Week 5 Responses

1.
During the first section of the reading, subliminal advertising is the topic of most interest to me. I still wonder to myself if this type of advertising is taking a hold of me. Brands are right to admit that today's consumer culture is no longer naive, and they must get our attention in some other way. Something else of interest to me was the way that we as consumers do realize how much we do advertisers' work for them. Yes, we all detest ads for the most part and don't agree with the way they appeal to us, but these same people are wearing logos day in and day out, giving the brands free advertising. Thirdly, I enjoyed the pranks of Joe Garden and his advice on how to disrupt the system with minuscule attacks. In my day, I have seen plenty of fake eBay auctions, most of them hilarious, and this made me think of them. Also, the idea of sending businesses back their business reply envelopes with a ton of garbage in them is very tempting.
My question for section 1 is that alcohol and liquor ads can hide ridiculous pictures and subliminal messages in their ads, how far does this type of marketing go?
My question for section 2 is how did no one realize they were buying foreign groceries twice every week for a year?
2.
Twitter, once thought to be just a new way to tell your friends what you're eating for breakfast, is now on the verge of being one of the most important social networking devices, ready to surpass Google in it's dominance of Internet searching.
I support Johnson's reasoning on why Twitter can now be so helpful not only in the social world but in the business world as well. To be able to ask a list of a 1000 people what they think about a decision in real time can be revolutionary in the way we carry out business. I also agree that Twitter is battling for support throughout the toughest economic times we have ever seen. People are out of jobs but continue to invent ways to keep in touch with each other.
I don't agree with the fact that Johnson sees it as proactive that people can only use 140 characters in their Twitters, causing information transmitted to be more precise. I am a firm believer in explanation, and although sometimes things can be explained in a few short words, it is mostly not the case. I also disagree with the way Twitter is now promoting advertising, the very topic we have been studying for the past few weeks.
I personally don't use Twitter because I don't require instant updates on everyone I know. I rely on the occasional browsing of facebook or texting to find out how people I care about are doing. I otherwise have no bias towards twitter.
3.
-Everything that has to do with advertising has gotten increasingly sexual, especially while children and teens are still developing a knowledge of advertisements.
-Advertising no longer has to be in your face, because it can be subtly everywhere you look, from friends clothes to movie backgrounds.
-The idea of corporations paying people to advertise brands to their friends and family is disgusting.
-The males of TV and advertising become increasingly violent and the women become more sexual.
-Cool Hunting? Enough said.