Assign. 5-1; The Andy Griffith Show

There is a small, laid-back town in the Southeast where the sheriff does not carry a gun, and his deputy proudly possesses one bullet in his shirt pocket. This is the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, and is the setting for one of the most popular sitcoms ever aired in the history of television, The Andy Griffith Show.

The Andy Griffith Show is about the life of a widowed sheriff named Andy Taylor in the town of Mayberry, North Carolina. (Purdy, 2002). With the help of his Aunt Bea, he raises his young son, Opie. (Purdy, 2002). Sheriff Taylor had a comedic sidekick for a deputy, named Barney Fife. (Purdy, 2002). There were other friends, neighbors and townspeople that helped in making the show a success. The sitcom’s plots were centered on the level-headed Sheriff Taylor and his approach to law enforcement in this slow-paced town. (The Andy Griffith Show, 2010). He rounds up out-of-town criminals and local moonshiners, settles community problems and disputes with common-sense advice, and handles parenting issues with sound and logical lessons by which to learn. (The Andy Griffith Show, 2010).

The premise of The Andy Griffith Show was simple, and its plots were never complex. (Purdy, 2002). When the show first aired, it seemed old-fashioned and countrified. (Frye, 2008). The writers were not to be influenced by the problems and stresses of real world happenings during that period of time, but rather kept their focused on a fictional place of tranquility. (Vaughan, 2004). The show’s complex mix of casual humor, quirky characters, and small town attitude proved to be a winning combination, and ultimately became a popular culture phenomenon. (Frye, 2008).


I absolutely love catching episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. I watched it as a child with my dad, and have never tired of its continuous run still seen on TV screen today. I find its simplistic story lines so relaxing, entertaining, and easy to watch. The Andy Griffith Show, now 50 years young, has never been off the air since its debut back in 1960, proving its rightful place in American popular culture.


REFERENCES

Frye, T. (2008). The Andy Griffith Show. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/andy-griffith.html.

Purdy, E. (2002, January 29). The Andy Griffith Show. St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_glepc/is_tov/ai_2419100044.

The Andy Griffith Show. (2010). Retrieved July 28, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andy_Griffith_Show.

Vaughan, D. (2004, September 30). Why The Andy Griffith Show is Important to Popular Culture Studies. The Journal of Popular Culture, 28(2),397-423.

Assign. 4-1, Weekly Analysis; Monopoly

Cha-ching! That’s the sound you hear in your head as you round the corner and pass Go! You can now collect Two Hundred Dollars ($200). Or, if you own the new version, that amount would be Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00). That’s right, Two Million Dollars. Can you imagine what a night’s stay at the Boardwalk hotel is going to cost? Holding the title of the most popular game board in history, Monopoly has been a part of our popular culture for over the past 70 years.

It all started back in 1934 when a man named Charles B. Darrow from Germantown, Pennsylvania, had been out of work and designed the original board game. (Monopoly: History & Fun Facts, 2010). He showed the idea to Parker Brothers, but they declined the board game. (Monopoly: History & Fun Facts, 2010). Darrow and his friend, who happened to be a printer, went about printing 500 copies of the game and sold them to a local department store. (Monopoly: History & Fun Facts, 2010). They sold quickly, but Darrow couldn’t keep up with demand. (Monopoly: History & Fun Facts, 2010). So he returned to Parker Brothers for another try at selling them the game. (Monopoly: History & Fun Facts, 2010). Parker Brothers ended up buying the rights to the game, and from that point forward, Monopoly has been making history. (Monopoly: History & Fun Facts, 2010).

Today, over 275 million copies of Monopoly have been sold. In 2006, the game underwent several changes to modernize the game board to make it more relevant to the events of today, rather than those of the Great Depression. (Elliott, 2006). This newer version boasts four of America’s busiest airports in place of the previous four railroads. (Elliott, 2006). The tokens have been replaced by tokens of name-brand products. (Elliott, 2006). Hasbro used the name-brand products because it was aware that these products were part of American popular culture and used by people every day. (Elliott, 2006). This was smart marketing on the part of Hasbro.

