#comm3070

[pheebz-abroadingermany-blog]

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.

The computerspielmuseum and the DDR museum both showed very different types of sports. The computerspielmusuem consisted of a variety of video games as well as the advancement of video games throughout history. The DDR museum focused completely on the history and lifestyles of East Germans during the cold war. Both museums showed different types of sports whether it was through sports gaming in video games or through actual physical sports. One fun similarity about these museums is they both were very interactive and easily kept the attention of the visitor.

The DDR differed greatly in that there were no signs of any video games being played at that time, instead, just different sports that people of East Germany played. The sports pictured at the museum consisted of soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, aerobics, handball, swimming, and table tennis. In relation to DDR’s East German athletes, I would place more of a uniform, main stream, or energizing song with the sports. I say this because in socialist East Germany many of the citizens lived in similar, uniform lifestyles as their neighbors. Unlike the United States which play “rock, hip hop and pop tunes [... during] every stoppage of play during NHL, NBA, and Major League Baseball,” the East Germans would play very simple music. So for this reason I chose Thunder by Imagine Dragons. I tried to find an extremely main stream, yet slightly catchy song to represent East German sports. 

In relation to the video game museum, I think that it would depend on the video game. For instance, a video game related to sports would have something more similar to United States physical sports music like rock, hip hop, and pop music. This scenario is what McLeod cited as happening in sports related video games saying that there “increasing presence of major label musical artists in sports-related video games” (McLeod 539). For the video game, I chose the song All I do is Win by DJ Khalid. This is a popular hip hop song that promotes a winning mentality. 

Song for video game: All I do is Win by DJ Khalid

Song for East German sports: Thunder by Imagine Dragons

[lesterj28-blog]

COMM 3070

Week 3 Prompt 2 (extended):  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.

The technologies on display at the DDR Museum and the Computerspielmuseum were both evident during the tours we attended. The DDR Museum had an entire section devoted to how East Germans were required to participate in sports. East Germany wanted strong, fit, and capable citizens, so they enforced the sports requirement on every East German. As described on the “Leisure Times” panel pictured above, young East Germans were drilled at special schools and denied childhoods. Many were forced to take performance-enhancing drugs that threatened their lives so that East Germany would have some of the best athletes in international competitions.

The video link I have pasted below this paragraph is a music video of “Eye of the Tiger” and portrays different moments throughout the Rocky movies. I believe this music video would work very well with the sports of East Germany because it provokes a certain sense of patriotism and excitement, persuading those to become more athletic. This propaganda technique to support one’s country and become more active would certainly have been popular in East Germany. As stated in the assigned McLeod reading, “Music and sport allowed individuals to assert their excellence as soloistswhile  remaining  part  of  a  cohesive  group.” (McLeod 532).  East Germans who watched this music video would have been inspired to increase their athleticism to better themselves, which would have in turn improved East German sporting as a whole. 

https://youtu.be/VgSMxY6asoE

The Computerspielmuseum was quite different from the DDR Museum in the way it portrayed sports. While the DDR Museum focused on how East Germany strictly enforced physical athletic sports among all of its citizens, the Computerspielmuseum showed the transformation of video games from the very first gaming system to modern technology. The last picture I posted above is a poor-quality picture of the Poly-Play, which was a gaming system popular in East Germany. Because East Germany placed more value of active physical activities, video games were not very common. However, East Germans were still able to temporarily escape their realities if they were able to find a Poly-Play. 

The video link I have below this paragraph is a link to a music video made for the movie “Tron: Legacy” that was released in 2010. This movie is set in a futuristic cyberworld that is unlike anything here on Earth. The music of the music video is very techno, adding to the different and futuristic appeal of the movie. This music video appeals to the desires of many to escape reality for a moment and forget about everyday worries. This was exactly the appeal of the Poly-Play in East Germany, which is why this music video goes so well with it. In the assigned reading, McLeod states that spectacles such as e-gaming are “instrumental in providing legitimizing symbols that contribute to the construction and stability of  the  ‘modern’ state.” (McLeod 534). The Poly-Play, which was certainly technologically-advanced in East Germany at the time, allowed the East German government to convince its people that it lived in a modern state by letting them escape the harsh realities of East Germany momentarily.

https://youtu.be/o-ltM_ystRg

[pailzingis]

COMM 3070 - WEEK 2 - PROMPT 1 - MISCOMMUNICATION

The idea of miscommunication among the public relations and advertising world is embedded in world discussions every single day. With the ongoing information dumb through different sources such as increased social medias, apps/etc. that are tougher to navigate, advancement in conventional sources, the information becomes more and more easily miscommunicated.

