Too much to read, so four posts to start off the month:
1. Remembrance of Candy Bars Past: A solid read on the regional candy bars of the US. But, like many small businesses, these local favorites are slowly disappearing. What might be an MA or local San Rafael hook to this story? And I found it quite interesting that when these companies first began they sourced local products in an effort to battle transportation costs. We've now come full circle as more and more companies are again trying to use local products to attract local buyers. Be sure to check out the graphic of the box of chocolate.
2. Masculinity in a Spray Can: An interesting look at the burgeoning life of a tween and teenage boys. Females are no longer the lone buyers of product, now there's just as much targeted at boys and males. How is this, though, affecting the lives of boys? Is this a good thing? Are we headed down a slippery slope of body image problems already plaguing young girls and women? And, surely there's an MA angle in this piece. What is it and how do we go about reporting it?
For the sports lovers:
3. Portrait of Reality as Told by Vick: There's no shortage of reality TV, so why shouldn't Michael Vick get involved? Is this a good thing for television or might Vick and his show fall victim to all the hype and hoopla?
4. Excess Reigns at Super Bowl, and That's No Ballyhoo: It's a week away and it's the commercial blitz of the year. But how many people are watching the Super Bowl for the game? This piece takes a look at the history of the event and what it has become now. The Voice has done stories about different pieces of MA history, but is there an MA Super Bowl so to speak? Or something in the larger community that has taken on a life of its own?
11 comments:
Masculinity in a Spray Can:
This was an unexpected but extremely true article. Not many people focus on boys' body images, so this article was unique and interesting. I found so much truth within each line written; and I know so many boys just like the ones the article was describing.
There were numerous sources in the article which made it dynamic; not only parents, but teachers and children were interviewed as well. It also showed a lot about our society and the pressure we put on the youth of today. I thought there could have been more perspective from the 10-14 year old boys though; there wasn't too much from the kids "featured" in the article.
Overall, I thought this was an accomplished, modern article. It was enjoyable to read but also eye-opening as well.
Katie Eiseman said:
1. Remembrance of Candy Bars Passed:
This article made me hungry and depressed that I never tried some of these delicous sounding candy bars. I really liked the graphic included with this article and it is something that I think we can do more of: get a couple pictures and line them up. It reminds me of that one dessert article we looked at from the New York Times that had submitted drawings of all those treats. Not all of our illustration have to be by Anna Kelly! The other thing I think we can take from this article is a tone of what is special to an individual place. That would be a way to personalize our newspaper if we could take things that are like special to San Rafael that may not be in the spotlight anymore.
2. Masculinity in a Can:
This article is funny! I like the writing because it has important messages (like gender roles and the affects of advertising) mixed in with humor and a light narrative. I think that is a great way for us to do a news piece is to include a narrative. Also, is we do a piece on Uncensored and the topics being presented in the workshops, we could use a format like this!
Masculinity In A Spray Can:
Axe body spray comes in a variety of scents, all of which induce sexual mania in pre-teen girls. Here are some fantastic scents brought to you by Axe: "Touch," "Vice," "Dark Temptation." I found that this article hit the nail on the head. Many children are being bombarded with external messages glorifying promiscuity and illustrating how Axe will help you bed hoards of attractive young women. This kind of marketing has left more guys with the need to impress every girl within a 300 foot radius with some serious man-stink. I completely agree that it seems that some the neuroticism around body image issues that usually affects girls most is beginning to move on to guys. It's a shame. This article was extremely effective in taking a number of sources and tying them into a comprehensive message about masculinity and identity issues of tween boys. By referring to everyone from psychologists to marketers, parents, and users, the reader gets a complete assessment of this concerning issue.
Masculinity In A Spray Can:
Axe body spray comes in a variety of scents, all of which induce sexual mania in pre-teen girls. Here are some fantastic scents brought to you by Axe: "Touch," "Vice," "Dark Temptation." I found that this article hit the nail on the head. Many children are being bombarded with external messages glorifying promiscuity and illustrating how Axe will help you bed hoards of attractive young women. This kind of marketing has left more guys with the need to impress every girl within a 300 foot radius with some serious man-stink. I completely agree that it seems that some the neuroticism around body image issues that usually affects girls most is beginning to move on to guys. It's a shame. This article was extremely effective in taking a number of sources and tying them into a comprehensive message about masculinity and identity issues of tween boys. By referring to everyone from psychologists to marketers, parents, and users, the reader gets a complete assessment of this concerning issue.
Remembrance of Candy Bars Past:
This article was a game-changer for the Wall Street Journal's usual "business" façade. While factual, Almond, the author (coincidental, no?), provided his readers with a history of the candy bar, a subject that is not too often talked about.
That being said, I found the article's ending to be a bit too abrupt. Furthermore, I think Almond could have taken the opportunity to lace in a bit more humor and light-heartedness into the article.
All and all though, this piece was definitely an enjoyable read.
Masculinity in a Spray Can:
I hadn't realized what a prevalent issue Axe (and other body sprays) was with tween boys. I remember in middle school dances always putting Axe on with my friends and not really taking into account why - namely, it just smelled good.
Stylistically, I loved the ending of this piece. While the article as a whole included facts and figures from a wide variety of sources (I was shocked to read that "a market research firm projected that worldwide retail sales for boys ages 8 to 19 would be almost $1.9 billion" for grooming products.)
As Lena mentioned, boys' body image is rarely discussed, thereby making this article authentic, interesting, and a "modern" read.
