Popular Culture Icon Analysis

Three Influential Icons

The Beatles

An icon is a symbolism of something or someone who possesses characteristics and traits that are looked highly upon. The possibilities of what an icon can be is endless. It can be a song, a movie, a person. Three top examples of icons that are iconic to me are all people. These people are, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Oprah Winfrey. Michael Jackson was a singer who started at the age of 4 and remained is popularity and greatness until his death. The Beatles was a successful band from the 1960’s and continues to make an impression on new and current generations. Oprah Winfrey is known for her talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show, “ and how much she helps people in the world.     

There are many people in this world who are inspirational icons. I chose Michel Jackson and Oprah Winfrey for their celebrity statuses, and The Beatles because I have never heard someone not know who they were. All three are known for there immense about of exposure. Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Oprah Winfrey may not be loved by all, but they all made a difference and whether some are alive or not, they are continuing to make a difference to many people in the world today. Michael Jackson and The Beatles still play on the radio and sell their music, and Oprah Winfrey continues to have her show air on television.

                                                                                                                    Oprah Winfrey

Michael Jackson was a successful man. He was unique and didn’t let the weight of the world make him perform any less. He had hardcore fans that he worked to impress and show off his amazing voice and excellent dance moves. He was a very inspiring person to have watched work so hard and face so many people who disliked him. His strength and motivation is truly iconic. I chose The Beatles as an icon because I grew up listening to them. My step dad used to twirl my sisters and I in circles and dance with us in our living room when we were all young children. Now, when I go out to places that have jukeboxes, I will always play a Beatles song and everyone in the room sings along. Oprah Winfrey is considered an Icon to me because she is a woman who has become so successful and still gives back to the world.  It has taken a long time for women to prove her abilities and remain inspirational and Oprah does an excellent job showing this.

                                              Michael Jackson- "You Are Not Alone"

Photos uploaded from Google.com

Video uploaded from Youtube.com

I Love Popular Culture, and Lucy!

Popular culture can be a very challengable term to define. It is truly everything we are and what we are surrounded by. Because it is everything we are surrounded by, it can be said that the definition will change constantly. The way we act, the thoughts we have, the perceptions, the values all are a part of what make up popular culture. When we think of popular culture we can be sure to separate it between individuals and groups of people. It can be passed from generation to generation and can be drastically different from country to country.

In the business world Popular culture becomes extremely important. Sellers have to understand the people they are selling to. When they are looking for a target market they have to be relevant to the consumers so that there is a fine connection between the product and buyer. For example, In a small town filled with low income families it would be irrelevant to put in expensive shops that these families may not be able to afford. The business will not be able to prosper if their prices are too high for anyone in that area. I personally would like to advertise for companies in the future. If I decide to advertise for a sports then I may look for a target audience in an area where their popular culture includes increased interest sports.

The above video is an artifact of popular culture. It is from a popular television show filmed in black and white called, I Love Lucy. I Love Lucy is a piece of popular culture because it aired in the 1950's and still continues to capture the attention of people who enjoy watching comedy television. The show is very entertaining and humorous to certain viewers. To some people they have a taste for this type of television show and Lucy has become an icon. Currently, in Jamestown, NY where the show was filmed, there are murals and museums all glorifying the show. It is easy to say that watching I Love Lucy is or was a part of peoples daily routine.
I Love Lucy was an interesting artifact for me to share because I live very close to where the show was filmed.