Week One class blogs- Course intro & overview (Tuesday, August 28, 2007)

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Posted by Health Comm at 12:38 PM 30 comments

Week One class blogs- Course intro & overview"
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Amanda Miller said...
On our first day of class we went back in time, to the last 50 years of Health Communication as documented by the CDC. This film (although only about 10 minutes long) was an eye-opening experience for me. Not only did it open my eyes to how little I know about past health issues and methods of health communication, but it also made me stop and think about what topics would be documented in a film covering 2000-2050. Unfortunately, I don't think that many of the topics will change. Now, I'm not trying to be pessimistic, but most of the topics discussed in the CDC's film, are still of great concern to us today: healthy eating, STDs, child safety, breastfeeding...the list goes on. What does this mean? Well, I think we can learn two main lessons from this.

1. To some extent, humans will always struggle with some core health issues because these issues arise from human behavior.

2. It's going to take more than an advertisement on tv or a poster to make a difference. Instead, we have to change learn how to change social norms.

On a more positive note, I think we've done an excellent job changing the social norm of smoking. Many thanks to new laws, medical evidence, and the numerous campaigns urging people to change their views about smoking. Here's one of my favorites: http://www.whudafxup.com/

Despite all that we are up against, I think we have reason to believe that public health will continue to see monumental health behavior changes, greatly because of the creative ways in which we are learning to communicate health issues.

You can view the entire blog at 123behealthy.blogspot.com

August 28, 2007 3:44 PM

cheerstohealth said...
The CDC film really was great as you had mentioned. What really interested me about the film was the fact that there was a changing spectrum regarding the illnesses mentioned. For example -first there was small pox, then there was smoking hazards and then HIV/AIDS. One thing that really scared me after watching the film was that there always seems to be some new disease or health problem that crops up just when we think we have beat the worst one...

I guess that's just nature's way on keeping us in check. However the positive side to this is the fact that people do seem to be waking up - thanks largely to the people in the public health field - who seem to have the knack of getting people to listen before it's too late.

More ramblings when I can think of them...

August 28, 2007 4:15 PM


Laura S. said...
I have been asked to use my blog as a guide for school. My 663 course, which is fine because I like blogging. I love myspace and thefacebook and the next fad that is going to happen. I am not sure how professional he wants this blog to be because when I don't have to be professional, I am extremely silly and like to say random things (as some of the people in class who know me).

So we talked about Health Communication today and he showed us an interesting video from the CDC (I love them) about 50 years of health communication. I have to say... in the 50s... they made gonorrhea look sexy. I can't seem to find it online, but the ad had a sexy woman on it and then the words Syphilis! Gonorrhea! I don't know if I find it sexy. Wait. No. I don't find it sexy.

[IMAGE ON MY PAGE]

Here is a poster I did fine but the girl is suppose to look naughty/sexy. So I tried. It's so funny. I tried looking for this ad and then I found this:

[IMAGE ON MY PAGE - IT'S AN AWESOME ONE TOO!]

Yeah... right. It a guy blew smoke in my face, he'd get my knee to his groin. For me, it's: Blow in her face and she'll kick you in the groin.

In all seriousness, I found the video to be enlightening because of the changes in health and the way we advertise things. We are finding out all sorts of different health problems increasing and others that were prevalence, decreasing. Before STDs and AIDS was a big thing in the 80s & 90s and now it's prevalence in the U.S. is 0.5. The incidence rate has been decreasing. As for tobacco, compared to then and now, a staggering amount of people don't smoke. Now only 33% of the population smoke (according to CDC report). Hopefully with the new bans and increase in cigarette taxes, it'll lower some more.

When we talked about what is going to happen in the future, it is hard to really think about it because who knew SARS and AIDS was a big threat before. Now the bird flu and a different strain of HIV out there. It's hard to determine what is going to happen. For me though... I think it really depends on a famous person (whether celebrity or just a rich person) will get it and then it will be known (UNLESS it is a big disaster like Katrina or the Tsunami). Look at Michael J. Fox with Parkinsons. Christopher Reeves (RIP) with stem cell research. Magic Johnson with HIV. Lindsay Lohan with Alcohol/Drugs. Britney Spears and being crazy. Before I became a health major, I didn't care about knowing what health issues were going on because I'm healthy. I don't do risky behaviors, but then you see these celebrities and you realize oh, this is going on. (Now that I'm a health major, I am aware of these issues with/without anyone endorsing it).

