Media

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What Makes a Good Online Video Ad: How Brands Grab Your Attention
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Three Mind-Blowing Indie Film Festivals That Show Actual Good Movies
Public Libraries Remain Essential Despite Defunding and Privatization
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How Worker-Owned News Outlets Are Changing the Media Industry
How Some Independent Radio Stations Avoid Sounding Like Corporate Drones
How One Podcast Provides a Platform for Those Putting the Planet and People Over Profit
How Current Affairs Podcasts are Filling the Cracks in Mainstream News Reporting
How Academics Are Pushing Back on the For-Profit Academic Publishing Industry
Community Support Helps the Orca Book Cooperative Stay Afloat
The Observatory: Finally, an Information Resource for Our Times
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Guide to Advertising, Marketing, and Consumer Culture

Reynard Loki, The Observatory

Advertising, marketing, and branding shape far more than what we buy. They influence what captures our attention, how we evaluate products and ideas, and even how we understand ourselves and the world around us. From the psychology of persuasion to the ethics of corporate messaging, these forces are woven into nearly every aspect of modern life.

This guide explores how advertising and marketing work, why certain messages resonate, how brands build trust—or exploit it—and how consumers can better recognize the techniques used to influence their decisions. Along the way, it examines the commercialization of culture, the power of labels and narratives, and the societal consequences of persuasive communication.

Whether you're interested in media, psychology, business, ethics, or simply becoming a more informed consumer, these articles offer a deeper understanding of the systems that shape contemporary consumer culture.
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Isabelle Métivier
Isabelle Métivier specializes in nonprofit communications and strategic initiatives.
Carrie P. Freeman
Carrie P. Freeman, PhD, is a professor of communication at Georgia State University and is a co-founder of Animals and Media.
Debra Merskin
Debra Merskin, PhD, is a professor of media studies in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon and is a co-founder of Animals and Media.
Gena Wolfrath
Gena Wolfrath is a content strategist and writer.
Isaias Hernandez
Isias Hernandez aims to improve environmental literacy through content creation, storytelling, and public engagement.
Ed Simon
Ed Simon is the Public Humanities Special Faculty at Carnegie Mellon University and editor-in-chief of Belt Magazine.
Robin Scher
Robin Scher is a freelance writer and journalist based in South Africa.
Hunter Dukes
Hunter Dukes is the managing editor of the Public Domain Review and Cabinet Magazine.
Peter Coyote
Emmy Award-winning narrator of over 200 documentaries and audio books.
Ray Davis
Ray Davis is an essayist and publisher.
Mary Mazzoni
Mary Mazzoni is the senior editor of TriplePundit and director of TriplePundit’s Brand Studio.
Birgitta Vaivai-Soderberg
Birgitta Vaivai-Soderberg is a writer and editor.
Henry Giardina
Henry Giardina is a writer and critic whose work explores literature, film, culture, and intellectual history.
Damon Orion
Damon Orion is a writer, journalist, musician, artist, and teacher in Santa Cruz, California. His work has appeared in Revolver, Guitar World, Spirituality + Health, Classic Rock, and other publications. Read more of his work at DamonOrion.com.
Chloe Bruce
Chloe Bruce is a nonprofit communications specialist and project manager focused on humanitarian issues, global development, and public communication.
Aric Sleeper
Aric Sleeper is an independent journalist whose work covers topics including labor, housing, food, and more.
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