This is the introduction to a television show on Spike TV called Blue Mountain State. The show is a comedy series about a group of college football players for the fictional school BMS.
The intro clip pretty much flashes back and forth between images of football, and partying with alcohol and attractive women. What is significant about the way that alcohol is portrayed? How would this clip influence a young football player, or someone who idolizes football players? Is there a specific audience that the creators of the show are trying to appeal to? The first thing I think of is that they are trying to draw in heterosexual males.
According to Wikipedia, 45% of Spike Tv's viewing audience is women. Does this trailer seem to appeal to a female audience in any way?
I'm interested in what you guys have to say, let's discuss!
Prompt 1:
ReplyDeleteWhen we see drinking in this video, we see it as a fast-paced, competitive, and popular thing to do. It is definitely not portrayed in a casual and leisurely light. The video infers to us that partying is constant and is simply the culture at the mentioned college. We never see any books or classrooms; just football fields, girls, and beer. The reason for this is clear here: the show would not sell if it was at all centered around classrooms or schoolwork. The creators of the show needed a product that would sell, just like every other company. One of the video's central themes is the idea of the teenage lifestyle. What is it exactly, and what is involved with being a teenager now? Why is there a negative association with what happens in colleges today? These are all topics that could be put up for discussion in a classroom.
The intro to the Spike television show BMS is marketed towards an audience of young heterosexual high school and college boys. Like Mickey said, the creators of the BMS choose a specific storyline to attract viewers. The creators of BMS hope to gain an audience who idolizes the stereotypical college lifestyle filled with partying, football, and attractive girls. Alcohol is portrayed as the basis of social life in college. Since the show is centered around college life, it is ironic that academics are completely ignored. The trailer for BMS gives younger viewers an unrealistic idea of college life. The purpose of college is to get an education and ultimately to get a job. However, the lifestyle of the college kids in the BMS trailer does not lead to success.
DeleteCollege life has been associated with partying for decades. However, I don’t believe there is a negative association between college and partying. Instead, the association of partying and college life is socially accepted and glorified.
There is a negative association in colleges today because of the partying and other activities that have gone on for decades. You can't see a movie or television show with the setting as a college without partying or drinking. It is something that people expect out of these shows whenever they see them on tv. To answer the teenage lifestyle question, it is one about being laid back and social activities come first while academic work comes second. Many people may put academics first but I feel a majority put their social activities first.
DeleteI agree with Mickey that the company focused on the party, alcohol and attractive girls in order to arouse the attention of the viewers. It is common to hold and take part in parties in college, it is a kind of social activity which can practise the interpersonal relationship. However, in this video, it may leave a unrealistic impression to people since students may focus on the other things instead of the studies. Students may have unrealistic expection about the college life. College is a place where help us get a higher education, but this video may mislead people's thoughts about college.
DeleteThere is a negative association with college today and partying because that is the thing most teen age boys look forward to when going into college. So many young American men are putting partying and drinking before education at college. Being a teenager boy involves three things that are always on the mind: sex, drugs and alcohol, and partying. This is coming from my view of my friend group and seeing how we live our life we put education second to any of the above three at anytime. Homework is just an obstacle and obligation that we have to do in order to be able to party. This is what the intro to Blue Mountain State does this exactly; it portrays an exaggerated college life. No college party, however, (that I have attended) has ever included half naked women and an absurd amount of alcohol and drugs. The producers behind this show did a very good job for dealing with the introduction because it exaggerates college party, but draws teenage boys in because it shows football, sexy women, and an awesome party. This gets the attention of teenaged boys, but does give a negative view of colleges in America. It shows that we put partying before education and we are headed that way as a country. Education is just a mandatory jail sentence for kids and most kids can't wait till it ends.
DeletePotentially the reason we think that people put their social activities ahead of their academics is because of the stereotype we associated with the crowds that go to certain schools. The school they feature in the show is one that is supposed to be known for having a great football program. Universities like Johns Hopkins, Harvard and Columbia are known for having very studious students. While theses stereotypes exist, they do not apply to everyone. Shows like the one featured in the video help to drive this stereotype, even thought it is a comedy show and not a documentary.
ReplyDeleteThis clip gives the idea of a stereotypical college party life. Football players are often seen as "party-goers" and alcohol is often associated with women. It blocks out all thoughts of actual school work when watching this. It might encourage certain people to want to go to college for this purpose only. This video gives students an unrealistic approach to the college life, which is why a lot of students drop out after the first year because of their party life getting in the way of their "fun". One notices that everyone in the clip is either smiling or laughing and having a good time, it gives no impression that college can be stressful or hard.
ReplyDeletePrompt 5:
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't seem to appeal to a female audience much at all. After seeing the ad, it would be assumed that very football oriented heterosexual males are the target audience of this clip. Given the statistic about Spike TV, it seems like it would be even more assumed that men are the audience. I am under the impression the creator and executor of this program knows that full well, and is trying to appeal to a larger male audience of this nature, otherwise the female portion of this clip would have been less apparent. The party/drinking aspect though in a collegiate setting does seem to appeal to a known statistic of college students in our generation, so with that being said, it could potentially bring in a larger audience.
Prompt 7
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing what everyone has had to say, it is evident that this clip portrays to what many think of the typical college football player. Whereas many idolize the college athlete because of these types of things; partying, women, and popularity, the video does not show how tough it really is to be a college athlete. They have to keep up good grades while practicing or traveling throughout the entire year. This video definitely has a negative portrayal for young athletes as they look at this and receive the totally wrong perspective on what it is like to be a college athlete.