COMM 322 Final Project: Social Media's Effect on Parasocial Relationships

Disney Channel

     Is it just me, or are the shows on Disney Channel progressively getting worse? Maybe it's because I'm getting older and don't appreciate the humor that's targeted for a young child, but it just makes me sad. All of the shows I watched growing up were so awesome to me, and it sucks that they are all gone. Shows like Even Stevens, Kim Possible, and Phil of the Future were like gold to me. I remember spending my Saturdays just laying around watching my favorite shows on the tube. Now there is Dog With A Blog... the name speaks for it's self. I'm almost scared to look up the old Disney shows that I loved so much, because I might ruin my childhood memories by realizing that they are just as lame as the current shows. 

     As technology progresses I feel like Television in general is turning lame. It's getting put on the back burner with the introduction of Netflix, tablets, and improved laptops. Who wants to sit in front of a stationary object, watching only whats being shown with little choice, when you can have your entertainment right in your hands? I have a hard time adapting to change apparently, but sometimes I just want to rewind and relive my childhood when everything was awesome and Smart House and Life Size were still aired on the Disney Channel. Maybe Disney could have a throwback channel so the kids now can see how awesome we had it (and so I can relive my childhood). Sigh... A girl can dream.

Kmart's Controversial Advertising

    Is it okay for large corporations to push the limits of what's appropriate in their marketing schemes? In recent commercials, Kmart has been incorporating what some might categorize as "crude humor" into their advertising, i.e. the "Ship My Pants" commercial. By using plays on words and inappropriate innuendos, they appeal to Steele and Redding's core American value of humor to attract customers and sell products.  While a lot of viewers are finding Kmart's marketing strategies to be rather offensive and unacceptable, I find the commercials to be hilarious.

     Their latest commercial for Joe Boxer seems to be stirring up more buzz than the last amongst viewers. It's called "Show Your Joe." The commercial opens with men ringing bells behind a white table. When the table is pulled away they reveal the men in their Joe Boxers jingling their... um, man parts. Many people are writing to Kmart telling them to take down the commercial. According to PRPick.com people are also writing on Kmarts Facebook page, calling the commercial "offensive" and disgusting." Kmart apologized to those offended by the commercial, but they aren't planning to take it down.

  With Kmart suffering to stay alive against competition department stores, such as Target and Walmart, they have to do something that is going to make a statement. I think this is a hilarious effective way to make their brand name viral and attract customers who appreciate a good laugh. Someone's always going to get offended no matter what, so I think it was a good risk. What do you think about the video?

Parasocial Relationships

     When I was a little girl, I was undoubtedly obsessed with Clay Aiken. If you aren't sure who he is, he was the second runner up (*cringes*) of American Idol. I was made fun of a lot because he was dorky, openly gay, and didn't exactly fit other people's definitions of good music. I didn't care. I fell in love with his voice and passion for music. He made me happy. I always went to his concerts when he came to a venue close to me. I bought all of his cd's the day they came out. I was was completely infatuated with him. My mom even wrote into a local radio station for a Christmas Wish contest telling them about my obsession and I won. I got to meet him and go to his concert. It's a memory I'll always hold dear to me.
     Over the years, as I've gotten older and as he has faded from the limelight, my obsession depleted... or so I thought it did. A few days ago when I was in another one of my classes, my professor played a clip of The Apprentice to illustrate a concept. I've never watched the show, or even heard much about it. To my surprise, I heard a familiar voice speaking while I wasn't paying attention (shh), it was Clay Aiken. I squealed (very loudly) of excitement. It was similar to the feeling of seeing your good friend after a long time apart. I was immediately taken back to my childhood. The happiness I felt as a child returned in that moment.
     My moral in telling this story is that parasocial relationships can have a lasting effect on a person, just like a real-life friendship. In that moment in class I realized that Clay (yep, still on a first-name basis) had impacted my life so much as a little girl, that even today I still have a sliver of that obsession in me. I probably sound like a lunatic, but I think that being aware of this will be helpful to me when I raise my own children. I want to make sure that the people they idolize have good moral character, so the effect on them is positive, like Clay Aiken was for me.

"That's so gay"

   
     Ever since I was a little girl I can remember hearing the term "gay" used as a derogatory adjective for labeling some of the most trivial objects, such as a shirt or someone's hairstyle. This reminded me of the above commercial with Hilary Duff that came out back when I was in high school. I was guilty of using the term "gay" in the same way the girls in the video were, but this video, as well as some other press Hilary Duff did on the subject, showed me just how inconsiderate it is. I thought that by this point in time we would all be aware of the harmful affects this can have on not only homosexual people, but their families and friends as well. I was wrong. I still manage to hear the term dropped quite frequently, and I think it's really important for us to speak up to those who choose to use the term with such ignorance. Saying "that's so gay" could push someone who is perhaps struggling with a lack of acceptance over the edge. How would you like be the one responsible for that?
     I think that this ad does a really great job of addressing the issue and putting it into perspective. The humor is also really effective in lightening up the heaviness of the subject. Although it's a little bit corny, I highly suggest watching the advert. Casting Hilary Duff for the part at that time was a very smart move because she was a very popular actor adored by a lot of younger girls, which this is obviously targeted towards. If your childhood idol tells you not to say something, of course you're going to listen. I think it's really important to watch what we say, as well as let others know when something they say could be offensive, even if we are in college!