You are here: Home / Brands & Identity / Defining Positive Media

Defining Positive Media

February 16, 2009 By 3 Comments
No Gravatar

What makes positive media? There is a huge pile of research looking at the negative aspects of media, particularly related to advertising. There are studies addressing social concerns about the impact of media on how people define themselves, success, society and, well, pretty much everything. The quality of the research varies, of course, but there are many legitimate issues to be addressed. There is a pretty unified chorus against negative media, however you define it. But what is positive media? There isn’t much literature on what exactly constitutes positive media. (In fact, I don’t know of any. So if you do, please let me know.) Does the fact that advertising, for example, is produced by a company with a profit motive mean by default that no media they produce is positive? Does media have to address social issues head on to be considered positive?

otlfantaplay
What about fun, creativity or interaction? A post by Amy Corr in Media Creativity (Talking Puddles) got me thinking about this question. Corr writes about Fanta‘s “Play Starts Now” campaign with interactive Fanta puddles in shopping malls across the U.S.

Corr writes:

Playtime begins once a shopper steps on a puddle. Each colorful image, representing a droplet of soda, makes a different sound. Young and old shoppers alike interacted with puddles that made ouch or bouncing sounds. And like “Candid Camera,” the agency wisely caught the impromptu action on tape…

The campaign isn’t intrusive; it’s inviting. Yet its very simplicity is enough to throw shoppers off-guard, possibly bringing a smile to their faces. Better yet — send them to the nearest vending machine.  Link to video montage.

Obviously, this isn’t solving world hunger, but it’s also not using sex or violence, using stereotypes of race, gender, or culture, or creating any form of psychological upward or downward comparison to raise awareness of Fanta. Is it enough to provide a pleasurable experience from a little creative interaction?

Personally, I enjoy seeing some creativity no matter what the source. Particularly when it is interactive. I like to be reminded of the positive side people; that they are full of energy and genius just waiting to explode. Today’s Fanta puddles might inspire tomorrow’s breakthrough.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Brands & Identity, Positive Psychology Tagged With: , ,
About Dr. Pamela Rutledge

Pamela Rutledge is a consultant, author, researcher, and the Director of the Media Psychology Research Center. Her area of expertise is positive and cognitive psychology applied to emerging technologies and the use and impact of social media, narrative, and transmedia storytelling on branding, messaging, and consumer behavior. She is Adjunct Faculty at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology and Fielding Graduate University and an instructor of Media Psychology, Social Media and Transmedia Storytelling at UCLA Extension and UC Irvine Extension. Pam is also on the advisory board for UC Irvine Extension Business School's certificate program in Internet and Social Media Marketing. Pam develops workshops and presentations to teach Transmedia Storytelling for Marketing and Branding for both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations..

Comments

  1. FlybabyM says:
    February 16, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    Hi Dr. Rutledge,
    You asked if we know of any positive media sites. The website above is not my own. It’s belongs to a woman named Marla Cilley and all the information and most of the media that comes from her site is free. She has a http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flylady weekly radio show and her mission is to teach her followers, flybabies how to FLY (Finally Love Yourself), which is pretty much as positive as you can get. She tells us that “housework even done incorrectly still blesses our families” and we can have peace in our home and be houseproud while still having time for ourselves. To support her website and the staff required to help her almost 518,000 yahoo group members she offers practical tools that help us make housework fun and has written two best selling books on the topics Sink Reflections and Body Clutter.
    (sorry this is so long, but you did ask.) Have a great week and best wishes for mprcenter, FlybabyM
    P.S.
    You’ll find alot of postive media in addition to FLYlady’s show on http://www.blogtalkradio.com
    Shows supporting our troops, Givingbackradio with tips on how to contribute to society, etc.

  2. Dr. Pamela Rutledge says:
    February 16, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Hi FlybabyM
    I always like to know about positive media sites. I do think it is an interesting question of what we consider to be positive and negative, how we define them and how we establish the boundaries. In the meantime, it is nice to know of another person trying to make a difference in peoples’ lives!

  3. Vlad Dolezal says:
    February 21, 2009 at 5:56 pm

    Hi Pamela,

    Great example of positive advertising :) .

    I personally don’t mind advertising as long as it doesn’t invade my space (aaargh leaflet pushers!). And I’m all up for seeing humor and creativity, no matter what the source :)

Speak Your Mind