why I’m in Austin

So, I haven’t said much about what I’m doing here in Austin…at all really.  Partly because my internship does not begin until tomorrow and partly because I’ve been trying to figure…well, everything out.  You know…answer all of life’s questions. No big deal.

I came to Austin for a handful of reasons reasons:

1. (I think) I want to end up in the NW / Portland.  This means I want to go somewhere else first, to experience life a bit and see what else is out there!

2.  I did not want to work 927 hours each week.  I did that in college, which is fine. But I am not ok working my life away – on a personal level, I don’t think it’s healthy for anyone to have an unbalanced work/home life for an extended period of time.  Especially for a planner / strategist, it’s a huge huge huge thing to have time to experience life/culture/society/people/events/etc. outside of work – I’m all about first-hand experiences and ethnography…the Internet is amazing, but will never replace the real-life experiences.

3. MUSIC.  I’ve put music on hold, especially for the last few years of college, but it really is something I want to keep at the forefront of what I do – Austin has a huge music scene…so whether this means I can be a patron of other great musician, or perhaps participate as a musician myself…love it!

4.  Especially as this past year has progressed, I’ve become disillusioned with the advertising industry…thinking alot about why I’m in it, what the industry is all about, what it SHOULD be about, etc.

I think I might have said this before – but if you haven’t already, check out Paul Isakson – one of the smartest planners I’ve come across.  I read one of his blog posts the other day…had an AHA! moment. Check out this snippet:

“Do we have to tell people that our product is X% than the competition, or can we create content that simply puts a smile on people’s faces and reminds them how much they enjoy the product?

Do we need to cram more features into a product, or can we instead develop applications and tools that help people accomplish tasks easier or get more out of using the product?

Do we need to create yet another line extension, or can we figure out a way to extend the use of existing products so we can stop creating more waste?

As an industry, we have to stop just looking for ways to “build brands” through messaging and start looking for ways to actually help people have better days and build better lives.”

So…to bring this full circle…with all this spinning in my head, to make a long story short, I was offered an internship with a study abroad company called API, located here in Austin.  I never put much thought into a job outside the ad industry, but once I thought about it – it really sounded like a good idea!  A. I would steer clear of New York and San Fran. for at least a bit of time and to an amazing city that is full of life, culture, creativity, etc. and  B. I could work for a company that not only has a service that I whole-heartedly believed in….and could work with a team with the same common interest, rather than for an agency where I might be put on an account I don’t necessarily believe in.  Plus, I had the opportunity to briefly work with API this past year on a strategy project – I was quite impressed with the company, people, ideas, success, etc.  10 points API!

I’m one of those kids who was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study abroad – I know we all say this, but it truly was the experience of a lifetime and I would love to be able to help more students get out there and experience other societies/cultures.  Spending extended time abroad not only allows us to see what else is out there in the world, but helps us understand out out society+culture from a completely difference inside-out, upsidown perspective – pretty freaking sweet if you ask me…

Internship begins tomorrow, we’ll see how it goes!

NYC observations, quotations + what it all really means

Deb asked us to put together some sort of takeaway collection for next year’s group of UO ad. kids heading to the big apple / One Show – after a bit of brainstorming, here are a handful of learnings from the NYC trip I have bequeathed to next years group (=

trashy streets

 Today on the way back from lunch, Marc and I were discussing recycling/sustainability/social awareness/the horrible trash island forming/etc. That conversation reminded me of something that happened recently…

About a month back I spent a weekend in Seattle with a few friends – one day while waiting for my friends to get their food, I saw a lady drop some trash on the ground. I proceeded to watch this lady look at the trash she had just dropped, think for aout .25 seconds, then walk away from her trash. 

So, I decided the best option I had would be to stand in position for the next 3ish minutes to see if anyone would pick up the trash. I think the pictures speak louder than anything I can say, so you should look below and draw your own conclusions.

