A Reflection on the Citizens’ Attitudes to the Political Situation (and Their Creative Renditions)

Lukasz P. Wojciechowski — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:33:42 +0000

ABSTRACT:
The primary aim of the article is to identify the degree of creativity in the expressive means employed by citizens showing their attitudes to the current political situation. Other aims of the text include the identification of rhetorical, linguistic and stylistic resources and explicit and implicit inspirations related to art present in the recorded messages. The authors address three research questions arising from the above-mentioned aims. The research material consists of photographs of 203 different messages in the form of banners, scale models, models, ready-made, objet trouvé, performances and other textual and/or visual representations displayed during the protest held on 16th March 2018 on the SNP Square in Bratislava, which was held after the brutal murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová. The authors use a modified method of content and image analysis and product creativity evaluation. The data is analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively, i.e. via triangulation approach. In the concluding part of the study, the authors discuss the available options in connection with the use of banners and other messages as a means of self-expression and manifestation of commitment, political activism and civic engagement. The most creative messages have the greatest potential to be multiplied through social networks and thus transmit the intended message in a more efficient way.

KEY WORDS:
artistic expressive means, banners, civic engagement, communication, creativity, expressive means, language

05. FICHNOVA et al. – CT 1-2019 Download

Ambient Marketing Practices in the United States: A Professional View

Lukasz P. Wojciechowski — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 19:41:33 +0000

ABSTRACT:
Although ambient communication has been of particular interest to both marketers and advertising agencies over the last several years, there is a paucity of academic research concerning ambient media usage. Academic research is limited to traditional outdoor advertising, specifically investigating billboards and outdoor and point-in-time examples of ambient success. This present study investigates the use of ambient marketing strategies by professionals in the various fields that make up marketing communication in order to fill a void in the existing literature. Overall, this study provides clarity regarding how marketing and public relations professionals (i.e. professional communicators) consider ambient media practices as a strategy for overall communication efforts. This qualitative study investigated the attitudes and feelings of marketing and public relations professionals regarding the use of ambient marketing practices. Findings stem from 39 in-depth interviews with communication professionals in the New England region of the United States. Analysis reveals a detailed picture showing that professional communicators are not completely knowledgeable about the term “ambient” but are generally knowledgeable about non-traditional types of marketing techniques. We found that the degree of attitudes, knowledge and use varied between specific disciplines within the professional communication field, and as well as between the age levels of participants. This study may form the basis for survey-based studies investigating the specific variables inherent in ambient media usage.

KEY WORDS:
ambient marketing, traditional advertising, guerrilla marketing, out-of-home advertising, Public Relations, marketing trends

05_Shelton_Wojciechowski_Warner_CT-1-2016 Download

Lukasz P. Wojciechowski – Communication Today

A Reflection on the Citizens’ Attitudes to the Political Situation (and Their Creative Renditions)

Ambient Marketing Practices in the United States: A Professional View