Ad Comparison Soap

Nick Barnett Bethann Bowman English 101 October 5, 2009 Soap Over the Ages Many of these advertisements feature soap. It makes you smell great and can even attract a member of the opposite sex. Soap advertisements have been baiting men by bringing attractive women into the ads for decades. The soap ads of the 1950s and the ads of today are equally effective; both use sex appeal, although the bluntness and textual content vary greatly, the new ads are more explicit and less wordy. The audience of the 1950s needed soft colors and visual images with many meanings. The Lifebuoy ad uses cartoon people and very pale colors. Visually, this allows the few things in a bright color to stand out. The tag-line â€Å"It smells so good now, it makes me wonder†¦ † stands out along with the Lifebuoy box which is also red to grab the attention of the reader amongst the dull colors surrounding it. The woman in the background has a few possible meanings; sex appeal, appeal to women, or maybe even a figure of cleanliness. Text in an ad of the 1950s is a must and tells exactly what is being advertised and why it is better than the competition. The text in the ad builds up Lifebuoy by saying, â€Å"Now you get protection as long as 3 days. † Lifebuoy also announces its discovery of something new called Puritan. Then, Lifebuoy start bashing the competition with words such as, â€Å" New Lifebuoy protects you longer than the old Lifebuoy, and longer, of course, than any leading toilet soap. † The use of italics with the phrase toilet soap is meant to draw your attention to it and make sure you understand how bad all other soaps are. Lifebuoy also guarantees you will like it or you will receive a refund. The text of the 1950s ad is the bulk of the ad unlike the ads of today. This is most likely due to the culture the 1950s had a slower pace of life than the 2000s. The LYNX advertisement of the 2000s is almost entirely based off images. The focal point of the ad is a woman in nothing but underwear covered in mud with the words â€Å"wash me† written on her. The woman is also standing in a shower and looks like she is getting ready to take off the rest of her clothes. This ad is completely based on sex appeal. Sex has been proven to sell, and in this case, sex is selling body wash. Masculinity is provoked by the very opposite, a feminine body in the blue (male) shower with the blue (male) body wash. LYNX selling point is that if you use LYNX, you will have attractive women wanting you. This an effective strategy, but it is also stereotyping women as sex objects. The â€Å"wash me† written on her stomach is similar to what people write on cars and is used to humor the audience. There is only one line of actual text in the ad it says, â€Å"LYNX Shower Gel. Get Dirty. † The text is used to reinforce the image and the sex appeal of the product. In fifty years, soap advertisers have not changed their visual strategy. Both the ad from the 1950s and the one of the 2000s rely on sex appeal to sell their product. The use of women as the sex object from which they are launching their advertising campaign is also the similar. They both are also risque for their time and push the border between what is appropriate and what is not just a little further. They both imply that if their soap is used, then you too will have a beautiful woman almost naked wanting you. They both also have provocative text to reinforce their sexual images. The 1950s ad says, â€Å"It smells so good now, it makes me wonder†¦ † implies that he is wondering something sexual because there is a woman in a towel in the background. The LYNX ad uses the line, â€Å"Get Dirty. † with the dirty woman in the ad this is obviously a sexual innuendo. Both advertisements use sex to sale their product, that is undeniable, but the degree which they do it is vast. The LYNX ad uses just seven words to sell their product, only two of which tell what the product is. The 1950s ad on the other hand has over five paragraphs of text describing the product in full detail. The Lifebuoy ad takes a shot at the competition in their text and even offers a money back guarantee. The LYNX ad does none of these things in its short, seven word ad. The LYNX ad also has a more blatant use of sexuality. These differences are likely due to the difference in time periods. The ad in the 1950s had to do more than catch attention with sex appeal. It had to describe thoroughly why it was better to win over an audience that placed an astounding importance on quality. The 2000s audience however does not have time to read words in its fast paced society making the limited amount of text convenient to the reader. This audience also more callused to sexuality so a more explicit image is necessary to attract the same amount of attention. Ads for soap have changed dramatically over the years. They have gotten less wordy and more colorful. The style of the soap has even changed from bar form to liquid. The thing that has not changed though, is that selling soap is still all about sex. Works Cited Lever Bros. â€Å"It smells so good now, it makes me wonder†¦ † Advertisement. Lever Bros. Lever Bros, n. d. Web 10 Oct. 2009. Unilever. â€Å"Get Dirty† Advertisement. Unilever. Unilever, n. d. Web. 10 Oct. 2009. Works Sited

