3rd period the savvy consumer (1)

By: Grace Gilbaugh, Cassidy Sundine, Morgan Kazmierczak, Kate Netolicky, and Aubrey Dallner

Table of contents Changes in Consumerism and Leisure…

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The Marvel of Movies and Radio…

The Jazz Singer Advertisement...

Radio and Movies: A Sea of Opportunities…

The Jazz Singer: The World’s First Talkie …

Are new advertising tactics good for America, or a way to brainwash Americans into buying things they don’t need?...

Mass Production: Our Way of Life…

Warner’s Washers Advertisement…

Credit Where It’s Due… Business’s Little Darling…

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Changes in Consumerism and Leisure Group Editorial

By Grace Gilbaugh, Kate Netolicky, Morgan Kazmierczak, Aubrey Dallner, Cassidy Sundinen March 30, 1928 Changes in Consumerism and Leisure

producer, made the consumer happier. The

in America are increasing every day and

advertisements were made to be relatable to the

Americans are finding new ways to spend their

consumers. Advertisements were also being

leisure time. Radios and movies have created a

advertised everywhere.

whole new culture that is being developed.

The increase in consumerism has been

Advertisements are encouraging people to buy and

caused, partially, by the mass production of high

help build the economy. People are buying these

demand products. The price cuts on products, once

things using credit. Mass production is creating

labeled ‘luxury items’, have allowed lower class

more products. Consumerism is good for the

citizens to buy products only the rich could afford a

American economy.

decade ago. People are enjoying the increased

Americans are spending their leisure time listening to radio broadcasts and watching motion pictures. People can go to motion pictures and see

availability of new products on the market and the ease of purchasing whenever they please.

Credit is giving Americans more spending

movie stars act. Americans can spend their leisure

opportunities and changing the range of things they

time with friends and family listening to

can afford. People can buy and afford new luxuries

broadcastings together. Friends and family can bond

that they haven’t before. Credit is an easy-to-use

over stories from broadcastings and motion pictures.

system that allows for the purchase of new things

Advertisements are encouraging more spending in America. Advertisements have showcased new inventions and producers. The product being advertised by the

without paying out-of-pocket. This system led to an increase in consumerism in America.

America is changing due to these factors.

Americans are consuming more, and their leisure time is being spent doing more enjoyable things.

Business is profiting and the country is changing for the better.

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The Marvel of Movies and Radio Are Movies and Radio Good for Americans, or will they turn them into Mindless Zombies?

By Jeanne Kleeman (Kate Netolicky) July 7th, 1928

Our era is an era of new inventions. Radios are being made cheaper and more widespread. You can listen to almost anything you desire on the radio from music and news to dramas and comedies. Films are now being made with sound. These talkies draw in millions of adoring fans and a whole new screen culture. In 1920 we Americans consumed about 57 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, but by today, in the year

Betty, my fifteen year old daughter, has been greatly affected by radio and movies. Through these movies she is taught about stereotypes and the ideal look of a woman. All the romance movies nowadays show gorgeous, thin women with no brain getting the perfect guy. In reality you just need to be you and it doesn’t matter how you look. Betty also wants more then ever to be a movie star, but what she doesn’t

1928, we have consumed 118 billion plus

see is the sad lives these stars have. They

kilowatt-hours of energy.

Many people think radio and movies are good for Americans and will expose them to new information and culture, but in reality, it will turn them into lazy, mindless zombies. I, in particular know this to be true. I’m a mother of three children and don’t want my innocent children to grow up in a world like this.

A group of young boys enjoy a radio show 4

The Marvel of Movies and Radio (continued)

have millions of adoring fans, but don’t know which ones actually love them.

There are also many terribly misleading

The gossip nowadays is terrible! Just the other day my friend Ruth Rose was saying how her daughter Hazel was talking about some celebrities

advertisements. Children are so very gullible and

dating life! All this trashy gossip and these tabloids

believe we should buy all these things. However, we

are ruining the privacy of those poor people. Though

actually don’t need all this new trash. The ads are

these stars are also taking the jobs of stage actors,

filled with biases and have no regulation

who now have no jobs.

whatsoever. We’ve bought so many things we don’t

The most important thing to remember is

need. Just the other day there was a cigar ad saying

that the world will always be changing. Who knows

how wonderful cigars are for you and how fun they

what crazy new thing we will have in 20 years. We

make your life. My little Betty asked me if she could

all just need to take a step back and look at our

try a cigar! How scandalous is that?! That is not a

world and what we’re done to it. We have to realize

proper thing for a young lady! Ads these days are

how this will effect the next generation. Our

filling children's heads with nonsense and it must

children can’t grow up in a world like this. We need

stop.

to do something about this.

