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Widespread Acceptance

Prompt #3: Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury, “The Individual and the State: A Social Historical Analysis of the East German ‘Doping System’” explores a governmental scandal about a sports/medical technology. Compare this to a contemporary sports scandal of your choice, using at least two quotes from the reading. Take a local photo to illustrate the East German doping scandal in some way, and another photo to illustrate the scandal you choose.

Find a way to get ahead in sports is always going to be a part of the game. When you put people in a competitive environment, set rules around how the game will be played, and then let the best rise to the top in order to pursue winning at the highest level and sometimes fame and money, there is bound to be cheating. The rules will always get bent, and people will always find a way around them.

Similar to, “doping  in  the  German  Democratic  Republic, which was central to the national policy for sport,” competitive bike racing used to be one of the most corrupt doping sports (Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury, p. 218). After the Lance Armstrong doping scandal a few years ago it became clear that he was not the only one at fault, just the most famous.

In a sport that pushes athletes’ bodies to the limit, bike racing is one of the most grueling sports out there. The entire community at the time had been using performance enhancing drugs in order to stay competitive and have a chance at winning some of the biggest races in the world, such as the Tour De France.

After this scandal broke there were many similarities that could be drawn from the East German doping scandal. These include that, “it has been claimed that the GDR cheated its way to success, damaged the health of numerous athletes and left a legacy of cynicism around elite international sport,” many of which, were similar impacts left on biking (Dimeo, Hunt & Horbury, p. 220). The primary similarity I drew from this was the widespread and accepted use within the sport itself.

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One Change

Prompt 1: Capture an advertisement that you think would be ineffective in the U.S. Tell me why it would be ineffective, and then describe how you might do it differently for a U.S. market. Post a photo of the advertisement so that your classmates and I can see what you're referring to. (Note: You cannot post something in German and say "it would be ineffective because it isn't in English" or something similar. Think in terms of the intended message, intended audience, and how both are communicated - would the spirit of the message be ineffective? Why?) Make a connection to at least one of our readings from the program.

As a drink that has built up a reputation for being one of crazy hallucinogenic effects, Absinthe is illegal in the United States. In Europe, however, there are many drinks that either include it, are flavored with it, or just straight up absinthe. While there are many cultural differences at play here, I think it is interesting to analyze it from a marketing perspective and why it would not successfully sell in the United States.

In a market where Absinthe is illegal I think this ad would all together be a failure in the US. I picked this one, though, because I think it could peak a lot of interest and do very well in the US market with just one simple change. While selling absinthe itself is illegal, the flavor is not. 

I believe there could be a lot of interest in absinthe flavored alcohol. There could be a very successful marketing campaign where a company utilized its PR efforts in order to create and maintain a community interested in this sort of beverage (Ledingham, p. 285). While the drink itself would have to be comprised of a different alcohol all together, the flavor and mystery around the drink itself could go a long way.

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More than a Car

Prompt 2: You have now seen the Mercedes-Benz arena & museum, the BMW Motorcycle Factory, and the VW Autostadt. How are these various locations similar in terms of stakeholder engagement? In what ways are they different? As a tourist viewing these locations (rather than as a local fan, a native German, or a customer), which was more effective in creating a compelling experience for you? Think about the Ramshaw reading as you answer, and include specific examples. 

In the automotive industry it is about more than just creating a strong brand for your customers. Often times its about creating a brand that compliments a certain lifestyle. For BMW, Mercedes, and VW they go about creating and promising certain lifestyles for their customers. From the life of luxury offered by Mercedes to VW’s huge range of lifestyle choices there is an option for every customer.

The locations we visited help promote that certain lifestyle that comes with owning one of their products. All of the locations did a good job of teaching their audiences and potential stakeholders about something not normally known about the brand. For example BMW gave a look into the life of an employee at BMW. Not only do they produce the highest quality products on the market, but their work life and how well BMW takes care of them are of the highest quality as well. These exemplify to the stakeholders something that is not common place knowledge about the brand. Not only does this allow easier stakeholder connection with a brand, but also increases potential for products to be sold. 

In terms of differences, I think there are a few. Most importantly, though, is the approach each location took in presenting their products. BMW really wanted to show and emphasize the production side of their brand. Mercedes, the rich history and pivotal role the brand has played in automotive history. Finally, VW, their brands are everywhere and there is a VW product for you. 

