#extendedpost

[cosmic-logem]

Ralsapril Day 27 extended

Posted using PostyBirb

[cecehensley-blog]

week 3 prompt 1

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 have seen a really clever ad that bridges cultural/linguistic boundaries. Post a photo or video, and explain how it illustrates the concept you choose.

Among the many differences between American and German cultures is out attitude towards food and drink. According to Guth, “For many public relations practitioners, cuisine is the reward for mastering the subtleties of cross cultural communication” (Guth, 434). I have included a picture of McDonalds as a sort of connection between the two cultures, but from here the attitudes change drastically. The German diet is typically full of very heavy and hearty foods designed to fill you up and make you “fat and happy”, while in America the current trend is healthy, vegan, and light food options. In Germany, a typical snack is something like bratwurst or currywurst, which in my experience are always served with fries and mayo; all of which are not super healthy options. (The entire thing is kind of ironic because the level of obesity in America far surpasses that of any other country when our focus is on healthy foods). Although the contents of our diets are extremely different, the real difference comes with portion size, and the manner in which our food is served.

In America, everything is gigantic, while in Germany the opposite is true. When I visited McDonalds I ordered an chicken sandwich meal where I received my sandwich, fries, and a drink. Typically, at an American McDonalds the sheer amount of french fries that comes with a meal is enough to feed two people, but in Germany the fries that came with a meal are equivalent to the American size small, the perfect amount to supplement the meal. This remains pretty standard when it comes to sizing of food and drinks in Germany, everything is much smaller/ promotional to what we should actually be eating. When I go to a restaurant I don’t feel like I need to take a to-go box every-time I have a meal. `

Another trend I have noticed is the fact that in Germany, ice is not typically included in drinks unless you order a cocktail. This is a huge contrast to America because most of the times when you order a drink half of it is actually ice. Maybe this is why we offer free refills, and they don’t? When I ordered my drink at McDonalds I expected a super cold and refreshing cola with a bunch of crunchy ice at the bottom, but the ice in my drink melted before I could even finish my drink.

Another slight cultural difference is that here in Germany you have to pay for every single thing you want, this includes water and condiments. Although it doesn’t seem like a big thing it is definitely something I have noticed. In America if we go to Chickfila and ask for fifteen ranches, twelve water refills, and a couple of mints it will not cost us a thing, but here in Germany I am pretty sure I would have to take out a small loan to have more than two bottles of water at dinner.

The final difference comes to the service of the food in Germany. In America, it is essentially a requirement for customers to tip wait staff, even if they have done a terrible job. In Germany and other places in Europe it is completely fine to tip .5 euro, or nothing at all. In fact it is considered rude to tip generously because they see it as an insult to their work.

[pheebz-abroadingermany-blog]

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. 

This picture is of the closed DM by our hotel. I took it as I walked towards REWE only to find out that it was closed as well. One thing that I have noticed that Germany takes to heart are their national holidays. Unlike the United States, most, if not all stores close on national holidays. While we have been in Germany there have been two national holidays. The first, Ascension Day, occurred while we were in Stuttgart. The second, Whit Monday, happened yesterday. Yesterday, many of us found it frustrating when we could not go into our local REWE due to the holiday and as well as the fact that it was closed the day prior too. Although I frown upon Walmart and other stores being open on Christmas, having limited stores open on national holidays is a major cultural difference between Germany and the United States.

In Germany, some things have more importance to people than they do in the United States. In the United States, which has a capitalistic economy, we are known for assigning money with time. It is more important for stores to stay open during major holidays than it is here in Germany. For instance,“cultures have difference attitudes about time.” (Guth 431). This is known as Chronemics. Like was said in class, money is time and time is money. Americans place such an importance on how we address time that enjoying holidays is not seen in the same way as it is in Germany. Surprisingly, the United States is placed in the middle of 31 different countries when it comes to the amount of importance placed on time.

I believe that Germany places a higher importance on the ideas and celebration of holidays than people in the United States do. In the United States, Christmas is seen as a holiday where many companies make a majority of their year’s profit. I believe that for corporations in America it is more important to make money than it is to take time off to observe a holiday. More than half of the population in Germany is made up of Christians meanwhile in the United States there tends to be more diverse amounts of different religions. It is helpful to understand “religious conventions and traditions of a culture” in order to understand why a specific country decides to place such importance on national holidays (Guth 433). I have noticed other differences as well including how Germans eat, what they eat, placement of wedding rings and personal space differences, but I think that the differences in how holidays are addressed maybe one of the more interesting ones to point out.

