Blog 3 - Culture Jams

A Greater Happier Toronto

Graffiti, pies in the face, and bubbles on billboards, are a few examples of what is known as a culture jam. A culture jam is a ‘movement that seeks to undermine the marketing rhetoric of multinational corporations, specifically through such practices as media hoaxing’ (Harold, 2004). They are groups of people that believe that a message should be sent to the public to make them more aware of issues within society. One interesting aspect to these groups is that their pranks are often done without the use of corporate media to spread their message. This makes their pranks both intriguing and interesting to analyze how powerful people can be without the use of major media.

Culture Jams seem like a phenomenon only heard of in places like the UK or LA. Who would have thought that there was one right here in Toronto? There is a group known as Improv in Toronto which is a ‘free, non-profit, public, urban, event-running, group’(Improv in Toronto, n.d). They bring together people from all over the world to participate in activities out of the norm. Each one of their missions is fun and engaging with the intention of changing up the average person’s routine day. Toronto is a busy city with people doing the same thing say in and day out. Bringing notice to the people living in a predictable life may help them to stop being so routine, and engage in a more exciting, happier life. They pride themselves on long lasting events that build friendships, as well as awareness to the GTA. Each one of these missions involves the group performing with, or for, the public in order to bring awareness to Torontonians.

Some examples of pranks, which they call ‘missions’, they have held are The No Pants Subway Ride, Free Hugs, A Real Life Game of Clue, and the Eaton Centre Freeze.
Improv in Toronto does these missions to bring awareness to the routine aspect of many workers, and gives them an outlet to do something different in their day. An example is their ‘Eaton Centre Freeze’ which is a re-creation of the ‘Grand Central Freeze’ in which actors are spread out among the mall and at a certain moment freeze in position (Improv in Toronto, n.d). This causes the public to be confused, entertained, or just curious as to what is happening. It created an event in someone’s life that made that day different then their usual routine and might have even put a smile on their face.

The missions Improv in Toronto do are similar to the pranks ‘Pranking Tabacco’ that Harold talks about. In Pranking Tabacco, one method used was putting unfilled bubbles on advertisements for the public to fill in the message being said (Harold, 2004). For Improv in Toronto, they use people who volunteer as ‘agents’ to take part in the events to promote the general public to engage in the event they are doing. These two groups are similar because in both methods the groups try to target the public as a whole, by using the public to spread the message. Both techniques do not involve any form of mass media to produce their meaning.





Although many people may not realize the intention of Improv in Toronto pranks, they have the capability to be more successful than one may think. These missions do not have a clear message shouted every time, or any signs to read. The message is taken in through the emotions of the public. Your average working person may not realize that getting a free hug made them smile, cheered them up, or just changed up their daily routine. I believe that it is a very positive way to shed some light on a sad issue. As Christine Harold explains typically, ‘Pranksters shine light on an issue without giving an alternative solution’ (Harold, 2004). It is great to make something noticeable, but not having a solution to the mistake one pointed out seems unproductive and negative. Improv in Toronto breaks away from this common trend by fixing the solution. Instead of just stating that the working class is too routine, they use missions to ‘shake up’ people’s day and ultimately try to fix the problem that they are pointing out. This leads to a successful social experiment which a positive spin on society.


One weakness that Improv Toronto may have is that their motives and intentions aren’t always very clear. By not stating the point behind their missions, many people in the public may just find their methods annoying, frustrating and immature. It leads to the opposite reaction they are trying to create by making people feel unenthusiastic. It may just seem like a public demonstration happening just to get into people faces. If Improv Toronto showed the intentions behind their actions, more people may be inclined to participate. This is because people who have a routine lifestyle rarely take the time to step back and evaluate themselves to realize the circle they are in. If someone made it clear that they live in a bubble, they would be more likely to embrace the process of changing in order to not be so predictable.


The implications of a group such as Improv in Toronto to the media is that they send out the message that media production groups are not the only people capable of spreading a message. Using the general public, the missions create a movement that corporate media can report on, but cannot recreate. It shows that people are listening to something other than the media. Improv in Toronto also gets in touch with people face to face in public which helps to channel their message directly and clearly. Another way Improv in Toronto advertises for themselves without major forms of media is through Youtube. By posting their missions, the public has access to watching how these events unfold and impact the general public. There is no need for news stations to report on the events when they have their own mode for getting the videos out to the public.


Improv Toronto send a positive message out through each one of their missions which is to have fun and not always take part in a routine life. By doing something different once in awhile one is able to connect with others and ultimately make themselves happier. The links below are of various missions Improv for Toronto has done in the GTA:


Eaton Centre Freeze: http://improvintoronto.com/2008/11/18/eaton-centre-freeze/


Free Hugs: http://improvintoronto.com/2010/10/09/free-hugs-2010-2/


No Pants Subway Party: http://improvintoronto.com/2011/01/24/no-pants-subway-ride-2011-2/


Works Cited:


Harold, C. (2004). Pranking Rhetoric: “Culture Jamming” as Media Activism. Critical Studies in Media Communication. Vol. 21, No. 3. Retrieved from URL: http://www.asc.upenn.edu/courses/comm330/Vault/Comm330-Sp08/Harold.pdf