Since tours, “encourage deeper interactions with the place,” as well as the brand, I think it is important how a company goes about choosing what that specific interaction goal should be (Ramshaw, p. 19). Each company had clearly done this with each location, but for me personally I was most interested in the BMW Motorcycle Factory. While it is important for me to note that this was a tour I had circled on my calendar since the beginning of the travel abroad experience, I think what ultimately impressed me the most there was the way BMW treated their employees. Whenever you hear about BMW you hear about the product and how good it is. After seeing the workplace environment and how the employees were treated, however, I was blown away. The company clearly cares and values their employees. 

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A Fine Line

Prompt 1: Research the GPDR online privacy regulations that went into effect last Friday. Link to an official government communication from the EU or another governmental body about these new technological restrictions. Then, find an example of art or advertising in the the city you’re in (not online) that deals with similar issues of privacy or surveillance.

After reading about the GPDR online privacy regulations and all the new changes that are coming about I couldn’t help but think about the new regulations impact on the world. Even though these regulations were meant to designed to, “harmonize data privacy laws across Europe”, there is going to be a much larger international impact (EUGDPR.org). Since the internet is interwoven across countries all over the world I’m sure there will be changes back home in the United States. It is interesting to think about how the effects of globalization and the popularization of the internet is taking the regulations of one body, but indirectly expanding to regulate others.

When dealing with privacy and surveillance there is always a fine line that is being walked between the right amount that is necessary for protection and then the amount that crosses the line. This form of surveillance is meant to protect the citizens of the EU. In order to give these citizens the ability to own their own personal data they can take back some power that was previously in the hands of those collecting it.

On the other hand, you have surveillance that is meant to break privacy. The Teufelsberg Spy Station is an example of intrusive surveillance. For what is now a large art exhibit and condemned building this area used to be a place that acted as a way to collect private confidential information that could help the US in their efforts against the USSR and other Cold War powers. This interplay between permitted surveillance and breaking privacy is so interesting, and can often times be distinguished by the context of the situation you are examining.

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Artist Hideout

Prompt 3 [extended]: At Teufelsberg this week you will see a lot of graffiti. It's a cultural phenomenon here - highly skilled artists have been allowed to paint the walls of this defunct spy station. Some murals have lasted years, while others are painted over from one week to the next. As Ledingham tells us, “Public relations is best defined and practiced as the active attempt to restore and maintain a sense of community.” How is this graffiti a function of community building/maintenance? How might this space be different in the U.S.? Would the owners of this property or the federal government be likely to allow this long-term graffiti haven to continue untouched by anyone who isn't part of the community? Post a selection of murals to illustrate your post.

From cold war listening outpost to graffiti artist sanctuary, Teufelsberg Spy Station offers one of the eeriest glances into a different time. While it has evolved into the largest street art gallery in Europe, one can’t help but feel like they are being transported back to a time of surveillance, intelligence, and espionage. As one of my favorite places we’ve visited while in Germany this station has many different offerings that a wide array of communities and their publics can take advantage of. 

Graffiti is a form of art that has become part of a largely illegal underground community where skilled artists from around the world spread their messages. These messages vary in a wide range of meanings from political commentary to beautiful paintings to funny cartoons. In a city known for their large tagging culture there’s no better place to go in Berlin than Teufelsberg. 

The community found at Teufelsberg is a unique one. I think one of the primary reasons for this is the fact that tagging here is legal. The owner promotes and encourages it. From erecting cinderblock walls to hosting competitions this place feeds off of the art that is created there. While the tower itself is a big attraction, many paying customers come to the station to see the art. After asking the tour guide about who makes up most of their customer-based he responded by saying that other than tourists there is a large following that comes here regularly to see the new pieces that have gone up since the last time they visited due to the fact that the surfaces are always changing. This community is becoming self sufficient by offering a highly prestigious location where its legal for artists to come, in addition to, charging customers in order to see the pieces. 

Another interesting point about the unique community fostered here at Teufelsberg is the recent condemning of the towers themselves. This not only gives the entire space an ominous vibe, but also encourages politically driven artists to continue spreading their message. To this point, it also attracts certain publics to the area. These publics could include adrenaline junkies looking to go into abandoned buildings with the threat of getting caught, to university students traveling abroad and not knowing any better.

