Transcript Notebook
Social Media Communities of Consumption COMM 2P91 – March 14th 2016. Culture Industry Coined by Theodor Adorno & Max Horkheimer Refers to the collective operations of the media i.e. television, radio, books, popular music and films They conceptualized culture as something not only manufactured - but also a tool for social control Mass public has trouble distinguishing between the ‘real world’ and the illusionary world created by the industry of culture Culture Industry critique society as being in a state of false consciousness hides the reality of domination and oppression of the masses under capitalism role of the media = offers consumers propaganda which lulls them into accepting their conditions culture = a factory producing standardized cultural goods to manipulate the masses into passivity and political apathy consumption of mass culture makes people docile and content, no matter how difficult their economic circumstances • Culture Industry http://bit.ly/1BLSzAc critiques Theory does not seem to account for resistance from within the forms and institutions of popular consumer culture Walter Benjamin (1969): the culture industry also produces rational and critical consumers able to dissect and discriminate among cultural texts and performances, much as sports fans learn to analyze and criticize sports events Active & interactive audiences • We do much more than mindlessly absorb and parrot the content of the mass media • Instead, the meaning that we see or hear or read is the result of negotiating between producers and consumers and what is carried through the media. Recap: Culture Industries Produce culture Standardize culture Commodify culture Reinforce politics of the dominant world view Cultivate false needs created & satisfied by capitalism in the medium, the industry & the society See audiences as passive, undemanding, vulnerable, exploitable and sentimental mass resistant to intellectual challenge and stimulation easy prey to consumerism and advertising and the dreams and fantasies they have to sell Today • Gamification & Social Media – shaping user behaviours for consumption • User Reviews – new role of consumer in the consumption process • Challenge or reinforce theory of culture industries? Games • “A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.” • Zimmerman & Salen “Rules of Play” • • • • • • Levels Points Missions Badges Rankings Trophies Gamification • “Gamification works by making technology more engaging, and by encouraging desired behaviors, taking advantage of humans' psychological predisposition to engage in gaming.” (wikipedia) • • • • • Healthcare Money & Banking Shopping Education Media Gamification • Gamification – Game Mechanics, Social Games & G-Commerce Virtual Economy • http://bit.ly/Molq4K • Games in Social Media • http://bit.ly/KoEqvw Gamification Trends • • • • • • • • • • Social Shopping Game of Life Milestones & Markers Status & Success Personal Brand-Building User-Generated Content Points, Currency, Reward Scarcity Visual Merging Media & Gaming Elements *Margaret Wallace, CEO Playmatics Social shopping • It’s all Social – • Shopping is social by nature; communicates status & identity, fulfills needs & desires Social Shopping: Groupon Game of Life • Turning real life experiences into game events Milestones & Markers • Using game techniques to show progression Status & Success • Appealing to people’s need to achieve • Appealing to competitive nature Klout “Klout is a website and mobile app that uses social media analytics to rank its users according to online social influence via the "Klout Score", which is a numerical value between 1 and 100.” (wikipedia) Personal Brand-Building User-Generated Content (UGC) • Incorporating user-created content into experience to play off social context and to foster engagement • Facebook – Status Updates, Events, Like, Comments, Wall Posts etc Points, Currency & Reward • Creating a virtual currency to increase engagement Creating Scarcity • Using scarcity to force choices & create demand • Items Sold out – Add to Wish List Visual Design • Using game-like iconography in non-gaming products Merging of Media & Gaming Elements • Making social media properties more game like Merging of Media & Gaming Elements World of Warcraft Thoughts… • What does gamification really mean – to individuals & society? • What is the significance behind the premise to gamifying something? Changing roles of consumer – prosumers • What is social capital? – what friends/connections offer each other in terms of resources • How do we make decisions about the products we consume & the services we use? • Networks of friends & acquaintances • Communities of Strangers The Midas touch Midas - Word Travels Fast http://bit.ly/FR4fDV • You use your network connections when you need reliable & trustworthy information Reviews… • Travel: hotels, airlines etc • Entertainment: Books, Movies, Games etc • Services: Doctors, Mechanics, Stylists etc …and more! Yelp - Location Based What to do about a bad review on Yelp http://bit.ly/lK2qJJ • Checks & balances • Being objective about reviews • Communities of strangers – virtual social capital Business Standpoint 20 ways to get reviews from customers http://bit.ly/qkhcpf 7 Tips for Dealing With Upset Facebook Fans http://bit.ly/w5bsKI Air Force Web Posting Response Assessment http://bit.ly/17uQs (info graph) Changing relationships From a business/company standpoint – • How has the relationship between consumer & corporation and customer/business changed? Reviews • How many people in the class actively review products & services? – (few did last year) – Why? – Lack of time, not easy enough to provide feedback – If you don’t hear from me, assume all is as it should be Today – Follow up • Gamification & Social Media – shaping user behaviours for consumption • User Reviews – new role of consumer in the consumption process • Do these examples challenge or reinforce theory of culture industries?