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The Lonely Danisaur


TARGETING
Jollibee, as a brand for the masses, has always targeted its advertisements towards, well, the masses, or working class Filipinos. As (dare I say very) emotional people, Filipinos in general love their hugots and have allowed it to grow into a cultural phenomenon. Jollibee knows this and uses it to their advantage, incorporating the hugot into their advertisements, reeling in the masses who have made it known that this is the content they want and will consume.

ADDRESS
Jollibee made the assumption that by using hugots in this commercial, many people would watch and greatly enjoy it. Additionally, they made the assumption that they wouldn't have to outright make their brand or product desirable in this commercial, that by giving its audience something hardly related to the product but memorable, the desire or cravings for their products would form on its own.   And they were right! A relatable love story with just the tiniest smidge of Jollibee products were enough to subliminally induce cravings for their food, leading to a rise in popularity.


CIRCULATION

As we can see in this Google Trends report from the past five years, Jollibee peaked in popularity right around the time they released their Kwentong Jollibee series back in February 2017. This here is evidence of the success this commercial and subsequent series of commercials have brought to the brand in terms of gaining popularity.



MAKING SENSE


Story of the commercial goes: guy meets girl, falls in love with girl, girl ends up with someone else, guy is still happy for girl. There are generally two ways the audience may interpret this and may be dependent on their personal experiences. A person who has experienced this kind of unrequited love may feel sympathetic towards the man in the video, finding him relatable thus effectively achieving Jollibee's goal to be such. However, a person who has had to turn down a suitor because they simply don't love the other person back will likely feel targeted (natatamaan) by this commercial and may even find the one-sided narrative offensive. 

PLEASURES 


Relatability certainly plays an enormous factor in the success of these commercials. When an individual is able to relate to commercials like these, there's a sense of assurance that getting these sort of feelings is normal, and so pleasure gets derived from this assurance. On the other hand, audiences won't derive any pleasure from unrealistic and unattainable commercials. Take Kendall Jenner's 2017 Pepsi commercial. Aside being a mockery of real life victims of violence at protests, it's simply unrealistic how the conflict gets resolved in the end. The fact that it was done without a hint of irony adds even more fuel to the fire.

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We Believe: The Best Men Can Be
by Gilette


What is the message and target audience?
The main message Gilette delivers in this ad is clearly stated right at the end of the video: It's only by challenging ourselves to do more that we can get closer to our best. When society uses "boys will be boys" as an excuse for toxic masculine behavior, it becomes more and more acceptable to carry on acting this way, treating women like objects, acting tough all the time, never showing emotions.  Towards the middle of the ad, we're given a glimpse of what men can and should be. The target audience is stated to be younger boys, with the voice over saying, "The boys watching today, will be the men of tomorrow." 

What is the purpose?
Gilette presses the question: is this all there is? Is this what it means to be a man? They almost dare their audience to question everything they've ever known to be acceptable behavior and want them to change that. This implores the young men watching to break down those barriers and to act on these behaviors.

What are the embedded values?
Treating people with respect and compassion should come first above all else. Doing so is what brings out the best of men. What society might label as "weak" and "girly" doesn't have to be if you choose to stick to the right attitude.

What beliefs, attitudes or behaviors are being promoted?
The ad promotes the message to check not just yourself, but even the men around you. Putting an end to toxic behavior by acting against it. An excerpt of Terry Crew's speech in congress to testify on the Survivor's Bill of Rights is also included, in which he says, "Men need to hold other men accountable." Which is then followed by a series of clips of various men mediating the behaviors of other men (a man stopping his friend from cat calling a woman, a man breaking up a fight between two young boys, etc.)

Who will gain profit?
With the backlash Gilette has faced over this ad from earlier this year in January, the answer to that questions might as well be Gilette's competitors. While many have pledged to switch over to Gilette for taking a stand against toxic masculinity, many long-time customers have vowed to never pick up another Gilette razor ever again, because of feeling offended by the ad's message. However, I believe in the long run, many men will come to stand with Gilette and realize the positive message they are trying to promote.




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Information Literacy

What do you do when you want information about something?
Like any other person in my generation, its usually as simple as Googling the question. Although this heavily depends on the topic. For "life stuff" and family matters, I turn to my parents. For academic questions, I turn to educational YouTube channels. Generally speaking, I mostly use the internet for these sort of things.

