Why is the Wii so popular?
With Christmas time upon us our thoughts have turned to that perfect gift for our loved ones. This year the Wii is once again a family favorite. But why? What makes this game so popular that stores cannot keep them in stock, that people are willing to show up at stores at 6am in the hopes that they will be on the truck that day? Despite the competition from the PS2 or the Xbox 360 the Wii has remained popular among adults and children alike. Older gamers could understand the game system because it uses a remote control instead of a joy stick. However, because of the need to use swinging movements to make the system work all gamers are at an equal playing field. Because everyone has to learn how to use this new type of system no gamer is at a disadvantage in learning to use this game.
Since Nintendo is trying to remain competitive they have made a point to continue to make updates to the new system. When you explore the menu you can find that the system can connect to the web, you can see mail, and interact with others. They have also made updates to the shop channel as well as the weather. You can also make a Wii me which is your character in the game. With the multitude of choices you can make a character that looks remarkably like the real you.
By utilizing both innovation as well as appealing to all ages plus adding in channels enabling interaction, Nintendo Wii has reached a high level of popularity and keeps people curious for the latest updates and new releases.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Assignment 1-3
For the Love of Joe: The Language of Starbucks
Coffee is the choice of drink for many Americans for several reasons. The first reason is the addictive quality of the caffeine that much of our society depends on for energy in the morning to get them going. Another reason is the social aspect of the coffee date. Many people use a trip to a coffee house as an outing, a way of maintaining social relationships. Even when there is not time for a large social gathering most people can find time to stop for a cup of coffee with a friend. It is a time to talk, to catch up with a friend, to relax and enjoy that cup of coffee.
This article focuses on the Language of Starbucks. Starbucks is considered a marketing marvel because of the small amount of advertising dollars they spent in their first twenty-five years. This is a business that has thrived because of word of mouth advertising. One way that they have built a following is the language that they use within their restaurants. They have a friendly atmosphere and they use language that makes people feel both invited as well as romanticized. They often use language that would be used to describe personal relationships when describing them in romantic terms. This type of language is used on their website, menu boards, and in-store advertisements. They call their blends powerful, exotic, and intriguing, The coffee matcher uses words such as sure thing, adventurous, and downright daring. They do not use the typical language of a coffee house that only describes how bold the coffee is. They use language that makes the coffee seem romantic to give the stores a romantic feel that will make people want to continue to return frequently.
The renovation of St. John’s Catholic Newman Center included the addition the Illini Market which serves Starbucks coffee. The reasoning behind adding this service was that it would be a drawing point to coffee drinkers throughout campus. Starbucks is a major representation of the coffee market and the name alone is enough to attract people to a location. The Newman Center strives to serve all Catholic students from the University of Illinois. While the main group of students that use the resources of the center are the residents of Newman Hall the goal is to reach all Catholic students and staff. By adding services such as a Starbucks outlet we are able to attract these additional Catholic students into the building in the hop that they will become contributing members to the center and the Chapel. This article gives me insight into why Starbucks stores are so very successful. It is not solely because of the taste of the coffee or the atmosphere of the restaurant but also because of the language of Starbucks. The language that they use to attract customers to the restaurant as well as the language that they use to convince their customers to continue to return time and time again - 10% of customers comes to Starbucks twice each day.
Coffee is the choice of drink for many Americans for several reasons. The first reason is the addictive quality of the caffeine that much of our society depends on for energy in the morning to get them going. Another reason is the social aspect of the coffee date. Many people use a trip to a coffee house as an outing, a way of maintaining social relationships. Even when there is not time for a large social gathering most people can find time to stop for a cup of coffee with a friend. It is a time to talk, to catch up with a friend, to relax and enjoy that cup of coffee.
