Reflections of the Way Life Use To Be

Some of the key learning points that I've taken away include: knowing thy audience and critical thinking helps raise the bar for what works and doesn't work. The former is kind of crazy because before I was victim to assuming that it was easy to determine what the audience wanted. Very foolish on my part, I know. But, after taking 663, I realized that there is a lot more to understanding the audience. No assumptions can be made. The more people of your audience that you talk to, the better because it helps make the general consensus stronger. I'll definitely apply that my health career. Likewise, being critical of what I see in the media really gives me a new respect for the level of skill required to develop effective campaigns. It's important to be mindful and respectful to your TARGET audience and a little thinking outside of the box never hurt anyone either. The group project gave me a taste of both lessons.

When I grow up...

Though I’m not graduating until next year, the idea of what I’m going to do after graduation remains a prominent thought in my mind. I didn’t become a public health student for the love of money. Ideally, I would just love to do what I love to the point where my work didn’t feel like a job. Is that too much to ask for? Maybe not, but is it too much to ask for that my dream job come with a decent salary? I thought it was until most recently. Tuesday’s discussion on health careers really enlightened me on the array of options available to public health students. Each semester, it’s refreshing to know that I don’t have to limit myself to one box in public health, but in actuality, the sky is the limit. My dream job seems more tangible. There are a lot of opportunities out there, but if I’m going to make a difference in the public or private sector, I realize the ultimate key is showing that return of investment. We’re familiar with the expression, “Show me the money”. But, it’s often more about that. The customers and the sponsors ultimately want to see our ideas will make an impact. I’ll wrap this up, but social marketing is a great avenue to explore for those who are interested. It’s something new to Google ☺

My Contribution to Entertainment Education

For those Marines out there, let me know what you think. For those who aren't Marines, let me know what you think, too.

What In the World Is Web 2.0

For those of you who haven't heard of Web 2.0, here's a little video to explain what it's about.
Crazy, huh? Well, many of us our apart of it. I guess we better get with it or we'll get left in the dust. I find myself in between two generations. I can talk on the phone and text to my heart's content. But, I think that my older generation is more of the phone and face to face and my younger generation is more of the text and IM Myspace personas. But, like I say, I'm in between the two. But, you thought that video was something else. There's also this Web 2.0 concept called "Second Life". It's a virtual reality where you parade around different communities talking to other cyber folks. I thought this Second Life was really far out there, but apparently it's really big. I was surprised to learn that the US Marine Corps and American Cancer Society have Second Life territories. As I write this, I think you just have to check it out for yourself. Second Life even has games you can play. On another note, I think that the custom features that we can create on given spaces such as social networks and blogs really takes issue involvement to a new level. Web 2.0 bring power back to the consumer and as a consumer, I almost feel dual-hatted. I mean, not only am I receiving the information from the masses, but I'm sending info right back out to them. Is Web 2.0 the first pure taste of democracy? My mind can't even comprehend what firsts we'll see with Web 3.0. Stay tuned.

Media Advocacy! Be Your Own Advocate

I was looking for something that spoke girl power, so I went to google and typed "Girl Power" in and this is what I came up with.
It was either that or a picture of the Spice girls. Crazy huh? Not really.
I mean, listen to what Dr. Kilbourne has to say.
Everyone has brought up excellent points here. Dr. Kilbourne's video was thought provoking. Like others mentioned, her lecture has made me look at ads more critically than ever. As I type, I'm flipping through a Lucky magazine that's all about shopping, at least they say. But, more than anything, over half of the magazine is filled with ads. This one I just came across says, "You know that feeling when you find the perfect figure. And we're not talking salaries....The Natrelle Breast Enhancement Collection". The ad has this lady who is bare from the waist up. Actually, you can only see her from the waist up and she's covering her breasts and smiling. I mean, it's everything that Dr. Kilbourne was talking about. And, it's obvious that the ads are killing us softly. But to change that, it's going to take a change not in one individual, but collectively, as a society. "Good luck" many may say, but if media advocacy has taught me anything, it's assured me that we have to be our own advocates. This week in class, Dania recommended we check out "Unnatural Causes". I didn't get a chance to watch the show tonight, but I did catch some of the clips from tonight's show online and they hit home the importance of all of this, especially when chronic diseases plague so many specific communities. There is power in the community and the community can create change. "Unnatural Causes" does a great job of media advocacy and I would love to watch more. I would say more, but check out my blog page instead.

PR: Truth and Consequences

My computer and I had a paragraph written here and I lost it. So, I'm going to have to finish this up tomorrow. But, as a sneak preview. This clip is from one of the best television series, "The Wire". This show went strong for 5 seasons and the last season which aired this month exposures the media for what it is worth. As we learn, PR plays an important role in politics and the publics who have impact on organizations and other institutions. The job of PR is to tell the truth and not manufacture it. But, with the PR tools that include news releases and pitch letters, we learn how not to make the truth dull but exciting. If you are a big fan of the Wire, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For those of you don't, stay tuned. I have something on NPR to share with you this weekend.

You Control Your Choice for All of the "Wrong" Reasons

After reviewing everyone's comments, I agree with a lot of what has been said. I concur with Emily and Dalila in that "wrong" reason health promotion is actually for all of the right reasons. Changing health behaviors is the bottom line as long as no one gets hurt - no harm, no foul. I thought the psychology of choice was pretty powerful. At first, when I read the article, I was really confused. But, after lecture, it made more sense. Presenting choice in a way that empowers people to make a decision in which there is something to gain and not a lot to lose can make a big difference. It's difficult to frame a message when it's so easy to think you have all the answers. But, as Noni added, the frame of reference can make all of the difference in the world. Delivering the message in such a way where it makes the audience think/feel/do what you want is priceless when it's something that can literally change a person's life and save it in the process. I just have to add that I only regret not knowing more of this earlier in life. While we've learned so much already, I imagine that we've only touched the tip of the iceberg. Health communication is a powerful tool that can be used in so many ways. It's pretty exciting stuff.