For this blog post I have decided to connect the High Fructose Corn Syrup and Social Network projects. While they are very different, there are still some definite links between these issues. One instance of this includes the social network acting as a tool to advertise or spread certain fallacies regarding high fructose corn syrup products. As we learned last Tuesday from the wonderful presenters HFCS is not the same as regular sugar and not as good for you. This was proved with hard science. However, thanks to the ability of companies to spin the facts and the media (including social networking sites) the truths about HFCS seem questionable. We have all seen the commercials that claim HFCS is healthy and natural. Well the commercial doesn’t just stop there. Soon it becomes a spoof on SNL, and later, because it’s hilarious, my facebook status. Here is a specific example:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/223360/saturday-night-live-corn-syrup-commercial
In this spoof, lines like, “should I trust science, or stay at stay at home mom Sheila from down the street,” and “get the facts at our website,” all make the idea that HFCS is healthy seem completely certain and scientific, when actually this is not the case. All the time people see interesting or funny ads like this a “post” them. Their friends are then more likely to listen advertisements seeing as they posted by someone they know and trust, and unfortunately, at least as far as I’ve seen there are not anti HFCS adds to combat these fallacies.
Social networking sites advertise HFCS products in more direct ways as well. I can’t tell you how many times I have posted a status something along the lines of “Ahhhh…long day. I’m off to relax with some cream soda, ice cream, and 30 Rock.” Soon, vegging out on the couch with unhealthy food becomes established as the norm, and sounds very appealing to anyone reading my tweets or posts. And it’s not often you see a status on the other end of spectrum, for example, “Hoora! Just drank 8 fluid ounces of water and woofed down a bag of fresh baby carrots! Nom nom nom…” So as far as I can see, social networking sites work to promote the consumption of HFCS.
so true.
ReplyDeleteThe most effective advertisement is that which comes from our family and friends. People imitate what others around them do, especially if they like that person.
My brother works at Fast Horse, a local boutique publicity agency that actually does all marketing / publicity work for Coke products (right now they're pushing the new corn-made soda bottles that are more environmentally friendly! ooh! that's another issue to dissect in this class right there...) They are totally aware with how effective social media advertisements are, and are one of the central focuses in ad campaigns today.