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The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between marketing as mass communication and collective conscious as a sociopolitical theory. The series of papers are intended to familiarize the reader with marketing as a business with clear-cut objectives and as an example of mass communication in general. The analysis of marketing in this paper will cover traditional marketing communications, the technological advances in marketing and communications, and finally the new dawn of marketing in light of the explosion of social media as the new go-to medium. The analysis will then take marketing outside of its industry context and look at the deeper interactions (individual-to-individual, collective-to-individual, individual-to-collective) taking place during the processes of marketing as exemplified in different cases and how these examples demonstrate the communication of a collective ethos, one way or another. Basically, the analysis of marketing and collective consciousness, in this paper, seeks to think about how the different ways of telling a lot people stuff or having a lot of people say stuff to one another creates a unified message or expression within that group of people. A significant amount of work has been done to analyze the impact of marketing on the way people communicate and how people understand things and get information, but it could be interesting to analyze the impact that marketing has had on people as a whole. That is to beg the question: how can marketing in its various uses impact the masses of people, or more simply put, The People? Yes, that stylistic adjustment of the concept of “the people” indicates the nuanced idea of society as at all time and everywhere a bodypolitic whether microcosmic or holistically, even in the circumstances of anti-political mobilization. So in what ways do and can marketing communications influence or inform the collective consciousness of a people, a political or sub-political consciousness? In order to provide insight in response to this question it will be essential to analyze three central themes within this question: the particular role of Personhood or personality (stylish anthropomorphism) in the idea of branding and brand marketing, the relationship between marketing and social milieu, and finally the mechanisms of marketing in disseminating messages and influencing general consensus and what that means for the mechanisms and the activity of mass communication. Though this may sound particularly technical or theoretical, it is not necessarily or especially so. This paper will simply look at marketing's ability to excite and elicit group expression and what that excitement means, when and where. The constant theme in this series of analyses will be the comparison of political marketing and business marketing and their impacts upon society hinging on general popularity. We need to see how messages work in the world today and we'll figure out how to better communica
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12/9/11
[Messages, Marketing &, Media]
The Polit ical Philosophy of Mass Communications & Collect ive Consciousness
By: W S Paul Jackson
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[The Basics] Mass Communications & Marketing
– The underlying theme is the communication of a message to many people
The field has rapidly changed
– Internet, social media, smart phones The organic origins behind the interactions of
mass communications still underly the technology
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[Market ing Beginnings: Polit ics] MKTG fundamentals pioneered in politics Before formal MKTG, Mass communications
ruled society and politics Ads are central to campaigns and info Debates take place in political MKTG Noted for the 'top-down' message
“We are going to tell you what issues are important”
Parties and politicians all manage “brands”
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[Tradit ional Market ing: Business] Became technical over time, originially organic and
intuitive 4 Ps of Marketing
Product: service or object for any purpose
Promotion: advertising
Price: key factor in sales
Placement: reaching to consumer for sales
Sales, sales, sales Changed with society (top-down approach slowly
fades) Being altered by technology
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[Marketing Today] Much analysis done on modern MKTG and
changes
– Brands and Brand Personality
– MKTG & Communications psychology
– Social media
– social purposes
But what does MKTG do for ‘The People’
– Society as a whole, populations, ideas, consciousness
MKTG presents stuff, but what does it leave behind?
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Present Day [MKTG] Analyses
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[Brand Personality] Big 5 Element: Sincerity, Excitement, Competence,
Sophistication, & Ruggedness Defined as: human traits associated with a brand Traits earned by association with people Brand trust based on reflection of shared ideals This could have implications for collective
personality or consciousness “Dimensions of Brand Personality”, Jennifer L Aaker, JMR, Journal of Marketing Research; Aug
1997; 34, 3; ABI/INFORM Global. pg. 347
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[The Social Brands] Brands closely tied to society through social causes, change, and identity
Do they change with society or do they change society?
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[Technology & Marketing] MKTG changes with new technology Smart phones, computers, websites
Being used to market Being used to collect consumer info Sales taking place technologically
Traditional MKTG happening on new platform Still top down message, more accessible and
feedback quicker Conversion of print and TV to internet
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[Social Media & New Market ing] Distinct from the internet as a whole Specifically defined as a platform utilizing
Web 2.0 formula; a dialogue, based wholly or in part on user-generated content examples include: Social Networking Non-Industry videos on Youtube Reader comments under articles or posts Wikipedia
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[Social Media Symptoms] Increasingly democratic media and
communications market (ex. Wikipedia) Dialogue – anyone can join conversation
Viral marketing – videos and information get passed around (Word of Mouth accelerated)
People have potential to become more popular than ever, people empowered
Constant flow of information What is social media doing for MKTG and the
way people communicate? What's it all mean?
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[MKTG 2morrow: What It Means]
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[Case Studies & Conclusions]
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[The Cool: Business vs. Polit ics] Politics used to own MKTG in very organic form
(pamphlets, propaganda, pins & buttons)
Political MKTG was very powerful
Now, people are more engaged by Business MKTG
60s counter culture 'elected' business MKTG over politics to express generational ethos
Citizen used to be king in democracy, now consumer is king, People given more power in business than in politics
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[Cool Cnt 'd: Business vs. Polit ics] Voter Turnout:
Reps & Dems have +95% 'market share' in America
Average turnout: Pres. ~60%-50%, Midterm ~40%
2004-2005 Election and Sales Survey
55% president voter turnout
People recently bought: 76% computer, 67% mobile phone, 47% video game consoles
37% of those people voted in midterm election the next year where 33 governors were elected 130 congressional seats contested, 6 state raised minimum wage and 7 states banned same-sex marriage
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...The Lesson: The Message Moves
The establishment, the businesses, and the polit icians must learn the language and mode of communicat ion of the people.