Monopoly is a game that allows the most novices of players to playact contemporary business, and feels that real estate “moguldom” is attainable. (Poniewozik, 2006). Although for me, this ideal fantasy never happened. I was never to gain access to that powerful, elite world. Years ago, my brother, who is three years older than me, would set the game up at the kitchen table for me to play against him. It was pure torture to sit through an hour of this game, having him sit across from me constantly banking out of his little cardboard box buying up land, and placing houses and hotels one upon another until there was nothing left for me to eat. I would end up sitting in the jail corner because it was easier than trying to come up with money to pay his rental rates. I still, to this day, do not play that game. But it is fun to watch this board game have a “monopoly” on the market over the rest of the game players.


REFERENCES

Elliott, S. (2006, September 12). Would you like fries with the Monopoly game? The New York Times. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/12/business/media/12adco/html?ref=business.

Monopoly: History & Fun Facts. (2010). Hasbro. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/en_US/discovery/history.cfm.

Poniewozik, J. (2006, September 18). The culture complex: Monopoly is us. Time. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1535818,00.html.

Assign. 3-1; Weekly Analysis - Mr. Smiley

Talk about a piece of popular culture. This little fella has an awareness rate of almost 97%, which could very well put him at the top of the pop culture best known list. He is a biggie, and he goes by the name of Mr. Smiley. Yes, he is that perfectly circular chirpy yellow guy with simply two oval black eyes and a smile that would turn anyone’s off day into a better one. He sends a message to “Keep Smiling” and “Have a Nice Day”. Mr. Smiley’s mission and purpose is to bring a smile to everyone’s face, and deliver a moment of happiness into everyone’s life.

Mr. Smiley originated in the early 1960’s, and was given a constantly mutating form. (Savage, 2009, ¶5). It wasn’t until the early 1970’s that he received his more classic look. (Savage, 2009, ¶6). His design was first seen in 1963 during a children’s television program called The Funny Company, and where “Keep Smiling” was found in the end titles and final message. (Savage, 2009, ¶7). During that same period, Harvey Ball, an artist in Worchester, Massachusetts, had designed a simple happy face for State Mutual Life Assurance. (Savage, 2009, ¶8). The design’s purpose was to cheer employees up over a recent merger. (Douglas, 2010, ¶2). Ball, unfortunately, never copyrighted his design. (Savage, 2009, ¶9).

A designer in Seattle, Washington, named David Stern, has claimed he originated the design, but he too had not filed any copyright or trademark documents. (Savage, 2009, ¶10). To date, there are still no copyright or trademark filings for Mr. Smiley. Over the past decades, many people and companies have used Smiley in selling their services and products. In 1970, Bernard and Murray Spain, two brothers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, designed a classic Smiley to use in selling novelties. They added the words “have a nice day”. (Savage, 2009, ¶11).

Even that big, ugly giant, Wal-mart, began using Smiley in 1996 for their promotional materials. (Douglas, 2010, ¶4). When a Georgia man developed a parody site to protest against Wal-Mart’s employment and business practices, Wal-Mart sued citing trademark infringement. (Douglas, 2010, ¶5). This shows how arrogant and bullish Wal-Mart can be, as there was no trademark ownership. Wal-Mart did try to file with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for the rights to Smiley, but it was rejected. (Douglas, 2010, ¶5). Mr. Smiley belonged to everyone. Wal-Mart lost their court battle on all counts. (Douglas, 2010, ¶5).

Mr. Smiley is no doubt the perfect feel-good icon, and top popular culture figure. He symbolizes happiness and all things good. Today, we see Mr. Smiley in use as emoticons on Facebook, Twitter, and in text messages. He has touched the lives in people of all ages. It is so amazing that such a simple design can create such a powerful draw on one’s emotions.

