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[Messages, Marketing &, Media]

The Political Philosophy of Mass Communications & Collective Consciousness

By: W S Paul Jackson

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[The Basics] Mass Communications & Marketing

– The underlying theme is the communication of a message to many people

The field has rapidly changed

– Internet, social media, smart phones The organic origins behind the interactions

of mass communications still underly the technology

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[Marketing Beginnings: Politics]

MKTG fundamentals pioneered in politics Before formal MKTG, Mass communications

ruled society and politics Ads are central to campaigns and info Debates take place in political MKTG Noted for the 'top-down' message

“We are going to tell you what issues are important”

Parties and politicians all manage “brands”

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[Traditional Marketing: Business]

Became technical over time, originially organic and intuitive

4 Ps of Marketing Product: service or object for any purpose

Promotion: advertising

Price: key factor in sales

Placement: reaching to consumer for sales

Sales, sales, sales

Changed with society (top-down approach slowly fades)

Being altered by technology

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[Marketing Today] Much analysis done on modern MKTG and

changes

– Brands and Brand Personality

– MKTG & Communications psychology

– Social media

– social purposes

But what does MKTG do for ‘The People’

– Society as a whole, populations, ideas, consciousness

MKTG presents stuff, but what does it leave behind?

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Present Day [MKTG] Analyses

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[Brand Personality] Big 5 Element: Sincerity, Excitement,

Competence, Sophistication, & Ruggedness

Defined as: human traits associated with a brand

Traits earned by association with people

Brand trust based on reflection of shared ideals

This could have implications for collective personality or consciousness

“Dimensions of Brand Personality”, Jennifer L Aaker, JMR, Journal of Marketing Research; Aug 1997; 34, 3; ABI/INFORM Global. pg. 347

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[The Social Brands] Brands closely tied to society through social causes, change, and

identity

Do they change with society or do they change society?

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[Technology & Marketing] MKTG changes with new technology Smart phones, computers, websites

Being used to market Being used to collect consumer info Sales taking place technologically

Traditional MKTG happening on new platform Still top down message, more accessible and

feedback quicker Conversion of print and TV to internet

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[Social Media & New Marketing] Distinct from the internet as a whole Specifically defined as a platform

utilizing Web 2.0 formula; a dialogue, based wholly or in part on user-generated content examples include:

Social Networking Non-Industry videos on Youtube Reader comments under articles or posts Wikipedia

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[Social Media Symptoms] Increasingly democratic media and

communications market (ex. Wikipedia) Dialogue – anyone can join conversation

Viral marketing – videos and information get passed around (Word of Mouth accelerated)

People have potential to become more popular than ever, people empowered

Constant flow of information What is social media doing for MKTG and the

way people communicate? What's it all mean?

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[MKTG 2morrow: What It Means]

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[Case Studies & Conclusions]

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[The Cool: Business vs. Politics]

Politics used to own MKTG in very organic form (pamphlets, propaganda, pins & buttons)

Political MKTG was very powerful

Now, people are more engaged by Business MKTG

60s counter culture 'elected' business MKTG over politics to express generational ethos

Citizen used to be king in democracy, now consumer is king, People given more power in business than in politics

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[Cool Cnt'd: Business vs. Politics]

Voter Turnout:

Reps & Dems have +95% 'market share' in America

Average turnout: Pres. ~60%-50%, Midterm ~40%

2004-2005 Election and Sales Survey

55% president voter turnout

People recently bought: 76% computer, 67% mobile phone, 47% video game consoles

37% of those people voted in midterm election the next year where 33 governors were elected 130 congressional seats contested, 6 state raised minimum wage and 7 states banned same-sex marriage

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...The Lesson: The Message Moves

The establishment, the businesses, and the politicians must learn the language

and mode of communication of the people.

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[Power & Brand Personality] Barack Obama & Steve Jobs – two sides of a coin

Both hip, popular, admired, have big personal followings

Obama represents political MKTG's attempt to follow business MKTG, building a solid and identifiable brand around the person

Hope, change, “yes we can” + his likeability = purchase power (literally and figuratively, campaign merchandise sells around $2000/week, Obama poster sells independently for $2000)

Steve Jobs, represents a generation, ideals, dreams, ingenuity, and strong individualism, Apple $108 Billion in sales in 2011... yep!