[laurengetsforeign]

Week Four-Metropolis in Action

Prompt #2: 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.

To give a little bit of background, the film Metropolis discussed the idea that one day technology would take over the roles of humans and essentially rule us. The example I found in the museum that agreed with the film was the robots in the round square. In the film, evil Maria was a robot and in this exhibit robots were roaming around dressed like people. The exhibit exemplifies the prediction made in the movie as robots are freely roaming and built to function on their own. The robot with the hat on also looks like he has a brain which speaks to the idea that robots will one day be smarter than us and overcome humans for good. 

While a subtle example, I chose the boat exhibit to demonstrate that the film was inaccurate in its depiction of the future. Even with autopilot or cruise control, boats still need humans to function at full capacity. Someone has to steer, perform maintenance, and make the space comfortable for human use. A boat at this time is not able to think on its own or create ideals of the future. It is an object that is put to use by humans, therefore it is not in line with the predictions of Metropolis. One thing that I also think is not in line with the ideals presented in Metropolis is that everyone is susceptible to the ways of the future. While watching the film, every single one of the workers fell victim to the suggestions of evil Maria. 

In our society, I believe enough people are aware of the collusion that went on in our election with robots and see that what is happening in our “future,” isn’t necessarily the best for us moving forward. Overall, the film Metropolis made some very good predictions in regards to how our society functions today. When we look at the 2016 election, we see that another country was able to use the same method, robots, to create turmoil in democracy and deface an election. Something is to be said for how well they predicted such a marginal concept in my opinion. 

[brookecasuallyabroad-blog]

Prompt 2: (Extended) 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.

Sports history dates back to the ancient times. Practically since the beginning of recorded history humans have attempted to compete with each other for the sake of fun. It is part of the human nature to be the best possible person they can be. This is very clear in athletics. In modern history, athletes are seen as celebrities. This is not an uncommon theme running through time either. There were famous sprinters in Greece and Egypt as well as wrestlers.

Traditional sports have not changed much in the last two hundred years. Sprinters still run around tracks and the javelin throwers still use a similar technique. This is a good example of sports lasting over time. On the other hand, there has been a recent rise in new sports. This is seen in the united states with American Football making an appearance in the late 1800s as a derivation of Rugby. New sports increased interest for both athletes and spectators. This occurrence has created a market where professional athletes are highly marketable. In fact, many professional sports leagues and tournaments have begun associating songs with their events. The songs typically “feature memorable and easily sung choruses in which fans can easily participate” (McLeod, 541).

Different styles of music are usually associated with different sports. The style typically relates to the type of sport that is being played. During this trip, we have visited both the Computer Game Museum and the East Germany Museum. Both had exhibits regarding sports. Many computer games are based on sports as they are easier to relate to the consumer. An example of this is seen with the Arcade Game style Poly Play at the museum. This machine lets the user select which game they want to play. I noticed many of the options included traditional sports as the game. The East Germany Museum had a small section of their exhibit dedicated to sports. Most of the images were relating to “athletics” or traditional track and field. The main difference between the two exhibits was not only the physical versus virtual aspect but also the sense of single-player versus community. Athletics were so common in East Germany because of the way they are scored. Individual athletes take the track or field to score points for their Team. In these sports, every player contributed there part to the overall good of the Team. This is a metaphor for life under communist control during that time. On the other hand, E-Sports are very individualistic. Players compete against others or their old scores and there is no team aspect. This changes with the rise of multiplayer games however that isn't fully relevant for this time period.