Improv In Toronto. (n.d). About. Retrieved from URL: http://improvintoronto.com/about-it/

Marilyn Monroe - Setting the Standard of Beauty

Supreet, S. (2009). [Picture]. Retrieved from http://www.topnews.in/people/marilyn-monroe


Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was born June 1, 1926th in Los Angeles, California (A&E Networks, n.d). Marilyn spent most of her time in foster homes growing up due to her only care taker, her mother, having severe mental illness (A&E Networks, n.d). In order to get out of the foster care system she married young to, Jimmy Doughtery (A&E Networks, n.d). Over time she became a model, an actress, a singer, and a sex symbol. Marilyn died on August 6th, 1962 due to an overdose of sleeping pills (A&E Networks, n.d). Her death at such a young age shocked many, but her short time in the world had a large impact on society.


The thing that made Marilyn Monroe so special was that she was an original celebrity for her time. She was one of the first women to publicize herself in a sexual way, while still being accepted to a large portion of society. In the early 1900’s, showing a woman’s curves off was seen as taboo, but Marilyn Monroe was capable of making woman accept their bodies and made being curvy a sexy quality. This enabled woman around the world to feel a connection with Marilyn since she was a true example of the average American woman. This connection that people felt is known as a para-social relationship. A para-social relationship is when a person feels emotional attachment with figures they only know through their representations in the media. (Turner, 2004). Marilyn soon became the new ‘sex symbol’ of North America. Becoming the new sex symbol meant that Marilyn had created an identity for herself. She played a primary role in the process through which individual subjects, communities, and nations construct their social identity (Turner, 2004). Marilyn Monroe affected individuals by allowing them to feel as though they were beautiful by making it to the covers of magazine and becoming a spokes model. This allowed woman to construct their own social identity by allowing Marilyn to make it okay to be curvaceous. She also affected the nation as a whole by becoming a representation of what Western society thought as beautiful. This defined American culture for years to come.

n.a. (2008). [Picture]. Retrieved from http://www.weblo.com/asset_image/491885/144106/Marilyn_Monroe/

Since Marilyn Monroe was the one who opened the door to woman accepting themselves, and creating a new version of beauty, it is understandable as to why her death had such an impact on the public. As Turner explains, “Global mourning had a lot to do with our expectations as consumers, depending on the reliable provision of our favorite commodity; we fully expected that such a figure would continue to be available to play the part we allocated them in our lives” (Turner, 2004). This relates to Marilyn since she played the part of the person who allowed woman to express themselves in an innovative way, and defined a new form of beauty. She was ultimately was a leader to the younger generation of woman. When Marilyn Monroe died, she was no longer available to play the part that so many people looked up to her for. She would no longer be able to push the boundaries of sexuality that was slowly bringing freedom to woman in America. For this reason, many mourned at the idea that their idol was no longer present to make an impact in the world by speaking on behalf of woman.


Although her death was tragic, Marilyn Monroe acted as a voice for the average American woman to be able to feel good with curves and be allowed to show her body off. Her death emphasized the connection she had between herself and the average woman through the emotional upset that was shown in society. By creating the identity of a sex symbol, American woman looked to her as the person who would set the new standards of beauty for years to come. Her death was seen as the end of the progression woman had made to having the freedom to embrace and show off their body since she was no longer around to push boundaries. Fortunately, since her death she is still considered a motivation to society as a woman of beauty, and acts as an inspiration to embrace oneself.

n.a. (2009). [Picture] Retrieved from http://gossip.whyfame.com/michelle-williams-to-play-marilyn-monroe-in-my-week-with-marilyn-drama-1913

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Wikipedia Entry

Marilyn Monroe is a beautiful and interesting celebrity from the past that I was interested on learning more about. When I originally looked at her Wikipedia cite, I noticed that there was no information about her funeral. It talked about the way she died and then her autopsy. I think it is important to also include the way someone’s life is celebrated, not just the heartbreaking aspect of the death. The new information I added to the website was:

DiMaggio took control of the funeral arrangements which consisted of only 31 close family and friends. Police were also present to keep the press away. Lee Strasberg would deliver Marilyn Monroe's eulogy. Her casket was solid bronze and was lined with champagne colored silk. Allan “Whitey” Snyder did her make-up which was supposedly a promise made in earlier years if she were to die before him. She was wearing her favorite green Emilio Pucci dress. In her hands was a small bouquet of pink teacup roses. For the next 20 years, red roses were placed in a vase attached to the crypt, courtesy of Joe DiMaggio.

Using the Wikipedia site was fairly simple; the only challenge was making sure I did proper citing of my source. Making sure I did proper citations is important since Wikipedia checks the sources that the information is coming from to have accurate information posted on their website. The implications this edit may have to Wikipedia will be minor, but it may allow the editors at Wikipedia to see that they missed including an important section in Marilyn Monroe’s page. Making sure the funeral information is there is a respectful way to allow for other’s to gain information on the way a historical woman was honored. In terms of the general construction of knowledge to the public, this information was important to add because these details add to who Marilyn Monroe is. Things such as the silk in her casket and the dress she was wearing help to paint the picture of the classy and fashionable woman that she was.