Assign. 1-3; Journal Article Analysis

Wheaties is the breakfast of champions, so they say. This must mean that if a person consumes Wheaties for breakfast, they are guaranteed of becoming a champion. Think again. Many breakfast cereals have been marketed to the public by animated characters, also known as tricksters, showing their immense desire for that cereal product. Not a Saturday morning goes by without a large number of television commercials being aired containing a little trickster plugging a particular breakfast cereal. The article I have chosen to analyze, “Tricksters and the Marketing of Breakfast Cereals” by Thomas Green, looks at the reasons for using tricksters as an effective means of marketing breakfast cereal.

Mr. Green’s article reviews the origin and history of breakfast cereal, and how the cereal magnets, Kellogg, Post, General Mills, and Quaker Oats, used certain tricksters for marketing their products. His article is well written using intelligent vocabulary, and intending the article for a mature, educated audience. The article flows in a logical progression, giving the reader an insight to the invention and origin of the breakfast cereal, how it became a boxed product intended for consumption by just adding cold milk to the bowl, to the marketing ploys and reasons for the use of mythical creatures in getting the product out to the public. Green’s article is thorough and well researched. He has included notes and an extensive list of works cited. The article is easy to read and understand. His inclusion of a brief history, and examples of the different breakfast cereal tricksters, makes the article informative and interesting to read.

During the late-nineteenth-century, as dietary forces and unprecedented cultural mixes were brought together, prepared breakfast cereals were invented. Due to a diet of mostly meat and fatty foods, digestive problems were widespread. Sylvester Graham, a memorable figure in breakfast cereal history, came up with the answer to the poor diet and low morals dilemma. He suggested a dietary reform. Graham came up with a diet that focused on cereal products made with whole grains. From this idea, Graham became a profound influence on other food innovators, such as Kellogg and Post. Advertising in the nineteenth century was centered around mythical images of health, happiness, fullness, power of life, generation, and power. In the early-twentieth-century, religious connotations once thought to be connected with the breakfast cereal were diminishing, and advertisements plugged the cereals as “brain foods”.

Green explains the characteristics of using a trickster for the marketing of breakfast cereals. The force behind the trickster tale is acquiring something. This can be the food itself, or possibly a magical item. The animated trickster is continually hungry for the cereal product, and will do anything, such as stalk, deceive, steal, or act out some type of predation form, in order to obtain it. Sometimes the trickster uses disguises or other identities in order to transform himself in hopes of getting the cereal product. The trickster might even be presented as some kind of culture hero, providing acts of humanity through its performance.

In his article, Green uses the Trix Rabbit as one example of how breakfast cereal is marketed by the use of a trickster. He explains that the Rabbit watches kids eating Trix cereal. The Rabbit decides to disguise himself so he can get the cereal. The scheme seems to go as planned until Rabbit’s enthusiasm for the fruity cereal gets the best of him. He begins to go wild, losing his disguise and revealing the trick. The kids grab the cereal back from him, yelling “Silly Rabbit. Trix are for kids.”

Rabbit appears as the mythical trickster. He exhibits a hunger and desire for the cereal. He uses a disguise to cover his appearance. He shows a sign of humanity by giving up the Trix to kids. These are some of the forms used in marketing breakfast cereals using the mythical trickster. Green points out some other mythical tricksters used in advertising breakfast cereals. These brands include Fruity/Cocoa Pebbles, Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch, General Mills’ Lucky Charms, and a big favorite, Tony the Tiger. Green goes on in his article covering trickster figures in the role of thief/predator, as well as culture hero. He discusses their use as ambassadors of the “…something for nothing mentality.”

This article looks at the effect of marketing breakfast cereals with the use of an animated character, or trickster. It describes the basic form needed for a trickster tale, and how the trickster is able to create an image that captures the imagination of children and adults, making them want to pick that cereal brand over another. Recently, marketing breakfast cereals has moved to a more health-conscious advertising campaign. But the stereotypical trickster figures are far from being gone, still thriving in the competitive world of breakfast cereals.