How do you find the information you need?
I ask questions, to the people around me, to the internet, and so on. 

How do you assess if the information you got was authentic or not?
The simplest way for me to prove the verisimilitude of a piece of information is to cross-reference different resources. Especially when the initial source isn't exactly a reliable one. However, I give more weight to certain sources over others. For example: I read in a Buzzfeed article that the sequel to a movie I like is in development. As I cross-reference and find more sources that say so, I still won't be fully convinced until the director confirms the news on his twitter. In short, I place more value in first-hand sources over second or third hand sources.

Do you automatically believe the information you get from the Internet, TV, Radio, Newspaper, Books, Facebook and Twitter? Explain why or why not.
It's simply a matter of what the information is all about, and if the source is reliable when it comes to the topic being reported. If my aunt posts an announcement on Facebook that a family member is in the hospital, there's no reason to not believe her. However, if the same aunt shares a post saying that drinking some miracle pill will cure cancer, such information coming from her is questionable.


Visual Literacy

How do you interpret colors? Answer by writing the emotions you associate with each color:
  • Red - Passion, Anger
  • Orange - Trendy, Energetic
  • Yellow - Cheery, Bright
  • Green - Thriving, Healthy
  • Blue - Calm, Sad
  • Indigo - Mysterious, Hidden
  • Violet - Edgy, Unique
  • Black - Cold, Deep, Unknown
  • White - Clean, Rebirth
  • Grey - Neutral, Flexible
  • Brown - Authentic, Humble
  • Pink - Feminine, Infatuation
Do you like watching movies more than TV? Or you like watching TV more than movies? Explain your answer. Give examples of your likes and dislikes.
I generally prefer movies to TV because of TV series' tendency to follow a formulaic, predictable pattern in every aspect, such as cinematography, plot, score and so on. Additionally, TV tends to be very profit-driven and leaves no room for experimentation. Movies are self-contained universes in their own right, and allow for a lot of different approaches. However, I make exemptions for series based on the following criteria: a) if it's a comedy and the jokes are consistently funny and the characters are love-able (The Good Place, Brooklyn 99) and b) if it's not predictable and they've managed to impress me for long enough that I'm invested no matter what happens (Doctor Who, Game of Thrones). 

Do you like reading comics and books because of their visuals? Do you prefer reading books with illustrations? Explain your answer. Give examples of your likes and dislikes.
It's more common for one to find me reading a novel or poetry collection over comics or books with illustrations. But while I do appreciate the literary value of beautifully crafted words more, I still like to read zines and comics, especially when the art is created by an artist I admire. Most zines and comics I read, I observe how the author forms the character's body language and facial expressions over paying attention to the actual plot or story. For example, in Budgette Tan's Trese: Thirteen Stations, the memory of how Kajo Baldisimo formed the characters sticks to my mind more than the actual plot. In Sha'an D'Anthes' AM TO PM min zine, there aren't many words, but I appreciate her use of color to portray the sky during different times.

1. What literacy skills do you think you still lack or do not know? Why do you not know them?
While I might be considered more technologically literate than average, I feel like I still lack the skills to be completely "fluent" e.g. only using Apple's Keynote over Microsoft PowerPoint, not knowing how to use Microsoft Excel and PhotoShop. I think one reason for this is possibly having the convenience of an Apple Mac which has a very user-friendly interface that allows me to do certain tasks that others might use Microsoft PowerPoint for, while I have the option of Keynote, which has templates and automatic alignment.

2.  What literacy skills do you think you want or need to learn? Why?
Definitely still answering with technological literacy. Simply because I want to be more flexible when switching between Windows and Mac. It's embarrassingly difficult for me to maneuver Windows because I've gotten so used to Mac, especially when I don't always have access to my Mac in the first place.