Turner, G. (2004). Understanding Celebrity. London: Sage.

A & E Televsion Networks. (n.d). Marilyn Monroe Biography. Retrieved February 23rd from URL: http://www.biography.com/articles/Marilyn-Monroe-9412123?part=1

A Reality Star Really Worth Watching

LC, better liked to be known as Lauren Conrad, is an actress, an author and a fashion designer all in one. How is it that someone who was only a reality TV star, could blossom into two of the most desired jobs in the world? Some of the world’s most hard working and innovative minds never received the ease into the publishing and designing industry that Lauren Conrad did. She is a true example of a contemporary fabricated celebrity. The reason for this is due in part to her celebrity status being a more recent phenomenon. Lauren’s stardom began in her senior year of high school when MTV approached her and her friends to be a part of a ‘documentary’ known as Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (Lauren, 2010). Little did the cast know that it would become a popular reality show, competing with shows such as the O.C.. Due to the public’s love for Laguna Beach, MTV chose to do a spin-off of the show based on Lauren Conrad embarking on an internship at Teen Vogue (People, 2011) which depicts the hardship of the publishing world and the struggle to keep a job.

Lauren Conrad Book, Sugar and Spice. (2010).[Photograph].Retrieved from http://www.laurenconrad.com/connect/news/october-book-tour.html

In Lauren’s case, Turner would examine her manufactured celebrity as arbitrary (Turner, 2004). This means that Lauren is merely an object of desire due to luck and has no real skill or reason to be famous. This exemplifies that Lauren Conrad’s fame is merely constructed around good looks and the ability to make people want to see what she is doing on a daily basis through having a personality people want to engage with or be like. As Turner also explains, the only way celebrity is reached is through a good balance between the commercial industry and public will (Turner, 2004). This means that ‘no amount of publicity can generate public interest, and that the public can reveal a mind of its own’ (Turner, 2004). It can then be said that the public leads the commercial industry to who they should be promoting, and the commercial industry sparks people’s interest in hopes that they like what is being promoted. Therefore, public will has the strongest influence on what or who becomes a successful and prominent commodity. In Lauren Conrad’s case, the public liked her enough to continue watching another show she was on, and continue to follow her daily life.


Lauren Conrad is arguably one of the few celebrities that has taken their fame and used it in a positive manner. Having access to, and being such a part of the publishing and media world gave her the tools to further her career not in the film industry, but to enhance her own learning and skills. Rather than using her fame to sell herself as a commodity (ahmm.. Heidi Montag), Lauren took all of the experience and exposure she had to create a real life for herself through creating a fashion line. This job puts her into the limelight but now it is for a skill, rather than for an arbitrary reason that her initial fame was based on. Turner describes this as ‘deserved’ fame; someone who has a skill that not everyone can have, and is therefore admired (Turner, 2004).

Lauren Conrad Book, Style. (2010). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.laurenconrad.com/connect/news/october-book-tour.html

The outcome of the celebrity of someone like Lauren Conrad can be related to both the celebrity world and society itself. Lauren Conrad becoming a successful business women impacts celebrity by breaking the stereotype of being famous. Many believe that a reality star is only capable of producing things in the world directly related to the show they came from. Lauren left the reality TV life to have a real job that is not linked to Laguna Beach, or The Hills. Although reality TV gave her what she needed to form the job she has, she is no longer related to the people or personality that she once had. Stepping away from the typical celebrity lifestyle contradicts Turner’s belief about reality TV stars and their dependency on the show they came from. As Turner explains ‘they are especially dependent upon the programme that made them visible in the first place, they have no other valid platform from which to address their audience’ (Turner, 2004). Lauren becomes a role model for other celebrities by showing that it is possible to break away from what gave you your initial fame and still stay successful and in the public eye. Finding the ability to not get caught up in the fantasy of fame that lasts a short amount of time will allow a celebrity to examine what other parts of the media industry they could be a part of and have a longer lasting career.


Lauren Conrad also has the ability to impact society in an inspirational way. The profession of being an author or a designer seems to be at times, an impossible dream to those in the field. It is highly competitive and only the best of the best succeed. Being such an average girl, Lauren proves that anyone can do what they want if they just put their minds to it. She shows how important it is to get to know the right people and to never give up. Her success in the fields are also a good example of a celebrity using their fame for good, rather than just trying to soak up the limelight or make profit off of a name. Lauren no longer treats herself as a commodity due to her looks or personality, she now sells work that she produces and has skills that can truly be admired. Another way that she may inspire society is by proving to everyone that you can be successful at such a young age. Being only 24 years old, Lauren Conrad has achieved so much through being on TV, writing books, and being a successful fashion designer. This may act as a good motivation for younger people to aspire to achieve as much as they can.

Works Cited

Official Lauren Conrad Site. (2010). About Lauren. Retrieved January 24th from http://www.laurenconrad.com/about.html

People. (2011). Lauren Conrad Biography. Retrieved January 24th from http://www.people.com/people/lauren_conrad/biography

Turner, G. (2004). Understanding Celebrity. London: Sage.

Student Number: 0948184