How Attitudes to Marriage Have Changed Essay

In the past people married at a much younger age on average than they do today. Marrying in your late teens or early twenties was normal. Most people got married as this is what was expected of you, and people rarely considered not doing so. Many fewer decide to marry these days. Many make the conscious decisions not to as they prefer to remain more independent. This can be the case for both genders. Some would argue that people wait to meet the right person now, whereas before they would marry the first person who came along. Living Together while not Married In the past it was not socially acceptable for unmarried couples to live together. It was seen as wrong and was therefore extremely rare. It is possible that this contributed to early marriage. Unmarried couples living together has almost become the norm now. Many decide to see how they get along living together before they decide to marry. It is also common for couples to live together, and possibly have children, without ever getting married. They live the same way as a married couple without ever making it official. Children It used to be rare for people not to have children. Most people would conform to a very specific lifestyle, marrying young and having children soon after. Hardly anyone had children before marriage, and it was even rarer for people to do this by choice. Nowadays it is not uncommon at all for people to have children without being married and this is not seen as a big issue by most. Sometimes parents live together as a family with their children without being married, while others are single parents. Not everyone decides to have children either. It is no longer seen as something you must do so it has become more of a choice. The Role of Women A hundred years ago, the role of women was very specific. They were expected to marry, have children, and not work. Their role was to look after the home and their children while men went out to work. Women’s role in family life, and life in general, now depends on the individual person and her circumstances. Many still crave the traditional lifestyle of marriage and children, but many make other choices. There are many more career women; some are working parents while others don’t have children at all. The role of men is also less rigid, and it is much more common than it used to be for Mothers to go to work while Fathers stay at home. Divorce Divorce was once illegal so wasn’t an option at all. Even once it did become legal it was rarely considered and was deemed a sin by many. Now it is much more common for a variety of reasons. Attitudes have completely changed and divorce is seen as perfectly acceptable for those in an unhappy marriage and there is no longer the same stigma attached to it. Although some think of the increase in divorce as a negative, it could be argued that it is better than remaining unhappy. It is also practically easier with family law having changed to make it easier for those seeking a divorce.

Visitor Attraction Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Visitor Attraction Management - Essay Example This comparative essay will discuss the contradictory roles of these museums in forming the general perceptions of the people about the holocaust as both these museums provide the knowledge about the holocaust. This paper is divided in to two sections. The first section depicts the correlation between the evolving forms, functions ad role of the museum in explaining and remembering the past events. Specifically, this section will describe that how the holocaust has been explained through the layout, architecture, content and methodologies used in these museums. On the other hand, the second section of this paper identifies the issues specific to the portrayals of the holocaust as it outlines the difficulties encountered in the presentation of the pertinent ending to the holocaust and the problems related to the geographical and political context of the museum. 2. Reinvention, Representation and Public Perception of the Museum The contribution of the museum in developing the public pe rception of the holocaust (in the context of this essay) or any other historical event must be considered as the change in the perception and objective of the museum itself. In the nineteenth century, Michel Foucault recognized the concept of ‘heterotopia of time’ for the museum with the emergence of the idea that a place of all times should be developed that is actually outside time and thereby, preserved and secured from its destruction (Lord, 2006). Hence, the state run museum institution was formed at that time for the purpose of organizing a sort of permanent and infinite collection of time in a place that will not change or move (Grimes, 1999). Then the concept of museum transformed into the development of forms of representation of the past that are more socially responsive and inclusive rather than just being an ‘ivory tower of exclusivity’ (Anderson, 2004). The design, architecture, mediums and content of the museum were inspired by post-structural ism that includes the defiance from absolute truths in their representations of the history. In the era of post modernism, the concept of reality or truth is nothing more than a stuck pile of dead bodies, dead matter, and dead language (Walsh, 1992). Subsequently, the museums like the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum involve their audiences in self reflexive interaction in relation to the subjectivity of their experience and contribution of the audience and the curator towards the development of the historical knowledge (Crane, 1997). Both these museums objectively deny the general expectations of the museums and subvert the assumption that they can provide factual, unbiased and truthful knowledge related to the holocaust through easily understandable forms. 3. Auschwitz Memory and its Representations. Since 1947, Auschwitz-Birkenau is the State museum of the previous German Nazi Concentration Extermination Camp. It is known to be the w orld’s largest cemetery and the historical icon of the World War II that proves the Nazi genocide and reminds of the religious hatred between the Christians and the Jews of that time. This site provides great knowledge about the holocaust history and attracts mass tourism. There also used to be the times when the survivors of the Auschwitz dilemma and

The United Kingdom's Nuclear Weapons Program Research Paper

The United Kingdom's Nuclear Weapons Program - Research Paper Example 0s, the research conducted is still relevant today because of its impact on the scientific community, how other states perceive this information and the impact it has on the rest of the world (Ritchie 133). Apart from UK having the perception that its nuclear weapons acted as contributions to NATO, the state also believed that the weapons were a guarantee for both internal and external security (Milne et al. 8). Although the UK participated in the nuclear program, studies show that it is among nations that have moved further towards the establishment of minimal nuclear deterrent (Kristensen & Norris). This has been made possible due to the nation’s plans of reducing the total stockpile to not more than 200 warheads in the next 15 years (Stocker 10). To achieve this, UK has gradually declined in its former role of a super power state, which in turn has resulted to an improved economy due to the reduction of the defense expenditure (Simpson 10). The involvement of UK in nuclear weapons is not a recent incidence because this programmes were still in existence from 1940. Although the UK participated in the nuclear program, the nation is among states that have moved further towards the establishment of minimal nuclear deterrent. This is evident due to UK’s plans in ensuring that the total stockpile is minimized to less than 200 warheads within a period of 15 years. Cirincione, Joseph, Jon B. Wolfsthal, and Miriam Rajkumar. Deadly Arsenals: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Threats. Washington, D.C: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2005. Internet resource Milne, Tom, Beach, Hugh, Finney, John, Pease, Sebastian & Roblat, Joseph. An End to UK Nuclear Weapons. 2008. Web. 9th April 2014