The song I would assign to each sport is probably unexpected. For Athletics, my choice was “Hocus Pocus” by Focus. My reasoning behind this is that this song is as simple and catchy as you can find. It is the type of song that gets stuck in your head for the duration of a race and makes you anxious to the point where you want to run faster. It has no specific “national identity” as many sports-related songs have which makes it ideal to use as a sport-specific anthem (McLeod 536). It is easy for fans to sing with and it might raise some spirits by getting a laugh out of a few of them. The overall feeling seems to represent the traditional athletics quite well. Alternatively, for the Arcade game Poly-Play my choice would be”Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. This song deals with changing times and in particular, tv’s role in putting entertainment radio broadcasting out of business. This is a prelude to what is happening with E-Sports in the world today. E-Sports will never replace physical sports however they are gaining popularity to the point where they may reach the same popularity level. Both of these songs are fitting because of the energy that they offer. “Sports and music have largely been driven by and appealed to the music of the youth” and these two songs have high enough energy to fit in their sports (McLeod 536). No song can fully capture the feelings of competing, however, these to represent some of the values of their determined sports. “Hocus Pocus” features a strong guitar lead with a chorus of high energy yodeling. It is perfect for fans and athletes to draw energy from during athletic events. “Video Killed the Radio Star” is perfect for Poly-Play as it represents the changing times in a similar way of poly play. 

 In conclusion, sports and music have been around for a long time. In the recent history, they have combined to further represent what each sport means and conveys to its fans. These two songs relate to their designated sport and I believe if they were to broadcast these songs live at a sporting event there would be a great reaction. 

Video Killed the Radio Star:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ

Hocus Pocus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9esBTlhbC_g

[pailzingis]

COMM 3070 - WEEK 2 - PROMPT 2 - FUTURIST MANIFESTO - EXTENDED

The futurist manifesto written by Marinetti and his other futurists was ... interesting. It was definitely a change of course from our other readings thus far. Ironically, the Mercedes-Benz museum was a perfect example of something that encapsulated everything Marinetti hated as well as some things he actually might loved sprinkled throughout. 

First it’s probably important to talk about the elephant in the room that Marinetti might not even step foot in the place because of his hate for museums. The passage “We want to demolish museums and libraries, fight morality, feminism and all opportunist and utilitarian cowardice” (Page 2). Can be found in the Futurist Manifesto written by Marinetti. I could imagine that, once we got him in the door, Marinetti would've really disliked the first half of the museum. The first half was all based on the long-history and past of Mercedes Benz. Marinetti can be quoted saying things like “leaving all things in the past and focusing on the future.” However once past the first two floors there might have been some exhibits Marinetti would grow to like.

The first exhibit I noticed that Marinetti might really like was the one above about World War I. The way the exhibit describes the technology as a destructive force, in my opinion, would really excited Marinetti. He said in the Manifesto “We want to glorify war — the only cure for the world — militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of the anarchists, the beautiful ideas which kill, and contempt for woman” (Pg. 2). Clearly Marinetti and the futurists have a glorified idea of War and the good that can come from it. Their was an exhibit just before this one that talked about this Enlightenment in Germany before World War I and how no change comes easy to the people. Another direct quote from Marinetti is “Beauty exists only in struggle. There is no masterpiece that has not an aggressive character” (Pg. 2). This is clearly a man who believes not only in aggressive (maybe warlike) tactics but also getting your hands dirty in order to get something done. On a level, I think that is respectable.

The next exhibit Marinetti might've liked was all the really advanced cars and technologies on the lower floors of the museums. Marinetti would've truly been fascinated by how advanced motor vehicles have become in the 21st century. The quote that shows this the most is “... the beauty of speed. A racing automobile with its bonnet adorned with great tubes like serpents with explosive breath” (Pg. 2). Clearly he was intrigued by the capability that cars had and was obviously interested in pushing those boundaries more and more to test the limits of technology (ironically another idea we have talked about in class). He would be a fan.

Marinetti is a strange cat but there definitely would have been components of the museum that would've made him fall in love. Thats the beauty, history is forever changing and maybe its important to look to the future while not entirely throwing away the past.

[marleygoestogermany-blog]

Sports Science in Mercedes-Benz Arena

The 2: Find a quote from the McLelland reading that defines or describes what we mean by “science.” Illustrate this with one example of a health, automotive, or sports science you find on the streets of Stuttgart. Explain how it related to the McLelland quote and article overall. 3550

“Science is a determination of what is most likely to be correct at the current time with the evidence at our disposal.”  - McLelland

While on the Mercedes-Benz Arena tour, I learned that because of the dome that partially covers the arena also prevents significant amounts of rain and sun to provide nourishment for the grass. Thus, the grass in the arena has a hard time growing and meeting the grass standards of a professional soccer field.

The solution to this problem is to use growing lights and a watering system to take the place of what should be occurring naturally. Periodically, workers place heat lamps across the field at night. These lamps provide artificial sunlight to help the grass grow.

