My Presentation
This past week in class, I presented my research topic about the greeting cards industry and how they are sold to enable easy connection; yet they don’t spark any real connection. I was really excited about this topic because I’ve saved every card I’ve received since I was around eleven. I am a very sentimental person and I enjoy looking back and reading what people sent me in the mail. For the presentation, I focused on text and image. Often times greeting cards appear cute and gushy because of what it said. But if we take a step back, the words don’t have any meaning. Cards use generic phrases and terms to attempt to tell a story but the words feel very surface level. I brought many examples to support my point and it was kind of fun to bash greeting cards. In my real life I have no problem with greeting cards. I purchase them for friends and family and enjoy standing in the greeting card aisle at my local grocery store.
I also discussed how images attract consumers to greeting cards. Like the text portion of my presentation, I took the class on a deep dive and conveyed how images stand independent from the text and don’t lend any meaning. I used an example of a red-roofed barn that was commonly seen on Christmas cards during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. There are sources that discuss how this image made its mark on holiday culture but there are many interpretations as to what the barn actually represents. This opened up another can of worms when I began discussing the implications of inserting images on cards. Images are in many ways more up to interpretation than text. I argued that in order for images to achieve success on cards, they need to be a product of the text’s meaning.
As I continue writing my paper, I’m interested in discussing how the mass production of greeting cards impacts the connection we anticipate to derive when looking for connection.
My Thoughts
When I concluded my presentation, I was unsure of my performance. I was positive that I could convey all of my information in the appropriate time frame but then Tina cut me off. I left the podium a little frazzled and confused. Where had the time gone? Was I speaking nonsense? Was a speaking coherently? Some of my peers whispered to me that they had enjoyed the information I had presented but I was still unconvinced. After reading the comments on the TAG feedback, it appeared that people enjoyed my information but I still need to clarify some of my points. I entered this presentation with an incomplete paper and didn’t have all the information to necessitate a well-rounded explanation. I am looking forward to expanding my explanation in my paper as I prepare to submit later this week.