Analysis of Gail Tsukiyama's novel The Samurai's Garden Essay

Analysis of Gail Tsukiyama's novel The Samurai's Garden - Essay Example As highlighted by Stephen, apart from the fact that his parents were searching for a recuperating place for him, they were also protecting his younger sister from being infected by his disease. In Tarumi; Stephen is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. During his continual stay with Matsu, Stephen learns Matsu’s secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Analysis Throughout the novel there is an underlying sense of society being out of place, characterized with crazy ideas of honor and the fact that there was a war going on. This is reflected in the quote below; "When I first arrived at Tarumi, I wondered how Matsu could spend so much time in the garden. But the more time I spend here, the easier it is to see there's something very seductive about what Matsu has created." Stephen, Autumn, p. 31. The undoing stories of his new friends, war, and family eventually brings him to the beginnings of wisdom, love, hon or and loss. The basic argument of the novel is loyalty and honor found in Japanese culture. The significance of the novel’s title is attained through the complex relationship that exists between the characters and the physical adversities and conflicts they face. Gail Tsukiyama also alludes to one’s ability to build upon life as opposed to mere acceptance. Themes Coming of age By the time Stephen prepares to spend time at Tarumi, he was a mature man. However, his maturity is more revealed from the interaction with others and their impact they had on him. "When you're well again, this period of your life will simply be a quiet memory." Stephen's father, Autumn, p. 20. In this quote, Stephen father encourages Stephen of his illness and this gives him a lot of hope and hence mental maturity. The novel starts with Stephen feeling as if he has been exiled. Regardless of these feelings, he is anxious to be kind to the old caretaker of his family beach house and he and Matsu soon find a common ground. The time spend between the two makes Stephen realize that he actually has less knowledge about Matsu as a young man when his family visited the beach house on vacation. As Matsu introduces him to the surrounding environment, Stephen also becomes acquainted with Matsu’s friends who include Sachi and Kenzo. The closer he becomes with these two the more he learns about their lives and entanglements. "When some of those who had the disease were no longer wanted by others in town, they took what few belongings they had and went up into the mountains." Matsu, Autumn, p. 23. In the end, we learn as Stephen does about life, loyalty to family and friends, attachments, betrayal but most importantly is the unconditional love. The authors’ writing is crystalline and delicate as shown in her evocation of time and place. This quite tale of affection between people whose countries are at war speaks of humanity that transcends geopolitics. As witnessed in t he novel, Stephen becomes more and more ingrained in the daily lives surrounding the beach house while Japan begins to invade China. While the main characters of the novel have transverse their own difficulties and hardships; bringing every character to experience their own individual loneliness and sorrow is a true revelation that people are characterized by necessary tools to survive despite of the world. This

Political changes in Europe due to the Rennaissance Essay

Political changes in Europe due to the Rennaissance - Essay Example The individual fame and development of trade and commerce became the main force that changed the political thinking and consequently the political history of Europe. Renaissance period is also known for consolidation of political power through the increased trade and commerce activities and consolidation. ‘Renaissance had brought an end for the most part to feudalism, the medieval form of political organization’ (Renaissance). The various Italian cities went for self rule and Monarchies also consolidated their position and political power through matrimonial alliances. Eminent diplomat and writer Leonardo Bruni believed in the representative form of government that was inclined towards the welfare of the society and encouraged patriotism. The period saw dramatic changes in the political, social and cultural environment of Europe that was based on scientific and cultural interpretation rather than religious orthodoxy. Discovery of new land by Vasco de Gama and Columbus greatly helped in the expansion of European power across the globe. England, France, Portugal, Italy and Germany all tried to establish their rule in far flung places like Africa, Asia and New America. The tradition of owning man as slaves was also started during the time and slaves from Africa were transported to America to be used as free thus establishing slavery. The renaissance is also known as an age of enlightenment because of the rebirth of cultural and literary supremacy of the Europe. The revolutionary political philosophy of Machiavelli is the highlight of the period who believed that the end justified the act. The decline of Roman Catholic Church can be contributed mainly to the philosophy of Bruni and Machialvelli, both of whom believed that religion and politics are two separate issues. Renaissance also saw the emergence of women in the corridor of power of the European

Business in USA before Wal-Mart Opened Assignment

Business in USA before Wal-Mart Opened - Assignment Example Although the major stores had different items for customers to choose from earlier on, Wal-Mart took this a step further. This can be clearly seen in today’s world where people prefer to shop in supermarkets. This is important since it allows customers to compare substitute goods in relation to price and quality hence settling for the most satisfying. Wal-Mart has a wide range of goods ranging from simple everyday necessities to seemingly luxurious items such as expensive watches. As such, the strategy of having a wide variety welcomes all people whether rich or middle class. The retail industry has hence changed business strategies such that most successful businesses provide a wide range of products. Furthermore, Wal-Mart’s culture of weekly meetings has provided players within and outside the industry a new business strategy especially in relation to management. Although, the culture of the weekly Saturday meetings may not be still in play, Wal-Mart certainly brought in an effective business strategy. This culture instilled an entrepreneurial spirit and allowed people to view decentralized management as a possible strategy. Earlier on organizational management was mainly centralized mostly with only one annual employee meeting. Additionally, the culture united workers making Wal-Mart and other firms that adopted the technique solid due to employee loyalty and retention. As such, Wal-Mart made an important contribution not only to the retail industry but also across all other industries.

