In most circumstances, I believe this question stems from the curiosity of a few main areas, those being heritage, experience and an eagerness to grow. The importance of each of these elements may differ from person to person on their self-evaluation. Do you deem yourself as a global person and what exactly does that mean to you?
GLOBAL CITIZEN: A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world – and their place in it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable.
We are lucky enough to have an abundance of diversity here in Australia. There are around 200 languages spoken and streets filled with the smell of every authentic cuisine imaginable. I myself have British and American descent, and although heritage plays a large role in allot of peoples lives, it only plays a minor one in my own. No significant cultural background for me, however, I would still consider myself on the way to being a global citizen.
…And no, its not because I took some basic bitch gap year (although I did ..and yes I’m sorry my instagram reflects this), but the fundamental understanding and appreciation for this planet and everyone on it. The mindset that there is more than just coexisting with those who exist in a different in an unfamiliar manner to oneself and the curiosity that propels us to learn from these cultural differences and let them shape our own lives.
How can we relate this back to Global Media??
Well, I’m glad you asked BCM111 lecture 1!! I will let you know briefly before going off track again.
This curiosity that we create surrounding the world other than our own is now more easily quenched than ever before. We don’t all have to run around like hooligans for however many months wishing we were sponsored by Katmandu… Different cultures are not only in our backyard, they are now at a touch of our fingertips. In this technological age it is impossible to run from exposure of other cultures. It is already embedded within the cyberspace.
Exhibit A: Youtube comment about a G-DRAGON’s (권지용) song that I may or may not rather enjoy…
Now I believe that globalisation is a historic term because our world is already globalised…as Ulrich Beck highlights in interviews.
I’ll save you the semantics of cosmopolitanism by focusing on a concept that stuck with me from Beck’s interview. The idea that both the local and the global are the core of the multifaceted identities each individual has. Global media is heavily responsible for this mindset. With this theory in mind let me just throw out some brain spillage onto this blog post. Maybe everyone is inherently a global person. Maybe some choose to embrace this reality and become active global citizens, whilst others resist and inertia reinforces a neonationalist standpoint and particularism. We could all essentially be global people on an individual scale of rejection to oblivion to participation.
There is a certain type of consumer that wants to buy everything, doesn’t care if it’s ethically sourced, how much it costs or how good the quality is. So who are these ideal customers? Children.
It is vital that as marketers we don’t lose sight of the vulnerability of children. Self regulation as well as following the ethical codes and laws surrounding advertisements is of the utmost importance. The promotion of foods with high sugar and fat content and beverages containing alcohol are just some of the many concerns of ethical promotion. Deception and manipulation tactics can be avoided in this industry and will ultimately hurt brand image.
Children don’t have the ability to comprehend that somebody is trying to manipulate them, or motives that underlie certain advertisements. These concerns have evolved alongside the introduction of new forms of technology (I’m looking at you TikTok). Digital and social media advertising is the new platform for the latest wave of unethical marketing. Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. Nearly 80% of all Australians are on social media, including children.
In 2017, the Cancer Council made a complaint surrounding Instagram posts by Vodka Cruiser. The series of advertisements depicted a “youthful” model with “glitter” and a caption that alluded to binge drinking and hangovers. This complaint was upheld by the Advertising Standards Bureau. They confirmed the complaint that Vodka Cruiser was promoting to a younger audience and deluding them into believing the consumption of this product, due to the appearance of the model, was okay. The company took down the following photos:
“We are concerned this type of social media advertising is happening behind the scenes and alcohol brands are using it to target young people.”
Sarah Jackson, Legal policy adviser for Cancer Council Victoria.
The ABS has expressed their concerns surrounding the marketing of alcoholic products to underage persons before, a study revealed that advertisements for alcohol on social media were linked to underage drinking. They found that this ad was against the Prevailing Community Standards on the promotion and consumption of alcohol and deemed the advertisements as deceptive as they were targeting an audience that was not allowed the product.
It is the developmental stage of the brain that leaves children susceptible to misleading or deceiving advertising. This is outlined by Kieth A Gorgos where he explains how children perceive marketing differently to adults and how they are less sceptical and defenceless until they acquire “advanced knowledge.”