People gather outside the Warner Theatre for a movie showing

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Radio and Movies: A Sea of Opportunities Will radios and movies give Americans access to new information or make americans lazy, mindless zombies?

By Dorthy Allen (Grace Gilbaugh) June 24th, 1928 Drama, action, music, talk shows, and broadcasts. All of these things are now readily available through radios and motion pictures!

Radios and movies are giving Americans access to new information because they bring Americans closer to each other, give them an opportunity to learn new information, and they are giving lesser social classes a voice.

Movies and radios are bringing Americans closer to each other. Through radio broadcasts and motion pictures, stories and tales are being told.

People all over the United States can hear these stories and information and be able to start conversations. Live sports events are being broadcasted. Fans have the opportunity bond over motion pictures. People now have something in

Radio and movies are giving lesser social classes a voice. Many immigrants who moved here to America with nothing can now speak to the masses through radio and motion pictures. Also, immigrants can be given hope. One immigrant turned movie star is Rugolph Valention or “The Great Lover”. Valentino move to the United States from Italy and pursued acting.

After becoming successful, Valentino shows other immigrants that you can chase your dreams and become more than just an immigrant. Finally, different cultures can express themselves through radio broadcastings. Examples of this would be radio broadcasting only Spanish music. Now, through radio broadcastings and motion pictures, all different cultures and walks of life

common, and regional differences are beginning to fade!

Many Americans now have an opportunity to learn new information through radio broadcastings.

People can now listen to broadcasts and learn about a variety of topics. National news is now being broadcasted all over the United States. It is almost now expected to be broadcasted. No matter what your educational status, you can learn new things no

Rudolph Valentino “The Great Lover”

matter who you are! You can now hear the news and not have to read it in the newspaper.

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Radios and Movies: A Sea of Opportunities (Continued) can express themselves and learn how to get along with each other.

Motion pictures and radio have opened up a wide array of opportunities for Americans. Through this new form of technology, Americans now have received new ideas. Because of motion pictures and radio, Americans have access to a variety of information waiting at their fingertips!

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Advertisements Brainwash Americans Are new advertising tactics good for America, or a way to brainwash Americans into buying things they don’t need?

By: Helen Mansfield (Cassidy Sundine) June 9, 1928 you should have paid off the amount of the I believe new advertising techniques are

purchase. Credit is just another way for sellers to get

brainwashing Americans into buying things they

money from buyers so they can get money, it’s not

don’t need. In this paper, you’ll find some of the

what's benefitting the public or the buyer's, it’s

different ways advertisers would use to make

what’s benefitting the sellers, because then the

consumers buy their products.

sellers get more money from the buyer’s.

The first reason is Consumer-Culture.

Consumer-Culture is a culture that views the

I believe that the reasons above represent

consumption of large quantities of goods as

why advertising techniques were brainwashing

beneficial to the economy and a source of personal

Americans into buying things they don’t need. Also,

happiness. In Consumer-Culture, all the advertisers

the most important thing about this paper, is to try

want is money. The consumers buy things they

and inform everyone that when advertisers put ads

don’t need, because of they think they need it.

up for people to see and buy their products, they just

Advertisers also used psychologists to make their

want money from people, sometimes the product

ads appeals to consumers, so it would make the

won’t benefit the consumer, and all they want is for

consumers want to buy the product. This is bad for

people to see their ad and buy their products.

the economy because, when people buy products, so many get sold out, that their won’t be any left for other people, and the producers will get the money, and once they’re sold out, they won’t get anymore money. The producers get the money, but they aren’t giving it to anyone else, they are keeping the money for themselves, to buy things that they want.

My second reason is called, Credit. Credit basically means you buy the product right then, and then you pay a certain amount each month until you pay off the purchase price. The whole idea of credit was to give your money to the seller and set an amount that you would pay each month and, every month you would give that certain amount to the seller, and by the end,

Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum 10

Mass Production: Our Way of Life Is mass production lowering the quality of American products or is it good for U.S. consumers?