The Nebel, Stobbe and Sun readings all provided example of how information can be taken in different ways, misleading etc. to the public and it can have a very serious impact. 

The relationship between autism and vaccinations, being the concept I was previously experienced the most, is a sad example of this. There was a study done about vaccines and autism; the study now proved totally false had a huge impact on Americans not wanting to give their kids vaccines out of fear. (The fear of autism in itself speaks to the true moral compass of our country). Stobbe can be quoted as saying “Correlation does not imply causation” (Pg 1). This is obviously a phrase coined many times but it does play a good meaning here. Their might be examples of kids who were vaccinated as well as been autistic but there is no correlation between the too directly. This article affected a lot of action throughout the U.S. and it still has affects today.

The example of miscommunication I found online an article about how Exxon coffee ads used a saying from a concentration camp in their advertisement. The phrase was “Jadam Das Seine” which translate to (in English) “to each his own”. We actually came across a similar sign at Sachsenhausen that translated to “work shall set you free”. The phrase here was seen at the nazi concentration camp Buchenwald's gates. The sign was used by the Nazis to indicate that the prisoners were getting what they deserved. Exxon was using the slogan in order to speak about the different kinds of coffee to which one could own. Obviously that didn't translate at all and many were outraged. Many had a feeling that the sign had an "unsurpassable tastelessness" (CBSNews). This is an example of a technology and slogan being used in the wrong way and how the interpretation caused a miscommunication.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/exxon-coffee-ads-used-nazi-slogan/

[arhindeutschland-blog]

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.

[keepingupwithkellen-blog]

COMM 3070 Week 3

Prompt #2:

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 that explain why you chose the songs.

The examples I chose to include in this prompt from the DDR Museum and the Computerspiel Museum are at best incredibly different. This is so because of the roots in which they have used to anchor themselves. The DDR was not about fun or enjoyment; it was about everyone being on an equal playing field. Enjoyment had to be shared or taken away altogether, much like everything else within the communist-ruled country. The Computerspiel Museum is about the enjoyment of technology in different ways.  Whether for leisure or sport, there is a lighter sense about it and greater impression of gratification within.  

The example I found at the DDR Museum was that of The Society for Sport and Technology.  The society was created as a way to introduce young boys to the physical and technological elements of war. The activities consisted of parachuting, diving, gliding, marksmanship and more.  The technologies of war were highlighted in a fun way, because the society was meant to actively engage boys in these activities and not so inadvertently help “prepare” the DDR for any threats come their way. Quoted in our readings, McLeod says “Public spectacles, whether sporting, musical, artistic, or other, have been used throughout history to affirm power and prestige” (McLeod, 2006, p. 534).  These sporting events the DDR held were most assuredly to affirm power and establish a dominance among the new generation.  The music video I chose to embed was “We Are the Champions” by Queen. I chose this because that is the image the DDR wanted to present to the rest of the world: that they were the champions, and everyone else were the losers.  

In the Computerspiel Museum, the game that I drew most to was Dance Dance Revolution.  Dance across all cultures, much like music, is something to bring people together.  Dance Dance Revolution used the technologies of computer and touch-screen capabilities to create a game that people could enjoy in fun competition with themselves or other. With Dance Dance Revolution there are no ulterior motives or ideology stuck within the moves; only fun and enjoyment. For this I chose the song “Everything is Awesome” by Tegan and Sara from The Lego Movie.  It has a fun beat and quick pace, making it not only a great Dance Dance Revolution song, but a great song to describe the atmosphere that Dance Dance Revolution creates and fosters.  Gropes (2001) talks about the women pop stars that contributed to the sports-music confluence directed towards younger girls and women (McLeod, 2006, p. 540).  Some would argue that Tegan and Sara could have a similar effect as P!nk or Gwen Stefani because of their more androgynous appearances and edgier styles of music. 

[ohhyellow]

Week 1 - Prompt 3

When looking for Volkswagen’s social media, I found that they had several Instagram pages, one for each country they are largely present in, and one international page (in English). By having several Instagram pages, they are drastically increasing their range of network capability. Network capability refers to the ability of the company to reach their audience through the platform of social media (Okazaki and Taylor, 60). They are able to reach more people, and are able to create many closely linked networks rather than one large loosely linked network. This capability is important to their brand as they are a worldwide company that influences markets globally, and thus uses social media to remain present in the lives of their consumers. 

