International Media Fall 2011 @internationalmediafall2011 - Tumblr Blog

Taco Bell in Mexico...

http://prezi.com/aky8de1ltclw/present/?auth_key=9iigh2i&follow=zso3knga471s

PLEASE CLICK ON LINK TO VIEW PREZI...IT WILL NOT UPLOAD TO TUMBLR AND WHEN IT DOES, IT CRASHES (EVERY-DAMN-TIME)...THE LINK IS SAFE!! SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE...

I wrote my final paper on Taco Bell’s attempted transition into the Mexican market. In the United States, Taco Bell promotes itself as authentic Mexican food…and we all know that is not true. So with that being said, I decided to explore what Taco Bell would have to do to try to promote itself to an authentic Mexican clientele. I discovered that the company dabbled with the theoretical ideals of “hybridity”, “glocalization” and the exploitation of the “push/pull culture” mantra.

Although Taco Bell’s success has yet to be determined in Mexico, its attempts are feeble to say the least. In fact they are almost pathetic, even when using the proven success of the theoretical strategies mentioned above.

My supplementary media project is a Prezi showing the dysfunctional side of Taco Bell’s advertising world. Tying both their Mexican ad campaigns and American ad campaign’s into one humorous Prezi, I chose to display how offensive and discriminatory Taco Bell’s ads actually are…and to think, people actually get paid millions of dollars to come up with this billion-dollar “brilliance”.

I now feel for Mexico on a whole new level…

-Thomas Vella

Singer Robin Fenty, also known as Rihanna, has reportedly sold more than twenty million albums and sixty million singles, undoubtedly making her one of the best selling artists of all time. As an International pop star Rihanna has taken the power of her overwhelming celebrity and meaningful music in order to influence and inspire her fans from around the world, therefore making Rihanna a hybrid artist.

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Rihanna can be considered a cosmopolitized artist since she speaks out for individuals that gone through similar issues as her. When referring to Chris Brown’s domestic assaults against her she says at first she did not want to speak about it because it was a horrible experience and it is not something that anyone would want to relive, but she has decided to speak about her experiences in hopes to help young women in similar positions. She says that the best way she was able to cope with the experience was through her music. Rihanna claims that she lives through her music and that she feels every word and every sentence so when she sings she is reliving all the emotions all at once. Something that her fans can relate to.

Rihanna is considered a Hybrid artist since she feeds off of different cultures in order to create her music as well as her look. From the beginning, RiRi’s Caribbean root was a prominent factor in Rihanna’s appeal and her Barbadian heritage was eminent in her first single “Pon de Replay”. Since the beginning, Rihanna is considered the “face of Barbados”, her home country. As a result, in the year 2011 Rihanna was declared Barbados official tourism ambassador in hopes to promote her beautiful country. Showing that Rihanna is now considered Barbados’ best “export”.

-Corinne Tynan

FEEDING THE HIDDEN HAND: THE ILLUMINATI AND WORLD DOMINATION

As residents of the United States, seldom do ideas of mind control and brainwashing arise in the broader context of humanity. While therein lies an awareness of manipulation to a degree that maintains a transparency to the public, conspirators often fear a far more dangerous, serious, and more importantly unspoken of group of an elite society, with full control of the media, politics, and science, whilst using celebrity as bait to the public to feed and implement mind control. The Illuminati, known as the “illuminated group,” controlled by thirteen infamous elite families, has been studied by conspirators for decades, as they attempt to permeate an intentional series of symbolism surrounding this secret group’s phenomena. Using mind control through the media platform, the Illuminati, known as the Hidden Hand, controls all world issues, brain washing the public through music and entertainment, all in the attempt for the development a new world order. Imagery and symbolism is used on multiple platforms including, television, music, music videos, photography and art. The industries as we see them, are manifestations of controlled entertainment, placing celebrities into molds for various “agendas”. From sex kittens, to monarch slaves and princesses, all of the major figures in the public eye serve a purpose to the agenda. Those who have spoken out, leaking or revealing the secrets of the occult, are thought to have been exterminated. Although some would argue conspiracy theories fall short on truth or evidence, if the Illuminati is viewed as a legitimate organization used to control the public, theories of cultural imperialism, glocalization, and cultural materialism surface in its goals. When taken to the extreme, these elements of globalization will lead to the downfall of freedom, and result in a full-blown anarchy, used for world domination.

