morning commute

7/27/2019 Morning Commute

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Morning Commute

From Home to Office and Everything

in between

Jordan Williamson

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New Understanding and Analyzing

Many of these pictureswere captured to simplydemonstrate the flow of a typicalmorning commute. However,analyzing these pictures with a

newly acquired understanding ofmedia allows one to see thatthey serve a much deeperpurpose. Even though some ofthese photos were taken solely

to demonstrate the flow of thismorning ritual, it is apparent thatmedia can be seen virtuallyanywhere.

Featured Slides: 2, 10, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28, 36, 40, 41, 43, 61, 64, 66, 75, 76, 78

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Slide 10 was intended to showthe daily routine of picking up a coffee.However, when taking into account thevarious types of media, one can seemany of its forms in this photo. Wendysand Tim Horton's are the two mostnotable signs in this picture; they can be

seen on the large focal sign, alongsidetheir logos on the building. On a smallerscale, there is an advertisement forSatellite Golf below these main logos.One can assume they are trying tocapitalize on the popularity of Wendysand Tim Horton's for their ad to be seen.On an even smaller scale, one can seethe Chevrolet logo on the back of thewhite van. Nearly every picture containsthis form of advertisement; this is an adthat can go unnoticed in our dailyroutine but is constantly present.

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Slide 43 displays anothercommon daily routine in which someoneis checking the time. In this case itsignifies a countdown until the end ofthe train ride. This picture shows howbranding is a form of advertising. Thiswatch was most likely purchased because

of the basic need to tell time, thenfurther evaluated based on the look ofthe watch. However, the brand clearlyplayed a role in the purchase. In todayssociety we sometimes identify our worththrough our wealth. Many wouldattribute this due to the medias focus onbrand names and image. Often peopleconstruct a false reality of wealththrough our appearance.

P i f Vi


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Point of View

Slide 42 shows afence beside the GO Train

tracks, covered in graffiti.

Understanding different

points of view is

important when analyzing

and interpreting various

forms of media and theirimportance.

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Point of View #1

Property Owner Theowner of this fence may

see this as nothing more

than vandalism. I am sure

it would be hard to

convince the owner

otherwise as this has

defaced their propertyand having it removed

requires time and money.

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Point of View #2

Sociologist Someone involved inpolitics or sociology may take thisas a representation of thelocations demographics. Thisoffers opportunity to analyzefurther points of view as well.

One of these views couldinsinuate that the area is of loweconomic standing, with highlevels of crime. However, anotherperspective could suggest thatthis community has an artistic

youth population that lacks theproper outlets to express theirartistic sides.

P i t f Vi #3


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Point of View #3

Artist/Vandal I would assumethat the person(s) responsiblefor the graffiti would view it asan artistic representation ofself expression. This is similar

to many other artists withinthe media; writers view theirbooks or scripts as a form ofartistic expression. Evenpeople within the advertising

industry utilize their artisticabilities when developing theirprojects.

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Point of View

Slides 67 and 68 featurevarious types of Toronto

Maple Leafs merchandise.

Pieces of fan merchandise

like these are an intriguing

form of media.

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Point of View #1

Fans The people wearing jerseysand hanging flags believe they areshowing loyalty to their team.However, these people have actuallypaid into advertising for the TorontoMaple Leafs. These are people withmuch less money than the NHL, theowner of the team, or any othercorporation involved and they arespending money to contribute to thesuccess of something they receive noeconomic gain back from. Thedynamics of sport team branding is

very unique; many of us really enjoygoing to The Keg Steakhouse fordinner, though we do not choose towear shirts advertising for them aswe do with sport teams.

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Point of View #2

The TeamThe term team is beingused in a broad sense to incorporatethe owners, players, league, and allothers who benefit economically bythe sale of this merchandise. Thesepeople view merchandise like this tobe a gold mine of advertising. Theyfirst produce products at very littlecost, then sell them at inflated pricesto people who will then go out andshow it off for everyone to see. Thisbenefits the team economicallydirectly through the sale of the

products, and indirectly by theincrease advertising which willgenerate popularity and awareness.

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Point of View

In slide 34 we see a verytypical bank of newspaper

dispensers. There are

many points of view to

account for when

analyzing this picture.

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Point of View #1

Consumer A consumerwould believe that these

racks outside of the GO

Train station are a

convenient form of

sharing news coverage.

They are clearly visible

and easily accessible forcommuters to grab before

boarding the train.

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Point of View #2

GO Station The administration of theGO Station would view these dispensersin a few different ways. The firstperspective is likely what the publicwould like to believe, which is that theywere put in place to benefit thecustomer. Especially for the sake ofconvenience, these papers are handy forcommuters who might not have beenable to grab a paper prior to the start oftheir commute. The second and probablythe most important view is that thesepapers are a source of revenue. Thecompanies behind these dispensers haveto pay a fee to the GO Station to have

their products sold there. One wouldassume that if these payments stopped,the GO Station would remove these rackshortly after.