The only thing I will say is on a sociological level…what an interesting thing to witness.  All these people passing by who have either been A. trained to be unaware of trash on the ground, B. under the assumption / idea that someone else will take care of the problem, or C. …maybe everyone throws trash on the ground at their homes and I have just lived an extremely sheltered and sterile life.  

Anyway, here are a handful of the pics I snapped in the 2-3 minute period.  Yikes.

I think it’s funny how much time we spent talking about the big issues – and by we I mean the media…which translates into us, the people.  Big issues are important, but it’s the little unresolved problems like the one shown above that cumulate into the large umbrella issues we are currently facing. Perhaps we should start small and tacklethe  attainable issues first – perhaps with this method, some of the larger umbrella issues will more organically begin to resolve themselves?

first Austin update

So, I’m finally here is Austin. I begin my internship at API a week from tomorrow (can’t wait – they have already been more than amazing/accommodating/welcoming!)

I figured I’d share with the world some of the discoveries I’ve made in the first 24 hours of living in Austin.

Austin is SUNNY. and has lots of sky scrapers. My eyeballs are burning just looking at this picture. 

I finally ate at a Sonic. It was as good as any other fast food restaurant. It was good, I just think all the hype is funny. Kinds reminds me of Burgerville. Certainly a novelty fast-food place (does using novelty + fast-food in a sentence seem like an oxymoron to anyone else?)

Our hotel has Texas-shaped waffles. Impressive.

Austin has a ton of apartments. A TON!!! I think I could probably start showing units, I now know the drill. Austin apartments are also quite different than Eugene apartments. I don’t think I’ll have bums outside my new place =/  Maybe I’ll start tracking armadillo. Or maybe the acouchi (thank you Putnam County Spelling Bee for teaching me the spelling AND definition of that word!)

There is a wide selection of taco stands. And cupcake stands!! (see the cupcake on top on the right??) I’m also following a frozen banana stand on Twitter, but I have yet to find it…

Austin street lights are sideways (or maybe Oregon lights are sideways). I also learned that if I take I-35, I will end up on the other side of Texas…if I take it the other way I will end up in Mexico. ¡Quizas me voy a Mexico! o quizas no..tal vez)

There are lots of weird/cool/quirky things I can take pictures of at a moments notice. At some point I will be learning the significance behind it all:

As we are so close to Mexico…freaking amazing Mexican food!!  This pastor plate was to die for. And has also equated to three meals. YUM!

I’M STILL HAUNTED BY 111!!!!!!  So in our hotel room there is a bible, like every other hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Well, this particular bible was found like this. I walked in the room, and found the bible open with the page folded up to Psalm 111!!!!!!!  What does this mean?!!?  I am going between feeling completely freaked out, to being positive this 111 consipracy could be a good thing. I don’t know, but I don’t like not know what the deal is. Any ideas??

Well, that’s it for now – more to come from Austin I’m sure. Awesome city. I’m glad I ended up here (thanks Deb/Marc for making this happen!!)

connecting the cultural anthropological dots

Awhile back I said I would be conducting an independent study through the j. school / Gabriela Martinez regarding cultural anthropology + intercultural communications.  Nowhere near complete, as this is just the beginning of my studies, but here’s the progress thus far:

In my four years in the School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), I have realized that those in my field have an amazing opportunity to influence and educate. I have a particular interested in cultural anthropology and its relation to international communication, specifically between the United States and Latin America.  Under the mentorship of SOJC Assistant Professor Dr. Gabriela Martinez, I began my study about intercultural relations and international communication. 

 I was interested to study the history and progression of international communication, so Gabriela suggested I explore Latin American folklore – the first story I investigated was that of “Pishtaco.”  As I investigated various “Pishtaco” interpretations, the effects of folklore and storytelling continued to be more transparent.  It’s amazing how a story such as this can open so many doors to insights of cultures, race, ethnicity, and traditions and additionally, how these stories have continued to travel and influence far beyond the original storytellers.  The Pishtaco symbol holds a great deal of power and significance as it represents Andean culture on both a micro and macro level and for generations, has continued to pass along stories, history and tradition through storytelling. 