Ethics and Risk Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Ethics and Risk Assessment - Essay Example 2), the form will be submitted to the appropriate Programme Administrator. Specific deadlines may apply: check on the School student intranet or with the Programme Administrator. After submission of the form, students may still change the title of their project with the agreement of their supervisor. If a change to title has ethical or risk implications however then the form should be resubmitted, this should also be indicated. Family Name First name(s) Registration Number Programme/Degree Name of Supervisor or Course-unit Leader Section 1. Confirmation of Title and Description of Project Title Child Abuse in the Catholic Church: Interview with an abused Attach a separate sheet with a description of your proposed project, max. 500 words. This should not be a theoretical or intellectual rationale, nor a detailed methodology. It should specify the location(s) and duration of your project and describe, as far as possible, who you will work with and what your interactions with research p articipants will consist of (i.e. what you will actually do with them and in what contexts) and what kind of data you will collect. Section 2. Risk Assessment Please tick (?) one box (there is no need to print out or submit a copy of the generic assessments): The proposed research does not involve any fieldwork but complies with the School Generic Risk Assessment C: On Campus Working. I confirm I have read and understood this assessment. The proposed research does include a period of fieldwork, but complies with the School Generic Risk Assessment A: Off Campus work in the UK. I confirm I have read and understood this assessment. ? The proposed research does include a period of fieldwork, but complies with the School Generic Risk Assessment B: Off Campus work overseas. I confirm I have read and understood this assessment. The proposed research does include a period of fieldwork, but falls outside of the School’s Generic Risk Assessments and therefore I have completed and attac hed a full risk assessment for approval. Section 3. Ethical Considerations Question 1 YES NO Will the research for your project involve you in gathering or holding data from living human participants in any form (i.e. interviews, surveys, observation)? Yes or No, please tick (?) one box ? If you answered No to Question 1, then you are free to undertake your research, but if your research alters at any time before submission to involve the gathering of information from or holding of data from living human participants then you must recomplete and resubmit this form. If you answered Yes to Question 1, please continue onto Question 2 Question 2 Please confirm that you have read and understood the School’s template for Ethics Approval for Student Research Projects with Consenting Adults and that your project falls within the parameters described in the template. Yes or No, please tick (?) one box YES NO ? If you answered Yes to Question 2 then you are free to undertake your resea rch providing you abide by the following conditions. You must work to the information contained in the School’s template for Ethics Approval for Student Research Projects with Consenting Adults, regarding use of participant consent forms and participant information forms, and regarding the safe collection, storage and handling of data. If your research alters at any time before submission to depart from the School’s template for Ethics Approval for Student Research Projects with Consenting Adults, then this approval is revoked and you must speak immediately to your supervisor. You must complete and submit with this form a sample participant infor

Business Accounting Ratio analysis is one of the many tools that can Essay

Business Accounting Ratio analysis is one of the many tools that can be used to evaluate financial performance of business entities - Essay Example Having produced 137.2 million barrels of oil equivalent for one year as of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, BHP is not surprising selling its crude oil production to refiners worldwide at market prices (Reuters.com, 2010a). The following ratios are needed for purposes of evaluating BHP: Gross Profit/Profitability ratio, Return on Capital Employed. Gearing Ratio, Liquidity ratio/acid test ration and Price earnings ratio. Each is computed and explained below using data from The Annual Report of BHP for 2009 (BHP, 2010) and London Stock Exchange (2010). Return on equity (ROE) is computed by dividing Net income to Total Equity, Return on Sales or Net Profit Margin is computed by dividing Net income to Total Revenues, while Gross Profit ratio is from dividing gross profit with Total Revenues. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A. This also measures the company’s profitability and efficiency of the company for the past two years. The formula is to Earnings before tax (EBIT) as numerator and to have Capital Employed, which is equivalent to Total Assets less Current liabilities as denominator. Below is the resulting ratio. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A. This also measures the company’s financial leverage for the past two years by dividing Total liabilities to Total equity. Below is the resulting ratio. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A. This measures the company’s capacity to pay its maturing obligations for the current year. This current ratio is computed by dividing Current assets to Current liabilities while Acid test ration is by dividing Quick assets to Current liabilities. Quick assets equals current assets less inventory, prepaid expenses and other current assets. Below are the resulting ratios. The data used to compute the ratios are found in Appendix A This measures the

