MISREPRESENTATION

Body image. Something almost all teenage girls struggle with. This was especially apparent in the film we watched, Missrepresentation. The documentary focused on the causes and effects of how girls see themselves.

The main reason girls have such a negative image on their bodies is because of media. Nowadays, most of the teenage population has some sort of social media which means that they have access to the accounts/profiles of many celebrities. Of course these famous people post only the pictures that have been edited to perfection where they look flawless. Girls see this and perceive that exact body shape as the only one socially accepted, leading them to believe THEY must look like that. I think that models also act as a huge influence over girls' thinking. When you look at runways and advertisements, you probable have a ninety percent chance of seeing a tall, slim, white female. You'll occasionally see colored skin here and there, but for the most part, media portrays clones. The same exact body, skin tone, shape. Sure, we have slowly started to integrate SOME variation, but we definitely have a ways to go.

When teenage girls see this, they view it as the norm. I myself can say that I've struggled with body confidence in the past. I used to hate wearing super revealing clothes because I believed I didn't have the body for it. I thought that because I didn't look like Kendall Jenner, I couldn't dress how I wanted to. I'm happy to say that I've not only overcome this, but conquered it. Now, I feel as if I can wear whatever I want. I also think that since I've started high school, I have learned to just not care what others think. I dress for myself and wear whatever the hell I desire. GIVE ZERO F**** LADIESSSS!!!! <3 <3 <3

MOOKED

Have you been mooked?? Are you a mook?? If you are an immature, teenage boy who is forever stuck in their boyhood, then you are officially a mook. In more proper words, you are a male that is arrested in adolescence. You feed off of other mooks and entertainment made for mooks.

So what is "mook entertainment" exactly? Literally go on YouTube and I swear half of the videos on there are for mooks. Mooks make these videos then get more mooks to watch them which LEADS TO MORE MOOKS!!!

Mooks are taking over the world. #stopmooks2k17

DAZED

Bootlegging. Judging by its definition, it doesn't seem like the greatest thing. "To make, distribute, or sell illegally." But one individual's take on the topic may have an unexpected twist.

Twenty-five year old Ava Nirui is a New-York based artist known for her unique designs and juxtaposition between luxury brands and random objects. These random objects range from inhalers to basketballs to different articles of clothing. "The fashion world is so set in its ways. Why not change its rigidity?" In this quote, Ava expands on why she chose such arbitrary objects as the base of her projects.

"From their, I became interested in updating familiar objects with logos and iconography from luxury/contemporary designers in order to transform its worth in a humorous way." Ava's bootlegging started off as a hobby for herself, and she never meant for it to escalate so quickly. Now, people from her social media followings actually want to purchase these garments. However, Ava refuses to sell them.

"A logo is a visual symbol that is representative of a lifestyle. By applying or wearing a logo, you can completely skew and alter the meaning of an object or garment." I think this quote is really reflective of our current society. Once something becomes popular and well known (like Ava's designs) social media will eat it up. It's funny how putting the name of a luxury brand on a hoodie completely alters peoples' view on it. It's like, "Oh, wow! This sweatshirt says 'Gucci' on it! I have to have it!"

Contemporary society is so set on these name brands that once these simple company logos get plastered on something, we jump at it. Ava Nirui helps us to see this.

Give her a follow on Instagram @avanope !! She posts some pretty dope stuffff

BANG

This Marc Jacobs ad "Bang" was released in July 2010. There are a few basic appeals that this advertisement tries to hit. One, the need for attention. By using a picture of an attractive, half-naked model, Marc Jacobs is attempting to tell you to buy this cologne, and you will look like this and be noticed. Another appeal used is the need for sex. This appeal would be aimed at women as a target audience. For this, they are trying to say, buy this and your boyfriend will look like this. Aside from these appeals, the simple solutions technique is also used. "Buy this cologne, and you'll look automatically be as cool as this guy."

Lindsay LoSCAM

Exposed!!! Lindsay Lohan, along with an abundance of other celebrities, have been revealed. We all know they are all a bunch of liars that will do anything to get money!

Does that Bootea really work, girl?? Probably not. Ever since Instagram has blown up within the celebrity circle, advertisers have found that paying celebrities to sponsor their products is almost a more successful way to get their brand out there than doing it on some janky website. That's right. Desperate brands that are dying to get their name out in the endless world of commercials and advertisements are lining up behind the world's biggest names to get one picture. Yup. One picture posted with their product that could forever change their company's fate.

When celebrities tell you to buy something because they use it, their millions of followers WILL listen to them because they look up to that person. Think of it this way. If Justin Bieber came up to you and said, "Hey, buy this cologne," and then an average, random person you don't know says the same thing, who are you more inclined to listen to?

So next time you see your favorite celebrity posing with a product you've never heard of, WATCH YOSELF!!!