This is sports science in action. The staff in charge of keeping the field up to standard believe that at this time and with the technology available, growing lamps are the best possible scientifically correct solution at this time. By McLelland’s definition, this solution qualifies as science.

To produce this particular science, the scientific method had to be used.

First, research had to be done on the different grasses available, the types of lamps available, the cost of running these things, etc.

Next, field observations need to be done. This may be done by grass experts or possibly even weather experts to determine the exact needs of the grass and what goals need to be met. This also ties in with identifying physical conditions of the grass i.e. measurements of all involved factors.

Third, a model of the proposed solution needs to be made. From this, it is important to make predictions on how the model will function as a solution. In this case, a tangible model of the field will help the researchers make better predictions of the successes and problems of the heat lamp system used on the field.

Lastly, the solution needs to be tested. One way that they may have tested this solution is by renting the equipment to see results before investing money in buying the lamps. If there is a failure in the grass growing process, the team will need to take a few steps back and reanalyze. If there is a success, then the arena can purchase the lights as a solution to the grass growing problem. However, as technology and science advance, new solutions will be proposed. It is important to have a correct solution at the current time. Thus, never letting the system become out of date in order to remain at the pinnacle of efficiency.

Sports science allows for traditional things to be done more efficient. Through the scientific method, we are able to perceive a problem and search for solutions. Even if there is failure, the scientific method will encourage repetition of various alternatives until there is a success. Without science and the scientific method, the arena may have had to remove the dome, which would have been a step away from innovation and a step closer to pacification with nature.

sources: McLelland, Christine V., “The Nature of Science and the Scientific Method," The Geological Society of America, August 2006, http://www.geosociety.org/educate/NatureScience.pdf

[sallycbolt]

The first photo is a shot of the hot tub in the locker room and the second is a photo of the showers beside the hot tub. The blue bin (put where the showers are) is used for the ice bath. 

Week 1- Post 3

 Prompt: How does Auyung differentiate science from technology? What does the article mean by calling a technology “a scientific capacity to produce”? Illustrate this with an example of an automotive, health, or sport technology you find on the streets of Stuttgart. What is the technology? What does it produce? What sciences or scientific knowledges are providing the capacity for this technology to produce what it does?

Sunny Y. Auyung, in his article titled ‘Technology as a scientific capacity to produce’ exemplifies the ability for some to group technology and science as one in the same. However, through the primary use of definitions, Auyung differentiates technology from science and progresses through further explanations of technology. Auyung relies heavily on the arguments of Greek philosophers to develop his understanding of technology. The words episteme and techne are used as comparatives to science and technology in the elder Greek arguments that he refers to. Episteme is the example of science and techne is the example of technology. By focusing on the analogy and greek argument of these two terms, auyung is able to pull from it to create his differentiation of science and technology. I inferred that Auyung believes technology is the ability and capacity to produce what it is that science explains. In further depth, Auyung explains that the ability for technology to capture and create itself is driven from the grounded concepts that science describes. I believe that in his title ‘technology as a scientific capacity to produce’, Auyung is aiming to signify that technology presents society with a medium to portray the concepts that science can explain. Meaning that science is necessary to understand how things in life work and then technology can come in and offer a way for society to utilize science’s discoveries. As auyung delivers the reminder of his thesis on technology, he goes into education, knowledge, contents of knowledge, and then in larger emphasis he goest into internal and external depth, technology and modern technology, and lastly technology as intellectual, human, physical and social capital. In order to illustrate this concept, I chose the bathing system from the Mercedes-Benz Arena locker room. In the locker room bathroom, as seen by the photo below, the team first must enter a bin full of ice and then proceed to the hot tub. The system is designed that way because science explains that the rapid chilling of the body followed by the rapid heating of the muscles is beneficial to the recovery of the players. Though the technology is simple, it is carrying the capacity for the scientific reasoning to be utilized. The technology here is demonstrated by the hot tubs location within the shower room and its proximity to the ice bins. The two together, ice bin and hot tub, are the ‘technology’ or medium allowing science to be construed.

[quintonabroad-blog]

COMM 3550 Extended Post #1: Landtag Baden-Württemberg

How does this body function as compared to the state governments in the U.S.? Thinking of our readings and discussions thus far, and based on both your own research and on what you learned in the parliament tour, how does the state parliament engage in public relations? What types of stakeholder relationships are important here? 