I am going off on a tangent. I probably went away from the issue of what we learned today... maybe not. I don't know. It's the first day of school. So my brain is trying to adjust back to "School" mode.

August 28, 2007 4:25 PM

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August 28, 2007 8:43 PM


mamicielo said...
Reading the comments here about the 50 year retrospecive video, basically saying how whatever the next crisis is we will meet it and tackle it, I remembered a fellow I haven't thought about in probably 10 years: Thomas Malthus.

To summarize, and completely butcher his theory in my brevity, he said we'd run the human race into the ground before 1900 by having more babies than we could feed. Obviously he was mistaken. While food insecurity is still a major issue, technology (so far mainly fossil fuel) has kept us from realizing his disasterous prediction.

I was reading his Wiki page and learned that Malthus makes appearances in The Christmas Carol and Brave New World. If literature can insert something as dry as economic theory into a plot line, certainly we as health educators can get our message in the media of our age!

Visit my PH663 blog!

August 28, 2007 11:26 PM


Sareh said...
I absolutely loved the CDC's documetary concering public health. It's amazing to see how things have changed since the 50's. I realized back then there were lots of advertising for cigarretes and ads promoting smoking. One of the most interesting ads that stood out for me in a video I saw elsewhere was a doctor promoting cigarrets and saying how even doctors smoked and saw nothing wrong with it (this is not related to the CDC video but the ads in the video reminded me of it). It actually kind of scared me to see this ad because what if 5o years from now something that doctors didn't think is harmful happens to be the most harmful to our bodies. So, it's really cool to see what has been happening in the past and how we have changed our perspectives about them. I guess there are more enforced laws and policies for prevention such as smoking in certain places that didn't exist in the 50's. Other than that, I think most of the ads concerns us even today. Although we have advanced in preventing many things and making people aware, there still problmes with people's behaviors and bad habits that lead them to major public health concerns. Someone already mentioned something about changing people's behaviors and lifestyle should be a priority and I couldn't agree more with that.

August 29, 2007 7:12 PM

Danette F. said...
Just figured out how to do this....here is what I had to say:
1st Day of Class
Today was a pretty interesting class day. I immediately thought of my undergrad English Class because we had a whole section on how the media minipulates people and how it is structed. I remember we reviewed how certain commercials play at certain times during certain shows and how these commercials are tailored to target certain populations. For example, on MTV you will find a number of products advertised to attract young viewers, such as the notorious AXE colonge commercial. That one always makes me laugh! I also recall learning that in order for individuals to remember something, they must hear a phrase/word a given number of times. Commericals take full advantage of this during their 30 seconds of fame. Media plays such a big role in our lives and sometimes we don't even notice it. Goodnight!

August 29, 2007 8:31 PM

Megan Koske said...
The film is class was fun. I really appreciated a little bit of the old times. I have an issue with Health Communication as seen on TV however and it is that I cannot possibly see how advertisement and public service anouncements could possibly compete with commercial for fastfood products or various other high ticket items. I hate McDonalds food for my own reasons but the ads on TV for McDonalds really sell sell sell to minorities and children alike. The ads have less to do with food and more to do with society and the way people function as consumers. I think its really sad and probably contributes to mixed messages and children with an unhealthy socialization to food.

August 29, 2007 9:07 PM

Amanda Miller said...
Megan, I feel your pain. I too am disgusted by the marketing tactics that fast food companies use to lure in children and minorities. The saddest part is that they aren't going away...at least not anytime soon.

So, how does public health change it's tactics to compete? I think a good example of marketing in teh right direction is the Verb Campaign. When I see these commercials they remind me of Sunny Delight commercials (or other fun kid's food commercials). They always show active kids playing together. If we can "hide" healthy messages in advertisements that resemble "junk food" commercials, maybe we have a shot at getting our message to the kids.

August 30, 2007 11:37 AM

Josie said...
Hello Class!!
I have a good feeling about this class, and also feelit may help me to strengthen my computer use skills (I may be laking in that area a bit)... Anywho, this frist week of classes has been an eye-opeing experience to the many avenues of public health. My hopes where to narrow my focus in public health, however after several classes I have even more interests in the field!! The CDC video from class was extremely interesting. Its amazing how time flies, it seems like yesterday I was watching McGruff and the "Brain on Drugs" commercials. I also found it interesting that the ads on the video represented what was socially acceptable (cultural transmission) in that era, and that health communiations is constantly growing and changing.

