Sneaker Confidencial

Documentary link:http://vimeo.com/9719014

1. Why is sneaker culture so prevalent in North America?
Because it's a way to express yourself, catch up on trends and be a 'cool kid' on the catwalk, in school, down town or in the courts.

2. What are the various ways sneaker companies market their products?

Sneaker companies, like most companies, use celebrities as their main marketing form making thousands of kids, teens and adults all over saying "I want to be just like them." and grabbing their wallets to go get whatever it is their favourite celeb is wearing. Another way is advertising to the liking and preference of a general audience. The artsist are having more of a free range when it somes to the design of the shoe, putting on abstract art and lines, graffiti art and pop culture icons from television and general media.

3. Is there a big difference between sneakers that cost $14.98 and those that cost $9000? How do they differ?
The name is the main difference between cheaper and higher brands. Who's the celebrity endorser that is wearing the product around the streets? How many people want to be like them and buy their own pair of $500 sneakers?

Comparing Confidencials: Blue Jean vs. Sneakers

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/blue_jean_confidential (link for blue jeans confidencial)

1. Compare the two Documentaries on Jeans and Sneakers. How did they present the trends in each product differently?What were the similarities and differences?

It's always been about the label in todays pop culture when buying merchandise, clothing and everyday goods. Watching Sneaker confidencial and Blue Jean confidencial, both made and produced by the same company confirmed that when going through the history of the basic product.

While Sneakers were used first really for sports and the olympics and blue jeans were the typical workmans wear, and now have evolved into the trendy street wear (and red carpet wear for some celebs) that they are today.
The similarities are that both fashion trends weren't a world wide hot trend that they are today. The differences, that Blue Jeans had a much more diverse and rollarcoaster of a history as far as the popularity and meaning of them went. While sneakers stayed pretty constan, only really changing in regards to the models, artwork on them and purpose, Blue Jeans have changed their symbolic meaning and herritage over and over again. At first the typical work pant, then popular in World War 2, then hot with the rebels and bikers and then popular with the teens and hippies before turning into the fenomenon they are now and today.

2. Were there alternative viewpoints expressed? Who were the voices of dissent?
The alternative viewpoint expressed in the sneaker confidencial was 'Barefoot Bob' who is a marathon runner believing that he was better off without anmy running shoes or footwear at all. Another alternative viewpoint in sneaker confidencial was the sports start who sold his shoe line for $15- believing shoes didn't need to be expensive and everyone should be able to afford them. There was no real alternative viewpoint in the blue jean confidencial- asides from the Japaneese company that made the traditional blue jeans without any fashion trends or additions.

3. What assumptions did the two documentaries make about the viewers?
The assumptions were that everyone wore blue jeans and everyone wore sneakers, everyone had enough money to the high end expensive product and everyone wanted the newest styles.

50s to 2012: Comparing PSAs

It's surprising how much can change within a few decades; technology, media sources, lifestyles, economy and politics but no one thinks about how much dating and social life has changed as well. Usually things from the 50s or any decade before the 2000s is looked upon as cheesy as far as PSAs and dating life goes. Instead of texting a special someone to ask for a date like today, in the 50s (as shown in the PSAs 'Are You Popular?' and 'Dating: Dos and Don'ts') you would need to actually pick up the phone and call them- I know listening to someone's voice can be so alien in this day and age.
Today the position of rebelles and normal have flipped- at least they have in my perspecive and observations. Previously a rebel was your typical teenager today; a misfit who smoked, did the opposite of whatever they were asked or told and as mentioned in the 50s PSA, 'Parks in cars with all the boys'. Now today that discribes your typical impression of a teenager except replace 'parks in cars with all the boys'- in most cases that it- and fill the space in with sexting and texting. Your typical good girl/boy and average teenager of the 50s; someone who goes to school does the work, is polite on dates and doesn't think highly of the whole 'sexting' gig is more or less the rebel amongst peers. Strange? Yeah, kind of.
The information displayed in the MTV sexting quiz- 'A Thin Line' takes the side of advertising and selling pop culture back to teens. They use a fear factor like 'The Truth about Sexting' video by showing images and information about court cases and a worse case senario being jail, a fine and a mark on your record. It's a different yet similar technique that's used in the 'Dating; Dos and Don't' PSA where they showed three possible alternatives to a desission and in turn, which was the best one to make. While on the topic of 'how to ask a date out' they went from two worse case scenarios and reactions to a perfect -and rather cheesy- scenario.

Media studies: The Truth of sexting- media comparison

Six Questions to Ask about Any Media Message

1. Who made - and who sponsored - this message, and for what purpose?
2. Who is the target audience, and how is the message specifically tailored to them?
3. What are the different techniques used to inform, persuade, entertain, and attract attention?
4. What messages are communicated (and/or implied) about certain people, places, events, behaviors, lifestyles, etc.?
5. How current, accurate, and credible is the information in this message?
6. What is left out of this message that might be important to know?

A Thin Line (Quiz)

1. The quiz and website were made and sponsored by MTV and it's purpose is to educate teens on internet behaviour an consequences.   

2. The target audience is teens (both girls and boys)
3. Techinques used were language (in the questions texting language was used to engage the audience) colour (flashy colours that do attract the eye)
4. Messages that are implied are that every teen taking the quiz has a cell phone and is in a relationship, has been in a relationshiop or is interested in persuing a relationship. Only one questions though is implied that the taker of the quiz is hetrosexual, all other questions are neutral as to the taker's sexuality.
5. The website is current in my opinion, touching basis on cellphones, texting language andtypical relationship problems that are timeless.
6. Things that are left out or excluded of the message is teens without a cellphone, teens with a different sexulaity to hetrosexual and people who don't understand texting language.

Common Sense (PSA)

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/truth-about-sexting- video link

1. The video and website are sponsored by Common Sense.org, a non profit organization and the video was made to educate parents and teens on 'sexting' and the possible consequences.

2. The target audeicne is parents and guardians as well as teenagers; the video at the beginning exclusivley says it may not be suitable for children. The language used in the video and the voice over are targeted towards parents because of the calmer demenor and educational tone that most teens tend to avoid. "Parents should remember..."

3. The different techniques used to engage and attract the viewer is the images and video clips mixed with the images and music videos of celebrities at the beginning of the video.

4. The messages implied in the video are that most teens are secretive and don't tell their parent/guardian about what they do and also that all teens are rebellious and up on pop culture and own a cell phone (which in many cases isn't the exact truth)

5. The message is fairly current in the aspects that they used modern celebrities (Rhianna) and clips from television shows (Glee) however the phones they were using are outdated and inspire laughs from a general group of teenagers rather then intent listeners.

6. Things that are left out are statistics- how often are minors caught with possession and how many cases have been sent to court?

Media Text Definition

A media text is any form of communication that conveys a message either implicity or explicity.