The "Cult" of Disney

I love Disneyland!! I just wanted to put that first. Before jumping into my media experience at the "happiest place on earth"!

First off I know that it makes sense that everything at Disneyland is Disney related. But the experience begins way before that! The hotels in the area are "Disney Good Neighborhood Hotel"s to show they are approved by Disney. The Streetlights have Mickey on top, the food is all shaped in Disney shapes, this list could go on forever.

I guess I just realized that they literally use every sense (touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound) and then stimulate it in a way that makes you think of Disney. It is branding to a whole new level!

Also side note I finally saw the show World of Color which is amazing and also shows so much Disney!!

So I guess my thoughts were that even at a park where your focus is on rides, the media surounding you is very specific. And humorous. And eye grabbing.

I think my favorite was learning about Disney conspiracies. Like Walt Disney got the idea for Mickey Mouse from an Egyptian mouse worshipping cult.

I think this also made me realize the power of corporations like Disney. The have their own channel, radio station, theme park, etc. Their ideals can absolutely influence you. So watch how much you consume/internalize.

Lisa Jean

On the road to Disney

Driving ten hours to Disney for my 22nd birthday was a big reminder for the importance of media. We definitely made use of music. It was positive mood management when we were all getting cramped and crabby. We also used it as background noise. Finally it was a distraction to help us stay awake!!

I think we only turned off music for 30 mins of the ten hour drive.

Finally my friend almost forgot her phone. When I mentioned that it was good she noticed right away so she could run back for it, her response was so typical of society. She said can you even have fun? How can you last without pictures, snapchat, Instagram? It made me think of how much we use our phones for purposes other then typical communication.

Maybe I will post disney pictures next time!

Lisa Jean

The power of Humor

I read an interesting essay in my SFL 290 class about how utilizing humor in teaching increases attention and learning. It was just after our unit on advertising. It made me think of how effective humor is in advertising.

I believe this is because it relates to both the feel and connect factors of advertising. Humor plays on our emotions. They make us laugh and then we often connect with the ad. Maybe we connect to the situation or we find humor in it because we relate to that humor. Sometimes I connect to ad because I can put myself in the ad.

Humor can help us correlate and create a relationship between us and the product. I find that I am more receptive and susceptible to ads with humor.

It is amazing to me how much humor does! It helps us learn and can keep our attention and spark our interest. What is your experience with humor?

Lisa Jean

Video Games for Life

So I'm looking forward to our video game discussion as a video gamer myself. I get frustrated often by the narrow minded viewpoint people have on violent video games. I read this article in one of my other classes and while I disagree with some points, I think that it at least is a good discussion tool.

I think people often are so focused on negative that they don't bother to accept or try and understand the positives of video gaming.

So the article is Here

I hope you enjoy it. And see that both sides can be right.


Lisa Jean

Conference Media

A prime example of good media being of God is General Conference. With conference weekend comes an amazing amount of good, related media.

During conference I love to watch the church's official twitter for specific quotes that I can copy down as well as for occasionally catching phrases I missed. I like following the #LDSconf because it also has quotes, pictures, and other conference related goodness.

I also think that facebook status and this conference the I'm a Mormon profile pictures all made the weekend a social media haven for spreading the gospel, having friends ask questions, and sharing our beliefs.

The devotional by Elder Bednar about Social Media kept coming in to my mind as I watched and participated in the Social Media Conference Events this weekend. I really think that it is a good push for member to promote their beliefs and stand as disciples online.


Lisa Jean

Public Wifi at Airports

This weekend was crazy as I flew to Arizona for my brothers wedding. But something I found interesting was that the Phoeniz Airport has two wifi options. You can of course pay for fast, decent wifi for a certain time period. Or you can get free wifi IF you are willing to sit through about 5 mins of advertisement videos. Then you get your wifi.

I though it was both creative and annoying. People expect wifi and want it free so they make it conditionally free. It gives them a chance to get sponsors (the ad was different from when I arrived there and was waiting to be picked up and two days later waiting for the plane to leave).

Advertisements really are everywhere. Even just trying to access wifi can now expose you to ads!

I dislike advertisements for many more reasons and especially when a sibling was studying advertising and switched majors because she felt it was too manipulative. But I also realize they open a variety of jobs and help the economy in some ways.

Guess you can't win

Lisa

My Songs

Talking about music and songs that have influence us made me look at the songs I use for personal identity, staying happy, getting over anger, and helping me feel less sad.

The song I choose in my class as the biggest part of my current personal identity is home by Phillip Phillips. I love that it reminds me I'm not alone, it helps me when I get lonely, and it is my favorite way to get out of a funk. I am so close with my family and it makes me think of home so I listen to it when I get homesick and it makes me smile.

Another song I thought of for negative mood enhancement is get off my back from the movie Spirit. I loved that movie and my sister used to playing when she was upset. And it became a song I use when I'm angry.

Last for positive mood management a recent favorite of mine has been shake it off by Taylor Swift. I like the reminder to not let what people say get to you.

Lisa Jean