Last Friday, we visited the site of the local “state-level” parliament building. Stuttgart is the Hauptstadt (capital city) of the state of Baden-Würtemberg The Landtag building shown above serves as the chambers for debate on legislation for the Staat (State) of Baden-Württemberg. Offices of the representatives are located in different buildings in the area of the city-center. 

When compared to the U.S. equivalent, state governments, Landtag is somewhat similar in many ways. Both have 3 branches of government, executive, legislative, and judicial. Both legislative branches are voted by the people. One difference, is the executive branch is present in parliament, and also voted upon BY the legislative branch. There are also 5 main parties in Germany. Each are in different in size and lie on distinct places on the political spectrum, and form coalitions to help govern the different states. 

When it comes to public relations, the Landtaghaus itself is a physical representation of what the government wants to achieve when communicating to the people. As our tour guide stressed throughout the tour, Baden-Württemberg is focused on transparency. Everything from the windows inside and out, to letting media into the debating chambers, represent their goal on being open and available to the public to see. This could be a form of propaganda as told by Gelders and Ihlen, “there is a fine line between non-partisan public relations and propaganda” (61). The tour that we all took was a clear-cut view of that fine line. Every piece of art and diagram was organized in a way that made the State government look good. Every detail, from the “first” inhabitants of Baden-Würtemberg, to the tunnel and its anti-claustrophobic design.The Landtag stressed that transparency and comfortability was their goal. This is their message communicated to the public. One might say that this is their “propaganda”, especially to foreigners who are not from this country (us!). 

Along with the Landtag having their own public communication, the media for the state does act as a form of their public communication. Unlike most media outlets in the U.S., German media is fairly unbiased. There are no press secretaries, so the news outlets get the information right from the source. The media acts the like “middle man” when it comes to bringing the information from the Landtag to the Publikum. This also reflects the State’s goal of figurative and literal transparency. 

All in all, the function of the state government of Baden-Würtemberg is basically the same as state governments in the United Sates. What is different, is how the Landtag views itself, and communicates onto others. State government here is all open, and easily to access by the press, and the general people. Since the end of the Second World War, the government officials and its PR team are very non-partisan, and try to avoid taking a side. By that, they try their best to be open to the public as much as possible. The German people are the stakeholders in the Landtag.

For more information regarding the Landtag: 

You can visit their website here, and a pamphlet in english right here

(Both of which are a form of propaganda and/or public communication!!)

[ubongudo]

Applications are welcomed from suitably qualified candidates who made the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia their institution of First, Second or Third choice and scored 120 and above in the 2017 UTME but missed the just concluded screening exercise are hereby informed that Thursday 12th and Friday 13th October, 2017 has been fixed for continuation of the exercise.

Candidates are required to pay a non-refundable fee of N2,000.00 for Screening Form and N500.00 as Administrative Charge(excluding bank charges) into the Polytechnic Account at STANBIC IBTC Bank, Lafia Branch and to present the Teller at the office of the Registrar, where they will obtain the Screening Form.

Candidates are at this juncture required to complete the Screening Form and proceed to their Department of choice for screening exercise.

Applicants for the screening are expected to come along with the following documents: * Original UTME Slip * Original "O' Level statement of result * Indigene Certificate * Declaration of age/ Birth Certificate * One Passport Size Photograph Candidates are advised to adhere strictly to the guidelines stipulated above, please.

Signed: LABANI JOSEPH DIO Registrar

[cecehensley-blog]

Extended Post #1 3070

https://www.facebook.com/AudiZentrumEssen/

In the Automobile section of the newspaper “Welt Am Sonntag” I came across the advertisement for the black Audi A5 from the Audi Zentrum Essen dealership in Essen, Germany. The Facebook of the dealer portrays all of the new and exciting Audis that their customers can buy. The platform is the perfect medium of communication between buyer and seller, as it gives consumers a way to ask questions, see products, and review their experiences for other prospective customers to see and decide if they are going to go to the dealership, or even buy the Audi brand car. Okazki and Taylors article offers three different theoretical perspectives that show how a combination social media platform promotion, and advertisement is the optimal way to promote products.

