American Airlines Group

Background Summary:

1. American Airlines, Inc. (AA) also known as “American” is a major US airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. It is the world’s largest airline when measured by fleet size, revenue, scheduled passenger-kilometers flown, and number of destinations served. American together with its regional partners operates an extensive international and domestic network with an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries.
2. American Airlines is a founding member of Oneworld alliance, the third largest airline alliance in the world and coordinates fares, services, and scheduling with alliance partners British Airways, Iberia, and Finnair in the transatlantic market and with Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines in the transpacific market. Regional service is operated by independent and subsidiary carriers under the brand name of American Eagle.
3. American operates out of ten hubs located in Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Chicago–O’Hare, Philadelphia, Miami, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Washington, DC–National, Los Angeles, New York–JFK, and New York–LaGuardia Airport. American operates its primary maintenance base at Tulsa (OK) International Airport in addition to the maintenance locations located at its hubs. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is American’s largest passenger carrying hub handling 51.1 million passengers annually with an average of 140,000 passengers daily. The company as of 2015 employs over 113,300 people. Through the airline’s parent company, American Airlines Group, it is publicly traded under NASDAQ: AAL with a market capitalization of about $25 billion as of 2017.

Evaluation of the Product:

American Airlines New and Old Logo

“The Return of American Hunger’:

• According to the article “The Return of American Hunger” hunger has been increasing dramatically throughout the United States, and the most affected are the poor in different States of the country. For example: Wisconsin started requiring that some food-stamp applicants submit to a drug test, Missouri imposed a rule limiting the duration of residents’ enrollment in the program to no longer than four years (Resnikoff P1). We see how governors from different States have increased the poverty line for eligibility purposes, such as New York State and Illinois, both earlier this year started making changes, therefore, more people became eligible (from 130 percent of the poverty line to 150 percent) for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) which is the Government Program that helps people with low income with food and expenses.  It shows that the poverty has returned, literally. US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents have been struggling for many years, and it seems like they will be doing so for a long time.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food security as “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life,” (Resnikoff P1). We all know that access to education, food, and protection are human rights. But United States being one of the most powerful countries in the world, MUST have a better Nutritional System where its citizens would take advantage and FEED their families, regardless of their income (with some restrictions or line of poverty) creating with it, a greater and happier America.
• One point that strongly grabbed my attention was the fact that “Other States—including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Oregon soon followed the law of increasing the border line of income for people to become eligible for SNAP. But not every state affected by the cuts took action. Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and New Hampshire all lost SNAP benefits, sadly.

• “Why does America Have so Much Hunger”?

• According to the USDA there’s a “lack of  access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members” which means a very “food insecure household”. Basically, this article shows statistics about the hunger and its evolution in the United States. This article it’s extremely sad, and shows that even if the kids don’t like their clothes, they always try to make it. North Dakota and South Dakota, together with Montana States and Illinois are part of the list of the States that aren’t struggling so much when it comes to hunger in America.
• One point that grabbed my attention is that: United States being the most powerful country in the world, exports more food than any other country in the world. So why do families with children have trouble getting enough food in such a prosperous nation? Ironically, there is an answer for it: Greed & Government, On the other hand: we see how much UNEATEN FOOD IS THROWN OUT of businesses, hotels, and houses across the United States, so it makes it even HARDER and poorer. That’s enough to feed 25,000,000 of Americans including U.S. Virgin Islands, and obviously the contiguous United States.
• Comparing years 2014-2015 there was a significant decrease of poverty from 9.4 to 7.8 and volunteers and privately funded nonprofits like Jesus Was Homeless help to ease the problem. Eventually, we will be waiting for any improvement in our society, so that our kids in America will be even happier, better, and ready for the future.

Ideas:

• I will bring some plates and some empty containers symbolizing poverty and necessity. Also about the lighting Technic: i  want a dark picture, with dark background, i would like to create drama with my picture and grab attention from the public, using elements to describe hunger. I will also bring some forks, spoons, and knifes to create meaningful pictures. I will try to use a dirty plate trying to project the idea of ” i want more food” “it’s not enough for me” “Im not full” to convey the idea of the article.