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Adapted from verywellmind.com
The rules of etiquette are just as important in cyberspace as they are in the real world -- and the evidence of poor netiquette can stick around to haunt you for much longer.   Following these basic rules of netiquette, to avoid damaging your online and offline relationships.
1. Real People Take Priority
Nothing is more irritating than trying to have a conversation with someone who is more interested in their cell phone or computer.  I don't care whether you work in tech support and you are multi-tasking -- if someone is in the room with you, stop what you are doing and look at them.  And don't answer your cell phone unless it is to tell the person on the other end that you will call them right back.  If you are expecting an important call or email, let the person with you know upfront, and apologize for taking the call.This is doubly true if the person you are with is your date, partner or child.  Constantly checking your email, voicemail or Facebook while you are with them gives them the message that you don't care about them.  And it is extremely annoying to be with someone who is having a conversation that you are not part of.This is also true of public places, such as restaurants, public transit, stores, elevators, and libraries.  Speaking a foreign language does not excuse this behavior; in fact, it makes it worse.
2. If You Wouldn't Say it to Someone's Face, Don't Say it Online 

Name calling, cursing, expressing deliberately offensive opinions -- if you wouldn't do it to the face of anyone who might conceivably see what you write, don't write it.  Perhaps you have no sympathy for drug addicts and think they should all be locked up or forced to starve.  But my site is written primarily for them, so save me the trouble of deleting your message before stating this in offensive terms.  The same goes for any forum, chat room, or email.And it's not just what you say, but how you say it.  Either take the trouble to use the shift key for capital letters, or write in all lower case, but don't use caps lock.  All caps are generally perceived as yelling.  Please don't forget to say please and thank you as appropriate. 

3. If You Wouldn't Show it in Public, Don't Share it Online 
Naked sext pictures, drunk pictures, drug-use pictures, unedited home video -- if you would have a problem with your boss, your parents, or your kids seeing it now, or at any point in the future, don't post it online.  You need only look at what happened to Anthony Weiner to pay heed to this warning.
The same goes for cellphone conversations in public places -- I don't want my 5-year-old learning his first curse words on the train, nor do I want him to hear about how wasted you were last night, or about your sexual exploits.  Just because you can't see the person you are talking to doesn't mean the rest of us can't see -- or hear -- you.

4. Don't Exclude Your Audience 

If you have an in-joke to share with one other person, or a small number of people in a larger online group, send them a private message.  Don't make everyone else feel left out by posting an obscure comment to your Facebook status, listserv or forum.  The same goes for laughing at texted or emailed jokes when you are in the presence of others.  If you don't want to share the joke, save it for later.
5. Don't "Friend" then "Unfriend" People 

No one believes you have 1,000 friends, but it is still insulting to be dropped from someone's friend list.  Think about it before adding them or accepting their invitation.  If you don't want to be in touch with them, don't add them in the first place.  If you want to stay in touch for professional reasons, tell them you only use Facebook for close personal friendships, and join LinkedIn or another professional networking site for more distant contacts.The obvious exception to this is if you "friend" someone while you are getting along, and then you have a disagreement.  Then, by all means, unfriend them if the relationship is beyond repair.  But don't torture them with on-again off-again friending. 
6. Don't Overload System Resources With Enormous Files 

You might think that sequence of nature pictures with inspirational statements is wonderfully moving.  It might even give you a sense of serenity.  But that is the last thing it will give the person you email it to if it crashes their server, depletes their inbox quota so their emails get bounced for a week before they realize, or uses up the last bit of space they needed to complete an important assignment.  So post it to your own webspace and send people a link.  Don't attach it to an email.And if you reply to a message, delete all but the most recent correspondence from the sender, otherwise the message gets really, really long.  One of you will be upset if you have to print it out one day, and the whole conversation uses up 20 pages.
7. Respect People's Privacy 

Don't forward information sent to you without checking with the original sender first.  Use BCC (blind carbon copy) rather than CC (carbon copy) if you are sending something out to more than one person.  You might think that we are all friends online, but your friends may not want their names and or email addresses publicized to your acquaintances that they do not even know.The same goes for uploading photos or videos that include other people to public space, or sending them out to your own contacts.  And remember, if you tag people on Facebook, others can access pictures of those people, unless they have adjusted their privacy settings.Finally, don't sign up for newsletters and such using someone else's email address.  Or at least check with them whether they want to receive it first.  
8. Don't Repost Without Checking the Facts 