August 30, 2007 11:39 AM

lindsay said...
The first day of class…
I am in agreement with everyone else here who says that they enjoyed the CDC video. Something interesting that stuck out to me was when Dr. Engelberg asked about what the next 50 years will look like as far as health concerns. It is hard to predict or even think about what will be the hot topic 50 years from now. I liked the analogy used about the river and how we have to think about it like it is always flowing and always changing. While we may think something is important, there will always be something else that comes along and will take over. The other thing I think is easy to forget is that everyone’s idea of what is most important is different. There is going to be variability within our family, friends and community. I think this is very important to remember when promoting health and trying to get people to change behavior.

On a side note… For some reason when I read Sareh’s response, about the doctor promoting smoking, it reminded me of the movie Super Size Me. I can’t remember the specifics, but I just thought about when the guy was talking to his doctor’s about his plan of eating McDonald’s everyday for every meal and they didn’t really think there would be any major side effects. Then they were blown away when his body reacted so terribly. It is kind of scary that this is a documentary that was done recently and the misconceptions that there are.
Another side note… I really liked Thrasher’s Dove video. It is amazing what they can do to photos, making them so powerful, yet unrealistic.

August 30, 2007 6:32 PM

Thrasher said...
In terms of health communications, the first things that come to mind is Derrek Beckles of the Truth campaigns and Ninja Turtles saying no to drugs. I am interested to know what messages others find interesting, memorable, and even just plain bad.

These messages, while fun to watch and engaging, did little in the way of drug prevention for me personally. My choices are/were based on the values and measures of personal accountability I hold myself to, not what the ninja turtles do or do not support. I know media can have a major influence on decisions, but media should serve as a reinforce rather than a teacher. It is a tool for parents rather than a replacement.

Having said that, if Public Health and Mainstream Entertainment Media joined forces the synergistic effect would be phenomenal. Product placement of health behaviors, such as Sesame Streets Lead Police (a spoof of The Police with an amazing adaptation of Sting as a puppet) in highly media savvy, or rather inundated, generations such as my own could quite possibly be the future of public health.

August 30, 2007 7:03 PM

Shelbs said...
PH 663 (2nd time around)
Howdy all! Yes, I am the girl who took this class last semester and dropped it on the final add/drop date. Honestly I was scared $#@&-less of all the work this class entails. Public speaking does not really float my boat, but I have to bite the bullet some time. Anyhoo....my blog I created (and gleefully abandoned) last semester is still alive and kicking (although not yet too exciting): http://shelbsinsd.blogspot.com/. I am a bit technologically stunted and admit that I watched my first Youtube video a mere two months ago (sheepish grin.) However, what I took away from class on Monday was that communication is everywhere today and to not take advantage of the different outlets available I consider a great disservice to the people whose lives we are trying to improve. Having said that, I am exited this semester to be introduced to new tools and skills of health communication and to have the chance to apply them in the real world. (About me you will also learn I write using stream of consciousness, really long sentences and mixed-up syntax.) I have found some funny health-related articles on the web, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the link on the page for your viewing pleasure. I'll tinker a bit...

August 30, 2007 7:15 PM

Tiffany_Campbell said...
So here we go... A new semester, new class, and tons of new faces. As the semester progresses I'm sure we'll all get to know each other; maybe even call each other by name. Until then you just get to read my blog, get a sense of my witty personality, and guess if I'm the person sitting next to you in class; because I'll tell you right now, I'm defiantly not savvy enough to figure out how to post my picture on this thing.

So let's take a journey together and do a little reflection-- What is Health Communication? From class it seemed that this simple question encompassed so many different elements: information, advertising, news and entertainment. Whoa! Is this all? All these elements are part of my everyday life. If I know that the next time I want to buy running shoes I need to get some "Nik's". And the next time "I'm ready for some football", I'll buy some Coors Light to get the party going. Then why don't people understand it's just not okay to drink the whole 54 oz Big Gulp at 7-11? And it's really not okay, even once, to drink and drive? Where is our information going??

Well, as a brilliant woman (my mother) has told me on many occasions, "It's in one ear and out the other" or "You only hear what you want to hear". So true (I can finally admit it 10 years later.) It's easy to understand why it's difficult, maybe difficult isn't the correct word, impossible for our health departments to compete with huge power houses like Pepsi or TV shows like "Friends". I mean really, what would you rather do, learn why you shouldn't smoke? We already know this. Or would you rather be entertained? I know most of you are thinking, I rather be on the couch watching "Friends" drinking a Pepsi. That's just it, even though we know we shouldn't eat that Big Mac, Biggie Fry, and Biggie Drink and we really should make sure we use a condom the next time we have sex; we don't. Why? Professor Engelberg said it in class, "Our primary health educator is popular culture." So who are we to tell that teenager they should abstain, when were dealing with role models like Paris Hilton and numerous Sports Superstars known for there "exciting" lifestyles?