America’s Other Drug Problem: How the Drug Industry Distorts Medicine and Politics.

By Arnold S. Relman and Marcia Angela

They both are finding answers for similar questions and seeking ways, mentioning and wondering what kind of ethical standard each doctor should have. They are also concerned about the “Drug Cost” we all know the high price that everybody have to pay in order to get the real attention in Hospitals, even in an emergency room, or Some drugs prescribed in the hospital are intended to treat the acute illnesses for which the patients were admitted; others are to prevent problems such as nausea and blood clots. Still others are meant to control side effects of the original medications.

Many Americans have been struggling just because of the high cost of medications in the market. Unfortunately there’s a point that strongly grabbed my attention: There’s not and cannot be anything like a free market in prescription drugs, this is awful. A lot of countries like our neighbor Canada, they really have an incredible and successful medical system where almost everybody have free health insurance, but paying high taxes so that, the government can afford those costs of prescription.

First of all, a drug must be registered with the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) which by law must match and have the required documentation and approval so they can be spread to the patients.

The technology in the pharmaceutical industry has changed dramatically. We all see everyday how the new procedures and equipments are influencing on us in a positive and negative way.

The article “Big Benefits from big Pharma: Longevity and Real Welfare Growth”

There’s an important sentence that i would like to talk about, and it’s: “Without a well structured system of patent protection, neither the research pharmaceutical industry nor the generic industry would be able to grow and prosper, as the rate of new product introductions and patent expirations would decline significantly.” Which means that if we don’t protect the rights and author’s rights or if we don’t care about the research pharmaceutical industry, we would be able to rise and grow, which is like a careless statement. Definitely, both articles argue in a completely different way. One of them, cares about patients, and medical future, the other one it doesn’t seems like they do care about it.

Ideas: I would create one image completely WHITE as a symbol of prosperity, and positivism, i like to produce a reflection with my pills or prescriptions using the well known technic.

The other idea would be: with a black background, and pills with different colors evoking the diversity and the importance of every single medication in the pharmaceutical industry. Using a solid background preferably white, because i want the whole attention to my “prescription” as the main point in this project.

Why optimists are happier, healthier and wealthier.

According to the article “See The Glass Half Full Or Empty? Why Optimists Are Happier, Healthier & Wealthier!” by Margie Warrell, optimism creates opportunity and pessimism kills it. She gave us tips on how to become a better human being in a positive, and optimistic way. The purpose of this article is to show the audience to be more hopeful and be patient for what they are waiting for, such as; a good job, a great car, etc. Also, a research has found that seeing the glass half full not only makes you  happier, it makes you healthier and wealthier.

Sometimes, (especially young adults) and including teenagers think that nothing is worth it. In fact, the audience of this article is directed to the American youth. Considering the purpose of the article the tone is in a motivating way, where it shows us that if we take a positive position in the face of any adversity, being optimistic will bring us better things, along with confidence and self-confidence. The author gives us tactics on how to turn a problem into an opportunity, taking advantage of it in a positive way. This idiom is used to explain how people perceive events and objects. Perception is unique to every individual and is simply one’s interpretation of reality. The phrase “Is the glass half empty or half full” can be understood also as a philosophical question.

A Healthy Look by Camille Chatterjee

This article brings medical facts to us, saying that both Universities and research have shown that people who are pessimistic are more likely to get or develop heart disease, such as high blood pressure, anxiety and stress.

Ideas:

For the first article, I would like to turn black water as a method or form of pessimism and darkness, that glass would be next to a BRIGHT and CLEAN water (which is the optimistic glass) adding a very high contrast to it.

I would also try to get my background black (for the pessimism photo, and white and bright for me optimism photo.

For the second article i would like to use something with facts, or warning people from a medical side, (a doctor tool) or an (stethoscope) that being pessimistic would cause people develop heart diseases.