The first perspective is networking capability. “Network technology is at the heart of any open-innovation strategy, allowing large and small firms to reach the largest possible community for their offerings” Essentially social media is the best platform to engage and develop “weak ties” with a large number of people. Social media is cheap, quick, and efficient. “As suggested by network theory, weak ties are networks connected with less personal interaction among members, and act as “local bridges” to parts of the network which would otherwise be disconnected (Ozaki, 61).”  In accordance with the networking capability the Audi facebook page in particular (because it is social media platform) effectively creates weak bonds with the people who choose to view their page, and even more so if they buy ads that expose their page further. 

Image transferability is the second perspective. The Image transferability perspective is all about brand management and creating an image. “Brand image has been a central tenet for many international marketers and advertisers for some time since the image holds the key to attract similar consumer segments across borders (Ozaki, 62).” Audi keeps its brand constant by showing the same ad in the newspaper and on the facebook page, but with different/more in-depth approach on the Facebook page. It is important to maintain a certain level of consistency, but the social media platform allows for expansion and “exciting new opportunities (Ozaki, 62).”

The final theoretical perspective is personal extensibility. “Fundamentally, it pertains to the scope of sensory access and knowledge acquisition and dispersion, and to people’s horizons as social actors (Ozaki, 65).”  Personal extensibility is the idea that big pushes in communications technology drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to communicate over distances. The perfect use of this is in regard to the facebook page, it doesn’t matter where you are from if you have an internet  connection. The product will reach far and wide at the push of a button, but these innovations have only pretty recently come about. Before that the telegraph, phones, and news papers were the only ways to spread and promote companies and ideas. As technology advances it becomes easier and quicker to reach people with advertisements across regions, and even across the world.

[pheebz-abroadingermany-blog]

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.

Even though Mercedes-Benz Arena & Museum, BMW Motorrad, and VW Autostadt are all car companies, each experience while visiting was way different.  A commonality among all was that each product should be made with care and should provide an experience for the consumer. 

Mercedes Benz differed in that it was a self-guided tour and in addition to an arena tour afterward. The Mercedes Benz museum focused more on the history of the company and their cars and transforming to current day, while the others focused only on the current day with some explanation of the past. Mercedes Benz did a good job with making some parts of it interactive, for instance, the race simulator and the interactive futuristic exhibit, but for the most part it was really based on what interested the tourist the most since you are directing your own path. The tour of the arena was also interesting in that they engaged us to talk and ask questions while learning about their brand. It allowed us to go further than just viewing the stadium, we got to walk throughout the press rooms and the dressing rooms. It was an amazing experience being able “to cross the symbolic boundaries that distinguish the worlds of the audience and the worlds of the performer or privileged” (Ramshaw, pg. 19, 2013). Mercedes-Benz has universal recognizability of their brand, and so it was very cool to see the history of the company and what it is doing to modernize itself.

Of the three BMW had the least amount of products to show. Given this is an actual motorcycle plant rather than a museum it is hard to make the comparison. It was interesting to see the true enthusiasm of each employee over the product. They provided great explanations of their guaranteed quality care. For true motorcycle enthusiast, the BMW plant provided the pinpoint marks of the construction of the bike. In order to be more compelling, I wish that it was a little bit more interactive but because it is a plant it might be hard to do so.

In regards to interest, I think that VW did an amazing job of engaging the tourist and because the company is so big we got to see many different brands of cars like a Lamborghini, a Bugatti, and a few Porsches. VW is the only company that can show each brand while keeping concise and interesting. In comparison with BMW, we were less aware of what type of quality care procedures but especially with the very expensive cars it seemed as though that was a given. In regards to size, VW was by far the largest with almost everything needed to spend the weekend at Wolfsburg without leaving and each different brand had its own artistic touch. I think that VW provided me the most compelling experience. Our tour guide was amazing, and she showed us each brand without dragging on the conversation. What really caught my attention with VW was the video which they played at the beginning of the tour. It showed how through a large company how each separate groups works together to provide the exceptional experience for the consumer.

[laurengetsforeign]

Week 3-Dinner in Paris

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. 

While I don’t have a photo of the restaurant, I have many pictures of our meal and experience. Prior to arriving in Germany, I spent three days in Paris. If there is one thing that stood out to be above all else it is the lax approach they take to eating meals. Noted in the reading, “In some cultures, a designated time is a flexible timeline; in others, it’s a specific target,” (G&M, p.431). Prior to this experience, I never thought that meals would be what set us apart from Europeans, nonetheless I appreciate their approach to meal time. 