Perhaps this is the dark side of globalization. We must delve deeper than what merely lies on the surface. Increased communication, blurred boundary lines, disappearing traditions. But what is the greater picture? Is there much for the public to do? Despite Michael Jackson’s tainted image, his fan base kept him alive. So much of we what do not see is not because we can not, but rather because we choose not to see it. Those who choose to turn a blind eye, may only feed into the Illuminati’s own symbolism of covering the left side. Now is the time to spread a greater awareness. It is time for the public wash out the glitter. It is time to remove the their cataracts.

— Yevy Yelkina

Taco Bell in Mexico...

I wrote my final paper on Taco Bell’s attempted transition into the Mexican market. In the United States, Taco Bell promotes itself as authentic Mexican food…and we all know that is not true. So with that being said, I decided to explore what Taco Bell would have to do to try to promote itself to an authentic Mexican clientele. I discovered that the company dabbled with the theoretical ideals of “hybridity”, “glocalization” and the exploitation of the “push/pull culture” mantra.

Although Taco Bell’s success has yet to be determined in Mexico, its attempts are feeble to say the least. In fact they are almost pathetic, even when using the proven success of the theoretical strategies mentioned above.

My supplementary media project is a Prezi showing the dysfunctional side of Taco Bell’s advertising world. Tying both their Mexican ad campaigns and American ad campaign’s into one humorous Prezi, I chose to display how offensive and discriminatory Taco Bell’s ads actually are…and to think, people actually get paid millions of dollars to come up with this billion-dollar “brilliance”.

I now feel for Mexico on a whole new level…

-Thomas Vella

#taco bell #mexico #mexican food #authentic mexican food #poor advertising

Major League Baseball: Cultural Imperialism in the Dominican Republic

Major League Baseball has globalized just like the rest of the world, especially the business world. One of their biggest operations is in the Dominican Republic, where 28 of the 30 MLB teams have baseball academies. These academies are premiere training facilities that house young Dominican baseball talents and groom them for the Major Leagues. Baseball is the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic and is such a significant part of the island-nation’s culture. However, the MLB’s presence has had significant consequences on the country’s most beloved game and the young children who play it. What the MLB is doing exemplifies what Adorno calls a “culture industry,” or the commoditization of cultural entities and that is exactly what Major League Baseball is doing. The MLB knows that there is an enormous, almost endless supply of baseball superstars in the making, most of whom happen to be living in poverty. Thus, they can sign these talented kids for a lot cheaper than they would in the United States, exploiting them. Once the children do make it come to the Major Leagues, the MLB profits off of the audience they draw in and the merchandise they help sell. More importantly though, only 1% of the children from these academies actually make it to the Major Leagues, and the other 99% are forgotten. My video explores the consequences of these academies on these children, especially those 99% who don’t make it to America, and how the MLB uses the Dominican Republic baseball culture to profit and grow in power. Do you think Adorno’s theory applies in this case? Also, do you think there needs to be some sort of regulation in place to prevent the consequences this video explore? Those are the questions I pose to you on this controversial global issue.

Nicole Danzi

Water Privatization and Commercialization

Privatized water is a controversial global issue, where the ownership of water services passes from the government to private corporations. Too often, these corporations are more concerned with generating revenue, rather than providing quality services. Water can become contaminated and unsanitary when the money used to improve services is diverted to the pockets of corporate executives. As a result, citizens suffer from this negligent behavior, paying with their money and their health. Regardless of whether water issues arose prior to privatization or not, citizens are subjected to a kind of cultural imperialism, where clean water is much more highly valued and one's access to it can indicate power and status.

Water's commercialization also plays a part in this revenue-generating cycle. Bottled water, like other types of "clean" water, can be seen as hybrid status symbols that combine various cultural elements to create more of an appeal. Bolstered by pop culture and celebrity, bottled brands have the potential to become "necessary" to the right audience, particularly, young people.

