Mass Media and Society

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Mass media is the most powerful force in entertainment and product promotion. It is a superior form of mass communication that relays information in bulk with the objective of persuading people to either buy a product or support an organization. Often times these mediums provide a public sense of relational content, in which an organization develops methods of connecting a brand or idea to the general public. People are the most likely to make purchase decisions or support a charity if the brand relates specifically to an individual's current personality and/or perspective. Organizations continue to find ways to relate a brand or characters portrayed by the brand to potential customers. "The United States is the only country in the world that is a net exporter of mass media products, such as movies, recordings, TV programs, and books?it sends out far more media materials to other countries than it imports. The U.S. trade surplus in media is in the tens of billions of dollars. The American domination of world media products has been so strong and so long-lasting that global mass media has been called the American Empire" (Rodman pg. 6, 2010). There are organizations that carry on a legacy of providing the public with a brand that maintains a wholesome image or an organization that possess nationwide name recognition in which consumers trust the brand name of a product and will make purchases accordingly. For example, Johnson & Johnson is known for their high quality products that are chemically safe for babies, there are no harsh chemicals, and parents can trust their products to live up to parental expectations. Dove is also among the many organizations that offer products that are of high quality standards and has an image that emulate wholesome values and finds beauty in every woman.

Dove created a movement that values the beauty of real beautiful women whereas, Hollywood standards of beauty is the complete opposite. Dove finds women with curves just as beautiful as women without curves, whereas Hollywood considers women who are abnormally thin to be beautiful. The media contributes to society dictating the nature of true beauty. This type of dictation allows for misconceptions. Plastic surgery for example, is the norm in Hollywood. Media has popularized the trend several years ago and now most celebrities and professionals have become addicted to it. In pop culture stars have an image that enables them to maximize their earning potential in the industry. Most celebrities are petitioned by magazines to attend photo shoots to promote their brand. Average people (children in general) view those magazines and media channels as a true image of a beautiful person. Unfortunately, young impressionable minds do not know all the work that is involved in getting the right picture that is suitable for mass distribution. They are unaware that most actors and actresses are airbrushed to eliminate unwanted blemishes to make the perfect photo. In essence companies are masters of persuasion to cultivate a following of loyal customers. "The big-business structure of the American economy makes it possible to finance and produce expensive media products. Furthermore, the large size of the American market encourages big-budget productions. Critics contend that these impressive budgets do not always correlate to high quality, but media practitioners point out that they do seem to produce the most popular entertainment worldwide" (Rodman, 2010).

The advancement in technology makes it possible for anyone to advertise products or services not just major corporations. Small businesses and entrepreneurs have taken advantage of the sharing innovative strategies and concepts with the world. Anyone who is computer literate are able to share special gifts and talents with the world. For example new musicians and artists are able to create music and upload it online to obtain exposure to generate buzz. Justin Beiber's parents posted videos of him singing at a very young age and posted it on YouTube and now he is a teen icon with a massive Twitter following. Several years ago new or wannabe artists would work hard to get noticed by corporate record executives. Technology and the use of social media revolutionized the way a potential artists receives exposure. Currently an artist needs a good concept, the right equipment, and an advanced level of commitment to generate buzz. Of course there is a downside to every overnight success i.e. every artist must already be a brand entering the business. In addition to singing, dancing, and playing the piano, an artist must possess quality traits that no other artist has. They must be the brand that every figurehead in the industry desires. For example, Jennifer Hudson has a phenomenal gift of singing. America has literally witnessed the rise and fall of her personal and professional life such as; her rise to stardom after losing on American Idol, her family tragedy of losing three relatives at once, and her successful weight loss, and her initiative to help her family lose weight. Organizations such as Weight Watchers signed her as their spokesperson to illustrate that no matter what's going on in one's life, they can lose weight, regain their beauty and feel great about themselves. Her commercial is not only shown on television you can also see it on the Internet to give people an opportunity to join the weight loss movement. There are others such as Janet Jackson who is the spokesperson of Nutrisystem, and Mariah Carey for Jenny Craig, however none of them were as inspiring as the commercial with Jennifer Hudson.

According to Christy Marx (2007) Writing for Animation, Comics, and Video Games. There are specific rules in media that are geared towards what is acceptable to air during children programing. Advertisers are cautioned against ...