Whew what time is it anyway I'm exhausted

Ok so after checking out my classmates blogs here's what I've learned.


From John S
I learned that electricity was just being harnessed on a grand scale at this time. I also made  link from his topic to mine electricity--appliances---market change---need for advertising--advertising industry


From Laura
I learned about Charles Dana Gibson who was an illustrator that drew famous interpretations of what the modern woman should be. However as the world war began this mage began to change rapidly.


From Taylor 
I learned what the turn of the century was like for african americans and how their life's changes were different from other people.

Ladies and gentlemen here it is my not research paper!

There was not a lot of notable advertising in newspapers and magazines per turn of the century. Nor were there a lot of branded products. The advertisements were usually smaller than one column and had little or no illustration. The only exception to this was the medicine industry that countered their lack of medicine that actually worked by presenting large colorful ads.

            Many industries from soap to cigarettes began to standardize their products in response to changes in the market. Mail order catalogues and department stores began to hire or create their own advertisement firms. The total amount of advertising grew from about $200 millions worth in the 1880’s to about 3 billion in 1920.

            Previously an advertisement company’s main job was to find room in the extremely limited space of the day’s magazines and newspapers. As the market took off they became more concerned with the artistic aspect of the business than they were the placement of the ads themselves. This they left up to the business. Books were released to try and aid people in understanding the fine workings of the industry. They became much more interested in the way the customer reacted with the ad. Unfortunately they had some early reputation problems because of the medicine industry’s false ads

            The use of store credit was indirectly affected by advertising. As a result the 1920’s became a prosperous decade. Agencies also began using different media outlets, such as movie theaters and radio broadcasts during this time. Advertisers sought to bring consumers into the modern age.

   Chicago and New York became the main hubs of the industry. Chicago was the base of Albert Lasker who was called the father of modern advertising. He developed the cop writing technique and significantly changed popular culture. He even got the country hooked on oranges.

Research Project Update

Ok here's some of my research as of right now. 

Not a lot of notable advertising was present in newspapers and magazines before the market took off. There were not a lot of branded products either. The ads were small and generally without illustration. The only exception to this was the medicine industry who countered their lack of medicine that actually healed people with brighter and bigger advertisements.

Many industries standardized their products in response to the changes in the market. Mail-order catalogues and department stores began to use more advertising. Total advertising in the United States grew from about $200 million worth in 1880 to nearly $3 billion in 1920.

Holidays

Well we know that a lot goes into spending on the holidays. The gifts, decorations, the food, and so on. The winter holidays are obviously come first but what comes second? I don't know if you guessed it but it's not Halloween. The reason for this is, despite the occasional birthday, there is no major gift giving during this season. In fact Mothers day and Fathers day rank higher. Here are the figures.

Winter Holidays   457.4 billion
Mothers day    13.8 billion
Fathers day 9.01http://www.snopes.com/holidays/halloween/spending.asp
Easter 12.63 billion
Valentines 13.7 billion

Nation of Immigrants

The US is "the melting pot" of the world. If you looked around this country you would find people from practically every country imaginable. Personally I think that the massive mix of ethnicities and nationalities makes this country one of the most interesting nations in the world.


 The first immigrant were brave and hopeful souls who believed that this country held better things for them and their families. It those people didn't posses that great bravery hope, and passion most of us would not be here today. These traits have transcended the generations and shape today's  leaders and many more to come. 

Thankfully I have an almost tangible connection to my family mostly because each generation of my family was so close to the one before it that stories couldn't be forgotten.

Faces of America

 The movie faces of america was a touching account of famous people we know finding out about their ancestors. Many of them knew vague facts about their families but not much more. It made an obvious impact on their lives to see who and what made them who they are and to see how close they came to not being here at all. The actions of their relatives are very carefully woven together to make them the way they are.
In my mostly Italian family on holidays we sit and just talk about how life was like for my family back in in the rural mountains of Italy. One of my family members watched his mother step on a land mine and die when he was very young. He had to support himself and his sister from that day on. My grandmother was born right after her father sent for her mother and siblings to come to america. My great-great grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee indian. My step  grandfather is related to Andrew Jackson by marriage. I am supposedly Spanish and German royalty. All of these things have made me who am now.
I think that the most a person could gain from watching these movies is  the ambition to know about themselves and to become more connected with the cultures that their family possesses.



"Be true to who you are and the family name you bear"  -Gordon B. Hinckley

The Vanderbilt house

I have been to the Vandebilt's marble house in Newport Rhode Island. This area was the epicenter of old money. Many many stars and rich people had there vacation homes there and a bus tour of Newport is the stuff of legend. At first I was very unhappy to go out there from Providence because our friends from Tennessee had made the journey up here to have fun with us and our parents had forcibly separated us for the day. The house spanned tens of thousands of square feet and it took us almost three hours to finish the audio tour through the house. We herd all everything about the family from the money to the number of clothing changes the children went through every day (which, by the way, was somewhere around 10). The reported coast is the project was 11 million.