This article focuses on the Language of Starbucks. Starbucks is considered a marketing marvel because of the small amount of advertising dollars they spent in their first twenty-five years. This is a business that has thrived because of word of mouth advertising. One way that they have built a following is the language that they use within their restaurants. They have a friendly atmosphere and they use language that makes people feel both invited as well as romanticized. They often use language that would be used to describe personal relationships when describing them in romantic terms. This type of language is used on their website, menu boards, and in-store advertisements. They call their blends powerful, exotic, and intriguing, The coffee matcher uses words such as sure thing, adventurous, and downright daring. They do not use the typical language of a coffee house that only describes how bold the coffee is. They use language that makes the coffee seem romantic to give the stores a romantic feel that will make people want to continue to return frequently.
The renovation of St. John’s Catholic Newman Center included the addition the Illini Market which serves Starbucks coffee. The reasoning behind adding this service was that it would be a drawing point to coffee drinkers throughout campus. Starbucks is a major representation of the coffee market and the name alone is enough to attract people to a location. The Newman Center strives to serve all Catholic students from the University of Illinois. While the main group of students that use the resources of the center are the residents of Newman Hall the goal is to reach all Catholic students and staff. By adding services such as a Starbucks outlet we are able to attract these additional Catholic students into the building in the hop that they will become contributing members to the center and the Chapel. This article gives me insight into why Starbucks stores are so very successful. It is not solely because of the taste of the coffee or the atmosphere of the restaurant but also because of the language of Starbucks. The language that they use to attract customers to the restaurant as well as the language that they use to convince their customers to continue to return time and time again - 10% of customers comes to Starbucks twice each day.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Assignment 4-1
Christmas: Religious Holiday or A Reason to Get Gifts
With the Christmas season upon us many of the articles that are currently in newspapers or news sites such as CNN.com have some mention of Christmas. As most people know, Christmas is December 25th each year and is holiday that Christians use to celebrate the birth of Christ. However, in today’s society can we truly call this a religious holiday? If you went in to a public grade school and asked the average 2nd grader what Christmas was about how many of them would mention baby Jesus, a manger, or the three wise men that brought him gifts? I have been in many schools during the holiday season. Because Christmas is a religious holiday you have to be careful in mentioning it at all. However, if you ask children what Christmas is they talk about gifts, Santa Claus, decorated trees, and reindeer. They do not think about what they will be getting or occasionally what they will be giving others. This is even true for most adults. If you ask about their holiday preparations they will not bring up church services or helping others but most often what they are purchasing for their children, trips to the mall for photos with Santa Claus, and shopping trips with disastrous results.
The day after Thanksgiving is known to many as Black Friday. The reason for the name is that many businesses will finally break out of the red and start turning a profit for the fiscal year thanks to this one day. People will flock to the stores by the thousands with ads in hand and a plan of attack on how to get the most for their money. Unfortunately, because of the emphasis that we all place on giving and getting the newest gadgets, this day has turned into a nightmare. In recent years people have been robbed in store parking lots, trampled to death going into stores, or shot during confrontations. This year a temporary Wal-Mart employee was killed while trying to open the doors at 5am on Black Friday. Two people were killed while shopping at Toys R Us – a toy store! We have become so obsessed with buying that big screen HD television that we are willing to take someone’s life. Often during this time of year, I listen to people fighting in the aisles because someone touched them or bumped them with a cart. Complaining about long prices or pricing errors. It has become all about the gifts.
Another example of how the latest craze has affected this holy season is the decorations that people purchase. While shopping in Lowe’s this week I decided to look at the large yard decorations that they had. While I was not looking for one, I do not recall seeing even one religious decoration – I saw Santa Claus, Thomas the Train, Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and Snow Globes. But I do not remember seeing one manger scene. If you look at the ornaments that many people have on their trees you will also find this to be true. I have seen Disney ornaments, Simpsons ornaments, even Budweiser ornaments.
I have come to some understanding of why the meaning of this holiday has changed but what I do not understand is why we are still not allowed to talk about Christmas in schools - no Christmas concerts, winter break instead of Christmas break, holiday parties. Is this a religious holiday or a reason to give gifts? At what point do we start seeing this holiday for what it is? I am okay with it going either way but I wish those people who are so against religion being brought into schools because they do not believe themselves would stop using what I consider a very holy day as a reason to give their child an Xbox 360.