I have a hard time believing a space like this would exist in the U.S. Not only is graffiti illegal, but it is a lot less prominent than in Berlin. While there is a tagging culture in the US, it is much less prevalent, especially where it can be seen in public. Even though there are abandoned areas that have been turned into tagging zones there does not seem to be one that is owned, operated, and turning a profit by a private citizen. I think it could work in the United States it would just have a lot harder of a time gaining the notoriety that Teufelsberg does. The station’s presence there adds to the image and its level of fame, and finding something with as mysterious and intriguing of a history in the US would be a hard feat.

I believe part of what makes this community great is their control of the art and those who work there. The owner of Teufelsberg isn’t just letting any random person with a spray paint can come in and tag a wall. This controlled community adds to the prestige of the place, and why people are willing to pay money in order to see it. In short, no I don’t think they would just let anyone in. The government definitely wouldn’t considering it is illegal, and the private owner would not either.

There is something to be said, though, to the nature of the act. Since it is usually illegal I think there are many artists who would break in and leave their mark. After walking around the perimeter of the fence you can see there have been a lot of forced entries, and I think a lot of artists pride themselves on being able to work at Teufelsberg, regardless of whether or not it is permitted.

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Future on my Mind

Prompt 2: [Extended] Museum Communication meets Metropolis: At the museum, look for two examples of science or technology to relate to the film: 1 - Find an exhibit that suggests the film was accurate in communicating the future. 2 - Find an exhibit that suggests the film was inaccurate in its vision of the future.

Human beings are always trying to predict the future. From planning out every detail (sometimes down to the minute for some) of their lives in order to help predict and give a sense of stability to using current events to predict what’s to come, humans can’t help but fall into this easy thought process. It doesn’t appear to be clear why we often follow this line of thinking. Could it be because of our hope that we will find ourselves in a better circumstance than the one we are currently in? Or maybe we are predicting we will be some more version of ourselves where all of our positive characteristics are enhanced and our negative qualities more subtle? Regardless, the future is on our minds.

The film Metropolis utilizes the idea of a dystopian society in order to predict the unpleasant future we would eventually find ourselves in. It’s important to note, however, that this film has many instances where the future is accurately as well as inaccurately predicted. In the following paragraphs I will break down one example of each and how they relate to exhibits found at the museum of communication.

First, Metropolis’s utilization of music and their soundtrack. Even though there are many accurate predictors of the future found in this film I thought music was the best one to talk about because of the temporary exhibit that is going on at the museum. The music found in Metropolis came across as timeless. Regardless of the fact that it was made in the 1920s, much of the music was something I could find myself listening to today. I think timelessness is one of the elements that makes music so intriguing. Popular genres are always going in and out of style, in addition to new genres and sub-genres constantly being created. This life cycle of music is interesting to watch evolve as old elements and genres altogether are implemented into new releases. I noticed many similarities in the songs from Metropolis and the ones displayed at the Communication Museum.  

In addition the museum touched on a form of music becoming a public sphere through the Beat Club (Habermas, 49). This TV and radio show acted as the first popular form of public sphere for Germany’s youth music culture that wasn’t just the song release itself. An outlet that discussed much of the prominent ideas, opinions, and news of the music industry at that time. This sphere acted as a way for private insider knowledge of the industry to become public information.

The movie did, however, falsely predict a few things. Most importantly, in my opinion, there was an entirely wrong presentation of industry, more specifically, machines. Often times in dystopian-styled works you find a negative portrayal of machinery and its impact on the world. This technological determinism can be found in a variety of works from Terminator to The Matrix. While some machinery is used for wrongful purposes, it has yet to develop a mind of its own where humans are its slaves. For the most part, these inventions and continued mechanical discoveries have left a positive impact. 

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Under the Table Advertising

Prompt #3 Advertising / Public Sphere: Public Communication and Democracy. Find an example in Berlin (not TV, online, etc.) of communication from a regional, city, or national governmental body about a particular technology. Drawing on Habermas, examine it first from a public sphere perspective: What information is needed about this technology for citizens of a democracy to have informed civic debate and deliberation about it? Then, drawing on Jaganathan et al, examine it from a rhetoric of advertising perspective: What persuasive arguments might a manufacturer or distributor of the same technology want to make to the public?