August 30, 2007 8:07 PM

Jamie said...
"Health Comm!" is honestly the first thing I thought of when my alarm clock went off on Monday morning at 6:45am. I have been waiting to take 663 ever since the day I saw PH 663 Health Communication listed as a required class for HP students in the SDSU Graduate Bulletin. There it was. Listed under PH Research Methods & Proposal Writing, how could Health Comm not sound enticing? My roommate Kacy, a Communication major herself, handed me her Health Comm textbook and told me the class would be, and I quote, "Absolutely Fabulous."

So, I'm back to school after a summer of working, traveling, and relaxing, and... I LOVE IT! After just 2 hours and 40 minutes of 663, I think my roommate was right. I'm new to this whole blogging thing, and I know very little about advertising, communication theories, campaign development, and all that comm stuff, but I am super excited to learn about it.

The 1st day of 663 was quite eye opening. We watched CDC Health Communications: The First 50 Years. Great video. Short but sweet. As the title implies, the video highlights all the major public health issues from the past 50 years. Decade by decade, the video shows how public health issues have changed and the different ways in which they have been advertised. These issues include smoking, vaccinations, safe sex, vehicular safety, mammograms, healthy eating, breastfeeding, drug use, and many more. Personally, the video reminded me just how broad public health is and the many public health issues that exist. I realized that I often get so involved with my passion for obesity prevention, healthy eating, and physical activity that I forget health promotion incorporates so many other public health issues.

When asked what would be included in the next video for the CDC (2000-2050), obesity and diabetes immediately came to my mind. Other concerns included skin cancer and global warming. Some students thought there might be a cure for AIDS or an end to all crazy fad diets. It's hard to predict what the major public health issues will be in the next fifty years, but one thing I learned from the short 10 minute video is that there will be many and they will be changing!

August 30, 2007 9:31 PM

slinke21 said...
Day 1 of Health Communications at SDSU was unlike many first days of classes; for example, we actually met for the entire class time (2 hours and 40 minutes), and we barely even went over the syllabus! Instead, we jumped right in and started learning the course material without hesitation. The short video we watched about the past 50 years of health was both entertaining and enlightening - not to mention a little sad since we are still dealing with many of the same health issues/concerns that we faced 50 years ago. In fact, some of them have even gotten worse (e.g., the unhealthy eating that has led us to become such an overweight/obese nation). On the other hand, we have nearly eradicated some of the problems, particularly the infectious diseases for which we have vaccinations and treatments - at least in developed nations. Anyway, I think this video should air regularly on tv and YouTube and other websites where people would be likely to watch it. Not that I think it's going to change the world or anything, but it certainly might open people's eyes and make them start to think about some health issues that they would otherwise ignore. And since repetition makes things sink in over time, if it aired enough, it would be like commercials that impact people's decisions like which items to purchase, etc. Maybe it would stir-up some conversations around the water cooler about health topics that otherwise would remain un-addressed. As we discussed in class, media is the most powerful tool of communication in the modern world...

August 30, 2007 11:48 PM

slinke21 said...
I can't figure out how to get my blog listed under the class list, so here is my site in case you want to check it out: http://slinke21.blogspot.com/

August 31, 2007 12:04 AM

Jennie N said...
Hi all-

I'm a new blogger and not very good at this so bear with me....
My blog is at http://jennieblogger.blogspot.com

Anyways about Week 1: I was thinking about "Thank you for Smoking". Good movie for Public Health people if any of you haven't seen it. At work, one of my collegues sent a link about how warnings on cigarette packs are now going to show graphic pictures of healthy/unhealthy lungs, etc. This reminded me of a quote from the movie:

Senator Lothridge: Now as we discussed earlier, these warning labels are not for those who know, but rather for those who don't know. What about the children?

Nick Naylor: Gentleman. It's called education. It doesn't come off the side of a cigarette carton. It comes from our teachers, and more importantly, our parents. It is the job of every parent to warn their children of all the dangers of the world including cigarettes so that one day when they get older, they can choose for themselves.

This was in response to a similar campaign in the movie where people wanted to put a graphic skull and cross-bones on cigarette packs. What does everyone think about this? Given that anti-smoking in some places may have gone as far as it can go, how far much further can we infringe upon choice? Devil's advocate here. Definitely something to think about since Public Health seems to often dance on the line between freedom of choice and more compulsory ways of imposing health in the population.

