play soccer. This arena utilizes its fan club and the media to appeal to the public. The Stuttgart fan club is made up of over 63,000 members and each year the fans sell out season tickets to be in the arena. Stadium serves them food and beer, and allows them to form bonds with other fans by communicating their common interest of the team and wanting to win the game. The fans also coordinate choreography within the stadium, and they work together to communicate what they want to do and how they are going to do it. Without the stadium, the fans would not be able to come together to create such amazing bonds and team spirit. Also, in terms of media, the players do three different types of interviews after each game. These interviews appeal to the different people watching the games at home. The first interview is for the television station that live streams the game, the second interview is for all the media that is sponsored, and the last interview is for all people who want an interview and don’t have access to the second interview location. All of these interviews happen in the stadium and the locations of these interviews in the stadium define how it relates to the public. Moving from the field, to a wall marked with all sponsors of the stadium and team, to outside the locker rooms, these interviews show which interviews are more important and what kind of news they will have in them. These types of communication reach out to the public and determine the stadium’s status in the viewpoint of the people.

[eadibona-blog]

Woche Zwei

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

I believe that Marinetti would not have liked the Mercedes Benz Museum at all. From his manifest he proclaims, “We want to get rid of the innumerable museums which cover it with innumerable cemeteries.” (Marinetti Page 3)

However, if I had to choose an exhibit Marinetti would like, it would be the Silberpfeile exhibit. This exhibit displays new and advanced race cars. The exhibit shows the new modernization of the ‘Silver Arrows’ cars. The cars, built through the decades, were dangerous and fast. People were hesitant of these vehicles, but Marinetti states “Let us feed the unknown, not from despair, but simply to enrich the unfathomable reservoirs of the Absurd!" (Marinetti Page 1) Mercedes Benz pushed the limits when it came to making cars, and each time a new model came out he had plans for another car. The race car was one of the most dangerous models. With its speed and advanced engine, the car could easily lose control and in one instance a man died driving one. Even with death, the car advanced. The desire for a faster car pushed the limits of engineering capabilities. New engines were created and the cars became exponentially faster. “We declare that the splendor of the world has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed.” (Marinetti Page 2) Marinetti admired speed and thirst for it. The car also consistently had issues and had to be modeled and altered. But in the words of Marinetti, “Beauty exists only in struggle.” (Marinetti Page 2) The Silberpfeile exhibit expresses speed, struggle with design and modifications, and new technology all of which were desired by Marinetti and put as declarations of necessity in his manifest.

[eadibona-blog]

Woche Zwei

Blog Eins: 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?

Ecoland uses a variety of science and technologies to further progress and benefit itself and its partners. The company understands that “the consumer is already overloaded” (Hartford Page 2) with information and technology so it keeps its communications with clients and partners clear and simple. Ecoland takes to heart the idea that “More data doesn’t deter a consumer from buying, but it can definitely misinform them.” (Hartford Page 2) The company shares knowledge of crop rotation, soil science, and companion planting with its partners to help them become better organic farmers. In the tour a video and a simple PowerPoint were shown that were straightforward and concrete with only the necessary information given.

“More means long-term trends, which is a good thing considering the industry is still in a highly experimental phase when it comes to refining tracking technology.” (Hartford Page 5) Ecoland has expanded from 7 farmers to roughly 1400 in the past 30 years. Therefore technology at Ecoland is always adapting to become more environmentally friendly and efficient through the exchange of information from one farmer to the next. One technology that I found most interesting was the mixing machine. The video above is the tour guide’s explanation of the mixer and its process. The mixer combines spices so that all the spices are evenly distributed in the sample. This machine is necessary so that when the spices are sold or put into the meat Ecoland produces, each bite of meat and each container of spices has the same taste throughout. I believe that this machine is effective due to the company’s diligence in inspection. The company prides itself on authentic organic spices and meats that taste good. If the machine did not produce the desired taste, Ecoland would not use it.