The history, following, and technology that has developed around the marijuana industry is incredible. To watch something that is frowned upon in so many countries and openly accepted in others and how that interplay affects the public’s interaction around the topic makes for a very interesting source of study, especially around advertising. 

Since marijuana is considered an illegal substance in many countries it has become a topic of peaked interest for the publics of those countries because they want to understand the illegality behind it. This in turn leads to many strong public voices and opinions on the topic. For example, you have those who are in favor of legalizing weed completely, you have those in favor of medical legalization, and finally you have those against it, in addition to all those gray areas in between. 

After walking around Berlin I noticed the upcoming weed convention. While it is still illegal in Germany I was able to research the topic and find out the growing popularity on the issue. Many people, especially those in the younger generation are beginning to push for looser laws and policies on the issue. This upcoming convention acts as the perfect, “conversation in which private individuals assemble to form a public body,” which later evolves into a voice (Habermas, 49). This public sphere is a growing topic of daily conversation.

In addition, after reading the Jaganathan et al reading it was interesting to apply this work to this topic because I think it nicely follows the importance of language and advertising. This topic is of huge significance in an industry that is still primarily illegal. The words that marketers and advertisers choose to use for these events is very important, and since, “the language of advertising influences the purchasing behaviour of its customer[s],” I would argue these marketing professionals have an even harder task (Jaganathan et al, 151). In addition to purchasing behavior I believe in the marijuana industry in particular it increases the debate on the issue. With successful advertising about events like these conversation will continue to rise to the surface of political debate.

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Celebrity Sink or Swim

Prompt 3: Luke Lalor from AlphaPool Content Marketing is coming to talk with us about his firm and what they do. For this post, you need to take careful notes during Luke's talk so that you can go out this week and find an example of something he discusses. Specifically, you need to identify a concept he discusses, then find an example of that practice (1) done well, and (2) done poorly.

One of the topics discussed by Luke was the utilization of celebrities in ad campaigns, and how powerful they can be for both the brand and the celebrity themselves. Examples of this kind of branding that came from AlphaPool include Rita Ora and Ellie Goulding. This form of media campaign can be both a positive as well as a negative driver for a company depending on the desired results. If done correctly, though, not only will it help drive the goals the company had for the campaign it will also provide celebrities with certain results such as a larger fanbase, promotion of new content, or even tapping into a new market all together.

A good example of this comes from HiSmile teeth whitening company. If you are someone who is active on instagram it is hard to not notice the paid promotion running in most people’s feed. With celebrity endorsements from individuals such as Kylie Jenner and Connor McGregor this company has blown up over the past year. This is an example of a company that utilized their celebrity campaigns to their full potential. Now, it seems as though they just keep growing their celebrity backing. From NFL superstars to singers to youtube personalities HiSmile is dominating the social media game.

On the other hand, this form of celebrity campaign can not achieve the expected results. One of the most memorable examples comes from GoDaddy, the internet domain registrar company. As a company that has always been known to put out risque commercials that seem to walk the line between what is and is not socially acceptable they reached their limit in the 2013 superbowl.

GoDaddy used Danica Patrick, famous race car driver, as their long time commercial host brought but decided to bring in supermodel Bar Refaeli in one of the most cringeworthy commercials in history. Not only was this commercial supposed to launch GoDaddy’s ‘Smart Meets Sexy’ campaign but it was also aired on the biggest stage for all commercials, the superbowl. After having to immediately suspend the campaign and pivot their marketing efforts GoDaddy exemplifies the wrong use of celebrity-centered branding campaigns.

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Tech and the Masses

Prompt #2: Computerspielmuseum / DDR Museum: Public Communication of Sport Sciences and Technologies. Compare and contrast an example from each museum that talks about, shows, or otherwise presents a science or technology used in sports. Embed a music video of one song you would choose to play along with each sport (one for each, two songs total). Use supporting quotes from McLeod to explain why you chose those songs.