Excess at the Super Bowl:
Everyone at the NFL who has helped make the Super Bowl what it is today is a complete genius. They have successfully infused everything American into a spectacular, drawn out, 4 hour show. They have broadened the audience to encompass 80% of the populace. Everyone has some reason to watch the game: commercials, the half time show, or maybe even the game itself. Aside from the game, the Super Bowl has become a week long event filled with exclusive parties, 24 hour analysis of the game, and a platform for social causes. This article provided an interesting historical profile of how the Super Bowl has evolved into what it is now. From every angle, the Super Bowl is a storied entity which thrives unto itself with a long, relevant history.
Masculinity in a Spray Can:
This article simply frightened me because it made me realize how devious the advertising campaigns really are. For example, it seems like the main basic allure of a cologne is to attract women, but these modern campaigns are so subtle that they go so deep to make tweens think they need it just to fit in with their guy friends! And what frightens me even more is how the content of entertainment (as exemplified by the disney show in this article) are also advertising at the same time. I guess I have been ignorant to this phenomenon because I don't really watch TV. But I'm scared for our society if in the media an advertising that we create a pseudo-culture that is so real to young people that they believe they must conform to it.
Remembrance of Candy Bars Past:
Reading this article made me both sad and hungry. Although some of the candies mentioned sounded a bit strange, almost all of them sounded delicious. I find it sad that big corporations have been swallowing local markets and thus causing local novelties to disappear, especially when local markets are designed to lower costs and be more eco-friendly. I thought that this article was well written, though I agree with Sam that it ended abruptly.
The article also immeadiately reminded me of Powell's, a wonderful candy store in downtown Novato. I don't know if it sells any local candies, but know that it's a fixture within Novato. I can understand why regional candies are so important to people because I know how important Powell's is to me.
Charlotte said...
Remembrance of Candy Bars Passed:
This article was fast-paced and very well-written. I enjoyed the examples of the deceased candy bars, but it also made me sad that local beloved candies have faded away. Since many products are now going local, San Rafael might be able to hold a home-made candy shop. Not only would the treats taste better, it would be a lot better for the environment.
The graphics were also perfectly laid out. I loved studying each one and admiring the retro wrapping. For the MA voice, we should try a layout with photographs like this.
Overall, this article was a fun read and fascinating for the younger generations, who haven't had this experience with local candy companies. This idea sounds fun to me, and I would like to see some more local brands.
Masculinity in a Spray Can:
This article reminds me of so many boys I know. I enjoyed this article because it's not about girls' struggle to fit in, rather the boys'. I know from experience that ever since fifth or sixth grade, boys have been coating on axe and other cologne products. Honestly, I do not understand why. I think it smells horrible.
If this article had not backed up its opinions with quotes of real boys who wear these colognes and photographs, it would have not been nearly as enjoyable. But to see boys so young wanting to be older makes me sad. Boys these days are feeling the pressure to grow up and "man up" at increasingly younger ages. I have a feeling that most boys would rather take their time growing up rather than wearing axe and trying to be more manly younger. We are heading on a slope downward. And girls are feeling the pressure too.
MA could definitely do an article about this sort of thing. Not only guys, but also girls would enjoy reading this. Who doesn't want to know what makes boys grow up faster?
Remembrance of Candy Bars Past:
The article was a lighthearted read, but to my inner candy-holic it was interesting and mouth-watering. Who knew all of those candies existed? Kudos to the writer, Steve Almond, who gave a voice to forgotten candies.
I think that trying out writing about something frivolous like candy in our newspaper would be fun. It was interesting that even with a silly topic Almond was able to make the article sound serious and smart. He included hard facts like the millions of dollars associated with the candy industry and top competitors; it made the article stand out.
Almond sounded absolutely fervent about the topic which also made me more engaged in the article. Also, his impeccable word choice made me hungry just reading it.
Phrases like: "a sublime marriage" of candy bars and "the curiously alluring Marathon bar" created delicious descriptions and insightful detail.
Overall, I thought this article was short but sweet. Trying out this sort of article in a newspaper would be daring but I think many MA students would enjoy something like this.
Ilana S
Masculinity in a Spray Can:
I think that this piece is so great because it touches on the other side of the spectrum that rarely surfaces, the insecurities that plague the male gender. Everyone is growing up so fast, it seems, especially girls. I’ve personally seen groups on Facebook, for example, that are titled “You’re in 5th grade, dress like it” making references to the 5th grade girls and their increasingly inappropriate dressing habits. And, as Jan Hoffman put it, “boys, a bewildered developmental step or three behind, feel additional pressure to catch up.” Young boys feel that the only way to fill the void is with products—especially smelly ones. Egged on by girls, young boys are buying products to give them the confidence that they think they lack. Will a male generation filled with insecurity ensue? A piece like this could easily fit into our newspaper. Many guys at MA wear Axe, Old Spice, etc. We could definitely ask members of our community why they wear it and do an analysis based on that.
Portrait of Reality as Told by Vick:
Michael Vick did something that was clearly very wrong. He participated in illegal activities, was caught, put in jail, and went bankrupt. Now that he is out of jail, his intent is to make sure that the entire world knows that he regrets what he did, and that he is truly apologetic. Not being an ardent fan of football, Vick’s athletic ability doesn't factor into my opinion of him. I don't think I will ever respect him as a person, but I do respect the way he handled the situation. Celebrities, especially profession athletes, are the role models of many people all over the world. When such people act on a way that somehow renders their reputation into something less admirable, I believe they owe it to their fans and those who look up to them to take responsibility and meaningfully apologize. Though that is an ideal scenario, it rarely occurs. Tiger Woods, for example, let down many people when they learned of his scandalous ways. Instead of coming out and taking responsibility, he was reluctant to even acknowledge the existence of the scandal. Vick, however, “has taken the blame and has also taken pains not to make excuses for what he did.” I think, however, that Vick’s apologies may not seem or be as genuine now that he has signed onto his own reality show. In addition, I’m no sure how deserving Vick is of his own show.
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