The realities of Apple!

                                          Thanks again to the ABC show, 'Hungry Beast'

What does Amazing Spider-man, The Truman Show and I, Robot have in common? Simple Commercialisation

The term Commercialisation is generally used in a negative manner, such as when referring to music or celebrities. However commercialization isn’t a dirty word, in fact it is required. For instance television networks, particularly commercial channels, depend on corporations to purchases advertising space to operate. A television network doesn’t gain its money from the series it shows but from how many viewers it draws in, their demographic and which companies want to market to them.

The entire concept of marketing for media is called ‘Political Economy’ and appears in all forms of public events from television to music to sporting events. Even the Olympics utilize advertising. The London 2012 Games has several multinational corporations sponsoring the event, such as MacDonald’s and Coca-Cola. But does this contract from the event? Well these companies don’t seem to overtly alter the event but do support the host nations in funding and supplying such a major undertaking.

Films contain ‘Political Economy’ just like other forms of media to fund production. The ‘Truman Show’ actually portrays this overtly by placing the main character in a life-spanning reality show and directing him to use certain items for profit throughout the film.

The recent comic book adaption ‘The Amazing Spider-man’ is a Sony funding film and is very obvious about this fact. Throughout the film the characters use Sony Phones, watch recording on Sony’s Xperia and the laboratories are filled of other Sony products.

The film ‘I, Robot’ is regarded as the movie with the most product placement in it. In the film there is a sequence where it focuses entirely on the products in Will Smith’s apartment including, Converse All-Star Sneakers, Samsung Stereo, Yamaha Motorbike and even an Audi Concept car in the next scene.

Realities of Google!

                                                 Thanks to ABC show 'Hungry Beast'

Galactic Empire or Global Empire? or, How the dark side can triumph.

Aside from the obvious Star Wars comparisons, if I had to create a media empire it would take the form of Walt Disney Company. As a multi-media conglomerate that owns and operates outlets from ABC Television Group to ESPN to Pixar Animation to Marvel Comics and they are still able to maintain its image as the “happiest place on earth”. The idea of Disney as a friendly and safe organization is ingrained in society through the prevalence of Mickey Mouse and animated films throughout the 20^th and 21^st Century. The public connects the films like Aladdin, Cinderella and Snow White with the identity of the Walt Disney Company and rarely perceives the media giant lurking beneath. This to me is an example of successful marketing in that a major company can operate with almost anonymity to the public which begets the question; Is Mickey Mouse Darth Vader?

I believe there is an inherent difficulty with balancing a media organization wile financial stability. Media corporations exist due to the support financial backers who might attempt to exert a form of control over the opinions and contents. The operation of Media Empire is a constant balancing act between accuracy and immediacy, criticism and pandering, Light and Dark!