Obama and Job's built brands and 'products' where the people could insert their names, do what you say in the process of saying

Levi Strauss “Go Forth” ad campaign 'failure' serves as example of how brand personality, and a tight one, is indispensable, especially when political ethos is involved... people don't connect with politics

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...The Lesson: The Messenger Moves

The brands and businesses must transform themselves as the message changes. The brands and businesses

must go through the social revolutions with the people.

Like J.P. Sartre, liberate others with your own liberation.

But is this just to remain in power?

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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society]

Social Media makes communication, word of mouth, and 'fame' more easy for people, or any individual

A lot of excitement surrounds social media and people believe social media to be hugely popular and a vehicle for fame and wealth

Truth is: Social media can't make someone famous... social media is a twist on technology, which was just a twist on communications in general... the underlying interactions still take place... (gossip, word-of-mouth, friend groups, social circles, now they are even more defined etc.)

People make people famous, always have, always will

Social media gives individuals new power to express themselves

Virality is not real fame... people share stuff on Social Media outlets because it's easy, not just because its exciting... will they give you their money... will they chose you to help them self-define?

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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 2

Lady Gaga, $90 billion Tour

Viewed on social media as a facilitator of discussion and community

Promoted more often then thought through traditional, industry media on social media formats, Vevo, Online News, Show appearances, tour ads

The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl

Everyday person enabled to make a wildly popular tv show, with some friends and a camera, because people watched

Levi Strauss, Go Forth campaign on Youtube (Virality)

Top-down message, didn't let consumers define the message, thats what Web2.0 is for, virality was just interest

Brand didn't take on a definitive personality, it took on and spoke to an ideal, didn't speak current language, 60s mode

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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 3

Fun Statistics about Social Media 65% adults use social media (53% growth since

2005) Americans spend 23% of internet time on social media

Means 77% of time spent still w/ traditional media

3 hrs/ month watching video online (not necessarily social media)

5% people use social media to engage celebs 67% use it to stay in touch with friends, 64% family

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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 4

The new wave of 'internet democracy' has strong implication for a rebirth of democratic activity and consciousness

Information, even history is written democratically (e.g. Wikipedia), winners don't write history anymore, everyone does

Social media was at the heart of much of the Arab Spring

Can become 'political media' when the sociopolitical atmosphere is dire, social media and Web2.0 are online dialogs

Governments could adjust more to social media guarantees then, pseudo-civil society guarantees, Web space will allow civil society to thrive, organizations and circles can mobilize

Let people discuss politics and develop consciousness, increase web infrastructure around the world, any one anywhere can make change

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[Go Forth: Good & Bad] Levi's Go Forth campaign criticized heavily, drove fewer sales

than hope, but achieved decent virality online (virality = not real fame)

Sociopolitical/inspirational content

Lacked: brand personality, democratic communication model

Potential: Could inspire optimistic and audacious people, would hit home all across the Arab world right now, and even for occupy movement sympathizers

Campaign realigned with “Bradford, PA” and economic troubles

Can You tell people “the world is yours and it is what you want it to be” and then not let them dictate and engage the campaign directly?

Must have a video contest, message board, or something interactive, give the people the voice you say they have

– Don't tell, show

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Dear Levi's,

Put message in the people's hands and let them dictate what is important,

what they want in this world, who they want to be, and how they want to fit

into the amazing legacy that Levi's has signified for years.

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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 5

Web2.0/Social Media is just society acting itself out on the internet

Revolution such as Arab Spring use social media

When Social Media sites were blocked by governments, people made their own makeshift web2.0

Graffiti became interactive, public marketing

Martyrs pictured and ideals made known (Kyra Hooks, Northwestern 2011, Posner Fellowship project on Graffiti and Democratization in Arab Spring)

People and society will still function without Social Media, it just makes things faster, easier, and more widespread

Without socioeconomic comforts, America might awaken politically, and social media would become political media

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...The Lesson: The People are king

Whether the citizen is king or the customer is king, The People have

always been in charge. If one has power it is because a large enough sum of people did not take the power back. Social Media is a product of people. Social Media does not make anyone famous, because in the end, people made and continue to make Social Media famous. If you want to enjoy

power at the people's behest... listen to them speak...