Media+Hoaxes+and+Pranks

In continuing research for my propaganda project, I thought writing another précis and providing an annotated bibliography of web sources were my best options to help further develop my project.

Christine Harold’s article, //Pranking rhetoric: “Culture jamming” as media activism// (2004), discusses the phenomenon of culture jamming. Harold starts by discussing the 2003 Adbusters campaign named Blackspot. The Blackspot campaign is one of the many examples Harold uses to talk about culture jamming. The purpose of the campaign was to challenge the advertising methods of big brand name corporations. Next Christine Harold goes on to talk about “the prankster” and why its tactics may be more effective than Adbusters approach. Harold also discusses three case studies that use mainstream efforts to take over media forms.

In the section, //Intensifying media forms: A theory of culture jamming,// Harold brings up media hoaxer Joey Skaggs. Harold focuses on one prank Skaggs’ did that involved advertisements for a fake dog brothel for dogs. Although, the thought of a dog brothel sounds ridiculous, it gained a lot of media attention. Skaggs even had charges brought up against him that were dropped once he revealed it was just a hoax. In the section, //Pranking as rhetorical appropriation,// Christine Harold, talks about three other media pranks. The first was the gender role changes made to Barbie dolls and G.I. Joe action figures by the Barbie Liberation Organization//.// This organization switched voice-chips within the two toys and returned them to stores to be sold during Christmastime. Their reasoning behind this prank was to bring awareness to gender based stereotyping. The second prank discussed was the Biotic Baking Brigade//.// This group ambushes powerful leaders like Bill Gates and throws pie in their face, during a formal event (public-speech). The Biotic Baking Brigade throws pie in powerful leaders faces because it plays with the image of power and the media’s need to cover anything no matter how absurd. Last is on Harold’s prank case studies is the American Legacy Foundation’s INFKT Truth campaign, an interesting case since it was a public service campaign. Rather than simply telling teens not to smoke, the Truth campaign allowed teens the opportunity to be involved in the campaigns advertising.

Harold, C. (2004). Pranking rhetoric: “Culture jamming” as media activism. //Critical Studies in Media Communication 21//(3), 189-211.

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This is resourceful for the propaganda project on media hoaxes and pranks because it gives in depth background information on various types of hoaxes and pranks that have been successful.

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This site will be helpful with the propaganda project because it provides case studies for different types of hoaxes from journalists to disaster. Gives key factors and red flags to spot a hoax.

Good work here! The Hoax Project is an amazing resource. I like how it offers specific strategies for detecting hoaxes, too. I wonder if there's a way you can apply some of the concepts from that website to a current example of a hoax that has occurred in the past year or two. Were there any hoaxes involving the BP oil spill, I wonder? I am really pleased that you've discovered Joey Skaggs. Have you found out anything about the YES MEN? I think it's fascinating to position these types of hoaxes as "anti-propaganda" because of the way they attempt to "pull back the curtain" how how the news is constructed. But Skaggs questions whether this type of action is effective (or not). How can people distinguish between "good" hoaxes and "bad" hoaxes? Your own views on this topic will be important to share.

GRADE: A   