In the United States, we don’t have a set timeline for dinner, however, it is common for most families in America to eat from 5:00-7:00. While we eat earlier in America, we also don’t emphasize meal time as a time to share with loved ones, catch up, or converse about life in general. We shove meals into our schedules as if they are a burden and are constantly ready to move onto the next thing. After a long day of exploring Paris, Kellen and I decided to go have dinner around 8:30 which we thought was a rather late meal. Much to our surprise, we were some of the first ones at the restaurant. It wasn’t until about 9:00 or 9:30 that people began to sit down for their meals. 

When Kellen and I sat down at our restaurant in Paris, I immediately noticed the opposite. Not only where they not rushing, they weren’t rushing through their meals or constantly flagging the waiter down. We waited ten minutes before our waiter spoke to us and when he came over we ordered drinks and meals at the same time. He would drop off bread and drinks to our table without saying a word, giving a polite smile. It was such a contrast to the American restaurant experience. Waiters in the United States make it a point to get you in and out the door because they need their next tip desperately. 

Not only did our waiter give us time and space, I spent a lot of time observing the people eating around me. Not only did they arrive to dinner around the time that I would go to bed, they were very present. No one was on their phones or scrolling through Instagram, people were conversing, ordering drinks, laughing and talking to one another. This seems like a lost concept to me as an American. Specifically as an American who grew up in the biggest technology explosion to date, I am so used to my friends sitting on their phones at dinner or sitting in a room and everyone scrolling through social media. 

Their lax approach to time and meals says a lot about the culture in Paris in my opinion. While we are such an individualistic, constantly ready for the next thing, they value experiences and time with people. Meal time is a staple in their culture, one could even argue that it is the focal point of their day. Overall, I was impressed with how efficient they are as a society, using the metro and fast-paced walking to get from point A to point B but finding time to be lax about time and enjoy the company of others when it matters most to them (meal time). 

[brookecasuallyabroad-blog]

Here in Stuttgart, I found an ad for the SEAT Arona. SEAT is a relatively new car to Germany and a Spanish automotive manufacturer. The car they were advertising was their new Arona. Based on my initial impression of this car, the Arona appears to be a 4 door small city capable SUV. This is seen as the Arona is driving through a city street past some graffiti. After discussing public communication all week this made me think about the different theoretical perspectives regarding social media in marketing campaigns. This week's reading by Okazaki and Taylor discusses the different theoretical perspectives that have to do with social media and international advertising. The three theoretical perspectives are network capability, image transferability, and personal extensibility. The article begins by stating that network capability deals with people wanting to be "in control of how information is generated, created, organized, and shared" (Okazaki and Taylor pg 59). In the specified ad, I would say the people distributing the ad are in control of the generated info as well as how it is organized and shared. I saw the ad on a billboard in the Stuggart Central Train Station and they had to pay to showcase it. Therefore, they were in control of how the information was generated, created, organized, and shared. Comparing this to their UK social media ad page I would say they use a similar technique. Thay posted a similar image of the same car driving through a different part of the city. They used a different platform to display their message however it was still distributed to the same effect. 

Furthermore, the ad is conveying emotions through image transfer (the second theoretical perspective). The image gives the sense of adventure as they are driving down an unnamed city street. It makes the viewer think that if they own this car they can drive through multiple new cities and the car will take them wherever they want without fault. This gives the reader a sense of happiness as I believe this is a dream of all of us. Therefore this car ad does, in fact, use the theoretical perspective of image transfer. 

The final theoretical perspective is personal transferability. The car ad absolutely relates to this. The idea behind owning a car is to transport oneself wherever the driver may want to to go. The ad uses the gradient of the hill in the social media ad to display ruggedness which convinces the viewer that the car will tackle any obstacle and take them wherever they may need. If a viewer has a family the cleanness and clear colors of the image gives the car a sense of safety as well. This all stems from out need to overcome distance and to feel community with those around us. We want to be near our families and if we are not, we want to be able to drive to them. Therefore this car clearly relates to personal transferability.

 In conclusion, I would argue that these automotive ads do in fact adhere to the theoretical perspectives very well. It is as if they designed the adds to appeal to our emotions through a theoretical perspective lense. 

