Media Log 4

Confessions of a Consumer

 

(3) The trailer begins with a young girl, later revealed to be the main protagonist of the film, Rebecca Bloomwood, glancing over a window display of a designer shoe store with the narration of the girl’s feelings towards shoes, clothes and the like. Having a fascination with fashion and shopping at a young age, this has carried on into adulthood. The movie then shows a series of events on her adventured and misadventures of a shopaholic.

(1) The message of the trailer was made by Sophia Kinsella, the writer of the Shopaholic series of novels. The trailer was created and paid by Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer of the film adaption of the novel, Confessions of a Shopaholic.

(2) I believe that the film’s trailer targets and caters to shopaholics, specifically females of the middle class and higher who have an interest in fashion/clothes. This is suggested by many things, such as the main character who is a female who embodies this very description.

 (4) I believe that the underlying message of this trailer and the movie itself, depicts todays consumerist culture and tackles it through the story of Rebecca Bloomwood, a shopping addict.           (5) As stated above, this film adaption embodies the consumer lifestyle where in one indulges in the purchasing of material goods to the point of possible addiction.

(6) The trailer utilizes the logical fallacy of testimonials in the form of famous designers and designer brands, such as Gucci, and Valentino amongst many others. It also utilizes the emotional aspect of the rhetorical appeal of pathos by making you empathize with the main protagonist.

(7) Though the trailer initially emphasizes on the negative aspect of the protagonist’s heavy consumerist lifestyle, it slowly transitions into the more positive side of consumerism such as saving and charity. This is seen in the latter half of the film/trailer when the protagonist joins a “Saving Magazine”.

(8) When thinking about which group of people are empowered through this message, you would initially believe that the main benefactor would be those who save and spend their money wisely. Though this is true, I also believe that this actually empowers ‘shopaholics’ as well by giving them a sense of hope for possible change. (9) The message is incomplete due to the fact that the sample media I reviewed was just a trailer. For more information, it would be better to view the actual movie, or better yet, read the series of novels.

(10) Though the initial intention of the film-adaptation’s trailer is to convince viewers to watch the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic, after further analysis from a “media literate” consumer’s point of view, I was able to delve into a deeper understanding and from here; I was able to appreciate the message of the movie more. There is more to life than material possessions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYYCSEV-i1Y