A political-economic approach typically allows scholars to study media production and distribution and how it shapes audiences and their practices (Keller 2021). Engstrom utilizes a political-economic approach within her research because it outlines how capitalism and consumerism are dominant and hegemonic ideologies within our social spheres of influence. This idea is seen within this wedding media examples along with other mediums from music, to TV and radio. The capitalistic essence of 21st-century society is taking over various mediums and what was once a website to promote a couple getting married and celebrating life together is now used as a ploy to capitalize on the market. Engstrom also uses a political-economic approach to analyze key ideas within the Knot, such as the “superbride” and the “bride as a physical object” (Engstrom 2008, 60-82). These two concepts demonstrate a capitalistic approach as a wedding to The Knot is now an organized social event that is used for advertising and selling products rather than celebrating relationships (Engstrom 2008, 60-82). The Knot describes this as the bride always being the one to cause errors and freak out on the wedding day or how the groom rarely has a say in wedding planning and receives little to no attention at all on the big day (Engstrom 2008, 60-82). My main takeaway from this article is how you cannot influence your life based on what is seen within the media because most of the time your best interests are not at hand because of the ulterior motives entrenched in media and advertising. The Knot is a prime example of how media synergy possesses people and influences them to consume a product they probably do not need. 

When Ross proclaims the “prospect of boredom” he is demonstrating how Hillary Clinton's campaign and the idea of her are simply not as compelling as that of Donald Trump (Ross 2016). Like I had mentioned previously people liked this idea of a rich TV personal running the show. The people wanted the excitement and ambiguity that he brought to the table. Trump made for a better story which the Culture Industry could then use to capitalize and create wealth because more people were “buying” what Trump had to offer over Hilary (Ross 2016). Trump as a president was most definitely a product of Mass Culture, but Trump as a person one could also say is a product of Mass Culture because of his family and his time working in television and film. Trump was a commodity that the Culture industry was selling and enough people bought it which shows the impact of this industry in our lives. I believe that the Frankfurt School is not only right about their assumptions regarding Mass Culture but also how it creates a false need rather than what consumers actually want. 

Throughout society today the most impactful way to spread a message is through social media or fans. Many celebrities and influencers have extremely large fan bases, that they can advocate for whatever they believe in and their followers will do the rest. As seen in the Kelly article, fan political activism has to do with a fan base reaching out and advocating for reform (Kelly 2020). Another example of this is seen within Lady Gaga and her fans back in 2010 when the Dont Ask Dont Tell (DADT) policy was almost not revoked within the US military. This policy essentially made LGBTQ+ members keep their sexuality private when applying or serving in the military. This policy was forcing many LGBTQ+ members to hide who they truly were and many were refused entry and discharged because of their lifestyle. Lady Gaga invited four people who were released to join her on stage for a performance at the MTV music awards and the fans took it from there. "TheReal_JakeK '' started a Twitition to assist in repealing the policy along with many other fans. The fans took to social media and anywhere they could advocate for getting Dont Ask Dont Tell repealed. This is an example of fan political activism because Lady Gaga’s fans were using their platform to create change and reform in society. Eventually DADT did get revoked in December of 2010. Fan political activism works to demonstrate how impactful media can be in influencing political and societal policy which is a main concept relating to cultural studies as a main concept has to do with how people make meaning from media (Keller 2021). 

The first thing I notice within this image is the bright red coat, the idea of being cool and looking hot, and the well-known celebrity modeling the coat, Kendall Jenner. I would say based on this being a clothing advertisement the signifier within this image is the coat (Figure 3). This is because the coat is what is being sold and it stands out the most within this image. The signified within this image would be the concept of clothing and wearing a coat (Figure 3). Within this primary level of analysis, no underlying assumptions are provided as it is simply analyzing what is being presented. The signs within a media image communicate meaning which is why it can be interpreted in different ways, this is known as being polysemic (Keller 2021). Signs are polysemic in this nature because individuals have differences of opinion and influence causing them to make different meanings from a sign. The sign within this image would simply be the bright red winter coat, the red car, the glasses, the super puff logo, and the odometer (Figure 3). The denotation within this analysis is still a part of the primary level as it depicts the basic descriptive meaning which most individuals would agree with (Keller 2021). The denotation within this advertisement would be the concept of benign super warmth in a winter coat. This is ultimately what the advertisement is promoting since no further assumptions or previous knowledge are taken into account. The connotation within the image becomes more invested in outlining the political purpose and leads to the overarching ideologies proposed within the media (Figure 3). Connotation creates a wide and diverse understanding of a media image and allows interpretation from across various media audiences (Keller 2021). Within this example, the connotation is the idea of staying warm during the winter while looking “cool”. This is because based on previous knowledge of Aritzia along with the assumption of a huge celebrity modeling this coat is it safe to assume if one is to buy this coat they will be warm and look cool just like Kendall. The media image is ultimately proposing that if one is to buy this coat they will look rich or of higher class and will “look hot” while “staying warm” during the winter months.