Brand Experience

When you see an ad, what are they really selling you? The product? Or an experience? After watching and analyzing multiple commercials, I've found that most advertisers are trying to sell you a brand experience.Take the Extra gum commercial for example. It revolves around a couple's relationship, while the gum plays a small part in the story line. What Extra is trying to sell you is not the gum itself, but everything else that happens in the commercial. They are attempting to tell the viewer that they don't have a significant other, and that they need a significant other to be happy. Therefore, they need to buy Extra gum in order to get a boyfriend/girlfriend and be happy. This brand experience also relates to the simple solutions technique.

Another example of brand experience is through the Chanel advertisement. After watching the short, 1-minute film, one immediately feels like they need to be a part of an elite, luscious life. The commercial focuses on a  well-off female who wears high-end fashion outfits. The brand experience Chanel is going for is one of wealth and prestige.

Whether it's a brand experience of love or money, almost every advertisement uses this technique to sell their product

Go Away Tampax

One thing I despise greatly is when Instagram puts some random ads in my feed. Like, no, I did not sign up for this. I followed the accounts I wanted to, not these dumb accounts that sponsor their own products. The most recent ad I saw was one for Tampax. It was a video of a girl serving a tennis ball and the caption was, "It's you vs. leaks and leaks just got served." If you're going to invade my feed, at least make your ad less cheesy. A few other ads I've noticed are for AT&T, Olay, and Pantene. This relates to the topic we learned about in The Persuaders--narrowcasting. I personally think it's weird and invasive that companies keep profiles on everyone just so they can filter their ads. Although annoying, it IS an effective way to advertise. I constantly find myself guilty of clicking on the sidebar ads that show up on whatever website you're on.

I remember when Instagram used to be one of the only social media platforms that didn't include ads. It was nice because it was like a break from the constant flood of advertisements that showed up in my life daily. It's sad that most everything nowadays somehow has ads incorporated into it. I guess companies really don't have a choice though. If they want to make money and get their product known, they have to advertise, and the websites they pay to show these ads need that money. It's an endless cycle of one relying on the other.

Met Gala or Party of the Year?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit, more commonly known as the Met Gala. You may know it as the event where celebrities drop about a quarter of a million dollars to sit with all their closest friends and wear a Swarovski-encrusted gown with a fifteen-foot train that cost them a low price of $20,000. Yes, that's right. Everyone who is anyone shows up at the fashion-world's equivalent of the Oscar's. Here , I will analyze some of the language used in two articles on this topic.

In this article about the Met Gala, language is used in such a way that makes readers believe this is a prestigious, amazing, best-night-of-your-life kind of experience, when in reality, you just eat dinner and listen to an off-key pop artist sing their three famous songs. Just a few of these words and phrases include, "black-tie extravaganza," "elaborate red carpet," and "intensely coveted." By using this kind of language, readers are convinced that the Met Gala really is worth spending $30,000 on a ticket.

In this piece, language is used to make the Met Gala sound more like a party and less like a fundraiser. It lessens the meaning of its title. "Fashion's biggest night" and "the Superbowl of fashion" are just a few of the phrases that are used to refer to the Met Gala. Frankly, these sayings deemphasize the fact that this is an event to raise money, and not something that has to do with publicity.

Whether or not you care about seeing the most high-end, avant garde looks, or that the Met raises money for the Fashion Department, it's clear that the Met Gala is one of the biggest events of the year. And hell! You may have even seen Trump propose to his wife in 2004!

My Relationship With Media

I guess you could say I'm one of those teenagers who's obsessed and constantly engrossed in my media/technology. But who isn't these days? I swear I'll walk by a six-year old and see them with a freaking iPhone. Then I'll walk by an 80-year old and see them with an iPhone as well. It's the 20th century and almost EVERYONE has a smartphone. Along with this, social media is a huge part of a lot of people's lives--myself included.

My first social media platform was Instagram. I believe I was in the sixth grade when I first downloaded the app and created my account. I would occasionally post whatever I felt like posting, but as I grew older, I slowly started posting less and less. I know it sounds crazy, but nowadays, it's almost like you can only share certain pictures. They have to be "good enough" for your followers. If you post a picture of yourself people may think of you as conceited. If you post a picture in your swimsuit, you could get called a slut. I personally have put other people's opinions and people who have negative feedback out of my mind. When you post what YOU want to and not what OTHERS want you to, you will be a happier and healthier person!

Aside from social networking, I can't say that I don't watch a massive amount of TV. As a matter of fact, I watched a bunch of American Horror Story before doing any of my homework. Whoops. Television shows and networks are perhaps one of the biggest forms of entertainment in America. Almost everyone has their favorite shows that they watch weekly, maybe even daily. At times, I'll admit that I watch a completely unhealthy amount of TV. Whoops again.

Sometimes, I wish I could just delete all of my social media, maybe even get rid of my phone all together. Part of me is too curious to do that though. I feel I'll be left wondering about other people's lives. Or "lives." Is what we post on media really the life we're actually living? Or is it the life we want people to THINK we're living?