Ok-- that's my thought for today!

August 31, 2007 11:54 AM

Alicia said...
http://www.whudafxup.com/?ref=http://www.protectthetruth.org/truthcampaign.htm

In class on Monday we watched a video produced by the CDC that showed how health communication has changed throughout the last 50 years. It was very interesting to see the different health related issues from past years that are still relevant today. After I went home I started thinking about one issue in particular...smoking. It is amazing to me that not only do people continue to smoke but that more people begin smoking everyday. With the amount of knowledge we have about the health effects for the smoker and those around the smoker how can this continue to be a problem?

Then it occurred to me that smoking can still be viewed as "cool", "sexy" or "glamorous". Above I posted a link to a commercial from "the truth" anti-smoking campaign. According to their website www.protectthetruth.com, 21 million U.S. youth aged 12-17 can describe at least one "truth" ad and 25 million or 90% from this age group said the ad they saw was convincing. So if these ads are working why does it seem like there are so many smokers in the world? Are non-smokers like myself just more sensitive to smokers around them? It seems like hardly a day goes by that I don't get smoked on by someone! I guess the question is how do we get people to view smoking in the way it is portrayed on the truth ads and not as it is sometimes seen in the entertainment industry? As we talked about in class entertainment is one of the biggest ways that health is communicated. Until smoking is no longer associated with being cool or sexy we may be fighting an uphill battle.

August 31, 2007 12:50 PM

MariaF said...
Well, as all of you can see I am very new to this "blogging" thing. Most of my time is spent with my 2 1/2 year old daughter and plus I'm moving to my new house this week! In response to Shelby's post..."I feel you pain and I agree with you!". My blog address is: http://mfuentebella.blogspot.com/, but please don't laugh since nothing is posted yet!

As far as our first day of class, it was very interesting to think about the topics that would be covered in health communications 50 years in our future. Things change so quickly, as we talked about in class, that it was hard for me to think about what would our society perceived as important health communication topics covering 50 years. It was good to see the CDC film that showed where health communication was at over the last 50 years. I think we've made a lot of positive progress. It was also suprising for me to learn that health communications uses entertainment, media, advertising as an important part of gettng the message across the target population. Media, and entertainment...it's all over and cannot be avoided!

I cannot wait to learn more tools in this class to apply in real life situations. However, changing people's behavior is a difficult task to achieve so I'm setting my goals at a "medium low" as health educator. Have a great 3 day weekend everyone.

August 31, 2007 1:24 PM

LdT said...
Ah, the first class on the first day of school since '04...

We jumped into the world of health communication straight away by discussing our initial perceptions of the field and then going through types and functions of h.c.

The influence of pop culture and the entertainment industry roared to the forefront as we watched a CDC video reviewing landmarks of the first 50 years of public health (1946-96). Health campaigns from my childhood rushed across the screen…

As we began to discuss what the next 50 years will entail, the discussion ran towards obesity, diabetes, and health issues associated with those problems… sitting there quietly, I couldn’t help but think: cancer.

Cancer rates seem to be on the rise amongst low-income and minority populations. In part due to poor environmental living conditions, and also due to lack of screening. Colon, gastrointestinal, breast and ovarian cancers are jumping up all over, and many patients are unaware of their family history of such cancers. Through genetic testing and family history collection, many centers are detecting cancer at earlier stages, preventing metastasis and saving patients.

That’s not even mentioning skin cancer, and the number of young adults who will be showing up with malignant spots due to their consistent use of tanning beds. This will greatly increase the number of cases each year, and bring the average age down by decades.

Then, there’s the quest for the cure to cancer… I think they’re actually getting there!

Needless to say, the next century will be crucial in developing/maintaining healthy living environments and enticing all populations to live healthy lifestyles.

August 31, 2007 5:28 PM

Iris said...
Today was my first day back in class. After three months of full-time work and global traveling, I slowly adapted to the reality of grad student life once I reunited with my colleagues in class.

My initial welcoming as a second year MPH student went very smoothly in Prof. Engelberg's PH 663 Health Communication class. We reviewed a few Health Communication "de jours" (concepts), such as its various types and functions it encompasses.

What really captured my attention was the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Video reviewing the first 50 years of Health Communication. From the 1950's to the present years, there has been a dramatic shift in what the media has focused on within the health field. The hot topics half a century ago addressed infectious diseases, such as Malaria. Then the media shifted their concentration towards other health concerns such as the emergence of HIV/AIDS and developing cancers. This makes me question what will happen next?