Finally, within a semiotic analysis, the myth is the most important aspect of a media analysis that understands the political and ideological meaning proposed by the media. The myth is also used to understand how meaning is produced in popular culture through defending prevailing power structures and ideologies which actively promote the values and interests of the dominant groups in society (Keller 2021). The myth within this advertisement promotes the idea of wealth and if one is to buy this coat they will look rich and fashionable (Figure 3). It exemplifies superiority in that being white and skinny is what society prefers and also what society determines to be most successful. It promotes the underlying assumptions that purchasing expensive jackets and goods is what will make you prosperous. This advertisement is also suggesting that the ideal life is being rich and of high class. This is because Kendall Jenner is rich and is a well-known figure online with millions of followers of people who wish they could have a life like hers. Aritzia is simply feeding into the societal mentality of what the “typical” successful person in media looks like (white, skinny, and rich). One could conclude that the myth within this advertising is the circulating ideologies of capitalism and elitism.

Popular feminism also tends to treat gender in the media like it is no longer a movement and that it is not as important anymore. The backlash that popular feminism creates moves towards the idea of popular misogyny (Banet-Weiser 2015). This concept has to do with valuing traditional gender roles and the denial of gender inequality. One reason for this transition is how popular feminism almost devalues the core concepts of feminism making it seem less important in society and creating opportunity for backlash (Keller 2021). Popular feminism has become mainstream and it has caused individuals to fight the movement and promote their misogynistic values. The male gaze is another concept that intrigued me this week and I believe it relates to how women are represented within media culture. This idea has to do with women functioning as a spectacle for men to look at (Keller 2021). This concept suggests that women are only placed in media for men to enjoy looking at and it completely devalues women and their contributions to media culture entirely. Learning about this concept provoked me to think about the individuals in my life and the media I consume and how they treat women in this degrading way. It is very disheartening to think that in 2021 there are still misogynistic men who look at women like objects. Popular misogyny is taking over the media and instead of women becoming more represented and respected it begins to make a fool out of them (Keller 2021). However, there is more women representation in male-dominated areas, but there is still not enough focus on women and the values they bring to the table. 

“Concurrently, marginalized groups, deemed Other, who have been ignored, rendered invisible, can be seduced by the emphasis on Otherness, by its commodification, because it offers the promise of recognition and reconciliation.” (hooks 2014, 26). This quote stood out to me because it truly captures the essence and impact which eating the other has. This quote embodies the impact that cultural appropriation has on various cultures which pushes to marginalize them even further. Within this quote, hook addresses racism and how without addressing it first hand and confronting the concern within society nothing will change (hooks 2014, 21-39). The quote signifies how marginalized groups are looked at as a commodity that needs to be consumed which is the purpose of hook coining the term “eating the other”. When society is “seduced by the emphasis on otherness” it demonstrates how people use culture as a path of enlightenment which demonstrates their privilege (hooks 2014, 26). Without further confronting racism and cultural appropriation firsthand, the uplifting marginalized groups cannot be attained as the privilege of the dominant groups will still be present. 

A contemporary example that comes to mind when thinking about a queer reading is the character Jughead Jones in the popular CW show Riverdale. Within this television show, some characters do identify within the LGBTQ+ community, but Jughead Jones in particular is not typically "seen" as one of those characters. For most of the first few seasons, he is typically interested in women and is not viewed as an LGBTQ+ member within media culture, but I think he demonstrates an excellent example of what a queer reading is. Most of his relationships do not work out with women, he is more focused on other activities such as writing rather than his relationships, and he seems more interested in himself than anything else. When looking at these aspects of his character one can see that he could potentially be a queer character or even an asexual character as he is not typically interested in that many women and he almost seems more self-involved. This would adopt the idea of a queer reading because his character to mainstream media may look “straight” but there are no boundaries in reality as to what a homosexual or heterosexual man “should” look like. This is why Jughead Jones can be presented as a queer character because he adopts qualities that can pertain to any sexuality as there are no set characteristics to sexuality, gender, or even race. 

See the image of "Jughead Jones" in Figure #5.

Doty, A. 1993.  “Making Things Perfectly Queer : Interpreting Mass Culture.” Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ProQuest Ebook Central. 1-16.

Engstrom, E. 2008.“Unraveling The Knot: Political Economy and Cultural Hegemony in Wedding Media.” Journal of Communication Inquiry 32, no. 1: 60–82. 

hooks, B. 2014. “Black Looks: Race and Representation (2nd ed.)” Chapter 2: Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance. Routledge. 21-39.

https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.4324/9781315743226

Keller, Jessalynn. 2021. Lecture Material and Powerpoint Presentation. Coms 371: Critical Media Studies.

Kelly, E. 2020. “ ‘More than Stans’ K-Pop Fans Are Mobilizing for the Black Lives Matter Movement” Bitch Media. 

Ross, A.2016. “The Frankfurt School Knew Trump Was Coming.” The New Yorker, sec. Cultural Comment.