BYU Ads

After leaving class one day, I was thinking about how there are ads all over the place. As I was walking through campus I started to notice things: banners hanging advertising upcoming events, fliers on the walls for activities, promotions, papers in the bathroom asking people to buy apartment contracts, etc. Even here at BYU, ads are everywhere! Have you noticed all of them too?

Letter Writing Assignment

As an assignment for my media class, we were encouraged to write a persuasive letter to someone related to the media industry about something we are passionate about. I decided to write to Carl's Jr. about their overly sexual and disgusting commercials. Here is my letter:

Carl’s Jr. Representative,           

My name is Nicole Prentice and I am a senior at Brigham Young University majoring in Family Life with a Human Development emphasis. Several of my classes have encouraged me to be more aware of the media that I listen to, view, or experience in some other way. I will be graduating in December and feel that as a more educated consumer of the media, I need to be more critical of what I see and take a stand when I feel that it is necessary.

I do enjoy eating out at fast food restaurants on occasion. I am one of those people who like to try new menu items at least once to see how they are and if they were a good addition or not. I look to commercials to find out about the new items, but recently I have been very disappointed with the commercials from your company.

I know that sex sells, but each time I see one of your commercials that sexualizes women (or men), it sickens me and instead of encouraging me to try the new menu item, it causes me to think of your company as demeaning to women. The most recent commercial that I can think of that fits this description is the commercial with the two scantily-clad women grilling who put pulled pork on a hamburger. Honestly, the sandwich does sound good to me, but the commercial is so degrading and disgusting that I refuse to buy the meal because I do not want to support such advertising.

I have noticed in the past that many of your commercials have been similar to this, and so I honestly cannot remember the last time I chose to support your company and eat at one of your establishments. I have even encouraged my friends and family members to avoid eating at your restaurants because of your advertisements. I find this to be sad because I do enjoy the food that you serve, but I cannot with good conscience give money to a company who so disturbingly degrades and sexualizes women. I have compared your advertisements to those of other leading fast food chains, and while most do have some sexualization of women, none compare to yours in how graphic it is and in how much it repulses me.

Social learning theory tells us that everyone, and especially children, learn from what they view in the environment and they try to change their lives to fit in with what they perceive to be the accepted way of life. So many young girls watch television and instead of seeing positive portrayals of women that teach them to get an education and stand up for themselves, they often see sexualized portrayals that convince them that in order to be liked or be successful, they need to wear provocative clothing and chase after the men who are attracted to such distasteful behavior and clothing.

As a daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister, and expecting mother, I am very disturbed to see that the commercials you choose to air do not focus on the food, but instead often perpetuate the portrayal of women as objects of desire. I am writing to ask you to please clean up the advertisements that you use so that you are not helping to expand the stereotypes that young girls often believe and live up to. I know that I would be much more likely to buy your food and recommend your food to my family and friends if you chose to have positive portrayals of men and women in your ads.

Instead of only focusing on the men who buy your food, think of all of the men, women, and young children who are viewing these ads and whose ideas about women are altered by watching them. I know that you could tap into a larger market of family purchasers if you changed your commercials and made them more tasteful. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Nicole Prentice

Saints and Soldiers

Both my husband and I really loved the original Saints and Soldiers movie. I remember seeing it and introducing it to some friends and family and we all loved the characters and cried at the end (but sometimes I really love crying in movies). So when we heard they made another Saints and Soldiers, we were really excited to see it. We are too poor to actually go see it in theaters, but when it went to Redbox we were sure to get it to watch. I have to say that I did enjoy the movie, although not nearly as much as the first one. I am trying to decide if it is just because I had such high expectations for the second one because I loved the first one. Don't get me wrong, it is a very good movie, I just preferred the first one. What do you think?

Thanksgiving Fiascos

Thanksgiving was a really wonderful day, minus one event. Also, thanks to facebook, everyone else got to know all about it. I made four pies and I was going to bake them at the church building my sister reserved for our dinner. I preheated the oven, and then I opened it to put the pie in. When I opened it, I noticed that whoever had used the oven previously had spilled some of the food, and it was burning and caused the fire alarm to go off. So we had to call and talk to the fire department and they showed up to turn the alarm off. First just a red truck showed up, but then a real fire truck showed up, followed by a police man, and finally a member of the stake presidency. They all needed to see what was going on and if we were safe (obviously we were). However, my brother-in-law has a smart phone and took a picture of the fire truck and posted it to facebook right away, announcing that everything was my fault. My sister sent the picture to my mom and then called to tell her the story. It is crazy how fast and easy it is to tell stories like this now!

More Funny Videos

I truly love watching humorous videos :) One of the benefits of youtube is that every once in a while I am introduced to new funny videos. I thought I would share some of them here for those of you who could use some amusement. Enjoy!

These videos are, "Don't Be That Guy..." Here I posted that guy at the gym and that sneezer, but I also recommend that awkward runner, that guy at the movies, guy in the elevator, guy at the pool, and that guy on the phone.