By:DeeDee May (Morgan Kazmierczak) March 1, 1928 In this century, consumers and products are a major part of our day-to-day lives. Without mass production, consuming goods at such a quick pace would not be possible. For those unfamiliar with the phrase mass production, it’s meaning is simple.

Mass production means the production of a product in large quantities. So, is mass production lowering the quality of American goods or is it good for U.S. consumers? Based on my research, mass production has had a positive impact on the lives of U.S. consumers.

Mass production has created a middle class in our society. This middle class is able to buy the same products as the wealthy upper class, although they take longer to pay their purchases off. What does this mean for the economy? More people are able to consume more products. How can people afford to buy more? The creation of the assembly line, of course! The assembly line has benefitted every consumer in America. The production rate of products has been sped up, making the products cheaper and more available to customers across the nation. For example, the Ford car has gone from

Country taking vacations or across town to work, without mass production cars would be exclusively for the wealthy. Moreover, our lives have changed not only outside of the house but inside as well. Vacuum cleaners and electric washing machines have ge sums of money for companies all at once. Since people aremade cleaning a breeze, adding up the minutes of our leisure time. Thanks to mass production these appliances are readily available to anyone, anytime.

Mass production has, also, caused growth in big businesses. An increase in job openings have allowed not only men, but women and immigrants to be hired to fill the abundant positions. Mass consumption is bringing in hu buying whatever and whenever they can, companies are gaining profit quickly. With all this profit, companies have begun to create chain-stores, running across the nation.

Chain-stores add to the ease of accessibility for consumers.

As you can see, mass production has been not only beneficial to the middle class, but also the poor, wealthy, and businesses too.

$850 to $295 since the assembly line was put into play.

People are now able to enjoy more leisure time and activities. How so? Credit. Credit was another invention that has come along with mass production. Credit allows us to buy now and pay later, letting us worry less and live more carefree, enjoyable lives. Right now, someone is out buying a

An everyday consumer enjoying her day in the city. 11

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Credit Where It’s Due Is Buying Credt Good or Bad for America?

By Amanda Caulfield (Aubrey Dallner) July 9th, 1928

How much did you spend on that new radio

Now you see American men and women of

last week? How about those couch cushions

different backgrounds out and about in the

that you had to have? Likely, you bought

markets, spending borrowed money for

those items on credit. Credit is praised for

luxuries that they want but may not need.

being easy to use and convenient for bigger

The average amount borrowed now is

buying. With a small down payment, you

roughly $2,000, in comparison to the

can bring an item home with you, and

$300-$400 amount in 1890.

payments can be made over the next several years.

With credit you can buy what catches your eye and you won’t have to wait. Now that the high demand for expensive items is rising, everyone is buying on credit, and they’re all spending big cash on the newest and best in industry and innovation. But what good does it do when you end up in debt?

With this seemingly fantastic way to spend and get what you want comes the sour details in the fine print. While it is true that credit is offered to most American families, the use of it can be toxic.

Tagging along with the inflation of

consumption is a minefield of advertisements. While some do more good than others, they all play on your thought and emotions. Say, perhaps you’re jealous of your neighbor’s new vacuum? Buy a new Hoover! Advertisements insist you buy more so you don’t realize you’re being manipulated. Sad as it is, nowadays the average American citizen is viewed as another customer, one more wallet to take from. However, people don’t seem to mind as they scoop out stack of bills or insist that they’ll pay it back later, taking something home that isn’t necessary.

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Credit Where It’s Due

Spending habits have changed drastically from the way they were before. Some see this change as affecting the United States’ population, possibly making way for a new generation of improvident people, or excessive spenders. Now, not only the rich can afford their ludicrously expensive luxuries, but so can an average citizen, so long as they buy on credit.

(Continued)

Necessities are harder to acquire, as the markets are being stuffed with chain stores filled with the newest in expensive innovation rather than the important things like food. People have more than they need but it is never enough, it seems. Yes, credit is good when used correctly, but in the end, is credit really worth the risk?

You see a poor family that once only had enough income for their food and the clothes on their backs, now they can buy all that they need and more. This seems fantastic, right?

However, with rising demand for the newest and most expensive products, necessities are being pushed to the side, and it’s harder to buy those key items. The line between need and want is beginning to blur.

Credit and Installment buying have their fair share of advantages, sure, but the problems they cause far outweigh the good.

Citizens who buy more than they can afford are usually crushed with debt and are without the means to pay it back, and likely won’t ever be able to recover.

An advertisement displays credit as a possible payment option.

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