REFERENCES

Green, T. (2007). Tricksters and the Marketing of Breakfast Cereals. The Journal of Popular Culture, 40,(1),49-68.

Assign. 2-1, Analysis - Mr. Peanut

Peanuts are considered to be one of America’s favorite snack foods. They can be found everywhere. Parties wouldn’t be complete without a bowl of peanuts gracing the coffee table. No one can sit through a major league baseball game without wanting to crack them open and pop them in their mouth. Besides being easy to handle, and just plain yummy, it helps that a cute and adorable little cartoon peanut man wants to sell them to you. Yes, you know him by his golden yellow shell, black top hat and cane, white gloves, spats, and monocle. He is a nut, and everyone is wild about him. His name is Mr. Peanut.

Mr. Peanut is the Planters Peanuts logo and mascot. He has been a part of our popular culture since 1916. Planters needed a company logo, so they held a contest. (History of Peanuts, 2010). A young fourteen year-old boy from Virginia named Antonia Gentile won five dollars with his drawing of a dapper Mr. Peanut. (History of Peanuts, 2010). Later on, another artist added Mr. Peanut’s top hat, monocle, spats, and cane, reinforcing the idea that Planters Peanuts were better than other ordinary peanuts. (Planters Peanuts History, 2005).

Since his creation, Mr. Peanut has made appearances in many different forums of the media, helping to advertise and sell America’s first roasted peanut company. (Planters Peanuts History, 2005). Mr. Peanut’s popularity has made him an icon representative of something good. He is easily recognized throughout all ages of society. Although his trademark is owned by Nabisco, Inc., Mr. Peanut is a representative of all cultures of peanuts everywhere. His iconic status, and place in the history of pop culture will live on for years, even if the Planters Peanuts company dies out.

I love Mr. Peanut for his cute cartoon appearance, and for the different varieties of nuts he represents. The Planters Peanuts packaging he graces is so recognizable, and it represents a delicious treat waiting to be devoured. I cannot attend a major league ballgame without grabbing a beer and a bag of peanuts to enjoy during the game. It is as American as baseball and apple pie.


REFERENCES

History of Peanuts. (2010). Retrieved July 10, 2010 from http://bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/history-of-peanuts.

Planters Peanuts History. (2005, February). Retrieved July 10, 2010 from http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/plantnuts.htm.

Assign. 2-2, 3 Contemporary Icons

The three contemporary icons I have chosen to write on are Freddie Mercury of Queen, Andy Warhol, and Pete Townshend of the Who. These three individuals are all artists. Freddie Mercury and Pete Townshend fall under the category of rock musicians, while Andy Warhol was a pop artist. All three have made their marks in history, and are popular icons of our culture today.

Freddie Mercury was the front-man for the rock band, Queen, during the mid-1970’s until his death in 1991. He was extremely charismatic and flamboyant, and one of the most innovative and talented singers during this era of rock. (Freddie Mercury Biography, 2008). Mercury had a voice that could span four octaves. (Freddie Mercury Biography, 2008). He shared that talent during one of Queen’s most famous hits, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a rock operetta lasting seven minutes. (Freddie Mercury Biography, 2008). This song, featured in the movie Wayne’s World, helped escalate Freddie Mercury to pop icon status. Although the band has numerous top hits, it’s Freddie Mercury’s skilled showmanship, his entertainment style, and his ability to connect with the fans that made him one of the top singer/songwriters of the Twentieth Century.

Pete Townshend, a guitarist for The Who, is probably best known for his trademark windmill strumming, and outrageous violent stage acts of smashing guitars during the band’s performances. (Kemp, 2010 ). Townshend was the driving force behind the 1960’s British rock band sensation, The Who. (Peter Townshend, 2010). Known for his outstanding composing abilities, he has written many of the band’s top hits, including the 1970’s hit “Pinball Wizard” for the rock opera Tommy. (Kemp, 2010). But it is his gigantic windmill strums and guitar smashing antics that awarded Pete Townsend his iconic status.

