October 1st Class

I really enjoyed learning about the different programs available online to classify people. Very interesting. Once I have time I want to go online to that website that gives neighborhood characteristics to see what is going on in my area. I think this tool would be very helpful when purchasing a new home and would have been very useful when I was lookng for a place to stay in San Diego. I randomly chose the area I live in now, but thankful it is a nice one:). No problems thus far:).

OH and my group made some good progress this week on our project! Yeah! We were invited to a dinner/open house tomorrow night and i'm very excited to learn about the program! Have a good night! I'll be using most of it to study for a midterm tomorrow....YUCK!

Week 5: 9/25/2007

Wow...I was soo amazed how much time and effort companies spend to get us TO BUY! By the way, I want that psychologist's job (but only if it was in the fashion industry:). I found it sooo hilarious how men think they are such a SEX SYMBOL on a bike...PLEASE! I get soo annoyed when men are on a bike or in a car reving it....like someone actual cares! I also thought it was interesting that commercials reassure individuals when making purchases. I know I have felt so guilty when I splurge on jeans or an outfit that I really don't need. However, when I see an advertisement in a magazine...I feel the sigh of relief.

So we didn't end up talking about the VALS segmentation. The survey was fun (so those of you who haven't taken it...it will only take a second and you will find out something interesting). I was labeled an innovator and experiencer. Too long to talk about, but truely reveals what type of consumer I am.

Lastly, I loved reviewing segmentation outside the classroom. It really help solidify what it means by using all those examples and putting it to life. Have a GREAT NIGHT!

Date: 9-17-07

Presentations, presentations...I always learn something new when it comes to presentation skills. As Dr. Engelberg recited all the things NOT to do during a presentation I thought back and said "HEY, many professors do those exact same things!" No wonder i'm bored during their classes! As I thought about it, I also realized that the professors that did not use powerpoint or only used the bullet points in powerpoint as cues for talking are those professors that I really enjoyed listening to. Sadly, I'm due to present at my job on some of the health promotion theories soon. Although i'm excited that not only in this class, but in one of my other classes i've learned about presentation skills, i'm still not too sure how I can grab everyone's attention with health promotion theory? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Week 2 Lecture

Theories in health communication was the main topic of todays class. I enjoyed hearing the different ideas groups had on how to communicate a campaign to certain populations. I really liked the Hannah Montana group focusing on teens. Its amazing how much power celebrities have and how much they influence our behavior. This is especially true for teenagers. Teenagers look up to these celebrities as role models and sadly true, there are many celeb role models out there that just aren't very positive. Well, not Hannah Montana, she is ok:). I think it is important to use this icons to sell our health communication messages.

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. Well, I don't know if I'm doing this correctly or not, but I guess it is a start. Goodnight!