With the Christmas season upon us many of the articles that are currently in newspapers or news sites such as CNN.com have some mention of Christmas. As most people know, Christmas is December 25th each year and is holiday that Christians use to celebrate the birth of Christ. However, in today’s society can we truly call this a religious holiday? If you went in to a public grade school and asked the average 2nd grader what Christmas was about how many of them would mention baby Jesus, a manger, or the three wise men that brought him gifts? I have been in many schools during the holiday season. Because Christmas is a religious holiday you have to be careful in mentioning it at all. However, if you ask children what Christmas is they talk about gifts, Santa Claus, decorated trees, and reindeer. They do not think about what they will be getting or occasionally what they will be giving others. This is even true for most adults. If you ask about their holiday preparations they will not bring up church services or helping others but most often what they are purchasing for their children, trips to the mall for photos with Santa Claus, and shopping trips with disastrous results.
The day after Thanksgiving is known to many as Black Friday. The reason for the name is that many businesses will finally break out of the red and start turning a profit for the fiscal year thanks to this one day. People will flock to the stores by the thousands with ads in hand and a plan of attack on how to get the most for their money. Unfortunately, because of the emphasis that we all place on giving and getting the newest gadgets, this day has turned into a nightmare. In recent years people have been robbed in store parking lots, trampled to death going into stores, or shot during confrontations. This year a temporary Wal-Mart employee was killed while trying to open the doors at 5am on Black Friday. Two people were killed while shopping at Toys R Us – a toy store! We have become so obsessed with buying that big screen HD television that we are willing to take someone’s life. Often during this time of year, I listen to people fighting in the aisles because someone touched them or bumped them with a cart. Complaining about long prices or pricing errors. It has become all about the gifts.
Another example of how the latest craze has affected this holy season is the decorations that people purchase. While shopping in Lowe’s this week I decided to look at the large yard decorations that they had. While I was not looking for one, I do not recall seeing even one religious decoration – I saw Santa Claus, Thomas the Train, Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and Snow Globes. But I do not remember seeing one manger scene. If you look at the ornaments that many people have on their trees you will also find this to be true. I have seen Disney ornaments, Simpsons ornaments, even Budweiser ornaments.
I have come to some understanding of why the meaning of this holiday has changed but what I do not understand is why we are still not allowed to talk about Christmas in schools - no Christmas concerts, winter break instead of Christmas break, holiday parties. Is this a religious holiday or a reason to give gifts? At what point do we start seeing this holiday for what it is? I am okay with it going either way but I wish those people who are so against religion being brought into schools because they do not believe themselves would stop using what I consider a very holy day as a reason to give their child an Xbox 360.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Assignment 3-1
Twilight started out as a series of six books by author Stephenie Meyers. The series is popular mainly among teenage girls. The first book came out in 2005. The movie came out in November 2008 taking the opening slot of the latest Harry Potter movie which was postponed until spring 2009. These books were compared to the Harry Potter series and by taking over this opening day the comparison only became stronger. Both series of books are geared toward the same age group the Twilight books do not have nearly the following that Harry Potter does.
Twilight is the story of a vampire, Edward Culler, who as a crush on an average teenage girl, Bella Swan. Bella is not an ordinary teenager not worrying about fitting in and instead looking for something different. Edward seems to be a great guy, witty and handsome. However, as it turns out he is a vampire who has not aged in almost 100 years. He comes from a clan that does not feed on human blood, instead choosing to hunt animals to satisfy their need for blood. This causes a problem because while he does not want to hurt her, the closer they get the harder it gets for him to resist the urge to kill her for her blood. The story follows them as they learn to deal with the problems caused by their romance. When another group of vampires comes to town they also cause an obstacle for the young couple to deal with.
The studio had very low expectations for this movie only hoping to cover the $40 million that it cost to make the movie in the first place. However, the movie made almost $70 million on its opening weekend and $100 million in its first ten days. The director, Catherine Hardwick, set a record for the highest grossing opening-weekend for a female director. This was enough to cause the studio to green light the creation and filming of the second movie in this series, New Moon. Because of the success of the first installment the second movie will receive a larger budget and therefore will include better special effects than its predecessor.
