CMNS 223W Study Guide - Final Guide: Social Relation, Street Fashion, Malcolm Gladwell
28 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Commodity fetishism
- social relationship between things
- connect two things
- labour (buried in the process) (hiding this process)
- capitalism
- object becomes the commodity
Semiotics
- how signified objects are connected to the signified → new sign value
- become signifiers after given meaning
- NOT the signified connects to signifiers
- NOT advertisers using semiotic theories
- we are using theories to analyze
- advertisers attempting to create fetch value
- Roland Barthes:
- reified objects as an icon
- fetish object (like has magical properties)
- use paper ad (suggested for assignments)
The concept of cool in the ads:
- products become safe for consumption because ads make the radical/rebellious behaviours
appropriate and cool
- make things that we are not supposed to do as cool
Reading: p.81-82 (Getting over it)
- focusing on one particular culture
p.65
p.83: ironic consumers
- domestication: the process of appropriation makes consumers from all age groups accept that
“cool” culture
- Malcom Gladwell:
talks about tipping point
- Companies does not decide what is cool; constantly chasing the trend
- Buyers decide what is cool
- E.g. Vans survived because they stay close to their loyal customers
- NOT the ad brainwashes us
- NOT the ad decides what is cool
- it is about community: finding ourselves and our tribe
- still relevant because of tribe identification
The cycle:
1. Convergence
2. Conglomeration/ Concentration
3. Globalization
4. Deregulation
- “the most valuable asset is the public standing of their brands; the place that these have acquired in
the life-world of consumers” (Arvidsson)
- E.g. Adidas ad (Calling all creators - adidas)
- The Adidas brand shows that they are a platform for creativity and individualism as it says “calling
all creators” and “write your rules”
Document Summary
Labour (buried in the process) (hiding this process) How signified objects are connected to the signified new sign value. Products become safe for consumption because ads make the radical/rebellious behaviours appropriate and cool. Make things that we are not supposed to do as cool. Focusing on one particular culture p. 65 p. 83: ironic consumers. Domestication: the process of appropriation makes consumers from all age groups accept that. Companies does not decide what is cool; constantly chasing the trend. Vans survived because they stay close to their loyal customers. Not the ad decides what is cool. It is about community: finding ourselves and our tribe. The cycle: convergence, conglomeration/ concentration, globalization, deregulation. The most valuable asset is the public standing of their brands; the place that these have acquired in the life-world of consumers (arvidsson) The adidas brand shows that they are a platform for creativity and individualism as it says calling all creators and write your rules .