The Tell - Tale heart by Edgar Allen Poe Essay Example for Free

The Tell Tale heart by Edgar Allen Poe Essay The Tell Tale heart by Edgar Allen Poe is set in a house belonging to an old man. Poe writes the story from the perspective of the murderer. This adds to the horror of the story. By continuously stressing that he is not mad the, Poe creates a situation where the tension and nervousness of the narrator is felt by the reader. This short story has lots of symbolism. To the narrator, the eye symbolizes evil; to the audience, the beating heart symbolizes a guilty conscience, and the man may even sybolise the dark side of the human race often connected with Gothic literature. The style and theme of the story is identical to that of Gothic Literature. The theme is based on a dark side of human nature found in everyone. This side is mostly hidden, but it can emerge when a person is pushed over the edge. Fear pushes them over the edge and towards the dark side. The narrator tells the story from his point of view but also speaks to the reader. Now at this point you fancy me mad. Though when reading the story it soon becomes clear that the reader is talking more to himself than t the reader, trying to first persuade himself that he is not mad. He tells of how he killed the old man because of his vulture eye. He cut him up and then put him under the floorboards of the house. This kind of writing about murder and death is a feature of Gothic literature, which was very poplar at the time. The vulture eye represents the mans fear. His dilemma between appearance and reality is also a theme of Gothic literature. For the man, the eye also symbolized evil. The line whenever it fell on me; my blood ran cold, infers that the man is gripped by irrational fear. He is not just afraid of the old mans eye, but more what it symbolised: Evil. This pushed him over the edge. I think the eye vexed him more because eyes are sometime seen as a window into the soul of the person. Poe uses retorical questions at the beginning to persuade the reader that he is not mad. How, then am I mad? This makes the reader wonder what the person has done that is so bad. Similarly, the pauses at the beginning not only build tension, but they also communicate the fact that it is very hard for him to relay these events. True! nervous very dreadfully nervous the narrator realises that what he did was wrong and therefore, finds it hard to talk about. He is probably admitting it to himself for the first time also. You can feel the tension in him voice and almost feel sorry for him. The narrator does not believe that his disease is madness; he believes that his senses have been sharpened. The narrator thought that killing the man was a just thing to do; the eye was evil and therefore, must be destroyed. He wanted to get rid of the vulture eyes power over him; he expected to bury the dark side. Thus rid myself of the eye forever. This suggests that he was not only driven by irrational fear but also hope that the eye along with the irrational fear might disappear. This illusion is also a convention of Gothic Literature. When you finish the story you are left to think about the possible meanings. One poses the ultimate burning retorical question of whether the man is mad or not, Madness being a theme of Gothic literature. The way he insists he is not suggests that he is hiding the truth, but if he were really mad then he would not suspect it. Maybe he is being truthful; he cant see why so many people think he is mad. The sound of the heart that no one else hears definitely infers that he is mad. Though the beating heart also sybolises his guilty conscience. It troubles him while the police are there. He starts to realise that what he did was wrong. But surely if he was mad he would have no conscience. He has become tangled up in the evil he hoped to get rid of. So the answer to the question is left up to you. Do you believe that every human has a dark side and that that this evil dark side is only revealed when the individual is pushed over the edge?