Twilight is the story of a vampire, Edward Culler, who as a crush on an average teenage girl, Bella Swan. Bella is not an ordinary teenager not worrying about fitting in and instead looking for something different. Edward seems to be a great guy, witty and handsome. However, as it turns out he is a vampire who has not aged in almost 100 years. He comes from a clan that does not feed on human blood, instead choosing to hunt animals to satisfy their need for blood. This causes a problem because while he does not want to hurt her, the closer they get the harder it gets for him to resist the urge to kill her for her blood. The story follows them as they learn to deal with the problems caused by their romance. When another group of vampires comes to town they also cause an obstacle for the young couple to deal with.
The studio had very low expectations for this movie only hoping to cover the $40 million that it cost to make the movie in the first place. However, the movie made almost $70 million on its opening weekend and $100 million in its first ten days. The director, Catherine Hardwick, set a record for the highest grossing opening-weekend for a female director. This was enough to cause the studio to green light the creation and filming of the second movie in this series, New Moon. Because of the success of the first installment the second movie will receive a larger budget and therefore will include better special effects than its predecessor.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Assignment 2-1 Social Networking Sites
Myspace and Facebook are social networking sites that allow people to network both socially and professionally. My Space is a free site that allows people to keep in touch with friends and business associates, maintain a blog, upload music, join groups, and share videos. There is also a news section, classified ads, polls, and forums. My Space grows 230,000 new users per day. They join for many reasons – because their friends maintain pages that they want to view, to network with other professionals, to create a blog, or to view sites that celebrities have created.
Recently, many news articles on sites such as CNN reference MySpace and Facebook pages of people involved in crimes. A news article currently on CNN is about a mother who was convicted of three misdemeanors in connection with the suicide of a 13 year old girl who killed herself because of cyberbullying. Megan Meier thought that a boy she liked was the one posting mean comments when in reality it was the mother of one of Megan’s classmates. This is only one example of using MySpace as a way of harassing classmates, sometimes with lethal consequences.
Another article on CNN talks about the deaths of Jennifer Hudson’s family references the MySpace page of a suspect in those murders. Major news sites have started using these sites as sources of information on victims and suspects. This article uses the MySpace Page of William Balfour to determine the relationship of him to the victims. While this information could have been obtained from other sources the article references this page.
An article on Mail Online discusses a court case where a lawyer references a Facebook page as evidence. The defendant’s lawyer said that the judge should use leniency because while the victim claims she has been traumatized her Facebook pages show her as happy. They are using pictures that she posted in years since the attack as evidence that she is healing and must not have been as traumatized as she is saying.
Many people post freely on social networking sites not thinking about how this information can be used in the future. Prospective employs have used this information in employment decisions, news stations have used the information for stories, lawyers use the information as evidence. Others have used these sites to bully or stalk other people. While these sites allow people to stay in touch with friends and colleagues they should use caution in posting personal information in order to protect themselves.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/10/24/illinois.shootings/index.html?iref=newssearch
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076965/Rape-victim-upset-Well-shes-smiling-Facebook-said-lawyer.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/26/internet.suicide/index.html?iref=werecommend
Recently, many news articles on sites such as CNN reference MySpace and Facebook pages of people involved in crimes. A news article currently on CNN is about a mother who was convicted of three misdemeanors in connection with the suicide of a 13 year old girl who killed herself because of cyberbullying. Megan Meier thought that a boy she liked was the one posting mean comments when in reality it was the mother of one of Megan’s classmates. This is only one example of using MySpace as a way of harassing classmates, sometimes with lethal consequences.
Another article on CNN talks about the deaths of Jennifer Hudson’s family references the MySpace page of a suspect in those murders. Major news sites have started using these sites as sources of information on victims and suspects. This article uses the MySpace Page of William Balfour to determine the relationship of him to the victims. While this information could have been obtained from other sources the article references this page.
An article on Mail Online discusses a court case where a lawyer references a Facebook page as evidence. The defendant’s lawyer said that the judge should use leniency because while the victim claims she has been traumatized her Facebook pages show her as happy. They are using pictures that she posted in years since the attack as evidence that she is healing and must not have been as traumatized as she is saying.
