The things we think we want to know

"I'm looking back. I'm looking down a road of narrow beginnings and infinite ends. Traveling with them, through time."

In the late 1920's, consumers dubbed the term Fordism. This represented a seed of belief and change. The Ford Motor Company strictly adhered to their industrial design and continuity. Ford said, "The way to make automobiles is to make one automobile like another automobile, to make them all alike, to make them come from the factory all alike, just like one pin is like another when it comes from a pin factory."
Around the time of Fordism, America began to isolate themselves with regard to design, culture, and social conflict. This tremendously effected advertising and product development. As more Americans bought Ford cars, they became integrated into leisure and work activities. Thus the perception of luxury was used by General Motors (GM) to capitalize on the competition's uniformity. They did this by distinguishing their vehicles with colored enamels and new elements of machinery. The changes "rarely required significant engineering changes or substantial capital investments"; in a nutshell, they weren't really better. Through market research GM also learned, this mode of production would increase novelty and consumer appeal.

Here we see the industrial appeal of planned obsolescence, and the strategy of novelty. Originally, there was a societal concern for the consumer, since this industrial revelation was so valuable. It was even called consumer manipulation, but business owners quickly found an exception to the rule. The exception was called "the new 'consumer ethic'". This was the cycle of justified manipulation based on job production. The automobile companies were cautious at first, and they hired consultant industrial designers to mediate aesthetic ideals, commercial success, and social responsibility.

Fast forward 2010: We still see the outmodes and experience the discomfort of knowing that we don't have the newer model car. We still buy into novelty, and the implanted "novelty" of every product.

We feel this because of advertising and ,though some of us are keen enough to see it, we choose to feel this way.

I'll show you what I mean:
Below is an old school GM refrigerator ad outlining the benefits and product attributes. These are all physical advantages to the product. Next to it is a fairly recent ad from LG. Here they give us, not only, a visual for the physical advantages, but also give their perceptual two cents with the couple dancing at the beach.

So, through the evolution of this consumer ethic we are shown to be concerned with the color, its functions, and its ability to change who we are? Advertisers treat our discomfort of wanting with a convincing answer. In my opinion, the only way to preserve a consumer ethic is to stick to physical advantages of products, and leave the perceptions alone.

The perceptual implication of this ad is that, with this fridge, your life will be more glamorous and intimate. Isn't this is just a place to store our food? We want to believe that products will fulfill us and quench our thirst for intimacy, but its such a lie. Jesus knew that. He saw the void and said:

"If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water... Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:10-14

So this is with advertising:

When we convey perceptions as truths, we perpetuate truths out of our own invention, for our own intentions and continue the cycle of dissatisfaction. Eerily, people start to look like the automobile: One like another until they're all the same, but selling some through novelty of pick-a-mix fullfillments.

*reference taken from History of Modern Design

What happend to the melting pot?

By now you have probably heard the controversy surrounding Focus on the Family's thirty second super bowl ad staring heizman trophy winner Tim Tebow; and if you haven't you should watch it for yourself. This middle of the road commercial has spun some pro-choice head shouting anti-abortion. If you can believe it these activists still have whiplash.

USA Today has posted some research results of viewer responses: link

Culturally it's sad that our activists bullying society in to indifference: what happend to the melting pot? This place where we could thrive and mix and share. We burned with passion for our diversity. Now, what? At least we had that.

This is the image today:

A place where icons spend our money, and tell us who to be, as long as it doesn't get too deep we'll live in complacency. Where our exsistance is silly, and our ethics aquitted. And the only thing brough into question is comfort, conveinence, and pleasure. Noise will surround us till we fall to the stuper that rings in our ears, even in silence. So cynically, yes! Let's talk about equality and corporate responsibility as long as it means nothing and doesn't effect our body.

(Revelations 3:15-19)

This is so much the cry of my heart; to see people love hard without burnishing others. After all every faith is a journey to understand more about who we are, not what we are, do, or have; but the greater feeling of purpose that comes from the freedom of believing you are lasting and loved. I don't claim to be the epitomy of the things I believe, but knowing I am part of the journey is enough for me.

So, for me this hits home especially close because the only thing that makes marketing worth doing is to think that I can make a difference with it. That I can share the revelation that we are all on this journey together, but individually; and I hope that you will not ignore it like anti-this-and-thats tell us to.

Let the Redeemed Say So

After some reflection, and soul searching, I've realized that it takes more than an inquisitive study to answer the questions I posed in my last entry. I've learned that it's not so much about the communication, but the way we communicate. After all, I should know this; it is my major. I've been asking myself, what am I really trying to get at, and the bottom line is that social networks started with a noble cause, to unite people, and we have turned it into a selfish and competitive online world. The unity we seek is instinctual; God wired us to seek equality with others, my concern is that we are trying to close the door on God/love's work and throw away the key. When human interaction is forgone, we choose our own way; we choose who we show love to. As a Christian, I'm embarrassed that I do this because that is half the battle: to share the love of God that is living within you with everyone.



I heard a sermon this past weekend that reminded me of this issue. The message was given by a student, and I will paraphrase what he said:

"How many times have you let life changing events, or daily life, stop you from showing love to others? How many times have you opened the door to God's love, but locked it away in a guest bedroom for the people you are fond of?

Making space for love is not enough. We need to usher love in as we would an old friend, and show them around the whole house, not just the rooms that you've tidied and cleaned. This is an issue in those who seek Christ; they think that they have to prepare themselves to be accepted by God, but that's not the case. Love, especially God's love, transforms us and we have to show God all of our lives, and we have to let his love permeate all that we experience."

Scripture says,"Most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be will to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation." Romans 5:7-9

Therefore, I also believe that we, as beneficiaries of this love, should show this love to others. As we reference scripture, it also says," Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." John 15:12

So, what does this all mean concerning communication? It means that whatever you do it must be in love, and wherever God shows you there is a need you must serve it, because there is no guarantee that anyone else will have the same heart for the cause as you do. Whether you know it or not, those who listen to this selfless voice are doing God's will.