Facebook Marketing Report

Facebook Marketing Report James Byrne   Ã‚   Task 1: Facebook Consumer Behaviour Introduction Consumer Behaviour has been described as the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use or dispose of products, services, ideas ir experiences in order to satisfy needs (Solomon et. al., 2010). It is increasingly recognised that consumption is a process not just a purchase event. This is especially evident when examining behaviour on social media platforms, in this case Facebook. Traditional models of consumer behaviour do not directly apply to this online environment. There is no inherent monetary purchase decision as Facebook provides it user end services seemingly for free. Founded in 2004, Facebook is currently the biggest social networking service based on global reach and total active users. Worldwide, there are over 1.79 billion monthly active Facebook users (Facebook MAUs) which is a 16 percent increase year over year. (Source: Facebook as of 02/11/16). This is despite the hyperchoice available to consumers in regards to social media platforms which i nclude Instagram, YouTube, Google Plus and many others. Such a plethora of platforms present the consumer with a choice not based on cost but on factors such as time, user experience and connectedness. This paper will examine the success of Facebook both from a users perspective and commercially and examine the challanges facing the platform going forward. For the purposes of this study a user diary was kept over 17 days where activity of particular interest was monitored and recorded -see Appendix at end of document. Behavioural patterns across different users are detected and discussed. Motives for Joining and Using Facebook Motivation can be described as the processes that encourage behaviour (Solomon et. al., 2010). Facebook has very successfully positioned itself as both a communication channel and an informational tool between individuals, brands and news outlets. Consumers use Facebook to fulfil a number of primary needs socialising, entertainment, self-status seeking, and information (Park et al, 2010). Some examples of can be seen in this study; Socialising The user initiated the communication through a public post of photos that indicated they were on holiday in Australia. A friend subsequently enquired How was the trip? and the response was I did it!! Absolutely sensational Im still buzzing à °Ã… ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã…’ Miss your face, hows home?. This conversation illustrates the role Facebook plays in reinforcing personal relationships. This post also displays self-status seeking as such a foreign holiday is highly desirable and portrays a certain lifestyle. Entertainment Many humours videos and images are posted to Facebook. This one features potential trying to steal a bike which is tethered to a fence and subsequently falling off. Comments included: That sXXX was funny. They can sue his ass though for personal injury. Thats what they get for stealing lol Homeboys got wreeecked Users frequently shares these posts with their friends. This action provides a indication of the users personality. Self-status seeking This seemingly humours post also fufills the function of portraying a desirable possession. Convertible cars tend to be more expensive than hard tops and indicate a particular type of lifestyle. That is message is linked to possessions is underlined by one self aware comment I have a vw polo and brought a 10ft tree home in it today . who needs a convertible The post also fulfils the need for uniqueness to stand out from the herd. It emphasises the individual and their (relatively) unique qualities (Solomon et al, 2010). Information As well as using Facebook to access organisational news sources users can request information to queries from their friends. This post received 9 comments with suggestions. Word of mouth whether initiated or requested is an important component in the platforms user experience. Individuals often trust the opinions of their peers more than commercial communications such as advertising. Opinion seekers thus may regard recommendations by peers and associates as credible and reliable thereby increasing the chance the will influence purchase decisions (Shu-Chuan Yoojung, 2011). In their proposed model, tie strength, homophily, trust and two types of interpersonal influence, normative and informational, are proposed as the main influencing components of electronic word of mouth. Gà ¼lnar et al, 2010 categorised the motivations for using of photo/video sharing websites such as Facebook, under seven headings. In order of importance they are: narcissism and self expression, media drenching and performance, passing time, information seeking, personal status, relationship maintenance, and entertainment. Here are some examples of those that differ from Parks earlier classifications. Self Expression This post displays remembrance, history, gratitude, patriotism and politics. It conveys a lot of information about the users beliefs and values. Interesting to note the inclusion of a Pearl Harbour hashtag, a feature that is more commonplace on twitter than Facebook. not commonplace on Facebook. Posts displaying narcissism might include those promoted by lifestyle bloggers whether they operate on the worlds of fashion, fitness or health. The concept of media drenching refers to a users gratification through the frequent posting of images. Here is such an example where 86 photos of a holiday in Vancover are posted. Narcissism    Reinforcement of personal status and relationship maintenance can be seen in the following post. The drivers outlined by Gà ¼lnar et al, 2010 overlook the factors that influence avoidance of social media and the approach-avoidance conflict inherent in some users attitudes due to a range of factors including fake news, perceived time wasting and privacy issues. Reinforcement of personal status and relationship maintenance The user is celebrating his recent engagement with his online community. Such a noteworthy personal event is recognised by the number of likes (170) and comments (32) all of which were in the form of congratulations; Sooo happy for you!!!!!! Shes one in a million xxx So thrilled for you both. Fab piccie! Xx à °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ ° Just fantastic superb news! à °Ã… ¸Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã‚ Ã‚ »Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã‚ ©Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ ° congratulations you troopers xxxxxà °Ã… ¸Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ °Ã… ¸Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ The use of emojis helps convey the positive reinforcement. Thus the personal relationships both with his fiancà ©e and broader peer group were strengthened. Entertainment This post received 26 likes and 1 comment Guys !!! Yall are absolutely beaut. Wish I couldve been a part of this. Facebook is both used as a vehicle to communicate and portray a users lifestyle and Virtual Identities The self-concept refers to an individuals perception of themselves (Solomon et al, 2010). High self esteem indicates a positive self concept. Marketing communications can sometimes tap into the variance between an individuals actual self (existing state) and ideal self (aspirational self). Brands tend to focus on the positive aspects of the ideal self rather than the negative connotations of the actual self. For example a gym posting on Facebook in December might tend to focus on the potential of getting in shape in the new year rather than avoiding eating less over the Christmas period. An extreme example of the reverse was the response to this ad by Protein World last year where it was perceived as focusing on peoples inadequacies. Debate raged whether portrayal of such imagery as the ultimate definition of attractiveness in marketing communications presented negative body image connotations to the audience particularly younger females. The controversial generated nearly 400 complaints to the UK ad watchdog that it objectified women and was socially irresponsible. Such an ideal of beauty can cause conflict if the viewer does not share these characteristics (Solomon et