  In addition to folklore, I also watched a number of documentaries – some of which Gabriela produced herself, others based on recommendation.  One of the films I watched was Gabriela’s documentary entitled Women, Media and Rebellion in Oaxaca.  This was a powerful and meaningful way to bring life to and tell the story of the situation and difficulties of the women of Oaxaca. 

 Just like the United States, each region of Mexico has a unique social, cultural, and political identity.  Applying this to the context of international communications, the most powerful insight I drew from this documentary regarding the relationship between Mexico and the United States was that it is important to not pigeonhole either country into a larger stereotype, as each state within the respective countries has a unique set of traits.  Just as we know that Oregon, South Dakota and New York have their own respective traits, states in Mexico such as Oaxaca, Queretaro and Michocan all have distinct characteristics and situations as well. 

When viewing this documentary from an international communications perspective, I am reminded of the famous saying, “the whole is only as good as the sum of it’s parts,” meaning it is important for us to understand the smaller regions within Mexico and United States in order to fully understand the relationship between the two countries.

I also realized that media accessibility also plays a large role in the dynamic of international communications.  In my situation, I have virtually unlimited access to media and information (documentaries such as these, for example), while people in other countries either do not have the means to access media sources or live in a censor-heavy location.

I also watched Y Tu Cuanto Cuestas, (So, What’s Your Price?) a 2007 documentary by Mexican director Olallo Rubio.  Rubio investigates the connection, power and effect of media on consumer culture in both Mexico and the United States.

The documentary features street interviews in both New York City and Mexico City, revealing dual stereotypes both Americans and Mexicans have of one another. I believe some of these stereotypes are based on truths, but stereotypes are only part of a whole story. 

 I do not claim to be an expert; however, I have spent time in as well as studying both New York City and Mexico City and there is clearly much more depth to both cultures and societies.  Recognition is the first step to problem solving and this documentary is a perfect awareness piece to help both American and Mexican cultures understand one another on a more holistic and well-rounded level. 

In this documentary, I again noticed the difference between Mexican media and the United States media.  It appears that Mexican media is not as advanced as the United States media.  This is also something I noticed while studying in Mexico, especially regarding new media, such as social media.  Social media is one of the prominent sources of information and conversation among Americans; however, Mexicans are not yet at this level of citizen journalism.  Because of this, the way both Mexicans and Americans receive information, as well as the credibility and accessibility is completely different.  Understanding the difference in media culture is another huge insight into understanding the societal and cultural factors that influence international relationship. 

 Again, this is yet another realization I had to our lack of communication on an international level.  This documentary was quite an eye-opening realization for me to understand the candid perspective of Mexicans and Americans of the Mexican-American relationship.  Although not statistic-heavy, this movie was a true testament of qualitative research in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our international relationship with Mexico.  It’s extremely important to understanding not only what the media and textbooks tell us, but also what real-life “everyday” people are saying about the relationship in order to strengthen and improve the international relationship. 

Following the documentaries, I read a CNN article, the main takeaway suggesting the need to incorporate big picture thinking into global decision making. According to Yale University professor of Engineering and Applied Science Mark Reed: “A scientifically educated global population will help us focus on the truly important problems, such as energy – arguably the most important crisis we as a species will face – instead of wasting efforts on petty squabbles for short term economic and political gain.”

We have made some pretty amazing discoveries and advancements in the fields of science and technology.  However, just because we have the knowledge and capability, does not necessarily deem the usage and application necessary or beneficial.  “Though technology may be beneficial in many ways and we humans may adapt both intellectually and physically,” says robotics expert Joanne Pransky, “I question our ability to emotionally, socially, and psychologically acclimate at the same exponential rate.”

