* Neuromarketing ( psychological ) [11/30/2010]
This is the science of selling. It helps reach the part of the brain that makes decisions. The companies may use focus groups to interview. The information that is received may be used to create advertisements or change a product. Neuromarketing is where people try to understand the consumer (why they buy what they buy, needs and impulses, thoughts, appeal, etc). It is referred to as "the code." Appeal is used to relate to the consumer.
Example: When people think of SUV's, they think of domination. This is why these vehicles seem more intimidating and big; the people creating the products made vehicles bigger, with tinted windows to appeal to the "domination" feeling needed from the cars for the consumers (Rapaille).
* Emotional branding [12/3/2010]
80% of life is emotion, only 20% is intellect. Questions that may help measure emotions are agree/disagree or believe/disbelieve. Lunts believes that you have to use certain words to describe your policy. Different words resonate with people differently, and this causes a larger emotional reaction. Some believe that emotional branding may be hiding what is fact (political advertising).
Example: Words like, "In with the good, out with the bad..." are going to make a policy sell better. "Estate tax vs Death tax."Some people use the words "Global climate change" as opposed to "Global warming." In the video, people also used a special message catered to each demographic group in order to find out what people would react to in the political campaigning.
* Branding/creating a culture around a brand [12/3/10]
Branding creates an identity. Wikipedia notes, "Some people distinguish the psychological aspect, brand associations like thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and so on that become linked to the brand, of a brand from the experiential aspect." All of this creates an experience. Branding is meant to be noticed.
Example: The breast cancer logo can be recognized anywhere. Different products are sold with the logo in order to create awareness or make money. Images can be used as well, but the logo is always included to make sure it is branded and noticed. Our culture notices this symbol anywhere. It has become second nature to see a pink ribbon and think breast cancer. It impacts us anywhere we see it. It is a common brand that is known all over the world.
* Narrowcasting [12/3/10]
Narrowcasting is used to reach a specific list of people. Narrowcasting is used to appeal to a specific set of people. Consumers react to this because we like to hear that we come first. Human nature is to be selfish. We want to come first, so we like when people or companies seem to be directed toward us.
Example: Democrats in the video stated that they use a computer system to narrow down different lists of people. This may be based on a specific profile. This profiling can be used to send emails to people who are likely to vote for a specific individual. Cable television could also be used as a broad example. People subscribe to cable television, so it reaches a certain set of people. Song used, "Welcome aboard you savvy shopper you."
* Rhetorical marketing [12/3/10]
Rhetorical marketing has an impact through ethos, pathos and logos. This means that it appeals to emotion, logic, and beliefs or ideas. This is used in different types of advertising such as emotional marketing. It is done by picking the right words in advertising to successfully persuade. This can be done through text, visuals, and logos in advertising.
Example: An example from a PDF document notes a shampoo commercial: “Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use.” The weasels include 'helps control,' and possibly even 'symptoms' and 'regular use,' both of which are vague. The claim is not that the product 'stops dandruff.' The way the company plays on words is an example of rhetorical marketing.
* Under the radar marketing[12/3/10]
This is when something is made to go unnoticed, or look like something it is not.
Example: When the Boston Harold made their newspaper to look like the New York Times in the video shown in class. Or, when you type in the wrong URL to a web page, a similar looking page comes up.
* Across-media marketing[12/3/10]
Across media marketing is used to market a specific product anywhere, as opposed to just on commercials or billboards, or traditional advertising spots. A company may put their product in a movie to grab attention of the people watching the movie. This crosses over with product placement.
Example: An example of this may be coca-cola being the only soda throughout a movie. People may be buying specific products such as a Dell computer, or an iPod. These products are not just on advertisements, but the companies are paying to advertise them in movies or posters, etc.
* Product placement across media [12/3/10]
Example: When you are checking out at a grocery store, the magazines and candies (also known as impulse items) are put near the register. This is placed near the register because you have to wait in line next to the products. Many people find these items unnecessary, but hard to resist. Also, grocery stores put dip near the chips. Often, because of this placement, people buy both the chips and the dip, even though the really go in for only the chips. Because the products compliment each other, and they are placed close to one another, people are more likely to buy them together. One final example is when a specific product is presented in a movie. A Dell computer be presented in a movie.
1. Based on this debate and previous readings What Definition of democracy do you feel is most fitting for us to use in-conjunction our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies?
