http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article267.html
The article I found for this weeks topic discusses what Madonna, the pop icon, stands for and what she portrays to the public. It goes into detail about her name, her clothing, and her songs and what message they send out to consumers. I feel that a lot of pop icons "stand" for something or "symbolize" what "regular" people what to be. The whole pop world has many different aspects that have different meanings and messages that they are sending to the public.
What do you think? Does Madonna symbolize something? And what about the rest of media...does it send out certain messages that we consume daily and yet it really symbolizes something else? We consume daily media, yet are we really consuming messages with hidden symbols?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Popular icons such as Madonna are similar to advertisements. Pop stars meticulously construct an image that not only appeals to their target demographic but inspires those same people to alter their appearances and attitude to match the icon. In a very real sense, advertisements are no different. Companies focus on convincing people that they not only want what they are selling, but need it, even though the public might have never dreamed of wanting anything of the sort.
The mass marketing campaigns I am referring to do not capitalize on selling a product at all. They are in effect selling an idea, a belief. The concept of normality is a contrivance dictated by marketers. Psychologically speaking, every person wants to feel they have something in common with their peers. They also want to feel special, unique, and in some aspects better than others. Marketers seize on these desires, selling products that supply the buyer with an identity. This is why teenagers and young adolescents are a favorite target for advertisers; these kids are more likely to be in flux in terms of developing an identity and it is much easier to just accept a pre-packaged image as opposed to developing one’s own sense of self. One of my favorite examples of this process is when Sprite teamed up with MTV back in 1991.
To answer the questions posted in this blog…1) Madonna certainly symbolizes something, but I think it is different depending upon who is observing her and listening to her music. People who grew up in the 1980s will think different of her, view her in a more positive and dynamic light than people who experienced her in the 1990s. I doubt Madonna—whether it be the way she wears her hair, how she dresses, or what she sings, has much sway on young women today; nor do I feel she presents much sex appeal for men. However as I said before, people who grew up listening to her might very well feel differently, and probably would. 2) The media does send messages out consistently—in the way actors are dressed in shows/movies, what they drink or eat, and of course whether or not the opposite sex featured in the show/movie/advertisements finds them attractive. I think sex appeal is very important in terms of helping shape peoples’ ideologies, largely because it stimulates chemicals such as serotonin in the brain that cause a temporary euphoria which clouds one’s analytical judgment. What I just mentioned has less to do with framing than product placement but framing is also a critical element in how the media sends messages to the public. I think it’s also important to realize that the messages sent by the media in whatever form seldom are designed to contradict or challenge peoples’ established ideology, but rather to compliment it. Many media messages are grounded in very basic ideologies, often regarding safety, family, love, and success. The idea is simple enough: package a belief that is new and different but at the same time completely safe and familiar. 3) The issue of symbols is hard to address. Does the media use subliminal tactics to create a arouse interest? Yes. When a man watches a commercial for a Rolex watch he is probably not thinking, ‘that’s a nice watch. I think I will buy it.’ It is more likely he is imagining the prestige he will inherit upon owning the watch. Advertisers, especially tobacco and alcohol also love to create sexual images out of smoke or the casual positioning of characters in magazine/television advertisements. These images are ultimately visible with the naked eye, but they are so subtle that they are often processed subconsciously; after all few people spend time really watching advertisements.
I will not pretend to say that these tactics are ethical. They aren’t—especially when the target demographic is children. But the ingenious nature of this type of identity manipulation is amazing. It is also very expensive. To create a 30-second advertisement for television, companies often spend nearly as much as a network might spend to shoot an entire 30-minute long sitcom episode. The mere fact companies will spend these kinds of funds is a testament to the importance of marketing ideologies.
I do not think that Madonna went out and tried to be a symbol of something. I think that it is the media that pins the symbols on Madonna and pop stars alike. The media has a way of twisting messages or actions that these pop icons do. Sometimes these icons just want to make a statement, but in-turn the media can twist their images into something else. For example, the article references the music video "Like a Virgin" and asks if certain things like the cross earrings and the rosary-bead neckless have some type of hidden meaning. I think that she did it for attention not to send out hidden messages. Madonna took a lot of heat for the video, but lets face it- bad publicity is still publicity none the less. She probably wanted to go for something that would shock audiences and get them talking. The more people talk, the more Madonna is in the lime light. It is the media that sometimes spins things around to say that Madonna did this and that because she is trying to symbolize something else. I am not saying that pop stars and artist never put symbolism into their works, but I feel that the media takes it to an entirely different level.
Madonna is exactly who she is, a pop icon. Pop icons do stand for something in our society, but it is not their job to take on the role as he perfect role model for citizens. This article touched upon some very important facts when talking about her image and relating it to religion, sexuality and culture. When the author questions, "Is she teasing? or is she serious?" she is somewhat blurring the lines of reality.
In my opinion, anyone who is at all confused about their beliefs and path in life due to Madonna's image, has more bigger issues to deal with. We as normal everyday citizens have to make sure we stay focused and not stray far from reality. We have to understand that celebrities, professional athletes, politicians, and public figures all have a role to play whether viewed in a positive or negative light. It is our job to distinquish between the two and make the right decisions for ourselves in life. The author's last statement sums up my thoughts when she says, "Yes, it is all about flirting, our own flirting with what life is all about." Life is what we make of it; we can't expect and place blame on others like Madonna to determine our destiny. Sad to say, they have and forever will be easy target for those who are looking to take the easy way out.
Madonna has always tried to cause controversy. From her songs and videos to her concerts she has always included something regarding religion, sex or issues going on in society. Madonna stirs up mixed emotions with her controversy and with that keeps her name continuously in the media. Madonna may not be necesarily trying or desiring to sell a certain image but with any pop star all fans are going to want to follow the lead of what they are wearing, eating, and everything else. In 1998 Madonna began practicing Kabbalah and I remember reading articles on how other stars and fans were becoming involved with this religion. I also remember reading that with her new religion she would only drink Kabbalah water. During this time Madonna would have appeared to be trying to 'sell' this image of practicing the same religion as her.
All pop stars are going to set a certain image for the fans. They want to be remembered, they want the audience to purchase their albums, so they have to be different. Madonna may go to that extreme but she has been successful for how long? ...And still going.
Madonna can symbolize many different things which will change considering she has a large audience.
~jeni
After reading the article about the pop star icon Madonna I realized how much the media can play into the career of a “pop star.” I feel that Madonna purposely acted in ways that would create controversy just so that she would receive more attention from the media. Perhaps she went by the motto, “any publicity is good publicity.” I find it hard to believe that Madonna thought of different costumes or personas that would symbolize different meanings in society, instead I think she just wanted a way to get the media to notice her, and of course it worked. I think this article points out how celebrities use the media and how it creates a cycle. The celebrity will do something “over the top,”(an action) to get media attention. This media attention allows fans and the general public to talk about the celebrity. Because people then talk about the celebrity, opinions about the celebrity are formed either good or bad, thus creating more media coverage of the actual celebrity and no longer the event that caused the initial media coverage. This entire article proves just that, “Women: Madonna: Sire or a Symbol”
I think that pop culture does define our culture to a certain extent. Madonna along with hundreds of other actors shape what we think is acceptable and what is not. Media has a power that few have come to realize. In a way it makes me wounder what are my values and what values have been push upon me.
Post a Comment