The DDR museum drew on sport and technology to relate to the masses. As a communist state they encouraged collectivist ideas as opposed to an individualistic nature. Their society was set up in a way that promoted these sort of organizations, especially in sport. Through organizations such as The German Gymnastics and Sporting League East Berlin was able to promote a collective sporting community. This organization brought in huge numbers with membership being around 3.5 million. This community can also be found in many American sports, but on a more sport-by-sport basis. An example can be found in Basketball and the connection to the hip-hop industry. It brought many people together through music and technology as well as many pop culture ideas to enjoy a sport. This can be seen through the, “crossover between music and basketball [that] has been most pronounced in the realm of hip hop, two entertainment genres that are allied by everything from shared fashions, attitudes, to urban roots,” connecting the dispersion of music and sport unifying one another (McLeod, 532). The song I thought of for this was Quad City DJ’s Space Jam Music Video:

This video caught my interest not only because you can see the crossover of the hip-hop community and sports, but also the old-school hip-hop influences. After our discussion in class in regard to Kraftwerk’s music being a large influencer in the hip-hop industry I couldn’t help but notice a bunch of those similar elements at play here. The dark, dystopia world of Kraftwerk being remade in a light, upbeat way here.

At the Computerspielmuseum I noticed the influence of games like pong and pac-man. Two games that were instrumental in the video game industry at their time. Anyone who considered themselves a fan of video games played these. I wanted to continue along that trend of games that shaped generations and the next game that came to mind was the Mario and Luigi series. With the introduction of Mario in 1981 into other games this character and his younger brother Luigi have become icons in the gaming community. Martin Garrix, one of the premier DJs and producers is only 22 years old. Growing up in the same generation he played many of these games and made a song that brings back that nostalgia and evokes that time period. These video games and the technologies they created gave many people in the generations that played them some great memories. 

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Make Life a Ride

Prompt 2: Capture an image from the portion of the BMW Motorcycle factory where we’re allowed to have photos – anything you like (something cool, obviously). Discuss the concept of communicating/connecting with internal & external stakeholders, and how this tour accomplishes both of those things (refer to the entire tour and to things we learn from the tour guide and the promo videos). Draw specific connections to the Zerfass reading - quotes w/ page numbers are a good way to do this.

BMW is a company whose reputation and image is very clear to the customer. Incredible quality, top notch performance, exceptional design and engineering are all characteristics that come to mind. Although I’m sure this brand varies slightly from country to country as a result of cultural differences, as well as, minor marketing differences, as a whole BMW creates a clear brand identity. Since, “communicating internationally is so important for [an] organization,” it is clear to see how seriously BMW takes this idea (Zerfass 787).

Something I noticed on this tour was the limited number of factories BMW uses. While they have many more factories across the world for their car production, I think the central Berlin location for motorcycle production is a very smart move. Since it can be very difficult to, “monitor public opinion and understand stakeholders,” in order to, “develop communication strategies with social, cultural, and political sensitivity,” I firmly believe that the majority of their motorcycles coming from one location helps reduce this difficult task (Zerfass 787). BMW is only tasked with the burden of monitoring the image of this one plant, which allows for the creation and maintaining of one brand image.

This strategy communicates to stakeholders how much they value this plant and those that work there. As the tour guide mentioned, they hire the best and really value their employees. Since BMW hopes to get a full career out of their employees you can clearly see how they sculpt their workplace to do so. This in turn results in happier customers because they know they are getting quality goods from quality, best in class employees.

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So Fresh and So Green

Prompt 1: Ecoland / Tempelhofer Feld: Public Communication of Health Sciences and Technologies. Find the community gardens at Tempelhofer Feld. Compare how they communicate sciences and/or technologies of health (such as nutrition, sustainability, etc.). What values are expressed? How are they similar? Different? Do you see any miscommunications?

While wandering around Tempelhofer it was interesting to see a vibrant community at work. Public parks have played and continue to play a role in cities across the world as being a place for the citizens to go and enjoy a multitude of activities. Whether it is enjoying a picnic, relaxing by a water feature, or playing some sort of sport that is set up in the public area, parks act as a great social outlet. 

One of the most interesting forms of activity in a park that I have seen is a community garden. This space acts as a way for people to come and share in growing plants for others to enjoy. Not only does this act as a way to make the park itself more beautiful and full of life, but also brings citizens together through the act of gardening. From discussing what should be planted to casual conversation that comes about whilst planting, there are great friendship and community building opportunities. I think Carey would agree that through this, “symbolic process where reality is produced,”  we can see a form of ritual communication come to light.