al, 1990). Such marketing communications may go some way to explain why consumers have become increasingly more wary of marketing communications (Bousch, Friestad Rose, 1994). However such ideals of beauty evolve. In the early part of the twentieth century it was fashionable to be pale skinned as it denoted one who spent time indoors ie. Not involved with manual labour. However as air travel and package holidays expanded in the 1960s a summer tan became fashionable as it implied wealth and status thus fulfilling hedonic needs. Tactics understanding these western cultural norms can be seen nowadays online in holiday postings by travel agents and social bloggers. Generally direct ostentatious displays of wealth or conspicuous consumption are avoided on social media, particularly during the recent recession in many western countries. Rather such status is implied through the postings or experiences such as a foreign holiday or dinner at an exclusive restaurant. This contrasts somewhat with the theory proposed by Veblen, 1899 who proposed that some consumers namely a leisure class consciously consume visibly in order to inspire envy in others. Possessions continually aid the concept of self through symbolism (Levy 1959). Consumer behaviour can further be examined in the concept of the extended self whereby the buying and using of objects contribute towards our individual identities. The extended self comprises individual characteristics such as appearance, ideas and experiences plus external factors including persons, places and objects that form part of existence (Belk, 1987). The extended self encompasses 4 levels: Individual Family Community The posts show pride, association and tribe identity based on common geographic association. The National Geographic story received national coverage. Comments include: Some county for one county! Seen that sure best place to live à °Ã… ¸Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚  I say it time and time again. We are so lucky to live here. we already knew this though right?! The most beautiful and the most fun! Cannot wait to go back. Its going to be epic! Group The act of consumption is varied and depends on the product or service in question (Holt, 1995). Consumption particularly in group environments encompasses four interrelated facets; experiencing, integrating, playing, and classifying. Integration, the act of integrating objects of consumption in best way to manage self identity echoes Belks extended self concept. Examples of such consumption in Facebook can be seen in posts at sporting and other events. In many posts such as this the user is not featured in the image, rather the event itself is the subject. The experience is the essence of the consumption. Other examples of this are music festivals and holidays. Displays of experiences consumption can reinforce self identity derives by hedonic motives. Consumers might also avail of products and services for socio-cultural reasons (Solomon et al, 2010). This post by a GAA club, in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal was for a fund raising draw in which the first prize is a house. The promotion garnered national media attention while the draw pages generated 631 likes by mid December. The post is aspirational showing the prize but not the entry cost so as to reduce approach-avoidance conflict. The post taps into community pride and local identity. Reference groups such as this can have a significant effect upon its members evaluations, aspirations and behaviour (Park Lessing, 1977). Online communications have accelerated the spread and impact of word of mouth communication, especially when marketing communications are integrated through an omnichannel approach. Shares and likes boost visibility among other users. Behaviours in virtual communities have been found to differ from open forums (Kling Courtright 2003). Approach-avoidance conflict occurs where individuals desire a product or service while at the same time appreciating the real or perceived negative consequences. One example of a user expressing a case in point is illustrated here. The abstention from chocolate (presumably for a longer objective goal) is causing inner turmoil. An illustrative conservation with a friend ensues: Friend: Ah its Christmas Poster Im going to explode if I so much as look at another box of celebrations Friend: just enjoy u will deflate in January Poster: Naw, seriouslyI dont even like chocolate. Im a crisps gal me but theres chocolate everywhere, just begging to be eaten. This struggle is real haha! It could be argued that the initial Facebook post facilities biological / psychological needs in that tension is reduced by the cause being shared with colleagues. The state of unpleasantness is reduced through application for drive theory. Facebook posts and shares can be seen as a conspicuous form of self-presentation. Consumers create and manage their online identities by associating themselves with signs, symbols, material objects and places (Schau Gilly, 2003). This post shows an idealised view of homelife. Each photo is carefully framed to show specific elements. Seasonality is explicit in the Christmas tree. The users conveys their media consumption through the HD television. The tone is one of contentment and fulfilment. Self-presentation as conceptualised here builds on Goffmans (1959) theories of identity and social performance. His thesis was that identity is a built through a conscious effort to project specific presentation norms. Consumers can inhabit various parallel identities online. For example a man can be a son, father, husband, sportsman, professional and friend. Social media activity may focus on one or more of any of these aspects of his life and identity. For example in this post the man poses as both a partner and a father in another idyllic Christmas scene. Families are the bedrock consumer group for many brands. They facilitate collective decision-making whereby products and services are decided on jointly and brand communicators must take into account the roles and objectives of each of the groups members. Children are increasingly involved in such decision making especially in the technological sphere. On the other hand parents may limit childrens access to online sites and social media to protect them from unsuitable content and users. Taking self-presentation a step further some celebrities have been accused of photoshopping images thereby creating a fantasy self portrayed as reality to their followers, Such imagery can suggest unattainable goals and increasing hedonic satisfaction among this elevated grouping. Symbolic interactionism as defined by Mead (1934) focuses on the roles that object acting as symbols play in self-identity. For example in the following post the concert ticket acts as a metaphor for the users self-perceived identity through lifestyle and interests. The ticket itself is to an old concert and is nominally worthless but is obviously of perceived value to the user. Consumption helps to define the individual or extended self (Belk, 1988). In the past consumers may have defined themselves through material possessions such as a record collection. Nowadays their self identity could be intrinsically linked to abstract factors such as quantity of Facebook friends or number of virtual birthday wishes. In the past consumers may have defined themselves through material possessions such as a record collection. Nowadays their self identity could be intrinsically linked to abstract factors such as quantity of Facebook friends or number of virtual birthday wishes. Consumers tend to use products and services that compliment their actual and ideal identities (Clairborne Stringy, 1990) Needs and Goals Maslows (1970) hierarchy of needs categorises five needs ranging from basic psychological needs, through safety, belongingness, ego needs to self-actualisation at the highest level. Facebook generally fulfils elements of the top three needs. Here is an example of belongingness need fulfilment from this studies diary. Belonginess encompasses love, friendship and acceptance. A   tactic of Facebooks is to acknowledge friendship overtly by providing an album of shared experiences. Text on 1m 4 sec Friendversary video: Hey