In my eyes, the source of this concern reverts to education – have we been taught to be business “savvy” and socially naïve?  Have other societies been taught to be business naïve and socially savvy? 

After concluding this article, I turned my investigation to an article in PSFK regarding post-consumerism. Analyzing the shift form consumerism to citizen values, the article discussed President Obama suggestion that we should borrow and spend less to save more and that we should not rebuilding the economy on the same sand but instead create an improved platform.  

Dating back to the 1950s, President Eisenhower stated “The American economy’s ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods.”  We saw this same ideology after September 11^th, President George W. Bush encouraged Americans “To go out and shop.”  The United States has been built on the principle of consumerism – that is until our recent economic downturn.  It seems that we have finally reached a societal tipping point and are at a point of reevaluation. 

From my research and observations, it seems that a point of contention in international communcation is due in part to a variety of core values of various countries.   With this said, it appears that the United States is more economic-centric while Latin American countries are more social-centric.  In Latin American cultures, the relationships and communication seem to be more focused on the quality of life, spending leisure time with family and friends and spending time in ways not tied to a wallet, while in the United States, it seems that communication, decision-making, businesses and education institutions are more business and economic-centric.  Of course neither social nor business centric societies and cultures are better or worse than one another; however, it does help to explain the intercultural communication dynamic between United States and Latin American cultures. 

It is also certainly important to recognize the influence of the Internet on the development of international communications.  In his book entitled Tribes, author Seth Godin suggests that the Internet has created an international movement.  Godin states that as the Internet usage has exponentially increased, geographical limitations have become less restricting, leading to more accessible cross-cultural unity.  Godin states that the most powerful movement is composed of a variety of complementary elements, connected by a common bond. With the increased popularity of digital communication, the power of peer influence on cultural movements has and continues to increase exponentially. 

I certainly believe there is some truth to this assertion; however, Brand Planner Paul Isakson raises caution in the rise of Internet popularity:                                    

Much of the globe’s economies are in shambles because people got caught up in how to make millions tomorrow instead of looking at how to build wealth for the long term. And as Jon Steel discussed, CMOs have become                          focused on what they can do in the two to three years they’ll be in their jobs instead of what makes the most sense for the long haul of the company that they’re creating mediocre marketing at best. Further, the rise of social media has spawned new businesses with such a narrow focus on launching and “iterating” that they have no clue where the business is going nor how to make money from it if it takes off.

Then there is the ‘I said/thought/wrote about it first’ mentality of so many in social media. People are so focused on being the first to say something about the last five minutes that they aren’t looking to history to apply the                          wisdom of the past to today’s problems. It seems everyone is forgetting that human nature isn’t changing. It’s just the way we’re communicating that is.

 Although the Internet provides countless opportunities to connect where physical location and distance had once interfered with international communication, it is also a concern that digital media will begin to mediate human relationships and face to face communication.

Following Isakson, I watched An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube, a documentary by Michael Wesch.  Wesch, a cultural anthropologist, worked with a team to develop this documentary in order to “explore mediated culture, seeking to merge the ideas of Media Ecology and Cultural Anthropology.”  After reading the ideas of Godin and Isakson, it was interesting to watch this documentary, as I was able to see how the theories of the first two fare in application. With the Internet, user generated content is now a large contribution to international communication.  Some believe this dialog has helped developed international relationships, while others believe technology has separated us.  Yes, there is more cross-cultural banter; however, is the content meaningful or has the Internet become clouded with trite content, creating a new generation of international communication issues?

 At this point in my study, to continue to make progress, I believe my best option is to take the advice of Paul Isakson and look to history and apply the wisdom of the past to current international communication.  Professor Gabriela Martinez and I had a few conversations regarding the importance and value of history, folklore, and storytelling in understanding international communication.  At the conclusion of my ten week study, I have realized that rather than focusing on generating new ideas, incorporating the knowledge of the past to the current situation is best practice for long-term success in the field of international communication.