After visiting the gardens it is easy to see that this community values health. While gardening can be an enjoyable hobby for many I think there is an aspect of being nutritionally aware that arises here. Since it is a public park I think many of the people who are planting these various fruits, vegetables, and other plants are hoping that someone in the community who needs them might find them. If someone wanted to keep them for themselves they would be far less likely to plant them for public use. In addition, we noticed there are multiple gardens at Tempelhofer which shows an even higher interest in building a strong community around the gardens. Even though the other locations (pictured above) were not as popular and full as the main one you can still see some work has gone into them.

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A Difference In Time

Prompt 1 (extended): Pick a concept from the chapter 14 reading on cross-cultural communication and PR that you have seen exemplified during our time here so far. Perhaps at a cafe you've witnessed differences in how space is used (Proxemics). Maybe on a weekend trip you've seen ways that people from some countries view time differently than we tend to (Chronemics). Or perhaps you've seen a really clever ad that bridges cultural/linguistic boundaries. Post a photo or video, and explain how it captures or illustrates the concept you choose. 

Germany as a country is one whose perception of time is vastly different and at the same time similar to that of the United States. Chapter 14 refers to, “different attitudes about time,” that emerge in different cultures (431). It is interesting, however, to compare and contrast Oxford’s Living Dictionary has varying definitions of time such as, “the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole,” as well as, “the continued progress of existence as affecting people and things,” (check link at end of the paragraph for reference). There is one defintion in particular, though, that ties in nicely to Ch. 14′s defintion which says, “a portion of time in history or characterized by particular events or circumstances,”. I like this defintion because I think it goes well with the cultural tie Ch. 14 speaks of in regard to time. Those circumstances describe the different cultural practices found all over the world.

In regard to time, here in Germany, I want to discuss to the work week. For a country whose standard work week is six days, it is interesting to see just how flexible their schedules are. Even though many jobs require working on Saturdays in the US, the work week is still considered only five days a week. The interesting part about their work time is that they get off earlier to enjoy the late afternoon more often. Walking around Alexanderplatz it is easy to see people who are off of working either shopping, eating, or just hanging out with friends.

In addition to time, I have noticed German’s strong social commitment to one another. American’s are notorious for being on their phones all the time. Whether it is at dinner, or while someone is having a direct conversation with you, Americans are rude about being on their mobile devices. Germans, however, value the time of others when they are with them. I have been surprised to see how little they use their phones when around other people. While I think some of this ties into their gestures and how they go about communicating with one another, it is just another observation I have made.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/time

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Fake News?

Prompt 1: Briefly describe how the readings by Nebel and Stobbe and Sun relate to one of the types of miscommunication of science and technology we have discussed. Find an example of public communication of science or technology here that also evidenced one of the types of miscommunication and explain how.

The readings by Nebel, Strobbe, and Sun all relate to the common forms of miscommunication of science and technology. In particular,  they act as just a few examples of their pervasiveness into our current media streams and news outlets. Whether it is the denialism found in Stobbe’s article on vaccines and autism, or the confusion of correlation versus causation that appears in Nebel’s article, we can’t seem to escape these forms of misinformation. 

After searching common news sources, as well as, happening across articles while catching up on what is going on in the world I found multiple forms of this miscommunication. The surprising part, they exist in reputable publications with very prestigious writers who are considered to be the best at their craft. This shows that even those who are considered to be experts on the matter, cannot be trusted completely, or taken 100% at their word.

The first example I found is the use of oversimplification. This article takes one study that was recently completed and uses it to make broad, blanket statements and truths. While the source of the study is reputable, there is still miscommunication present. In addition, the author is using this study as a way to write a catching title and pull readers in.

The next example is one of mixing up causation and correlation. You find this often times with oversimplification when some sort of study comes out. People then begin to speculate by saying, “since the study found X, then Y is going to occur”, which often times turn out to be something that one simply cannot do.  

The last thing I noticed is the utilization of multiple forms of miscommunication in these articles. To refer back to the first article about the study that has been done on Americans having fewer children, it appears as though the author is causing a panic with the blanket statement he is making about the current state of the U.S. This manipulation of communication is what leads to the need for people to be knowledgeable of the fact this misdirection and misrepresentation of information happens constantly and to not let it completely drive their actions and decisions in life.

