Entertaining/Intriguing Pop Culture Trends

For my last blog entry, I thought I would write about some trends I have noticed within pop culture. These are just observations, not complaints. Here’s my list; hope you enjoy!

- America has a fascination with British people. Why else would we have Simon on “American Idol,” the Orbit Gum spokeswoman, Piers on “America’s Got Talent,” Jamie Oliver on the new show “Food Revolution,” or even that Dyson Vacuum guy? Are they more trustworthy? Please fill me in.
- Marriage as a love-hate relationship. I don’t know if I’m the only one that’s noticed, but marriage gets a lot of flak on television shows. In a society that claims to value marriage, television shows make it seem like you suddenly transform into this miserable, sexless person when you tie the knot. Is it just me, or are these jokes kind of old and tired now?
- We shake our fingers at teen moms, but love to watch them do it. The sudden influx of shows featuring teen mothers is crazy! “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “The Pregnancy Pact,” “Teen Mom,” “16 and Pregnant”…the list keeps growing.
- No, no, Miley Cyrus…but oh yes, Taylor Lautner! There seems to be a double standard in Hollywood about underage stars. They both did modeling shoots while they were under 18, both showing a lot of skin. People were outraged about Miley, but no words were said about Taylor.
- Being a “real man” is more important today. After the Super Bowl, I have noticed tons of ads that address the issue of masculinity. If you haven’t noticed, look up Dove’s “You Are a Man,” Dockers’ “Men Without Pants,” and Dodge’s “Man’s Last Stand.” I have also recently heard a radio commercial for a jeweler stating that you had to visit their store to be a man. Apparently all you men out there need to toughen up, rub some dirt on it, and wash it off with Dove.
- Apparently, if you’re a white woman, men want to kill you. SNL did a humorous skit about this. Recently, the target audience of security-based products has been white women. And the guys that are trying to break in are angry murderers who don’t seem to want to steal anything. Take a look (one is an actual commercial, the other is the SNL skit):
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syjM1dPriBA&feature=related
- http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/broadview-security/1208834/
- Social media = excellent source for branding/image control. Most companies today are embracing things like Facebook and Twitter. When used right, these sites can do great things for a brand. Because consumer control keeps on increasing, social media provides companies with a way to interact directly with consumers and make changes based on feedback. A good example is the latest Nike/Tiger Woods commercial, which has been posted on Nike Golf’s Facebook page (along with many others). Although a strange commercial, it is an attempt at image rebuilding.
- Just a couple fashion trends I don’t understand. Apparently, pants are no longer needed before you leave your residence. Throw on a shirt and some leggings and you’re good. Is that really comfortable? Aren’t these girls cold? Also, the bigger your hair is the better. With Bumpits to your rescue, you’ll make Snooki look like she needs some volume. (I blame this class for knowing who Snooki is.)
- Congrats to you for getting married. Oh, but you’re not cool if you don’t have a viral video. Viral videos seem to have become a status symbol for newlyweds. Recent YouTube hits have shown wedding parties dancing down the aisle to Chris Brown and people dancing to “Thriller” at a wedding reception. These couples have even been featured on news media. Here is the wedding party dancing down the aisle:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8DCt3Lmi28