Seminar Discussion Forums #4, due March 26th, 11:30 pm

  Seminar Discussion Forums #4, due March 26th, 11:30 pm Complete either Option 1 or Option 2. Please ONLY post to your Seminar Group. Option 1: Brands and Their Meaning Choose a brand (product name) associated with something you own or feel attached or attracted to in some way. Do not use examples already given in Module 8 or the associated readings. Consider and write about the meanings this brand has attached to it through naming, packaging, advertising campaigns and marketing. Include any images of the brand that help illustrate your ideas. Examine the logo associated with this brand, what does the logo symbolize, has it changed over time? Does the logo have any other meanings to it outside of the brand association? Explain why you like this brand or what is attractive about this brand to you. Write a minimum 300-350 word entry and remember to respond to another student’s post. See Module 8 and pages 289-300 in the textbook. Provide a link or upload your image(s)! Option 2: Culture jamming Culture jamming is a means of subverting media messages or ideas associated with brands. This is done through altering the appearance of a brand packaging/advertisement to insert critical messages. Often there are activist intentions with cultural jamming which aim to raise awareness about issues related to a product or brand that the company would like to hide or at least shift attention away from. Adbusters is one such activist group that uses the principles of culture jamming to produce “spoof ads.” For your seminar post visit the spoof ads page on Adbusters’ website http://www.adbusters.org/spoofads/ and find an an ad that appeals to you. Consider the original ideas, values and symbols attached to the brand that is the target of the ad. What is Adbusters being critical of in the spoof ad you chose? Analyze how this message is conveyed and why or why not you think it is successful. Is there anything you would add or change about the spoof ad to make it more effective? Write a minimum 300-350 word entry and remember to respond to another student’s post. See Module 8 and pages 300-304 in the textbook. Provide a link or upload your image(s)! Seminar Guidelines (from Syllabus): The discussion assignment has two components: 1. Students will be assigned a topic in seminar groups. Students are asked to consider and write a minimum 300-350 word entry. Your entry should offer your own critical perspective, but may be conversational in tone. You may give your response to the topic, but you must go beyond just stating your opinion to consider its larger significance. Posts should demonstrate a command of course material. Students should be going beyond giving their personal opinion in these posts. Try to avoid using phrases like “in my personal opinion” and, instead, focus on writing about how the course material applies to the question or example being discussed. Bring in specific and relevant course vocabulary and examples where possible. Show us how you are connecting your ideas back to course concepts. This part of the seminars are worth 5 points. 2. After posting an entry each student will read through the other student entries in their seminar group. Before the deadline each student will chose to write a response to at least one other student’s entry. The response must be unique (not repeating another student’s ideas) and consist of a minimum of 75-100 words. This is meant as an exercise to consider the broader issues within this course and to engage with fellow students. This part of the assignment is worth 1 point. You are responsible for ensuring your entry is submitted on SAKAI on time. Your total submission will be marked out of 5 points. Late submissions are not accepted. ✦Posts should be directly related to the given topic and address the question(s) clearly using terms and ideas from the course material ✦Posts should demonstrate consideration and understanding of course material. You may use the first person in your writing of the post but it is to be more than just your opinion ✦Posts should be thoughtful and engaged as well as edited for errors and clarity ✦Students are encouraged to respectfully engage with other students’ posts in their group.