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[Power & Brand Personality] Barack Obama & Steve Jobs – two sides of a coin
Both hip, popular, admired, have big personal followings
Obama represents political MKTG's attempt to follow business MKTG, building a solid and identifiable brand around the person
Hope, change, “yes we can” + his likeability = purchase power (literally and figuratively, campaign merchandise sells around $2000/week, Obama poster sells independently for $2000)
Steve Jobs, represents a generation, ideals, dreams, ingenuity, and strong individualism, Apple $108 Billion in sales in 2011... yep!
Obama and Job's built brands and 'products' where the people could insert their names, do what you say in the process of saying
Levi Strauss “Go Forth” ad campaign 'failure' serves as example of how brand personality, and a tight one, is indispensable, especially when political ethos is involved... people don't connect with politics
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...The Lesson: The Messenger Moves
The brands and businesses must transform themselves as the message changes. The
brands and businesses must go through the social revolut ions with the people.
Like J.P. Sartre, liberate others with your own liberat ion.
But is this just to remain in power?
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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] Social Media makes communication, word of mouth, and 'fame' more
easy for people, or any individual
A lot of excitement surrounds social media and people believe social media to be hugely popular and a vehicle for fame and wealth
Truth is: Social media can't make someone famous... social media is a twist on technology, which was just a twist on communications in general... the underlying interactions still take place... (gossip, word-of-mouth, friend groups, social circles, now they are even more defined etc.)
People make people famous, always have, always will
Social media gives individuals new power to express themselves
Virality is not real fame... people share stuff on Social Media outlets because it's easy, not just because its exciting... will they give you their money... will they chose you to help them self-define?
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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 2 Lady Gaga, $90 billion Tour
Viewed on social media as a facilitator of discussion and community
Promoted more often then thought through traditional, industry media on social media formats, Vevo, Online News, Show appearances, tour ads
The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl
Everyday person enabled to make a wildly popular tv show, with some friends and a camera, because people watched
Levi Strauss, Go Forth campaign on Youtube (Virality)
− Top-down message, didn't let consumers define the message, thats what Web2.0 is for, virality was just interest
− Brand didn't take on a definitive personality, it took on and spoke to an ideal, didn't speak current language, 60s mode
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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 3 Fun Statistics about Social Media
65% adults use social media (53% growth since 2005)
Americans spend 23% of internet time on social media− Means 77% of time spent still w/ traditional media
3 hrs/ month watching video online (not necessarily social media)
5% people use social media to engage celebs 67% use it to stay in touch with friends, 64% family
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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 4 The new wave of 'internet democracy' has strong implication for a
rebirth of democratic activity and consciousness
Information, even history is written democratically (e.g. Wikipedia), winners don't write history anymore, everyone does
Social media was at the heart of much of the Arab Spring
Can become 'political media' when the sociopolitical atmosphere is dire, social media and Web2.0 are online dialogs
Governments could adjust more to social media guarantees then, pseudo-civil society guarantees, Web space will allow civil society to thrive, organizations and circles can mobilize
Let people discuss politics and develop consciousness, increase web infrastructure around the world, any one anywhere can make change
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[Go Forth: Good & Bad] Levi's Go Forth campaign criticized heavily, drove fewer sales than
hope, but achieved decent virality online (virality = not real fame)
Sociopolitical/inspirational content
Lacked: brand personality, democratic communication model
Potential: Could inspire optimistic and audacious people, would hit home all across the Arab world right now, and even for occupy movement sympathizers
Campaign realigned with “Bradford, PA” and economic troubles
Can You tell people “the world is yours and it is what you want it to be” and then not let them dictate and engage the campaign directly?
Must have a video contest, message board, or something interactive, give the people the voice you say they have
– Don't tell, show
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Dear Levi's,
Put message in the people's hands and let them dictate what is important, what they
want in this world, who they want to be, and how they want to fit into the amazing legacy
that Levi's has signified for years.
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[Social Media, MKTG, & Society] 5 Web2.0/Social Media is just society acting itself out on the
internet
Revolution such as Arab Spring use social media
When Social Media sites were blocked by governments, people made their own makeshift web2.0
Graffiti became interactive, public marketing
Martyrs pictured and ideals made known (Kyra Hooks, Northwestern 2011, Posner Fellowship project on Graffiti and Democratization in Arab Spring)
People and society will still function without Social Media, it just makes things faster, easier, and more widespread
− Without socioeconomic comforts, America might awaken politically, and social media would become political media
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...The Lesson: The People are king
Whether the cit izen is king or the customer is king, The People have always been in
charge. If one has power it is because a large enough sum of people did not take the power back. Social Media is a product of
people. Social Media does not make anyone famous, because in the end, people made
and cont inue to make Social Media famous. If you want to enjoy power at the people's
behest... listen to them speak...