A B. Four years ago today You became friends on Facebook Nice! Photo album On Cover: Youve Shared All of This Together. By A B. You seem to like each other a lot. 452 times to be exact. Close photo album And while there are billions of friendships.. theres only one like yours 😉 Thats awesome! From all of us at Facebook (logo included). The felling is home spun. Facebook positions itself as a central ingredient in the friendship a facilitator and admiring observer celebrating mutual co-creation. Scale and individuality are both themes. Vinyl record player and photo album are nostalgic items physical cues for a digital relationship. Examples of ego need posts include images of a new car inferring status or a graduation scene inferring accomplishment. Self-actualisation is conveyed through the consumption of enriching experiences such as a holiday or concert. Maslows hierarchy of needs is limited to rational behaviour and is culturally specific (Solomon et. al, 2010). Consumers desire sometimes is in conflict with rationality. Dangerous pursuits and unhealthy products can be seen as attractive on one level yet not on another. This video posted by online publisher Lad Bible plays on that theme. It   was created by French ad agency BETC to drive alcoholism awareness and has been extremely successful generating 4.8 million views and 2.5k comments. In every frame across a wide range of situations and environments the female subject is accompanied by some form of alcoholic drink. However comments mixed with many seeing the imagery as promoting an inspirational lifestyle. Though it created a conversation, irrationality in consumer decision making muddies the debate. This post emphasises danger and is targeted at the extreme sports enthusiast. 5. Concerns and Issues with Facebook Fake News Following criticism of its role in the recent US election, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg maintained that Facebook is not a media company. (Ingram, 2016). The debate over whether social platforms should control and regulate the content hosted on their platforms has increased. The issue for Facebook is whether fake news and other dubious content affects its credibility among consumers. Only 4% of web-using adults in the US have a lot of trust in the information available to them on social media (Mitchell, 2016). They are much more cautious about content received through this medium than that received from local news organisations (22%), national news organisations (18%) and family and friends (14%). This is despite the growth in access to news online which has risen to 81% from just 12% in 1996. 62% of adults now access news through social media a figure that rises to 84% for 18 to 29-year-olds. Further questions have been raised about the potential of such platforms to fac ilitate deception, defamation and bogus profiles (Light and McGrath, 2010). The low trust invested in the information received from family and friends contrast with studies that indicate that consumers rely on such more than advertising (Arndt, 1967) One example captured during research was a post from FOX8, a news station in North Carolina. Here is the text of the video commentary: This is what happens when a fake news story goes viral. A Salisbury man is now in jail and facing some serious charge for firing a rifle inside a D.C. restaurant called Comet Ping Pong. Edgar Welch told police he was self-investigating an online conspiracy that the restaurant was tied to a child abuse ring. Welch had his first appearance in court today. This illustrates a disconnect between so-called traditional and social media whereby newspapers and TV stations resent the perceived lack of regulation applied to social platforms in regards to authenticity and accountability. Any decline in trust in and involvement with online content is of primary concern both to Facebook and also advertisers on the platform. Consumers are increasingly media literate and sceptical of commercial communications tactics (Bousch, Friestad Rose, 1994). Consumers use Facebook to communicate directly with brands. Complaints and comments need to be rapidly responded to and resolved to ensure a positive online consumer experience and maintain brand legitimacy. A Filter Bubble creating an Echo Chamber Facebook as with other social media platforms incorporates algorithms, based on user profiling through recording of online behavioural patterns, to define which updates are most relevant for them and to be display them on their pages. Thus users become more exposed to posts that align with and reinforce their established interests and opinions. One extreme example references the recent Brexit vote in the UK. This remain voter could not find any evidence of support for the leave campaign on his news feed on Facebook. A user in the study for this paper was similarly frustrated with receiving filtered posts from third parties. Only seeing posts that you agree with might suggest that everyone agrees with you which is commonly a distortion of the world view. Such selective exposure increases the likelihood of confirmation bias (Bessi, 2016). It could also polarise opinion through reinforcing pre-existing beliefs and increase antagonism when those that hold a differing view are encountered either in the on or offline environments. Influence on Children Although social media and online in general provides opportunities for learning and interaction there are fears of the potential threat of addiction, early sexualisation, bullying and a sedentary lifestyle have on impressionable young people, Despite Facebook having a rule preventing children under the age of 13 from opening an account, between 23% and 34% of kids under that age have Facebook accounts (Aiken, 2016). A recent report by UK telecoms regulate Ofcom found that social media is central for both tweens and teens. Some 23% of 8-11s and 72% of 12-15s have a profile. Children are messaging, sharing and liking throughout the day, including during school hours and late into the evening, with 9% of 11-15s communicating via social media at 10pm. Both 8-11s (43%) and 12-15s (52%) consider Facebook their main social media outlet. Another recent survey found that three-quarters of UK children spend less time outdoors than prison inmates (Carrington, 2016). The poll also found children spent twice as long playing on screens as playing outside. 74% of 5-12 year olds spent less than 60 minutes playing outside each day. Spam and other Unsolicited Posts Here is an example of a poor customer experience leading to a complaint to the company in question regarding their frequent unwanted invitations. Such features on news feed can be seen as intrusion and negate positive interactions. Also of concern is the trend towards links with ambiguous headlines (click bait) and trolling comments (keyboard warriors) and disclosure of private details (Ng, 2016). 6. Conclusions and Opportunities for Further Research The motivations for joining and using Facebook are wide and varied encompassing individual and gold needs and goals. Central to its appeal is the facility to develop and shape different virtual identities to various peer groups. However the attractiveness of the platform could be stifled be perceived weaknesses and barrier in the online user experience. This study is limited as some Facebook behaviour as some functionality behaviours cannot be observed through news feed. Behaviours of consumers in the context of user-generated content has been categorised as posting, lurking, and networking (Morrison et al, 2013). Behaviours omitted from this study include closed group conversations, direct messaging either to other users or organisations and viewing without follow up action. This could be research through surveys and diaries of a robust sample size. There is also the opportunity to compare consumer behaviour on Facebook versus other social media networks. Brands and organisations must recognise the evolving environment to take full advantage of this opportunity to communicate to and with their consumer bases. Task 2: Facebook Revenue Model Introduction Facebook has a market capitalisation of $342.75 billion. It employees over fifteen thousand people. Marketers are employing the Facebook platform because of