In class we discussed our future predictions of the upcoming CDC sequel. Students mentioned the current prevalence of obesity and diabetes. I anticipated environmental issues to become a large-scale problem, especially with the effects of Global Warming we are currently facing. With the earth's limited resources and the negative effects of humans over-usage, I am concerned whether or not we'll cut ourselves short within the next 50 years. Will we be efficient with our time and make the effort to prevent such a downfall? Or can we boost ourselves up within the next half century?

Fortunately, I am a natural optimist and foresee an upward trend. With all the health issues we have triumphed, technology we are equipped with and intelligence from experienced individuals, I know we will be able to uplift ourselves. At least with all the emerging public health professionals and government assistance, I am confident we can collaborate and build a positive reputation for our generation.

September 3, 2007 2:53 AM


Laura Sirikulvadhana said...
I guess maybe it's because of APHA but maybe not. My friend, from another PH school, has to create a blog in her Health Communications course. Small world. I found it funny that blogging is the new way of communication. There are probably thousands of Public Health blogs we do not know about.

It's great that public health has a connection to all of this.

Go read her blog, she's a dedicated PH student: http://footnotes101.blogspot.com/

People from PH schools: Post me (in the comments) your blogs and let the PH news spread!!!

September 3, 2007 11:37 AM

RWIblog said...
c

September 4, 2007 4:24 PM


Josie said...
Hello Class
Im not sure how to invite others to view my blog, any advice??
Josie

September 4, 2007 6:04 PM

Megan Koske said...
I have been thinking a lot about what Amanda said about advertising and hiding the healthy message in the fun commercial. I find myself analyzing every ad on the television, trying to find the demographic, trying to see persuasive details. I guess this first assignment made me think more than I thought. :)

September 6, 2007 6:12 PM

Juanita.Andrews66 said...
I definitely found the video about 50 years of Health Communication very interesting. One thing that I mentioned in class (and still remains with me now) is the power of 'celebrity'/entertainment stars. I'm putting 'celebrity' in quotation marks bc that word is definitely open to interpretation, esp. today.

In the video we saw how this power/influence could have both a negative and positive effect on the behaviors of their target audiences. For example, Lucy and her husband, Ricky (or Desi) - no se - were seen promoting a product (cigs) which could have persuaded some to start an unhealthy habit. Whereas, on the other side, we saw the ailing Yul Brenner and his anti-tobacco ad decades later. To see a star that ppl may have idolized has the possibility to make someone change their smoking behavior.

In these same two examples, though, what is also apparent is that they occurred in 2 different times. Lucy and Ricky/Desi were promoting the use of a product which I'm sure in that day didn't have as much research as now (or even in the Yul Brenner's ad's epoch) that showed how the use of tobacco products is overwhelmingly associated with cancer and other underlying diseases. So, it makes me question, if Lucy had known what we know now (or, again in Yul's last days) back when she did the cig add would she have done it...

...doubt it bc America is falling out of love with cigs and pushing anything associated with cigs to the margin. So how would one become popular in mainstream America when they promote/associate with something that mainstream America doesn't agree with.

One last thing. This is in response to Danette's blog about the type of tv advertisements being tailored for the particular/likely audience. THAT IS SO TRUE. I was watching Sex and the City and I was like - daaaang -bc I had never seen so many monistat/pad ads grouped together like that.

September 7, 2007 11:25 AM

Josie said...
Hello has anyone tried to post the "code your own communcation" assignment on BB, I cant seem to figure out how to do it, any advice?? Josie

September 7, 2007 3:10 PM

Crystal Warner said...
In response to our first class - I was surprised at how many different advertising campaigns there have been over the last 50 years. It was interesting to see the different approaches that people have taken to promote healthy behaviors to the general public. Some of the tactics seemed to attempt to scare people into healthy behaviors (the fried egg with the message "this is your brain on drugs"), while others tried to convince people that to be healthy or safe was "cool" (use of celebrities etc).
I remember some of the advertisments on the video from when I was growing up, and I'm not sure that I can say specifically that any of these messages directly influenced my decision to participate or not participate in any particular behavior. Perhaps these messages actually did influence what I chose to do and not do, even though I am not aware of it...
All in all, I am very excited to learn more about health communication. I am curious as to what is behind a "good message" and how you can go about creating such a message.
Well, more later...

September 9, 2007 2:23 PM