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A Place to Remember

Prompt 3 (extended): We visited Sachsenhausen this week. The holocaust undeniably was a crisis, and created a series of cascading crises for Germany, Europe, and the world over the following months and years. Thinking about the Guth reading, how does Sachsenhausen function as a response to that crisis? How does the organization utilize Sachsenhausen (and museums/memorials like it) to pursue healing, restoration, and a prospective vision for the future with the various publics affected by the holocaust? Make specific connections to both the Guth reading and the ECC (Effective Crisis Comm) reading - again, quotes are a good way to do this.

How could a place function in a constant state of crisis?

A question I couldn’t help but ponder over the entire course of our tour at Sachsenhausen earlier this week. In a place where basic human rights are stripped, and a constant feeling of pain and fear is common-place, it is hard to imagine how a place like this functioned on a day-to-day basis. I began to break this particular situation down according to Guth.

When analyzed Guth mentions that it can be hard to define what exactly a crisis is because it is a subjective definition most of the time. He goes on to explain, “one person’s incident is often view[ed] as another’s crisis,” which highlights the individualistic nature of crises (125). He does note, however, there are some constant elements that give them a common definition. One element in particular, “disturbing the way people see the world and themselves,” one I wanted to examine further within the scope of this post (125).

A time that completely disrupted the way people lived their lives, the Holocaust acted one of the worse tragedies in human history. Through completely demeaning and demoralizing tactics, minority groups were subjected to some of the harshest indecencies people have ever experienced. In addition, it left a huge gash in Germany, Europe, and the world that needed to be healed.

Fast forward more than 75 years later and the world continues to remember a time that fundamentally changed the landscape of our world. Contrary to the ideologies of people like Marinetti, these museums honor and pay tribute to those that lost their lives or were affected by these atrocities. A place to reflect on the past in order to learn how to better the future. 

While the wound may not ever fully heal, places like Sachsenhausen begin the recovery process. Acting not only as a memorial but as a reminder it is important for people to realize what happened in order to keep it from happening again. There are countless examples of genocide against minority groups over the course of human history, and as unfortunate as it is to say, they continue to happen. One of the best ways to keep it from happening again is to visit places like Sachsenhausen, and learn about the events that transpired there in order to better educate ourselves for the future. 

On another note, an interesting observation I made was the role of PR at the time of the Holocaust. Our tour guide spoke of how Sachsenhausen was, “the prettiest of concentration camps,” a title given by the architect who designed it. I think this is something worth investigating. Guth speaks about, “public relations play[ing] a critical role during times of crisis,” which can be applied to Sachsenhausen. A camp that often times had guests come and tour it, this place of suffering and despair was designed with completely different intentions in mind. Appealing from the outside, horrible within. From the “work will set you free” sign to the lush wooded area right outside the gates, this place was made, as a PR look, to look like a place where prisoners would go to learn their lesson then get out and live bettered lives.

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A Team to Rally Behind

Prompt 2: How is the Mercedes-Benz Arena utilized for public relations? Who are the key publics here, how are they engaged, and what types of relationship management strategies are employed to engage with these publics? Again, using information learned on the tour is a good idea.

Last Saturday afternoon I found myself strolling through the streets of Stuttgart looking for something to do. Before I knew it I stumbled into a local bar and the Stuttgart - Bayern-Munich game was on. As a league game this Bundesliga match was tense to say the least. The bar was packed out and the energy was electric. With every play that seemed to have a chance the bar-goers were yelling and screaming right along with it.

Touring the stadium I found out there are multiple public relation strategies and different publics being reached. While the stadium itself has public relation’s qualities and appeal, the real PR work of the team is going on right in that bar. The fans watching are a key public for the team. They live, breath, and pride themselves on VfB Stuttgart. 

The stadium itself, though, acts as a home base for public relations. Just as I think of the Clemson Tigers home as Death Valley and associate a lot of the football team with that field, so does Stuttgart and their fans. Regardless of whether or not you have been to the stadium, as a fan, you know of it and consider it home. This PR move is always appealing to a fan base because it acts as another point of contact in which fans can associate with. 

