#mediacommunications

[carliejeanmediacomms]

Commercialization

Jay Baruchel is once again the face of ‘The Royal Bank of Canada’ (RBC). originally appearing commercially for the bank in September 2018; 

(RBC take 20- ‘Squirrel Bank’)

After the original success which is called to attention by RBC’s Chief marketing officer, Alan Depencier who explains how “We’re back with Jay because we know he resonated with Canadians to deliver our message and encourage people to question the value provided by their bank” (Depencier cited in BBDO 2019).

Reunited with the bank in may of 2019, together they created a series of advertisements which were predominantly ‘designed to highlight how great the relationship can be between a client and their bank (and get a few laughs at the same time)’ (Anthony K 2019). The advertisement collection can be found bellow;

https://stimulantonline.ca/2019/05/22/rbc-banks-on-jay-baruchels-charms-again/

Baruchel is known for how ‘his work reflects the heart and energy of his country.’ (ACTRA 2019) Not only is this reflected in his representation of himself in RBC’s advertisement campaign, but also in his receival of the ‘2019 ACTRA National Award of Excellence’ (abid). As a Canadian actor ‘Baruchel is well-known to RBC’s target audience, many of whom grew up watching him’ (BBDO Toronto 2018). This creates a bridge between the characters in which he played, and the lovable friendly face giving you advice on banking, this connection allows the audience to trust him and be more inclined to take his advice.

The commercial is said to be ‘[a]imed at a millennial audience’ (BBDO Toronto 2019) and does this through the medium of comedy, which genre is the ‘clear favourite’ (TiVo 2019) amongst North American and Canadian audiences aged ‘18 years and older’ (abid).

Having Baruchel as the face of the advertisement campaign not only provides a friendly and well known Canadian persona, but also creates a wider appeal in the adverts themselves. This appeal is in consequence of his role in the ‘how to train your dragon’ series, which highlights his unique tone of voice. Studies show that ‘young children encode and have difficulty ignoring acoustic attributes of words’ (Spence M 2002 p.217). This study confirms how children ‘latch’ on to specific tones and can recognise voice actors, allowing them to draw their parents attention to the adverts.

Baruchel also highlights how he is ‘not the only person who deals with [anxiety]. Lots of people do’ (Baruchel 2019) providing comfort to his fans letting them know they are ‘not alone’ (abid). The succour nature of Baruchel’s celebrity appearance benefits RBC as it provides the audience with a face they know understands their struggles.

This particular celebrity endorsement is nationally successful in Canada but would not have the same effect elsewhere in the world. This is due to RBC being a Canadian national bank, and not being endorsed globally. Baruchel is also a Canadian actor adding to the personal aspects of Banking and localising the brand to Canada by representation. 

The actor is represented as comical and likeable, surrounding himself with friends and watching Ice Hockey; ‘recognized and declared to be the national winter sport of Canada’ (Justice Laws 2020), which he highlights in an interview how he can't ‘remember a time where that [sport] was not part’ (Stinson. S 2018) of him. Commercialising sport is globally popular and un restrictive, combining this with his comic approach juxtaposes the stereotypical nature of the boring necessities of a bank making it lighter and more fun, appealing to a wider audience.

Bibliography

ACTRA (2019) ‘Jay Baruchel to be honoured by Canadian performers with 2019 ACTRA National Award of Excellence’ Available at: https://www.actra.ca/news-release/2019/01/jay-baruchel-to-be-honoured-by-canadian-performers-with-2019-actra-national-award-of-excellence/ [accessed on 26/10/2020]

Anthony. K (2019) ‘RBC banks on Jay Baruchel’s charms again’ Published on Stimulant Online. Available at: https://stimulantonline.ca/2019/05/22/rbc-banks-on-jay-baruchels-charms-again/ [accessed 26/10/20]

Baruchel J (2019) ‘Jay Baruchel’ Child Mind Institute. Available at: https://childmind.org/blog/jay-baruchel-myyoungerself/ [accessed 26/10/2020]

BBDO Toronto (2018) ‘RBC Taps Celeb Jay Baruchel for Frank and Funny Millennial-Focused Ad Series’ Available at: https://www.lbbonline.com/news/rbc-taps-celeb-jay-baruchel-for-frank-and-funny-millennial-focused-ad-series-2 [accessed 26/10/2020]

Justice Laws Website Canada (2020) ‘National Sports of Canada Act’ Available at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/n-16.7/page-1.html#:~:text=2%20The%20game%20commonly%20known,national%20summer%20sport%20of%20Canada. [accessed 26/10/2020]

Royal Bank of Canada (2018) ‘RBC Take 20 video collection’ Skin and Bones Production Company. Available at: http://glossyinc.com/2018/09/17/rbc-taps-jay-baruchel-new-campaign/ [accessed 26/10/2020]

Royal Bank of Canada (2018) ‘Squirrel Bank’ Youtube, Available at: https://youtu.be/Piac6ghpDIk [accessed 26/10/20]

