The research I have done so far has been to look at the effectiveness of advertising. One good book I have read has been “In defence of advertising arguments from Reason, Ethical Egoism, and Laissez-Faire Capitalism” written by Jerry Kirkpatrick. What I found interesting about this book is the definition of advertising which is; advertising is a conceptual communication in a market economy.  Another definition was advertising is an accelerator it speeds up the acceptance of new products, thus encouraging the development of more new products. The author makes the case that denying advertising is in essence denying the market economy and thereby individual freedom. This is a very simplistic summary of the book, the book looks in depth at the philosophies of Marxism, Kant and Ayn Rand and uses these philosophies and world views to place advertising in the current market environment as the point man of capitalism. The book makes a very good case for advertising as an essential tool of capitalism and freedom. There still does need to be some kind of control mechanism in place to protect the consumer from the more deceptive types of advertising, especially if it can be hazardous to the individual’s well-being.

 

For my documentary website I am looking specifically at the online gaming community and the game in particular is Call of Duty 4. What I’m hoping to change is the perception people have of gamers. The gamers I know all have families they have normal lives and for them gaming is just a hobby. The reason I’ve chosen Call of Duty 4, is that I play COD4 with a few of my friends every Sunday night and I understand the social aspect of online gaming. So what I want to achieve in this documentary is to show gamers in a different light. What I have found out so far is that gaming gets very mixed emotions from different people. Some see gaming as a very negative hobby believing that it is just software based and therefore non-transferable at all to the real world in anyway. Others use gaming as a way to relax and in some sense socialise with others when online. I already have conducted a few interviews and the content is already looking interesting.

The premise that my research is based on is that advertising communications are needed in our current capitalist system. I am not arguing about the value of advertising, I don’t believe that advertising will ever disappear. This thesis is to try to get the best out of advertising for the consumer.

The question that I am asking is; how would the individual like to be communicated to about brands and products on their mobile in the future, while adding value to their lives?

Is the problem worth asking? In the current environment where so many products are of equal value the need to build a strong brand identity through communications becomes of great relevance. The mobile medium allows the possibility of another point of contact, where advertisers can build up a more personal relationship with the customer. The mobile medium will allow the advertiser to develop positive attitudes in consumers by creating content of higher value.

Who is my research for? My research would be of interest to those in advertising or those involved in any communications where the effective use of the medium becomes of greater importance. Or those who want to approach the mobile medium as a medium in itself not just a smaller version of a traditional media. Through my research I really want to look at mobiles as a networked medium and think critically about the technologies ability to add an extra dimension of value to content.

Is my research viable and relevant? As consumers become more suspicious and ambivalent to advertising, there is a greater need to change perceptions. As mobiles are a very personal technology, to use the medium effectively communications have to be personal and of value. The model that has been applied to traditional media, no longer is applicable to the mobile medium. The relevance of a new system is of great importance, the need for personal advertising of a truer connection is vital in sustaining any brand.

It is difficult to discuss a singular solution as there is a multitude of marketing communications based around an array of small to large businesses on varying budgets. Most businesses cannot affordably sustain a personal relation with their clients, but to those organisations out there that sees more than just the bottom line and realise that an investment in sustained and value communications can in some cases future prove themselves against rapid changes in the current environment.

 

I have recently discovered a great source of up and coming technology at the TED Conference which is basically a coming together of some the greatest minds in the world spread across all fields.There are extraordinary demo’s of new software under development. The first is Seadragon. Seadragon seems to be screen size independent; great for mobiles with allows the smooth zooming or browsing of content. Included in the demo is Photosynth with just blows my mind. The software basically composites multiple images extracted from a site like flicker into a 3D object which can be zoomed in on, incredibly fluid in BETA at the moment only on PC (probably works on bootcamp if you have a Mac). These technologies in full release especially when embedded in mobile devices will make the users experience much simpler as well as adding a further dimension to the mobile experience. Which in the past was very restrictive in regard to screen size . The recent change in the mobile experience have really come with the iphone, but if Microsoft who owns Seadragon and Photosynth adds them to the Microsoft mobile OS. Microsoft could jump ahead of the iphone in the future if implement correctly.

For me the honours year is a process of exploration, a year to breathe deeply and cement thoughts that have been flying around recently. What I want to achieve firstly is a successful project, not just a good grade but a deeper insight into the functioning of technology and communications in society (very broad I know). The second goal is the excellent management of time and resources. This will be increasing important for me as the year progresses, as I recently started working at Sensis in online production. With my career and honours running simultaneously the structuring of time and resources will be critical for a successful outcome this year. (Note to self: do not try wing it)

Thirdly, I am not sure if this a true goal as it focuses more on how the year is experienced. The type of honours year I would like to experience is one of fun and enjoyment (I will try to figure this into my hopeful mastery of time management).

This is my personal understanding of what research is; a critical engagement in the process of creating multiple solutions to a single problem.

I use research as a tool to solve problems be they small problems, such as what should I eat? To a really big one how can I stop my noisy neighbour from driving me to murder? A problem causes us to not just look critically at the problem but ourselves in relation to the problem. For example, the question of what I should eat, we look at what’s available to eat, what we feel like and take into consideration any restrictions. Research does not always give an answer but a clearer map to a possible solution.

Coming into Honours there was a certain amount of apprehension mainly due to the type of project I would undertake. From the initial class, it seems as if we will be developing a core research focus overtime. I am content to follow the process of breaking down a number of ideas and finding a gem or two. The honours year in comparison to the previous three years of undergrad, seems more open and self driven towards one’s own destination. This will push my time management skills to the limit, so if I find myself sleeping on couch been hassled by rent-a-cops as Adrian mentioned. Can I assume that having reached the couch stage that I have gone astray and have created a project that is a beast?

Anyway, the thing that most interests me about honours is the ability to really look critically at a single idea or thought and develop a deeper understanding of the under currents that drive communications, in my case if things don’t change mobile communications on a personal level.

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!