Andy Warhol had the ability to combine art, wealth and fame, producing pop art like no other artist had done. (Summary of the Life of Andy Warhol, n.d.). He produced some of his most famous works of art during the 1960’s. Some of these pieces included the famed Campbell’s Soup Cans, Coke bottles, and several pop icon portraits, such as the portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Jackie Kennedy, and Mickey Mouse. (Wrbican & Huxley, 2009, p. 57-58). The eccentric Andy Warhol embraced popular culture. His artwork is as iconic as his person.


I chose these three icons for their representation of artistic genius. Each has made a great contribution to the world of art, whether it is in music, songwriting, singing, entertaining, painting, or communicating. These three people not only have the ability to entertain, but they exude a high level of intelligence in understanding how to reach the public through their art form.

For me, these icons represent a time in my life of being carefree and having fun. I grew up during the late 1960’s and 1970’s. I listened and danced to Freddie Mercury and Queen. I hung out at the lake with Pete Townshend and The Who playing on the car stereo. My girlfriends and I watched the movie version of the rock opera, Tommy, on the big screen at the Gage Center Theaters. And, more recently, I visited the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Wexler Center on The Ohio State University campus. These three “guy-cons” stuck out to me because of their creative genius, along their ability to take me back to a time when I thought life was easy, and I didn’t have so much responsibility.


REFERENCES

The Biography Channel. (2008). Freddie Mercury Biography. Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9382540.

Kemp, Mark. (2010, March 28). Pete Townshend, Biography. Retrieved July 7, 2010, from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/pete-townshend/news/artists/8865/65134/153018.

Answers Corporation. (2010). Pete Townshend. Retrieved July 7, 2010, from http://www.answers.com/topic/pete-townshend.

Summary of the Life of Andy Warhol. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2010 from http://www.artquotes.net/masters/warhol-biography.htm.

Wrbican, M. & Huxley, G. (2009). Andy Warhol Treasures. London: Carlton Books, Ltd.

Popular culture can be defined as what is trendy and happening around us at this moment in time. Pop culture plays within our senses. We can see it, hear it, taste it, touch it, and smell it. It encompasses music, entertainment, fashion, restaurants, food, cologne, sports, events, and much more. Society gets a fascination for something one day, quickly making it popular and trendy. But pop culture is not immune to rapid change. As quickly as it has come into notoriety, society moves on to something else, replacing that trend with a new one. This rapid movement or change continues to drive popular culture. It is intriguing and influential on society’s way of life.

Having an understanding of popular culture is important to today’s business world. Technological products are one example of how businesses around the world can benefit from their use and popularity. Businesses are able to communicate faster and more efficiently through the internet. Cell phones and I-phones provide ways of conducting business, transactions, and communication outside of the office atmosphere. The capability of carrying files and information through internet service on these phones, and taking that information with you in your pocket, is an indispensable tool for business people on the move. In this fast past business world, communication is key. I-phone and I-pads are the newest fad. Before long, another more sophisticated product will come along and take the place of both the I-phone and I-pad, making them just another victim in the ever-changing world of popular culture.

In the legal business, we use our internet phones to retrieve e-mail, along with client files and information, and research when out of the office at a meeting, at the courthouse, or for discussions at lunch. Important phone calls and e-mails are not missed.

The pop culture artifact I have chosen are tattoos. In recent years, tattoos have become extremely popular. More and more celebrities and athletes are donning the ink art on various parts of their bodies, and the general population has pushed it into being trendy; the thing to do. It is viewed as an art form, allowing the wearer of this art the opportunity to express himself. Tattoos are no longer looked upon with such negative attitude. Popular culture has opened its doors for acceptance.