Is Volkswagen More "Fun?"

Ok, so my newest form of homework distraction is stumbleupon.com. (If you have never been to this site, I'm going to be a bad influence and tell you to go there. NOW! Forget the mound of papers you've all ready accumulated in the first three weeks of school, go stumble! Fine, fine, attempt to be a good student first.) Anyway, I "stumbled" upon this video the other day. It's called "Piano Stairs."

I watched this video and thought the concept was really neat and a great way to get people to interact more with the world. Then I reached the end of the video and saw "An Initiative of Volkswagen." Wait, what?! Volkswagen?? There wasn't a single vehicle in the video. Not one 1960s Beetle talking into a microphone as the new generation of cars zip across the screen. So what is Volkswagen's association with this so call "Fun Theory?"
I looked more into the project by going to thefuntheory.com Prominently placed in the right hand corner is the "VW" logo, but that's the only indicator of the company. Volkswagen clearly doesn't want this site to feel like a sales push for their product. Yet, they are pushing something else. They are selling a company image. Think about it. The Volkswagen Beetle has always been associated with a "fun" lifestyle, somewhat laid back and carefree. One could make the argument that some of the VW commercials for it's other car models follow the same "fun" image (VW Rabbit, anyone?)
This company thrives on an image of "fun" in order to sell their cars. Once that's realized, it makes sense that they would go so far as to create a "Fun Theory" to emphasis their image. But hey, it works right? And everyone loves to have "fun!"

I Never Knew McDonald's was a Ski Jumper?!

It's almost time for the 2010 Winter Olympics! I love watching the Olympics (yes, I was one of those people who didn't know what to do with themselves once the 2008 Summer Olympics was over...) and I was lucky to find an old ad from the 2006 Torino winter games for my first "official" blog.

This is a McDonald's advertisement that plays off the event of ski jumping. From a distance, the viewer immediately notices the yellow arches located at the bottom center of the ad. Without being told, the viewer knows that this is a McDonald's ad because the arches have become an accepted symbol of the fast-food restaurant. Upon closer examination, the viewer can see that the image is not only the McDonald's symbol, but also the tips of two skis held closely together in preparation of the event.

I feel that this ad is a good representation of the argument presented in Chapter 11 about whether visual metaphors must be associated with contextual cues so that there is no doubt to the angle in which the metaphor is taking (p.170). It is difficult to decipher what this ad is saying about McDonald's- that it's fast like the ski jumping event?; that it's daring?; or that it is just a sponsor of the Winter Olympics? Either way, it's effective; I am not a consumer for McDonald's, but I am a fan of the Winter Olympics, so I'm going to do a double take at the ad, therefore granting some of my time to McDonald's.

A Formal Introduction

I admit, this blog has come into this world for the sole purpose to serve as a class assignment. I enjoy writing. I love writing. But I've not been able to gravitate towards the realm of blogging. Who is going to read my posts? Does this then become a glorified journal entry? So I hesitate. However, my grade depends on this blog, so for the coming months I shall delve into the depths of my soul and share my inner most feelings (or something like that)...on the topic of any type of current, interesting media.

Perhaps I will find success in blogging and these posts will not have to fear rejection at the end of the semester. Maybe then I will have discovered my niche for online writing. The internet is a world of endless media possibilities, right?

Stay with me. Watch some videos, view some articles and look at some pictures that capture my attention. If you are so kind, read what I have to say. I promise I will do my best to not be boring.

This is an original photo taken and edited by me (AMK) on July 7, 2009