Many people post freely on social networking sites not thinking about how this information can be used in the future. Prospective employs have used this information in employment decisions, news stations have used the information for stories, lawyers use the information as evidence. Others have used these sites to bully or stalk other people. While these sites allow people to stay in touch with friends and colleagues they should use caution in posting personal information in order to protect themselves.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/10/24/illinois.shootings/index.html?iref=newssearch
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076965/Rape-victim-upset-Well-shes-smiling-Facebook-said-lawyer.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/26/internet.suicide/index.html?iref=werecommend
Assignment 1-4
Reality television has been a large part of pop culture for many years. Reality television dates back as far as 1948 with the creation of Candid Camera. However, it has now become such a part of our television viewing that with the beginning of each season there are fewer scripted shows and more reality shows. Many people wonder why we have started watching so much reality television especially because so many people find it a guilty pleasure that they spend hours each week watching these shows. But it seems to be that people watch reality TV to see something relevant to their own life on these shows. People like to know that they are not alone. They watch shows such as The Biggest Loser because it is encouraging to know that other people struggle with the same problems as they do – and many times they are much worse off. They enjoy watching shows that teach how to make their own lives a little better. Shows such as What Not to Wear show people how they can change their lives to make them better. There are also shows that people watch because they want to believe that their dreams are possible. Shows such as American Idol take “regular” people and help them make their dreams come true. Everyone wants to believe that their dreams can be attained and by watching other people have their dreams come true it makes it seems as if your own dreams are within reach.
People have a variety of reasons for watching reality television shows but no matter what the reason is these shows are becoming a staple among our viewing habits. Many weeks 2 or 3 of the Top 10 shows, based on number of viewers, are reality shows. The last week reported by Nielsen Media includes 2, Dancing with the Stars and the Dancing with the Stars results show. People become very invested in these shows and their “stars”. Many of these people go on to participate in other reality shows or have special shows created about them. Several marriages of reality stars have been made into television specials. People become invested in the lives of these characters and want to see more about their lives. It gives them a chance to become engaged in other people’s lives as an escape from their own.
People have a variety of reasons for watching reality television shows but no matter what the reason is these shows are becoming a staple among our viewing habits. Many weeks 2 or 3 of the Top 10 shows, based on number of viewers, are reality shows. The last week reported by Nielsen Media includes 2, Dancing with the Stars and the Dancing with the Stars results show. People become very invested in these shows and their “stars”. Many of these people go on to participate in other reality shows or have special shows created about them. Several marriages of reality stars have been made into television specials. People become invested in the lives of these characters and want to see more about their lives. It gives them a chance to become engaged in other people’s lives as an escape from their own.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Assignment 1-2
What is popular culture, and what does it mean to you?
Popular “pop” culture is the culture of the masses and is often dictated by the mass media. It includes items that are widely accepted by most of a society including books, movies, television shows, and music. It can often take on a negative connotation because it does not include the classics or the high culture that many people deem acceptable. Pop culture plays a large part in my life because most social gatherings revolve around what is currently in fashion including current movies and television shows. Many people host parties revolving around popular television shows or awards programs. Pop culture is often discussed at work.
Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career?
Pop culture is very important to me in my current business environment because I work for a residence hall on the campus of the University of Illinois. Pop culture is a very easy way to engage with students which is important in my line of work. It is necessary for me to be able to relate to students so that they become comfortable talking to me and other staff members. That way they feel like they can come to us in case of an emergency or any type of problem.
What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?
The first example of pop culture that comes to mind is Madonna’s cone bra from her “Blonde Ambition” tour. My siblings and I all listened to Madonna growing up and this is one of the first pop culture items that I can recall. My brother had a poster from this tour on his wall for several years. I was only 11 at the time of this tour but I still remember the stir that Madonna frequently caused with her shows and her behavior in general. This tour caused much controversy because it incorporated Catholicism and sex as its central themes. The combination of these elements caused much controversy which even involved the Pope asking for a boycott of the show in Italy.
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