VISA 1Q98: Seminar Discussion Forums #4, due Sunday, July 2nd 11:30 pm

Seminar Guidelines (from Syllabus):

The Seminar Discussion assignment has two components:

1. Students are asked to consider and write a minimum 300 word entry. Your entry should offer
your own critical perspective to the topic, but may be conversational in tone. You may give your
response to the topic, but you must go beyond just stating your opinion to consider its larger
signi cance.

Posts should demonstrate a command of course material. Students should be going beyond
giving their personal opinion in these posts. Try to avoid using phrases like “in my personal
opinion” and, instead, focus on writing about how the course material applies to the question or
example being discussed. Bring in speci c and relevant course vocabulary and examples where
possible. Show us how you are connecting your ideas back to course concepts. This part of
the seminars are worth 5 points. Be aware you must post rst to read others’ work.

2. After posting an entry each student will read through the other student entries in their seminar
group. Before the deadline each student will choose to write a response to at least one other
student’s entry. The response must be unique (not repeating another student’s ideas) and
consist of a minimum of 75 words. This is meant as an exercise to consider the broader issues
within this course and to engage with fellow students. This part of the seminar is worth 1 point.

You are responsible for ensuring your entry is submitted on SAKAI on time. Your total
submission will be marked out of 6 points. Late submissions are not accepted.

✦Posts should be directly related to the given topic and address the question(s) clearly using
terms and ideas from the course material
✦Posts should demonstrate consideration and understanding of course material. You may use
the rst person in your writing of the post but it is to be more than just your opinion

✦Posts should be thoughtful and engaged as well as edited for errors and clarity
✦Students are encouraged to respectfully engage with other students’ posts in their group.

Topics Seminar Discussion #4, due Sunday, July 2nd, 11:30 pm

Complete Option 1 or Option 2.

Option 1: Culture jamming

Culture jamming is a means of subverting media messages or ideas associated with brands.
This is done through altering the appearance of a brand packaging/advertisement to insert
critical messages. Often there are activist intentions with culture jamming which aim to raise
awareness about issues related to a product or brand that the company would like to hide or at
least shift attention away from. Adbusters is one such activist group that uses the principles of
culture jamming to produce “spoof ads.”

For your seminar post visit the spoof ads page on Adbusters’ website https://www.adbusters.org/
spoof-ads and nd an an ad that appeals to you. Consider the original ideas, values, and
symbols attached to the brand that is the target of the ad. What is Adbusters being critical of in
the spoof ad you chose? Analyze how this message is conveyed and why or why not you think it
is successful. Is there anything you would add or change about the spoof ad to make it more
effective? See Module 8 and pages 300-304 in the textbook and remember to respond to
another student’s post.
Provide a link or upload your image(s)!

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VISA 1Q98: Seminar Discussion Forums #4, due Sunday, July 2nd 11:30 pm

Option 2: Greenwashing/Social Awareness Advertising

Greenwashing occurs when a company tries to make its products or practices appear to be
better for the environment or your health than they actually are. An example in the textbook is
the advertising campaigns of Chevron. For your seminar post nd an example of greenwashing
or social awareness advertising in an advertisement online for any product or company not
mentioned in the textbook or Modules.

Explain what the advertisement would like us to think about the company/product and how this
contradicts the actual product or company practices. Be critical of how your chosen company
uses social and environmental issues to attract consumers. Consider what the company is
trying to gain through this type of advertising and the potential harm for the consumer and/or
others implicated. See pages 283-286 in the text.

Upload or link an image of the advertisement under discussion!

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