Computer Christianity

She walks out of her suburban household and sneezes at the buzz of the neighbor's lawnmower, slides into the four door luxury vehicle she bought online, and zips down the street with the Ipod shouting a play list of her select favorites. Pulling into the gas station, she unzips her wallet and pulls out a debit card. With a flick of the wrist, and a squeeze, she's all filled up and ready to go...

I did this terrible thing yesterday. Yes, in these brief moments of daily grind I was in the midst of transgression, and I hardly noticed it. How many people did I divert in my pursuit of convenience? My neighbor, the radio show hosts, the bank teller (a stretch), and the cashier at the gas station.

Looking back on a spring semester consumer behavior course, I recall my professor talking about how my generation and those after mine will have difficulty in their interpersonal relationships because they rely so heavily on the Internet and computer as methods of communicating. Let me just say that I have nothing against the advancement of technology, but it is important to consider how something as strong and lasting as the evolution of technology will change how we communicate, specifically the gospel.

As I see it, the human element of any demographic is the community fortified around it. When we forgo the human interaction of our daily pursuits we are losing community. While we will grow to be satisfied by the virtual communities we've create online, I can't help but be burdened by the thought that we would loose discernment for God's will by creating our own.

So I pose these questions:

What is Christianity in a world were we create our communities?
What is forgiveness/compassion/understanding if we elude those in need?
How do we discern Gods will while it is so easy and convenient to do our own?
And does Christianity have a real place in this virtual world?

These are the questions I will discuss and aim the answer over the next few weeks.

Please leave your existing thoughts and ideas with me, so that I can include them in my future responses.

The Miraculous Model of Moral Marketing

I have begun another semester at the lovely Alfred University, and as I delve ever deeper into the myriad of marketing I find myself engaged in moral controversy rather than curriculum. Recently, in my consumer behavior class, we reflected on the question my teacher posed: What if people only bought what they needed?

This very broad and multifaceted question didn't go very far with my constituents. In reply he received answers like, “The economy would do poorly", or "The economy would do well", or "We wouldn't need marketing". To this my professor replied, “right, so why market when people only by what they need?", thus suggesting that the sole purpose of a marketer is to convince people that they need not only what vital to their survival, but more. My dilemma is that this is as far as our student minds were allowed to travel before we were pushed onto the next subject. If we had looked at what that statement suggested and turned it on its head, we would find that the true purpose of a marketer is to ensure that people have everything they need and more, but what if when we knew the consumer had enough we marketed as advocates for those who do not have all they need. Instead of pushing them to consume excess we would encourage them to convert excess to sustenance. This is the lens through which I see marketing as a Godly practice.

I will never be concerned for my own well being as a marketer, not because I believe in the selfishness of mankind, but because I believe in the tragedy that we will never live in a world were people's most basic needs are met. The required text for the class is The Paradox of Choice, a very good read. There is one particular statement in the book that I have taken to mean something quite the opposite of my professor, and possibly the author. The statement reads:

Existence, at least human existence is defined by the choices people make. If that's true, then what can it mean to suggest, as I have in these first chapters, that we face more choices and more decisions today then ever before?

My professor deciphers this to communicate a concern for the prevalence of diminishing returns in relation to an increased number of options, which is no doubt factual; but I see it as a resounding cry for social responsibility among marketers. If we have the capacity to suggest need, why do we suggest on behalf of those who have. If we suggested on behalf of those who have not, I believe many of our economic issues would be solved. For example, instead of convincing people that they need a cash incentive from our government to go out and buy things to stimulate the economy, we ought to focus in on jobs that deliver satisfaction of our primary needs. I certainly am not an economist, so I’m sure how far I can take this point, or if it sounds idealistic, or sophomoric, so I will move on to another point.

One of the greatest concerns for marketers is being lost in clutter. The claims of mass media are ignored when our need for a product or service is satisfied. We measure our satisfaction through experience, or suggestion. So, if marketers have the skill to cause people experience loss, dissatisfaction, or need, my question is do they have the ability to cause consumers experience the loss, dissatisfaction, or need of others? I believe they can and it would make all the difference in the world if we learned to satisfy a human need instead of a want for perfection, or eternal advancement.

Cannes Lions 55th advertising Festival

During my experience at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, I had the privilege of listening to, and learning from, some of the best producers of advertising in the world. As they characterized themselves by stories of redemption, accolades, and innovation it became increasingly clear that these companies were not solely dependent on cash, or cleverness, but passion. These are the great businesses of our time and they are alive. Each technique or creative strategy was implemented to live another day. As life is to an individual, I am convinced that success is to every business - it cannot be formulated.

The most riveting experience I had at the festival was listening to the speakers on activism. They strived to connect with all walks of life, and do so freely and with such care. I am guilty of imagining marketing as a self-righteous, profit driven, sin machine. So these activist messages intrigue me. They are so closely related to the Christian message I hold so dearly. I believe we are meant to breakdown the ugly, corrupt, jaded, and unbelievable moments of our lives to find ourselves, and these people were helping others find themselves. Christianity and advertising alike try to hide these dilemmas in their attitudes, and in ignorance. These activists, however, have become martyrs for causes that I believe the Bible inspires. Among the chaos of sinfulness and injustice of organization they create an escape, reveal truth, and offer love as a peace offering.

The truth is always harder to believe, but we can learn to care. The most successful companies care about their consumers, just as activists do, and their consumers knows that they care by deliberate acknowledgements and involvement. This is where the novelties of interactive media come from. These ideas are important because it is activism of human life and just as the message of activism targets passion, the truth will always transcend the criticism of mankind.

Their greatness is obvious, but their notoriety, wealth, and achievements did not inspire me. It was their passion, the vibrancy of their words that made me wonder how their activism was related to me. I am amazed at how something as complicated as an individual’s passion could be explained through metaphors of business.

Links:

FoundationRawanda.org

TapProject.com

Unsubscribe-me.org

tapproject.org

Fancy-jane.blogspot.com

Classes Classes and Champeign Glasses

As most Alfred University Students say cheers to summer, I am rolling out the red carpet overseas for the Cannes International Advertising Festival. Alfred University offered me this amazing opportunity in this spring, and I have been looking forward to it ever since.

We have had classes to familiarize ourselves with our itinerary, and the way that the marketing world is evolving; but I'm looking forward to going overseas for my very first time! I took French for five years, and though I've lost my fluency in it, I like the idea of being a part of that culture. I just know there is so much to learn and I'm walking in with wide eyes.

Recently, we learned about how websites and online resources are becoming the one-stop-shop of social networking: You need to have infinite outlets. However, this seems like a hassle. I feel frustrated when I see that Facebook has a chat function that it didn't have before. There's no arguing that these hybrid type social networks are the most successful, but it's important to stay on board because, like with Facebook, if your timing is off you could just annoy people.

After some further reflection, I couldn't help but relate it to the idea of a grocery store. People used to go to the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker. But now it's the grocery store and everything is in one place. The more centralized and user friendly our online resources are the more successful they should be right?

Well, I can't help but think of my peers and those younger than me who really drive the popularization of the major social networks. Looking back at high school and junior high I know that everyone wanted to have their "thing". Whether it be a sport, club, or click, people just wanted to feel elite. Thus, builders of these websites have to watch out for the emergence of these wonderful subcultures and really nurture the to grow.

Of coarse this is all old news, but it is just me slowly working out my understanding of social networks, blogs, and online influence.