Interactive Advertsing Thanks to Social Media

Technology has become a very common topic within modern day mainly because it has changed the way we do things. Technology has affected the way we communicate with one another and the way we view the world as a whole. For example, Journalists have had to adapt to growing technology by relying more on social media than print and paper. Classrooms no longer consist of just a chalkboard; instead they have interactive smart boards and virtual online classrooms. The most obvious examples are the various cellular devices which now come equipped with cameras, video devices and applications to watch TV, movies, and listen to music. It is safe to say that at almost every point in the day we are somehow exposed to technology.

Naturally, technology has made its way into career fields and advertising is no exception. Technology and visual media are extremely important when it comes to advertising because graphic design is used to appeal to the senses of the audience. Businesses have not only used graphic design to create their advertisements, but they have begun to utilize the technology to expose their ads as well. Company websites often take priority over the quantity of print ads in magazines and newspapers and it seems companies are fighting to put their visually appealing ads on homepages rather than billboards. In addition to visual media and graphic design, companies have begun to use social media to brand their product and/or services as well as themselves as a whole. To gain more insight on this topic I interviewed Tierney Callahan who is the media coordinator for GiGi Marketing  http://www.gigimarketing.com/. Which is  a marketing/advertising company based in Annapolis, Maryland.

Tierney explained that the technological advancements that the public has been exposed to have led to a different mindset when it comes to finding out information. She explained that the phonebook is a great example because looking back to a few years ago; the phonebook was much thicker than it is in present day because now we can find all of that information online. Businesses often market themselves saying “follow us on twitter” or “like us on facebook”. Some companies even offer free goods for liking their facebook page or following them. Advertising has become interactive through social media allowing continuous updates between producer and consumer. Small businesses are able to connect with their audience in a very personal way without spending a lot of money, which is why print is starting to suffer as social media sky rockets. The following article seconds this opinion explaining that 83 percent of those surveyed said they use social media because it is “low cost”. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Social-Media-Marketing-Grows-Among-Small-Businesses-498539/.

 

People are able to obtain an infinite amount of information through the world wide web and businesses have utilized these platforms because that is simply “where the consumers are these days” as Tierney put it. Businesses are relying on social media because the world as a whole is relying on those outlets, it provides a more personal approach to advertising and I think that this sentiment will only continue as technology continues to grow. The following clip is an excerpt from my interview with Tierney where she covers a lot of the information I have shared in this post and gives examples of how technology has affected the world of advertising. 

Public Service Radio- Who Has The Last Say On What Is Aired?

Public service radio is said to be an outlet that delivers messages to the public. My question is who decides what messages are important to get out? Who controls what is said and what is kept quiet? The FCC has primary control over the airways which includes radio. Therefore ultimately the control is in their hands. Despite this fact it is called public radio; therefore the public obviously have to have some sort of input. To get a better grasp on the subject I interviewed Jeremy Millner who did a post on Public Service Radio. His post discussed PSA’s and advertisements, their differences and how public radio affects its audience. His post showed his opinion on advertising and how they are not as important as public service announcements which are messages about important issues, programs, and events that have significant relevance to the public. The two following audio clips show his opinion on commercials and how they differ from PSA’s.

listen to ‘Advertising ’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Differences ’ on Audioboo

He also touched on the “brainwashing effect” which leads me back to the question of who has control. During times of war and tension the government often tries to sway the public in a certain direction. In instances like this the FCC has been known to play messages that do have a “brainwashing effect” which means they make the public feel and act a certain way through persuasive messages.

Brainwashing occurs everyday and there are elements of persuasion within almost all communication. However when is this taken too far? Also, is it safe to say that the FCC and government in general take advantage of media outlet by promoting their own agenda? Jeremy provided me with input on this matter by discussing the basic idea of the brain washing effect in the following audio clip.

listen to ‘Brainwash ’ on Audioboo

Lastly, the main question I was interested in getting perspective on was who has ultimate control over what is aired. In my opinion I do think that the FCC has complete control, but at the same time the public can submit PSA’s whenever they want and ultimately that is the material that is used. Clearly the public has a say, but I think that there are still cases of governmental control that are unfair, because when it comes down to it is the FCC that sifts through the PSA’s and decided which ones are going to enter the airways. The following website gives a very detailed description of what exactly a PSA is and how it "promotes programs, activities or services of the federal, state or local governments" http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=publicservic Jeremy explained that both have input, but it is the FCC who has the final word. His response can be accessed in the following audio clip.

listen to ‘Who has the last say..FCC or you and me? ’ on Audioboo

Media: From Print and Paper to Laptops and Handhelds

Facebook works through the ability to post and respond, like and unlike and consistently comment on posts. Twitter is even more immediate through literally continuous updates from all those you choose to “follow”. Facebook started out as such as small outlet, originating at Harvard University and eventually developing into an international phenomenon. Twitter was not well known at all until a few years ago and already journalists are using twitter to report the news. The majority of the public are involved in at least one social media outlet.

Even though some people are still confused on how the outlets work, they are known to the public and have become a vital resource. As people have learned more about technology they have learned more about utilizing it. The development of laptops and handheld products with various applications has allowed audiences to utilize things like Facebook and twitter within their everyday lives. Technology allows the public to share information within an instant, which is why the field of communications has changed so drastically. The following interview exposes the role of Facebook and twitter within the life of a college student here at the University of Maryland.

listen to ‘How often do you use social media?’ on Audioboo    

Within the UMD community, many are well aware of the diamondback, UMTV and WMUC which are the on campus paper, TV and radio station.  In addition to these outlets the university has hopped on the social media train. The University has its own Facebook and Twitter account which are both frequently updated with new events and news items. The media aspects of the University and the new approaches that UMD has taken have also become the norm amongst other local and national media outlets.

A common topic of the J150 class is new technology and how it effects mass communications. The field of mass communications has changed drastically within the last few years and there are even more developments to come. Looking at how Maryland has changed their approach to mass media is a great example of how times have changed. Within national and local issues it has also become clear that social media outlets are taking the place of news outlets. This is because social media allows everyone to participate in the news and provides a level of interactivity between reporter and audience that has not been available prior to the social media revolution. In general, social media has become a quicker resource and are what the public tunes into more regularly. Technology allows the public to share information within an instant, which is why the field of communications has changed so drastically. The following interview shows how college students use social media as a vital news source. It shows how mass communications has changed and how this generation utilizes media outlets.
 

listen to ‘News or social media? ’ on Audioboo