Back To The Future, or the Past?
Most people I think would do something interesting with time travel, like go back to the 1800′s and watch the automobile get invented. Or maybe even travel back to when dinosaurs still walked the earth. Myself however, would do something a little more unheard of, yet rational. I have ALWAYS said, that if possible, I would even pay large sums of money to be able to relive my freshman year of college. While alot of people may not understand this desire, some of you may also remember. That year was one of the happiest years of my life. I was making hundreds of awesome new friends, having some of the BEST times I can’t even remember. Everything is so new and exciting, and your cares and responsibilities are only few and far between. Everyone was happier then, in my opinion. Everyone was more adventurous and willing to try new things and experience life. The world was at our fingertips once, and to be back there again, well… that would be nirvana, I’d say.
In regards to the ripple effect, my actions in the past changing my future: I think I would be ok. When it comes to that mind bottling theory I seem to believe that it takes greater actions of louder consequences to actually have ramifications in changing the future. But then again, I guess we won’t know until we do it, right?
If It’s Not Like the Movies…
Being a fairly avid reader of books for pleasure myself, I have a pretty strong opinion on novels turned into film. This transient practice is not one of just the modern age. Screenplays have been made from novels since the big screen started buzzing. While most people when asked will probably have the forethought of films such as Harry Potter and that blasted Twilight series, you can’t forget the epic classics like Treasure Island, Sense and Sensibility, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Personally, I enjoy reading the novel, then seeing the film adaptation post haste. It is always very exciting to see a world you create in your mind with the help of an author’s vivid instructions, and then see it remade in front of your eyes courtesy of Hollywood’s finest. However, in my experience of viewing film adaptations, I unfortunately tend to prefer the novels best. That is to say, no one can paint the picture of a world quite like you can yourself. And most of the time the magic of the story and the world it is told in gets lost in the fray of budgeting and the ever present “reality” limitations that not even movie magic can meet. Regardless, both forms of entertainment are always enjoyable, wether they cut out half the plot line or not.
New Semester, New Blog
Seemingly a little late on this, but such is life. As a new semester has started, so has a new course in PR that requires me to blog. With that being said, I will now be blogging weekly (on my wordpress) for my PR Writing class. For my classmates, I hope I am doing this right; and to everyone else, Enjoy!
Blogs I’ve Commented on This Semester…
The following are the blogs that I have commented on this semester:
1.) http://caitlinmcintosh.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/why-pr/#comment-8
2.) http://timsvoboda74.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/propaganda/#comment-6
3.) http://jennayarbrough.wordpress.com/2011/11/04/the-last-5-conc/#comment-8
Blogging For Public Relations
During the course of my Public Relations class, we were instructed to continuously blog throughout the semester, as assigned. While there were several beneficial factors that came from blogging for a class, at the end of the day it is not something I would choose to continue to do. Blogging is a large and important part of the Public Relations world and many practitioners use it daily. However, the field of Public Relations I hope to enter into will most likely not involve frequent blogging. Even though blogs have the potential to be a large part of my career, and even though I highly enjoy writing, I still do not plan on having to blog more than the usual business professional.
Blogging for this class allowed me to share my opinions and knowledge in a safe, judgment free, environment. Writing frequently is also a factor of the blogging assignment that I often enjoyed. I can honestly say I am glad I was given the task of blogging for a class, however I hope to not have to continue to do it more frequently in the future.
The Necessity of Introductory Public Relations
While many, at first thought, would assume that one not entering the Public Relations career field would be wasting their time taking an introductory PR course, they would be assuming wrong. Public Relations is a field that aids a vast array of careers and expertise. Just because your career plans do not directly involve working in PR does not signafy your dismissal of the subject all together. For instance, someone planning on a career in Sports Management can benefit greatly from PR. The skills needed to manage a sports team and all other aspects of said career can be aided by the many attributes acquired from a PR class. Journalism, Mass Communications, and even Business majors planning to enter the corporate world can all benefit from taking a PR class. There are numerous skills all of these career paths can greatly benefit from, ranging from writing and speaking, to crisis, event, and corporate catastrophe management skills.
The PR field is vast in itself, so crossing it off your list of potential courses to take would not necessarily be the wisest of choices in your college career. Above all, PR can give you a solid foothold for bettering your communication skills on a business-to-business (or even person-to-person) level. So to those undecided as to how beneficial your PR course at your college can be to your future, read into it a little more before writing it off. It could be a bigger mistake than you thought.
Entertainment Ads: Conventional and Non.
Being an avid concert goer, and frequent theater patron I found this topic quite interesting, and easy to talk about as well. In the more recent years, the concert outreach methods have been more towards the unconventional side. Of course you still have the usual radio and television ads for the larger performers. However, this day and age has seen a more booming presence of all performers using social media and other non-conventional methods like in-performance give-aways to friendly bands. A lot of artists and groups have taken quickly to using Twitter to tweet updated shows and links to venues to purchase tickets. Another new way artists are having success with are Facebook Fan Pages. Fans can access “inside” information and even participate in contests for prizes like free tickets. Movies now have their own twitter accounts to promote their upcoming release, if not tweets made by the production studio itself (or even the actors of the movies, themselves.) Feature films have also done creative ad campaigns using blogs or creating their own interactive website to promote the upcoming film. In whatever way the film, show, concert, or production is advertised, fans are having to modify their perceptions everyday. After all, marketing is a rapidly changing world.
Corn Syrup Propoganda
The video I chose to discuss is a commercial played by the Corn Refiners Association of America. It features a couple eating popsicles at a picnic and the male tries to tell his counterpart that she shouldn’t eat the popsicle because it has High Fructose Corn Syrup. When she questions why, he is at a loss for words and does not actually know why it is bad for you. The female then responds with a defensive rebuttle stating that HFCS is fine in moderation, comes from corn, and has the same amount of calories as other syrup products. The Association does a good job of playing on people’s relation to the confused male and how everyone has always heard HFCS is bad for you, just no one knows why. Also, they try and present fact in a positive light and avoid sharing any of the negatives with you. I think their propoganda techniques are effective and familiar and the advertisement does a good job of framing public opinion.
Video Link:
Welcome To My Newest Blog
This blog has been created by assignment from a class I am currently in at Georgia Southern University. I will be writing mostly on this blog for assignments only. I will, never fear, still be blogging on my usual Blogspot blog (which unfortunately is too inappropiate to link to this one) about my random life actions during my college years. A link to that is on my facebook – for those of you who know me.
Up, Up, and Away,
Adam J.