The use of multiple accounts also significantly increases Volkswagen’s image transferability. Image transferability refers to the ability of the advertisement to appeal to those form different cultures but keeping one grand image. (Okazaki and Taylor, 62). Volkswagen is able to fit their image to each cultures norms, without straying too far form their overall brand image. For example, they are free to post advertisements about popular things in each country (ex. Super Bowl, Father’s day on different dates in each country) without confusing their followers form different regions. They are also able to post general images with brand centric advertisement techniques on their international page. 

One interesting difference between the German and American Volkswagen Instagram accounts is in the way they caption their photos. The German account will post pictures of the a car then list it’s gas mileage and other features. In the US, the posts don’t consist of feature listing, but short sayings and some quotes. This could be due to cultural differences in each country and the advertisement strategies based on those differences. This exemplifies the advantage of having multiple social media accounts for different countries to manage image transferability.  

Personal extensibility refers to people overcoming the “friction of distance” (Okazaki and Taylor, 65). Social media advertisement is able to come in contact people at any spacial point. They could be in public, on a train, or in their home to see the same advertisements put out by a company on social media. As long as they have a tool necessary, like a computer/smartphone, they can be exposed to the ad. This is a pro for advertisement through social media, as it makes it easier for the company to reach is audience. 

[beccaingermany-blog]

Week 1: Extended Blog post Comm 3070 

Above is an Instagram account and paper advertisement for Lamborghini. The paper ad is from a German newspaper. The ad is about how the new SUV Lamborghini is great in rough conditions like the desert. It also highlights the parts of the car that make it advanced. The Instagram account highlights pictures and videos about the car and events happening within the company. According to the reading by Okazaki & Taylor, there are three key theoretical perspectives that go into making an effective combined advertising and social media campaign. The three keys are networking capability, transferability, and personal extension.

Networking capability encompasses how consumers are in control of how information is “generated, created, organized and shared” (59).  This allows social media to cut down boundaries and reach cultures that might not otherwise be able to communicate effectively. Network technology allows businesses to reach the largest possible audience for their product. The Lamborghini paper ad effectively does this by promoting itself in a newspaper that goes to everyone in a specific region. Lamborghini is able to reach people who might not be able to connect to social media this way. Lamborghini’s Instagram account allows them to reach millions of people in an entire country and the world. While it may not be catered to a specific region, it is effective in breaking down boundaries between regions. 

Imagine transferability is about constructing a brand image. Lamborghini has effectively curated a recognized brand in its advertisements and social media. The Lamborghini name is automatically recognized in a newspaper ad and can cause people to read it because if it’s brand power. The Instagram account has over 12 million followers that hey reach in a weekly basis. People recognize that a certain car is a Lamborghini because of the account. Both the Instagram account and the advertisement use the brand’s power to help promote the company effectively. 

According to Okazaki & Taylor, personal extensibility “attempts to measure the ability of a person (or group) to overcome the friction of distance through transportation or communication” (65). The newspaper ad is able to overcome temporal, geographic and cultural boundaries by connecting a certain region of Germany with many different backgrounds. Many people read the newspaper and Lamborghini recognizes that this is the best way to reach people in some regions. The Instagram account adds to this by being very accessible to the public. So many people have access to the internet. Some who may read the newspaper may not have internet and vice versa. Lamborghini recognizes this and effectively combines the two campaigns for a successful outcome.

[laurengetsforeign]

The Ubahn is a perfect example of technology in Stuttgart. Here, a higher emphasis is placed on public transportation and environmental efficiency. In the external view, technology is emphasized as a mindless physical or social system (Ayung, p.3) The Ubahn in my opinion is definitely a mindless social system as citizens here use it to get from point A to point B daily without thinking about it. It is their normal, however, to us in America it is the opposite as we all feel the need to have our own cars. The Ubahn is an example of physical capital as it is a system/infrastructure (Ayung, p.4)

As technology is the science about practical art, mechanical engineering and other applied sciences that help the Ubahn move efficiently and carry people from stop to stop. While the Ubahn is as aesthetic pleasing as a metro can get, it is also a piece of practical technology that is used as a means of transportation in this culture daily.