Comparison & Contrast of “She Being Brand” by E.E. Cummings and Coming Home, Detroit, 1968 by Phillip Levine:

• The first one, gives another form of imagery for sex : A man going for a “drive” in his new “car”. The poem never mentions sex, but the ambiguous opening makes the reader imagine a woman, and the carefully chosen descriptions and climactic, shuddering finale unambiguously evoke sexual intercourse. The poem is rife with the eccentric punctuation characteristic of Cummings’s poetry, which slows down or speeds up the narrative flow in an interesting, meaningful way. Describes a man driving his car while “the car” is the woman ,and this is a great kind of metaphor because we never see the word “sex” in the poem, however, if we use our critical thinking skills we will be able to find out immediately.

• E. E. Cummings‟ SHE BEING BRAND is one of the poem which is full of deviations. In this poem Cummings alters the structure of the poem and creates a rhyme scheme unlike traditional poetry. However, as it is clear that deviations used by a poet are not without purpose. It has some hidden meaning which are difficult for beginner-readers to understand. However, theses deviations play a core role to clarify the meaning and theme of the poem. Deviations used by Cumming in the She Being Brand are very important and make him a prominent writer of the existing era. The analyses of deviations are as analyzed below.

  In contrast, Levine’s poem is disturbingly mournful. From the very first stanza he uses the phrase “dirtied with words.” Before today, I was unaware of the racially charged climate in Detroit during this era, but that phrase alone has a very negative connotation. He describes the people who have been displaced by the automobile industry. It is dramatic when readers are able to see the word “fire” on the first paragraph, it makes us think about a chaos or a disaster that has happened, but also mentioning snowstorm provides an idea of a cold and dark place. Seems like for that time, Detroit was a poor city and full of dirt, i think it’s an awesome way to describe misery, poverty, but also a connotation of a wealthy man driving on the streets of Detroit.

  Ideas for shoot on Monday OCT 30th 2017:

  I particularly bought 2 CARS!! according to the era of 1968 and 1927, both cars will play an important role for this exciting project. One is a Cadillac and the other one is FORD.

  The technics that i will be using, i will try to use a Black & White mode, and including some fake smoke, or even a real one if it’s available in our studio on Monday. describing a man driving in a dusty street and lost in his thoughts. The other idea will be with color and using a close-up shot with the car, highlighting the brand and the main idea of the poem.

  I need drama for my pictures, as well as suspense, but also a symbol of poverty.

   

  

  Inside of those boxers are my cars!!!

  I’m so excited with this project.

The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye View of the World

by Michael Pollan:

• In this article, the author describes and shows the importance of paying attention to every little detail written on the products we buy. He also mentions that every product and the information that comes with it, (in this case potatoes) are protected by Federal Law, and its requirements. In order to have a good quality of product and to PROTECT people’s health, farmers have to go through certain procedures so that way their products can be sold
• The idea “the food chain that begins with seeds and ends on our dinner plates, is in the midst of revolutionary change” shows that many products are in the middle of a “TRANSITION”, because the procedures used in the past were different than now, for example: “The modern industrial farmer cannot grow that much food without large quantities of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, machinery, and fuel”. It shows that in America, the industry of Agriculture it’s always changing and constantly adding more procedures to ENSURE that such products meet the criteria to be sold and eventually consumed by the final consumer.
• Diseases are everywhere. so the farmer of now, can not grow many products without the use of pesticides, since it has increased considerably the risk of diseases in humans, consuming products that are not fumigated.