This video is not funny, but I saw it on Ellen today and it made me wish I did more to help those who are in need. Someday if I ever have a lot of money I want to do things like this to help others.

Black Friday

Black Friday has become huge in our culture. So huge, in fact, that it is now becoming Black Thursday as well! Advertising is now taking over Thanksgiving day and making more employees work so that each child can have exactly what they want for Christmas. I think it is pretty sad how huge this has all gotten. Instead of Thanksgiving being a day to express how grateful we all are, people will be spending the day in lines and in stores thinking about gifts for others and for themselves. I am one of those people who has gone shopping midnight on Thanksgiving in order to get the good deals, but this year I really only want baby stuff, and if you look through ads they are really lacking useful baby stuff. I may or may not go shopping this weekend, but I will not be one of the people who are camping out. Truly, people are currently (and have been for a few days) camping outside of Best Buy. Instead of spending a nice Thanksgiving meal with their family and thinking of all of their blessings, they will be thinking of what they can get more of.

Petersen Baby Shower

I know I am behind with my belly pictures, but maybe I'll remember to have Marc take some pictures when he gets off work tonight. Anyway, Saturday was my baby shower with the Petersen side. It was really great and I am so thankful for everyone who was able to come and support me and my little family. I love you all! Also sorry that these pictures are strangely out of order. I'm not really sure why that happened.

Taelyn and Brianna's head :)

Tausha and her sweet little boy. He is getting so big!

Opening gifts. Thanks to Bri for helping consolidate them while I opened them :)

You can't tell but I am still skyping with my mom and two other sisters during gifts. Just in case you wondered :)

The balloons were a big hit with the little kids :) It was fun to watch them playing and having fun

Thanks again to everyone who came! And a special thanks to Julie for taking pictures :) It was a great day!

Veterans Day YouTube

I don't usually expect daytime talk shows to make me think or cause me to get emotional, but today while watching The View they played a wonderful video for Veterans Day. It moved me to tears and reminded me how wonderful the media and videos can be. I encourage everyone to watch this video and then take the time to thank those they know that are veterans. I would like to thank both of my grandfathers, and my brother-in-law Jason. There are probably more people in my family who served but I'm pregnant and my brain can't think right now :) So I want everyone to know that I am grateful for their service!

Radio Christmas Music

Let me preface by saying that I love Christmas and Christmas music. Around the holidays, I listen to it and sing it non-stop. It is super wonderful and really gets me in the Christmas spirit. I live for this music, but I think it is WAY too early to be playing it. One of my favorite radio stations switched to Christmas music 2 DAYS after Halloween. Doesn't that seem wrong to anyone else? I am all for it beginning on the day after Thanksgiving. I think it is silly that the media decides when we should start celebrating holidays. I have decided to just ignore that station until I am ready for Christmas music instead of letting them decide it is time to listen. What do you think?

Week 29

This is a post with tons of pictures and catch up. First, here is my 29 week photo! It was taken at a baby shower that I shared with my cousin Emily. She is also having a girl and is due the beginning of December. The shower was so awesome and I thank everyone who helped get it together.

We carved pumpkins a while ago for Halloween

I put Christmas lights in my pumpkin. It looked really pretty but was very time consuming. Also, Marc's electric drill didn't have a long enough drill bit (I think that is the right word?) so after I drilled part way through, I had to get a plastic stick and poke the rest of the way through each hole. Whew! It took a while.

On Halloween we went to our ward's Trunk or Treat. We dressed up as Charlie Brown and Snoopy :)

The weened of the shower we went up to Logan and spent time with Shayle, James, their boys, and James's brother Jason and wife Casi. We had a little party for Porter's third birthday. Thomas was being silly and kept smiling at the camera. Every time I took a new picture he laughed and laughed.

Porter's gift from my parents.

Porter opening his gift from my grandparents. He was so excited for all of his Jake and the Neverland Pirates gifts. He truly loved them :)

Here he is with the telescope and bandana from my grandparents. He wore that thing all night and wanted to wear it all the next day too. Silly kid :)

Here are some shower pictures! Me and Shay and my Aunt Ronna

Me and my Great Aunt Carol and also my Grandma

Emily and Elizabeth

Ronna, Shayle, and my Aunt Jan

My cousin Stephanie and my Aunt Unhui

My Aunt Becky and by cousins Natalie and Sarah :)

And, just in case you were concerned that my mom wasn't there, here is proof she was! My mom and two other sisters participated via skype and it was fun for them to kinda be there too. They even smiled for the picture :) Haha

Apparently Thomas likes to skype with his grandma.

When I got home, I took Shayle's advice and layed everything out and took pictures so that I could easily see all of the awesome stuff my baby girl got :) She is one spoiled and loved baby!

Thanks to everyone who came and showed us how much you love us :) We really appreciate it and are so very thankful! Love you all