Popular culture is the items or elements that are popular to a large majority of people at a certain time. This was my thought prior to reading the material and I am now able to expand more on that definition. Popular culture can change rapidly without notice and can have major effects on people’s lives. It can alter people’s feelings, change attitudes toward particular things, as well as provide information. “It comprises the daily interactions, needs and desires and cultural 'moments' that make up the everyday lives of the mainstream. It can include any number of practices, including those pertaining to cooking, clothing, consumption, mass media and the many facets of entertainment such as sports and literature” (Wikipedia).
Popular culture is important to me because it has a large effect on my life. I’m very interested in current trends and fads, whether it is clothing, music, television, gadgets, or movies. I find myself trying new things or finding interest in things I never thought I would because several of my friends continue to talk about whatever particular thing is popular.
Popular culture is also very important in the business world. When I think of how it can affect businesses, I think of marketing and advertising. The point of advertising or marketing is to get a message across to an audience or to increase awareness. I believe that if a company has an advertisement that includes a bit of something that is popular at the moment, the chances of that message getting to the audience is much higher. For example, The Simpsons have become a pop culture icon over the many seasons the show has been aired. If a company creates a television commercial and is granted the rights to use the Simpsons, that commercial may appeal to many more people than if the company had used random people. I am unsure how exactly how pop culture will affect me in the business world in the future, but I do know that over time, trends and fads will come and pass and the most important thing is to try and keep up.
The artifact I have chosen is the Family Guy television show. I’ve chosen this show because it is “known for its pop culture references through the use of cutaways and gag humor” (Wikipedia). I find it to be a very funny show and had begun watching it because several of my friends had told me I needed to. Family Guy includes many references from television series, video games, and movies including; Bewitched, The Cosby Show, The A Team, The Brady Bunch, Family Feud, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Gilmore Girls, Office Space, Saturday Night Live, The Wizard Of Oz, MC Hammer - "Can't Touch This", Journey - "Don't Stop Believing", Three's Company, The Today Show, and many more. The humor is unique, which some may find a bit offensive. The show continues to showcase past popular culture icons as well as current icons.
Family Guy has become a topic that my friends and I can talk about frequently. We talk about past episodes, upcoming episodes, and memorable scenes from the show. Some have said that Family Guy is more popular than The Simpsons because it pushes the envelope on certain topics. I’ve heard many people say that Family Guy will air longer than The Simpsons and will soon be the most popular cartoon show for young adults and adults.
1 comment:
DITTO, Family Guy will probably out-run the Simpson's perhaps due to its satirical humor is more widely accepted and relates to many demographic groups.
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