The use of cartoons from popular movies in Mcdonalds advertisments is another example. All of the movies that are endorsed in these advertisments and the focus on the happy meals exemplify the focus on capturing the eye of the younger generation and to instil a nagging effect towards the parents. When Kung-fu Panda says that “ you can do impossible things when you unlock your inner awesomeness” just before catching a happy meal, or when eating a “magic chicken nugget” makes you sound like Alvin from the Chipmunks, it’s a direct violation of multiple ethical codes under AANA as well as misleading the minds that are yet to have the capacity of understanding these claims are commercialised and not accurate.
2.7 Parental Authority (b) must not contain an appeal to Children to urge their parents, carers or another person to buy a Product for them, (c) must not state or imply that a Product makes Children who own or enjoy it superior to their peers;
3.1 Advertising or Marketing Communications to Children shall be particularly designed and delivered in a manner to be understood by those Children, and shall not be misleading or deceptive or seek to mislead or deceive in relation to any nutritional or health claims, nor employ ambiguity or a misleading or deceptive sense of urgency, nor feature practices such as price minimisation inappropriate to the age of the intended audience.
The focus on the characters and the “fun” element in the advertisements, Mcdonalds is deceptive because of certain advertisements that promote an idea of happiness and fun through toys and marketing ploys, the food usually as an after thought. This is seen in the ‘free toys’ and the cartoons used.
This year The Advertising Standards Community Pannel found Mcdonalds in breach of the Quick Service Restaurant Initiative for Responsible Advertising and Marketing to Children (QSRI), which the company is signatory too. The “MyMaccas” app was a devious way to market to children by targeting them online, through games. In order to advance in these game children have to scan product packaging. This is deceptive in its own format and clashes with 2.2 (iv) Code for Advertising and Marketing Communications to Children. The marketing doesn’t seem like “commercial communication” and therefore is deceitful in its form.
“These companies claim that they don’t market junk food to children, and yet they’re using games, themes and visuals that are clearly designed to entice kids.”
The issue with this kind of ethical deception towards children is that there are little to no implications especially for large transnational cooperations when they break multiple ethical codes. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority from the Australian government identifies breaches of deception in advertisement when they transfer from ethical over to legal issues. However, there are a multitude of complaints made to the ACCC, just like the ones mentioned, that have no legal repercussions. Meaning that the deception and manipulation of child consumers remains a prominent ethical issue in the marketing industry.
Where does this leave us? It is our duty to become leaders of industry without overstepping such ethical boundaries. As consumers, the digital space is as much a place for accountability and calling brands out as it is their playground. The internet never forgets and in a world saturated with brands, consumer attitude is vital to brand success.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, described by the Guardian as the “TV of tomorrow” and described by myself as the perfect emotional minefield. A piece of art work directed by David Slade. It’s a shocking edition to Netflix that requires participation from views in the unconventional narrative. I (foolishly) sought the movie out for entertainment, however was left on edge. The episodes are presented in a “choose your own adventure” format with 10 seconds to select an option, if you refuse, the system selects for you. There are an abundance of story lines and intriguingly it is the first media format aside of video games where the actions of the audience have direct consequences. As an audience member myself there was excitement and excessive engagement and, although I personally hated being involved in this moral philosophy simulation and became very stressed from a fictional situation, I was compelled to see it through as I felt a responsibility especially when the main character started to directly address me.
This kind of high level engagement forces us to analyse the themes presented by the producer and make our own comments on issues such as free will and technological responsibility. We become an active audience and this is of the utmost importance. We are constantly absorbing and sometimes manifesting elements of information subconsciously. Advertisements, propaganda, films and news articles, we are always an audience to something. The access we have to knowledge in the technological era is now at the touch of our fingertips. However dare I suggest this accessibility is a leading factor in our complacency and lack of critique. The movie/ episode of Bandersnatch is a good reminder of the necessity to practice critical thinking and engagement in order to gain depth, perspective and insight without being manipulated.
“You know what Pac stands for? PAC. Program and Control. He’s Program and Control Man. The whole thing’s a metaphor. All he can do is consume…”
LAURA 