Spence Melanie. J, Rollins Pamela. R, Jerger Susan. (2002) ‘Children’s Recognition of Cartoon Voices’ Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research • Vol. 45 • 214–222 

Stinson, S (2018) ‘'Why do I care about this the way I do?': Actor Jay Baruchel on hockey fandom, loving the Habs and not loving the Maple Leafs’ National Post. Available at: https://nationalpost.com/sports/born-into-it-tropic-thunder-actor-jay-baruchel-divulges-stories-of-lifelong-fandom-from-new-book [accessed on 26/10/2020]

TiVo (2019) ‘What TV Content Genres Do Viewers Prefer?’ Available at:https://www.marketingcharts.com/television/tv-audiences-and-consumption-110704 [accessed 26/10/2020]

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[whistlingwoodsblog]

What Can You Do With A Degree From The School Of Media & Communication?

Amidst the expansion of globalization and the dynamic connections it brings to the world, mass media industries have witnessed some of the most rapid developments in recent years, with social media booming on an unprecedented scale. In light of these developments, the need for industry-ready professionals stays relevant, with organizations on the lookout for individuals who understand these challenges and make their moves accordingly. As such, there lies an abundance of career opportunities that one can explore, from the field of journalism to filmmaking sets. However, crossing the distance to those opportunities requires the right kind of education, the kind offered by media & communication courses in Mumbai.  

At Whistling Woods International School of Media & Communication, an International School of Media, our BBA in Media & Communication and MBA in Media & Entertainment programmes offer aspiring students a curriculum that combines the best of theoretical and practical studies in management topics and contextual studies. These courses help prepare them to take on career paths in every sector of the media and entertainment industry, sharpening their analytical skills to help them gain an in-depth understanding of the ways in which media represents and influences the world around them. 

Whether a student wishes to pursue their successful career through media or communication studies, diverse possibilities are up for grabs, enabling them to function in a practical discipline of their choice. Some of the obvious paths for media and communication professionals lie in the fields of film, marketing, education, and journalism among others. Here are a few of the prolific positions that one can apply for with a media & communication degree:

Human Resources

No other profession is recognised for the development and maintenance of worker ethics as human resources. Every large business acknowledges it as a key department, playing a vital role in encouraging work performance among the employees while communicating with a diverse group of people. The role of a human resource executive involves recruiting new employees, developing training programs and updating company regulations and guidelines, allowing graduates who choose this profession to nurture their aptitude for building relationships.

Public Relations

For aspirants who have developed exceptional communication skills and are comfortable with handling the intricacies of their favoured brand or product, taking up a job in PR stands as the ideal career path. Day-to-day operations for PR specialists include crafting and executing strategies that help bring their employer’s goods and services to the limelight in a favourable manner. The best places to pursue these job opportunities lie in the offices of public relation firms, large businesses that hold their own in-house PR teams and advertising agencies.

Law

Though most aspirants who choose their career path in the legal industry graduate with a specialised law degree, media and communications graduates can pursue their interest in organisational and administrative roles within national and civil courts, including independent or governmental legal firms. Here, paralegal or legal secretary roles are up for grabs for students specialising in communication. Based on the company that one applies to, there are possibilities that one can gain additional qualifications at the workplace.

Social Media 

If most of one’s considerable hours are spent browsing through an array of social media platforms, chances are that their success story lies in the field of social media. Keeping up with the ongoing trends while strategically manoeuvring through their business to the spotlight is a skill required of media & communications professionals, enabling them to succeed in a dynamic environment like none other. 

Video Editing

Turn your attention to any screen and you’ll discover that video content is booming as ever. This, in turn, has fuelled the need for capable video and film editors who can transform raw footage into well-crafted stories. Here, a media & communication degree can help supply aspirants with the knowledge required to master film editing software, enabling them to build a successful career.

Media Planning

Working up to secure a role in maintaining the newsworthiness of an organization requires one to master both the aspects of creativity and strategy. Here, the word of a media planner holds significance in the day-to-day operations of conducting detailed analysis and research required to create campaigns, identifying the target audiences it will work best with, and crafting the right message to disseminate through the proper channels. 

Journalism

For aspirants who do not wish to graduate with a media & communication degree simply to restrict their work to a desk throughout their working hours can find their ideal career path as a reporter. This job attracts people looking to build world experience, where seeking out newsworthy stories on a proactive basis takes precedence while interviewing relevant people pertaining to the subject and writing down their reports for the world to read. 

Interpreter/Translator

For a job that requires communication across multiple languages between diverse groups of people, there are few career paths that require native-level proficiency such as this one. Possessing expert-level knowledge of the style and grammar within the language of the original speech or message and the language of the message that it will be communicated is key to the success of any aspirant looking forward to the career opportunity.

Event Co-ordinator

The event industry is always in need of strong communicators who know how to manage and work well among various departments. From choosing the decorations and catering to finalising the venue and flow of the occasion, those whose passions revolve around planning and managing events are most likely to perform well in this field. 