In addition to the individual fans, the arena acts as a huge PR opportunity for companies looking to support the club. Through strategies such as selling shares of the team to businesses, having a press area with partner logos in the background, restricted television and press rights, and company suites, the ways in which VfB Stuttgart utilizes PR to interact with business is incredible. These management strategies allow Stuttgart to remain an important part of the city, and draw in business by avenues other than ticket sales.

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Need for Speed

Prompt #3 [Extended]: Review notes on Futurism. Read “The Futurist Manifesto.” What exhibit at the Mercedes Benz Museum do you think Marinetti would like the most? Why?

As much as it would pain Marinetti to go to the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart I think there are some exhibits that he would at least tolerate. While he would not openly support any of them, and continue to urge that we, “demolish museums,” I think Marinetti’s Futuristic ideologies could at least be applied to many of the exhibits (Marinetti 2). Since the museum was centered around the creation of the automobile and much of Marinetti’s influence seems to come from that time I think it is safe to say there would be some interest.

To begin, I want to discuss that last point further. I think a large factor that played a role in crafting Marinetti’s ideologies is the creation of the automobile industry. In order to set the stage, imagine growing up in an age without cars and heavy machinery. Then, queue the work of people like Otto, Benz, and Daimler. You wake up a few short years later and there are loud hunks of metal roaring down the road and they are all anyone can talk about. This must have been a time where the future looked brighter than ever. 

The invention of cars and their dispersion into the market changed the face of the world for more than just transportation. A time where an old system was completely thrown by the wayside and a new structure and precedent took over in a relatively short period of time. While it is fair to say Marinetti’s ideologies are still very extreme one can begin to see and understand where he is coming from when looking through the lens of the automotive industry. 

If I had to choose one exhibit for Marinetti to see it would be the one on the Mercedes car. Originally paid for by businessman Emil Jellinek, Mercedes was the first car introduced in the line of speedsters. This car, being named after Jellinek’s daughter, blew the competition out of the water and brought car enthusiasts into a whole new world of racing. As a man that loves, “the beauty of speed”, I believe Marinetti would have really enjoyed this exhibit (Marinetti 2). Since this car acted as a symbol of extreme wealth directly influencing the performance of an ever growing and evolving technology it appears as though this is a case where futurism seems to be at work. The future is better, and this car is that future in the form of automobile racing. I’m sure Marinetti would have loved to see, “[this] roaring motor car” a thing “more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace,” race against all of the lesser, older models of the time. If not for the enjoyment, then to prove his point.

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Smooth Operators

Prompt 2: What sciences and technologies are communicated during the tour of Ecoland? Find one example to describe in detail. How effective do you think it is?

If technology is the scientific capacity to produce, then wouldn’t how much produced be your technological standard or even capability?

I had this thought after reading the article last week, and can’t help but go back to it over and over. As a business management major I am all about inspecting and analyzing successful companies. Big or small, blue collar or white collar, online or offline, the business trade itself doesn’t matter, but rather the way it operates. After touring BESH it is hard to argue that they are not one of the most successfully ran businesses in the area.

By breaking down their supply chain I have been able to take into account all four types of capital that go into a “society’s technological capacity to produce”, that ultimately makes them very effective at completing their production processes from start to finish (Auyang 4). First, intellectual capital: BESH has mastered the factual and scientific knowledge of their industries. In addition, they are especially adept and knowledgeable in regard to organic standards and regulations since it makes up such a large part of their competitive advantage. Second, Human capital: each of the employees at BESH is a skilled worker; that much is clear after touring their facility. From the master herbalist who is one of the expert spice intellectuals in the world to the farmers who own pigs that follow strict breeding and slaughtering protocols, the members of the BESH collective work to be the best and most learned at their trade. This commitment allows their technological capacity to skyrocket output.

ƒNext, Physical capital: the largest component of a supply chain and operating system. Since BESH operates on many layers of complex supply chain systems such as collecting, transporting, milling, packaging, and shipping spices, just as one example, it is imperative that these principles and procedures be to the quality of, if not better than, their machines that complete these specific tasks. In an age where speed is everything, it is important for companies, like BESH, who pride themselves of quality, to not loose customers because of their slower supply chain methods. 

Lastly, social capital: a system that is fundamental to BESH’s success. As a company that educates and modernizes lesser developed areas of the world their knowledge behind these systems and how they work is incredible. In addition, their supply chain effort must match if not overcompensate for the lower standards of other countries.