For my
Anthropology class my sophomore year of college, we
had to make one last final project to end the
class. It had to be a brochure, a poster, an ad, a
commercial, or something similar. The main point
was to make people aware of anthropology by some
sort of media.
I have
always loved these projects. I always have because
I understand that teachers' jobs are sometimes
pretty monotonous. With papers and projects, they
seem to get the standard responses year in and year
out. What I try to do is to break that monotony by
giving them something unique. I love making
projects and papers that give a new view or a new
concept to what we are being asked to do.
So for this
project, I decided to mix anthropology with what I
know best.
Professional
Wrestling.
My
instructor liked my video enough to ask me if it can
be used as an example for others to see. This is
high praise for me, and one of the best compliments
I can think to receive. If you are reading, I am
glad you approved of it.
The video is
above. Below is the one page summary I also had to
write to help explain my project. Enjoy.
This project
indeed made me think a little. I wanted to make
some sort of video, and when I saw that I could
create a short commercial for anthropology, I jumped
at the chance. My friends and I have been making
videos for the website (www.psychonoble.com)
for years, so I figured I’d be able to come up with
something.
Ideas did not come as easily as
hoped. So, I made this.
Mr. Wrestling II is the symbol I used, as is
professional wrestling. These symbols are fairly
universal in North America. The masked wrestler is
rather cliché, but everyone has seen one. Not only
in the United States where
Rey Mysterio is a huge star, but in Canada where
wrestling is well known, and Mexico where masked
wrestlers first came from. Mr. Wrestling II helps
bring in the older crowd who watched when they were
kids and remember him, and
The Crusher, and
Verne Gagne, and
The Assassin.
The fact that I had the Mr.
Wrestling II mask comes to mind as well.
While a lot of wrestling fans
are actually quite intelligent and know what
anthropology is (I’d like to think I’m in this
group), the majority are not that smart. This
commercial puts anthropology into terms that they
would understand. In fact, I’d like to think that
most people could understand what anthropology is
based on how universal professional wrestling is,
and that is how it is explained.
So, the main demographic that
this commercial tries to target is wrestling fans of
all ages. However, again, due to the universal
nature of wrestling, it can target just about
anyone. While they may not find it interesting,
they would at least sort of understand the message.
Obviously, the main message
presented here is a very quick and brief summary of
anthropology. Examples of each type are given.
However, I also tried to leave the ad open-ended.
At the end, with the “Anthropology is everywhere”
thing, I wanted the person watching to think about
how it indeed IS everywhere. Maybe even do an
internet search on the subject. Something. I’d
like to think I accomplished that goal.
I can see this commercial as
the start of a campaign for anthropology awareness.
In fact, that’s kind of how I imagined this. The
Mr. Wrestling II commercial would be the first one
to air on all the different TV stations. The next
one would be made in a similar manner. For
instance, the next ad could be Patrick Stewart
talking about acting (I choose Mr. Stewart because I
could have made that commercial with a guy I know
who looks like him). Someone from CSI could also do
one. The possibilities are endless for this kind of
commercial. Just keep the format the same, with the
whole look and feel of an interview, and the opening
and closing parts.
StretPharmacist is
a lot like the Undertaker: A gimmick that should
have never gotten over, but was taken to
unbelievable heights. Also, he is constantly
injured.