That cure for cancer might sound pretty impressive, but it will just cause upset if it is a hoax.  And urban myths just add to the noise of the internet and waste people's time.  If you aren't sure of the facts, email it to someone who does know or can find out, like your friendly Verywell.com Expert on the topic. Or just do a Google search.Don't forget that many viruses are circulated via chain letters and invitations to send some seemingly pertinent piece of information to ten of your friends, or everyone in your address book.  So don't be naive, forwarding that message will not bring you good luck, just bad karma. 
9. Check and Respond to Email Promptly 

By all means, ignore and delete spam, unsolicited messages and crazy stuff.  But if you have given someone your email address or if you are in a position where people could reasonably be expected to contact you by email and your email address is public, have the courtesy to reply to their message, within, say, two weeks.  If it is going to take longer to reply, email them and tell them that.  Don't simply ignore a question because you don't want to give the answer.  Write back saying that it is a difficult question and they might be better off seeking the information elsewhere.
10. Update Online Information That People Depend Upon
Don't leave inaccurate information online just because you can't be bothered to update your website.  If you are going to be unavailable, for example, don't leave your hours of operation online indicating you will be available.  If you can't keep your website up to date, take it down. It is easy to lose your sense of what is going on around you when you are using technology, but engaging directly with others is more important than ever. Don't forget the positive impact you can make by putting down your phone and having a real, face to face conversation.

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(Image source: /Film)

John Hughes' The Breakfast Club is revered by many as the ultimate 80's cult classic. It tells the story of five very different high school students serving a whole-day Saturday detention with nothing in common, each getting the chance to reveal themselves to each other and in the end, questioning if anything will ever be the same. It defined the teen-film genre for the years to come, paving the way for many others such as Clueless, High School Musical and Lemonade Mouth. 

Stereotypes
Right from the opening monologue, the film shows a certain sense of self awareness in its use of stereotypes and tropes, even saying in the opening monologue
...You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct?...
Right there and then, we know exactly what are the stereotypes we're dealing with in this movie. Additionally, we have the stereotypical apathetic parents, power-hungry, unable-to-understand-and-relate-to-students principal, and the surprisingly wise janitor.


Cookie-Cutter Storytelling
With the setting given, five misfits being forced to spend a whole day together, we have a sort of set idea of how we might expect these types of stories to end. In the Jumanji reboot, the main characters end up together as friends, same goes with Lemonade Mouth. The Breakfast Club presents us with a sort of mixed bag, the whole squad not necessarily being all together in the end, but having formed connections and relationships that weren't present before. That being said, we can't really count the film as exhibiting cookie-cutter storytelling.


Cardboard Characterization
The characterization present in the film is far from cardboard, with each of the main characters breaking away from their respective stereotypes. Claire and Bender, somewhat unexpectedly ending up together, Allison being capable of changing, Brian showing a deeper meaning for his behavior, and Andrew showing vulnerability. 


Negative Media Affecting Positive Life
While many view the use of narcotics and vices (cigarettes) as well as the multiple sexual innuendos present in the film to be "standard" for any teen movie and "not too overboard" this really shouldn't be the case. Any person who embodies these things in real life would be looked down upon in society, and should therefore go against this media present in the film


Conclusion
The film does a good job of taking stereotypical characters and combining them with an unpredictable plot and character development to produce an excellent example of the teen-comedy film genre. With themes on authority and self-discovery, The Breakfast Club is a quintessential cult-classic that remains relevant to this very day. 













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In an article published on March 7, 2018, rondabalita.news reports this disturbing news, taking place in the town of Alcantara, Cebu. The article further reports that the mother of the two girls (aged 14 and 16) confirmed that they were three and five months pregnant to the priest. Many reacted to the article violently, disgusted and enraged by the "abuse of the catholic church". While such abuse does in fact exist, it's not the case with this article.

After further investigation, residents of Alcantara have put an end to the vicious rumors, stating that no such event took place in their town. It was even found that the picture used in this article originally came from this news outlet based in Cebu.


(Image source: https://filipinotimes.net/news/2018/03/09/true-queen-elizabeth-ii-calls-pres-duterte-brave-man/)
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About me

Yes. It is I. The Lonely Danisaur. Commonly referred to as Dani

(for Media and Information Literacy SHS-11 2018)

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