Technical Writer

Knowing how to take a complex concept and communicate it to a diverse group of people while still maintaining one’s deadlines is a skill sought out most for aspirants looking to try their hand as a technical writer. From creating documentation to articles, instruction manuals and more, experience with a technical subject is an added bonus that will help one work effectively in this career path. 

Besides these career opportunities, there are many more diverse opportunities for one to explore once they graduate as a media & communication professional. To know more about the subjects and material involved in these courses, Whistling Woods International School of Media & Communication is the destination to visit. 

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A Brief Guidance of WebRTC Application development with it's benefits

What is WebRTC and how it works? We have uncovered every information about this application development and also, get aware of the benefits of WebRTC.

[k1533214-selfing]

Does it apply to everyone?

Today I want to discuss an important topic, how far does an influencer's example of self-promotion and self-branding apply to everyone in the ‘job market’ or even online everyday life. Everyday we see an influencer post a selfie, promoting a brand or self-promoting but we need to look at the wider picture of reality and think.. Does it apply to everyone?

Influencers are open to a big platform whether it is using TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, they are able to self-promote and self-brand themselves in different ways. Whether it is creating a vlog about their holiday, posting images of them having dinner, promoting brands they have been sponsored by or even promoting their own business. However the things they post does not apply to everyone.

Most influencers that self-promote themselves on social media show a ‘glamorous’ lifestyle. They will post images on their luxury holidays, fancy dinners, exclusive brand deals they get which in a way is seen as boasting. In my previous blog posts we discussed how some influencers do not consider the welfare of their followers and how they see it as a transactional relationship. All of this comes together as they create a branding that is not realistic that everyone can obtain. Most people work a 9-5 job and can not spontaneously jet off to the Maldives or the current hot travel destination for celebrities and influencers is Dubai. People may have to save for ages to be able to afford a holiday like that. Especially during the pandemic loads of people became furloughed or lost their jobs and there were influencers out their showing of them going away which may come across insensitive. Influencers need to keep consistent with their socials and followers but sometimes their self-promotion and self-branding does not apply to everyone. 

However, some may agree that it does apply to them as it shows them. It indicates how accessible social media is, whether it is to promote, starting a business, or even becoming an influencer. They may use influence from them to create their own career path. During lockdown many people started their own businesses and used social media to self-brand their business. A lot of influencers have become mentors to help other people pursue their careers by either giving them advice or posting their business on their socials. One influencer who I follow that has helped small businesses by promoting is Aliyah Raey. She frequently posts on her Instagram story that she wants to help small businesses by promoting. 

I guess you can say there are people who it will and not apply to but it depends on you. It may cause a lot of effects and distress to someone to be able to try maintain a lifestyle like an influencer or others may see it as a business opportunity. 

I hope you enjoyed today’s blog post. Look out for the next one coming soon!

[k1533214-selfing]

Is our relationship transactional?

A question many wonder is the relationship between influencers and their followers genuine or is it seen as a transactional relationship. By transaction relationship I mean, do they use their followers for their own benefit to create income. Of course influencers create income from products or adverts they promote but some influencers may not care about the welfare of their followers. In my previous post if you have watched the video ‘Million Pound Selfie Sell Off’, they clearly show how certain influencers don't research the products they promote or they target gambling and alcohol to a younger generation. This can cause many issues because a follower who is under 18 should not be exploited to gambling or alcohol posts. Instagram advertisements now have specific guidelines so influencers have to clearly state whether it is a paid promotion or advertisement. 

We have seen many cases of celebrities and influencers that have promoted products gone wrong. For example, Scott Disick was promoting BooTea on his Instagram and copied and pasted the caption that they sent to him. You can see in the picture below. 

(Elite Daily. 2021. People Are Absolutely Roasting Scott Disick For His Latest Instagram Post. [online] Available at: <https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/scott-disick-copying-instagram-promotion/1499165> [Accessed 2 January 2021].)

It makes you think, do these influencers not think about what they are posting as long as they are getting the cheque at the end of it. It caused quite a debate especially on Twitter, as followers were reacting to the caption he posted and were asking whether this was a genuine advertisement he believed in. In my opinion, it probably took him 2 minutes to take an image with the product, copy and paste the caption and upload it to his Instagram. He probably doesn’t know much about the product he is advertising which is worrying because social media is open to young people. I looked into the company Bootea and it is advertised as a detox tea to make you lose weight however in the advertisement posted by celebrities they do not state that it is a laxative, it stops birth control and has other side effects. This is dangerous and irresponsible that celebrities are able to promote these products. This is why people have trust issues with influencers thinking whether it is genuine what they are advertising or is it seen as a transaction. 

According to Bazaarvoice “47% of customers are tired of influencer content that appears inauthentic and 62% of customers believe that influencer endorsements take advantage of impressionable audiences”(Lurillo, 2021). These figures are very high and convey that followers are getting tired of influencers posting the same things as other and taking advantage of them so they are able to gain profit. 

Have you seen an influencer post something which you thought it was only for money, let me know I would love to see your responses. Next time I’ll be discussing the effects that self-promotion and self-branding of an influencer can have on online everyday life and in the job market.