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Point of View #3

The Newspaper The company behind the paperbeing sold or provided can also interpret theirpurpose in more than one way. The first and mostimportant perspective it that this is anopportunity for them to promote their paper tothe public. Furthermore, some of these paperscost money and are not free press. Selling apaper is an opportunity to generate incomeoutside of the most profitable avenuethe

advertising within the paper. Another way to lookat this from the newspapers perspective is as away to expand the market. Not everyone gets apaper delivered to their home and not everyonestops at a convenience store in the morning.Having the paper available in as many locations aspossible allows for a larger market reach. To alesser extent, it is worth mentioning that a paperthat is only available in the Burlington area could

be purchased at the Burlington GO Station, thenleft on the train and read by someone at anotherstop as far as Toronto.

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Point of View

Slide 70 features two young adults sitting in thefinancial district of Toronto begging for money. Atfirst glance, many may have a negative attitudetowards this situation. However, afterconsidering media literacy and critically thinkingabout it, one can see a non-corporate level ofadvertisement. These two people are advertisingmuch like the companies on the billboards inslides 57, 58 and 59. They are also using the same

strategies that large advertisers do. In slide 57,Fallsview Casino plays on our sense of excitementfor their advertisement and in slide 59, Telusplays on humor and the love of animals in theircampaign. The people in slide 70 are capitalizingon our sense of empathy to generate economicgain; they are presenting themselves asimpoverished and homeless youth. However,critically analyzing them leads to some

skepticism. Both people are wearing very cleanclothes; the male has a well-groomed beard andthe female has artificially colored hair. It caneasily be concluded that if their conditions wereso grave that food was an issue, clean clothes,dyed hair and a groomed beard would not be afinancial priority.

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Point of View

Slide 72 features a pictureof a sign for the Royal Bank ofCanada. The sign itself capturesattention because of its size andplacement. The sign is very large andplaced in the middle of a very busyside walk right outside Union Station.

It almost feels as though it is beingdownplayed by calling it a sign,podium or dais may suit it better.Also the material it is built out of ismetallic in color which contrasts itfrom the earth tone stone floor. The

sign is highly visible by peoplewalking down the sidewalk, orpeople passing on the road either incar, bus, or street car.

Point of View #1


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Point of View #1

Looking at a typical bankadvertisement the target market wouldbe an adult somewhere between 30 andmiddle aged. Looking at this point ofview, a bank would be seen in its rawestform as a place to save, store, or borrowmoney. However, banks use advertisingto show this target market otherproducts and services they offer. Theseinclude investing opportunities throughGICs, RRSPs, College Saving Funds fortheir children, and Index Funds. Also,banks offer insurance for basicallyeverything including car, home, and lifeinsurance. Banks capitalize on this age

bracket because they are typically thehighest earning demographic, and haveretirement and children to worry aboutalong with a mortgage and othercommon financial needs.

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Point of View #2

A very simple point ofview of a bank would come

from a child. Most children

would say that a bank is

where parents keep all theirmoney. In recent times

taking into account the

latest recession, children of

some house holds may referto a bank as where their

parents owe money.

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Point of View #3

Another simpleperspective of a bank, but not asstraightforward as a child's, maybe that of an elderly seniorcitizen. Banks have greatlyevolved in the last twenty five

years and more so over the lastfifty. Although this age group mayunderstand the new diverseworld of banking, they most likelyto not interact or indentify greatlywith it. Most people in this

demographic would see a bank asa place to pay bills, get amortgage, and to save andborrow money.

Reflection


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Reflection

A morning commute is a daily ritual for most people. Whether it is a quick walk to school, a drivedowntown, or a train ride into another city, commuters follow daily rituals that are completely saturated in media,often without realizing it. Following the commute of a Bay Street business man from Hamilton, ON to Toronto, ON givesa very detailed look into the media we are so accustomed to. Along the way, I aimed to see different forms of mediafrom various points of view as displayed in the previous slides.

The main goal of these pictures was to capture as much media as possible and be able to offer differentperspectives of each form. I wanted to demonstrate how saturated our lives have become with such forms of media tothe point where we do not even realize how it has consumed us.

Needless to say I was able to capture numerous forms of media, so much so that I had to trim my original240 images down to just 77. Obviously my method of ordering the images consecutively was to simulate a morning

commute. The journey began in a car which travelled from a suburban home in Hamilton to a train station in Burlingtonwhile making a stop for the ever important morning coffee. During this portion of the trip, advertisements by smallcompanies are featured such as company branding on a truck or the building side of a local deli. Once at the trainstation, the advertisements began to get more obvious. For example, while boarding the train one encounters manysigns that advertise for the GO Station as well as other companies. When travelling on the train you begin to noticehow so many forms of media are present such as graffiti, billboards, building side advertisement, and many others.Although the media is diverse, one commonality remains present; all media is presented within view of the trainpassengers. Both the advertising executives of various companies and a graffiti artist realized this is a good way to getyour image noticed. When entering Toronto, advertisement and media becomes increasingly present. In everydirection you look there is a television, a billboard, a poster, or even building side covered with media.

This assignment allows one to recognize the various perspectives of media. Typically you would only viewmedia as a target of advertising. However, through this assignment one can understand the perspective of thosepresenting the media, or others that are even indirectly affected. I can honestly say that if not for this course andassignment I would have never thought that street beggars could be analyzed as a form of media. It was my intentionto display the overwhelming and constant presence of all forms of media through this assignment.

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