- Stephanie E.

#privatization #water #hybridity #cultural imperialism #smartwater

I did my final presentation on Gogol Bordello, a musical group that transcends continental and national boundaries. I am very passionate about this group and the message that they portray. This is a very small portion of their awesomeness, and I suggest that you all go and look them up. Enjoy!

My final project was about the FARC. I covered the way they have been portrayed in the media and the effects they have had on Colombia as a terrorist organization. Also, how their name is becoming globalized because of drug trade.

What is literacy? Why is it important? For my final project, I explored the world of literacy and it's importance by learning about the history of two different countries. Finland has an 100% literacy rate compared to Chad which has a 33% literacy rate. How did that happen? Find out how...

-Diane Cho

Earlier in the semester I posted about tattoos and hybridity. Exploring the subject a little further, it is easy to see the tattoo subculture is one built on Appiah's idea of cosmopolitanism. While each part of the globe has its own characteristic that sets them apart, there are an increasing amount of similarities in style, technique, and subject matter between East and West. The transition of these characteristics are all a part of this shared tattoo subculture.

-Isaiah Irizarry

This is a video showing the relationship and effects that entertainment/technology has on globalization. It shows a few different examples of aspects that can influence other cultures and their effects. Enjoy!

-Justin Morgan

Globalization:

Hip hop is a genre that is very popular in the United States. There are many artists that are admired and praised for their lyrical abilities and style. When I heard hip hop from Israeli it surprised me because I was never aware that Hip Hop was an existing genre in that country. They incorporate the idea of the rapper hanging "on the block with his boys" and also break dancing and a dance battle that you usually see in Hip Hop videos.

Johanna Mejia

Pull Culture and the Playlist

The idea of pull culture is one that allows for a feeling of more control over culture and cultural experiences. Pull culture is described by James Lull as, “a user driven side of the model” and is comprised of “individual persons and their chosen networks that are composed of varying degrees of proximity and mediation.” So, if you are pulling from culture, then that means you are taking cultural experiences and making them your own. You are retrieving a certain part of a whole or you are retrieving the whole of a different cultural experience than your own push experience. With a playlist, this is exactly what you are doing. You are taking music from a cultural experience and personalizing it. You create the playlist by pulling from other cultural forms and meld them into your own personal form. With a playlist, you can make it as big or as small as you want and it can take a matter of seconds to form one. Often, the playlist is not considered closed because you can keep adding to it if you want to add more music. Playlistism allows you creative control over the music in culture.

-Chris Osifchin

For my final project, I explore the concept of world fashion and its connection to globalization and cosmopolitanism.

International Adaptations of Sesame Street

Many of us may have negative connotations when it comes to the culture industry and how it affects our world today. For my final project, I pointed out the many ways that Sesame Street goes against these negative aspects of the culture industry and uses it in a good way. Children are very easy to influence and are becoming a main target as consumers. Sesame Street continues to go against the negative side of culture industry by teaching children valuable life lessons in many different countries.

http://prezi.com/v1iujffrlqqz/international-adaptations-of-sesame-street/

- Nina Vanderhorst

The Story of Streaming

For my final project, I did a piece on the impact of streaming music services, specifically Spotify, within the larger contexts of globalization and cultural imperialism.

http://prezi.com/mtayntaufwqz/the-story-of-streaming/

- Chris Osifchin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIRJvXZNzGU&feature=youtu.be

Local music can be found within any part of the world. Right here in New Brunswick, New Jersey, there are dozens of shows every weekend at venues, basements or parts of the school. It is important to aide your local musicians as many of them are not out to "Get rich or die trying", they are merely expressing themselves for the sake of doing something they love. However, because of new social networking tools, these local artists have a much better chance of having their voices heard if networked correctly. These viral methods may prove so successful that many artists that grew up in the same town as you could travel across the country or even outside the country. With the right motivation and distribution skills for a new technological age, it is possible for any determined musician to tour around for an extended period of time.

-brian liddy

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International Media Fall 2011