[pailzingis]

COMM 3070 - WEEK 4 - PROMPT 3 - DOPING SCANDALS

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.

Any scandal that involves sports something of the magnitude of Doping is an undeniable crisis that has to be solved immiediately in order to save any face. It is important to handle the scandal in a way where you recognize the wrong doing of what happened and try to work past it while still reprimanding the situation.

One sports scandal that I know very well is the Spygate scandal from the Patriots in the 2000’s. Spygate was was an incident during the National Football League (NFL)'s 2007 season, when the New England Patriots were disciplined by the league for videotaping New York Jets' defensive coaches' signals from an unauthorized location during a September 9, 2007 game.

The similarity these two cases have is that their is this kind of eerily similar “we don't know exactly what happened here” feeling. In the doping scandal it was never proven whether some of the athletes knew (all the wide believe is that they did); in the Spygate scandal it was never proven that there was anything directly that had some sort of impact on the game and the success of the patriots. The main difference is that there were some members of the Patriots who know what was going on, according to the reading “he lack of choice on the part of athletes and the involvement in the programme  of the national secret police” (Dimeo, Page 2). 

The image I chose was an image about the medals in Eastern and Western Europe from the DDR museum. One of the exhibits told us that many men who trained would do high amounts of drugs before performing (often similar when going into battle) in order to maximize performance. There have been long forms of doping throughout history as well as sports scandals and there will continue to be more.

[marleygoestogermany-blog]

AFRICOM

Prompt 3 (extended): AFRICOM is the focal point for U.S. military operations and engagement across the entire continent of Africa. How is this entity engaged in public relations? Who are the key publics? Through our tour and through listening to Capt. Asuncion, what did you learn about how the U.S. manages relationships abroad? What could organizations you’ve visited this week learn from AFRICOM? What could AFRICOM learn from other organizations?

AFRICOM is a government entity that runs solely through communicating. At the AFRICOM site in Stuttgart, Germany, there is a team of military and non-military personnel that are in charge of keeping public relationships with not only Africa but allied countries as well. This involves things as simple as talking about the day-to-day status of things and things as serious as getting permission to raid or bomb an area of the continent. The overall goal of the countries involved in AFRICOM is to maintain respectable reputations that will prevent feuding between them and direct the focus on Africa and its people.

The key publics of AFRICOM are the countries that are involved with the entity. These countries include but are not limited to America, Spain, France, England, Germany, Netherlands, Africa and Italy. The data and information produced from AFRICOM have to be suitable to be received by all of these countries. Sometimes this may mean that someone will have to manipulate the data in order for their audience to better understand it. Perhaps the most important public is the people of Africa. Even though there are many countries involved in this program, all of the actions directly affect these people and their everyday lives.

After listening to listening to Capt. Asuncion, I learned successful ways that the U.S. manages relationships abroad, as well as the struggles that they still face and are looking to overcome. The most effective way they manage relationships is having the liaisons from the involved countries on the AFRICOM site. This allows for direct and clear communication. AFRICOM also quite often sends representatives down to the various countries to check on various missions and seek out future missions. Luckily with advanced technology (SHOUT OUT TO DR.SCOTT), it is easier than ever before to maintain daily communication with people who are thousands of miles away. However, the institution still faces communication troubles. These include the fact that the flights to Africa are all based out of Paris, meaning even if you only wanted to travel from east coast to west coast, you would have to fly all the way back to Paris to do so. This is a problem because of the time wasted in transit. If more airlines offered flights within Africa sending communicators from place to place would take less time and be more efficient.

Though AFRICOM is a high functioning military entity, there are a few things that they could learn from the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The arena has a close relationship with its fans. They place a great deal of trust in the fans’ decisions about choreography for the game and other things like that, meaning that they do not heavily dictate their decisions. I think that AFRICOM could do more of this. After learning about many of the missions, I felt that the U.S. may be trying to be too involved with the Africans and the decisions that THEY want to make. One person said during the AFRICOM briefings said that they are looking to encourage AFRICAN solutions for AFRICAN problems. On the other hand, the arena could learn from AFRICOM. They already have fan club liaisons that meet to discuss fan wants and needs; however, I believe that they could use a contractor, like Cori, to make these relationships even stronger with improved understanding.

Pictured: Fan choreography sheet