Currently, the internet seems to be using a form of direct democracy. Any individual has the ability to post anything on the internet for anyone to see. There is no fact checking or certainty behind anything that is available on the internet. All too often people use information that is found on the internet in papers or to support theories without checking the author's credibility. When we go online to search for information, we usually take the first supporting detail we see without researching validity. This could be a problem because a paper or supportive material for a theory may be based on fabricated evidence. This can be avoided if the researcher takes the time to use multiple sources and fact check everything they are learning. People have the ability to look for credible sources and sift through for plausible information. If people take the time to correctly do research, this should not cause a problem. A direct democracy on the internet is actually beneficial because there are many points of views. If we used a representative democracy, not every point of view would be available. Everybody has a voice on the internet; personal stories and experiences could be beneficial to specific audience members. If a representative democracy was put in place, we would no longer have such a wide range in freedom of speech. Everything on the internet would have to be right or wrong, there would be no room for opinion. People go on the internet because it is a direct democracy and everybody fits in somewhere, not everybody can be represented in a representative democracy.We should keep the direct democracy that is currently in place, a representative democracy would only create more censoring.
2. How does your answer to #1 fit into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies, and what are some tangible examples of this? Do you feel this is an important issue that needs to be addressed further?
The unchecked nature refers to how anybody can post anything because of the way the internet is set up with a direct democracy. Some clear examples of direct democracy would be YouTube, Blogger, any forums, Facebook, etc. Anybody could create a website and get thousands of hits per day. There is no need to be a professional to be able to contribute to the information on the internet.
3. Define and describe the phenomenon of the Media echo-chamber as described in the Internet Debates. What are some examples of this silo effect, and do you believe it is an issue that needs to be addressed? Why or Why not?
a) The concept of silos is that people only search within a certain bias. If someone was pro life, they may only search for reasons why abortion should be illegal, or they may search for forums of people with similar beliefs. The same would go for someone who is pro choice. It is possible that neither side of the debate looks at the points that the other side makes. Silos are often very biased and opinionated. People may get wrapped up in an idea without doing much research on it. This is a danger of the direct democracy on the internet, but it is a right that people have that should not be taken away.
b) Silos are entirely possible and it is probable that they exist. I feel as though they are not as prevalent as Andrew Keen may think because conversations are allowed. Because the internet is a direct democracy, people can share opinions. If a pro life individual were searching abortion rights on the internet, they may come across a pro choice website. This can spark conversation or debate. Debates are beneficial to help see both sides of a belief. Silos are possible, but because of the wide range of information on the internet, I feel like all sides of each topic are easily findable, even for people who do not go searching.
4. What are some ways that expertise and authority could be (or is being) enforced on the internet? Who would be behind these forces? Why do you believe are they are needed or not needed?
Expertise or authority is usually needed to post information on a government, educational or organizational website. The organizational information may be biased, but it often makes sure to provide valid sources or credentials. When researching specific topics, it would be smart to use websites such as these because they are fact checked. Also, books and online databases that are often offered at libraries are usually fact checked. These are reliable and acceptable to use on school papers and research projects. The government is usually behind these forces. This could be a good or a bad thing. If the government feels it is important for them to censor something, there will be underlying information that is not released to the people, but we know that the information is generally accepted by the public. I think it is good to have sites like these because we know they are generally accepted, but I also think the .com websites could be beneficial because they show opinion and practice of freedom of speech. I have always found it beneficial to look at all different types of sources when trying to prove a point.
Example: Government documents are not available because of national security. Some people believe that it is fair that everything is readily available. One young man hacked into a government safe site and posted confidential documents for everyone to see. If there were no opinion websites, this might happen more because when people are given a restraint, they often break through it. This also may show that .com websites could cause a threat.
5. Give a through example of an adaptation or improvement made by a of a social, political, or cultural group, government, business or individual to keep up with changing nature of the internet.
Alerts, opinions, support groups, online video/voice business arrangements, etc. Everything is being put online. We need to have the latest form of technology to be able to keep up with society.
6. 7. Is democracy threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet?
My personal opinion is that democracy is strengthened by the unchecked nature of the internet. Anything is available to anybody. Anybody has the right to speak and share what they think, believe, or study. This is what democracy is. A representative democracy would limit the voice of the common people, which I think would be limiting the available democracy we have with the direct democracy that we currently have online.