• Botany of Desire’s idea: 
• I would like to shot directly from the front with a white and clear background so i can capture every single detail of the potato, it provides the customer a ver clear idea of what is that about. I would also try different angles like 45 degrees (shooting) and also from the left or right so i can create a SLIGHTLY shadow on the bottom of the potato. Another slightly side of the potato will be highlighted or illuminated.
• Fresh Direct Idea: 
• As the name says: DIRECT. So, i would use a direct angle and shooting from the front, for example, with the veggies inside of a bowl. This is my favorite: i would definitely create a relationship between potatoes and vegetables, since both are related to food chain. I would be using “Close-Up” so I can get the best of my details of my picture, also it would be GREAT to use different vegetables with different colors, so that way i can build “Harmony” between the two different kind of food.
• Another nice idea is: Applying gel to vegetables, and then “spray” and get water drops after it, and creating a fresh sensation on the picture, it attracts the customer or consumer to buy the product, as a form of advertisement.

Social Networks: FACEBOOK, Twitter, FLICKR, Instagram,

• Both articles differ from each other. We see how the first one argues that we currently spend a lot of time on social networks. Therefore, spending our brain and creating an addiction between us, and even taking things seriously. However, the second article argues that Social Networks have largely helped society. Well, it is clear that through hashtags we can access a world of information and with itself the technology.
• We also see how social networks have served to express different points of view and also give access to technology and internationalization of different societies. In particular, I think that if the individual as a social entity, would know how to take advantage of social networks, the consequences would not be negative.

• The news becomes viral..!!!

• The news is accessible by many people around the world, in different languages, and in that way opens the mind to people living in remote places. The world is evolving, as the article says, has positive things to contribute to society.
• Possible ideas: Someone will be holding emojis creating a very happy and modern environment. Emojis will provide to the picture something funny, and even recreational too.
• Another idea would be: someone wearing a shirt with the Facebook or Twitter logo, as a symbol of support to the social media/networks. The group will decide another ideas when we are at the Studio.

Headphone: Beats By Dr. Dre (BEATS ELECTRONICS)

• Beats Electronics is a subsidiary of Apple, that produces audio products. Headquartered in Culver City, California, U.S. The company was founded by music producer and rapper Dr. Dreand former Interscope Geffen A&M Records chairman Jimmy Lovine.
• The subsidiary’s product line is primarily focused on headphones and speakers. The company’s original product line was manufactured in partnership with the AV equipment company Monster Cable Products. Following the end of its contract with the company, Beats took further development of its products in-house. In 2014, the company expanded into the online music market with the launch of its subscription-based streaming service, Beats Music.
• Usually, their ads are created very dynamic and with joviality, focused on young people, and with a refreshing, striking, colorful design. The style grabs the people’s attention, because it’s contemporary company, founded in 2011. Especially young people love their products, because represents euphoria, drama, and it’s joyful.
• My first image would be: A young girl or guy listening to progressive trance music, or pop music, holding the headphones with their hands, and at the same time laughing and dancing. The wire would be visible, providing to the picture a touch of “TECHNOLOGY” and studio environment, i would also include the “Beats STUDIO” Wireless, which is another product of the company.
• The second picture would be: Listening to any kind of music, since they can be happy and express themselves.
• I personally have a pair of Headphones, red and black, and i will bring them to the class next Monday so the group will be working together.

Hearing Loss PSA:

• According to the Article “Healthy Hearing Campaign in New York City” Exposure to sounds that are too loud or loud sounds that last a long time can cause noise-induced hearing loss. So, in order to prevent hearing loss, New York City would develop an awareness campaign, where it warns the population, specifically young adults, that if they listen to loud music in the not too distant future, they may develop hearing problems , or even lose your hearing altogether.
• The communication problem is that, we have to create a campaign to warn people and show them how DANGEROUS it can be to listening to music at high volume.
• The audience, to my knowledge is the YOUTH.
• My ideas would be: One picture showing a young person taking off the headphones, with a uncomfortable face gesture, showing that the volume it’s very uncomfortable for ears.

Cesar Infante

• The article “The High Cost of Poor Health Care” shows how Americans aren’t  watching what they eat, consequently, the conglomerate dies early and young, because they do not take care of themselves physically, and i would also say mentally. They do not spend enough time to stay in shape, and they keep eating junk foods, regardless of the time. Apparently, Americans only care to fill their stomachs, not knowing the consequences of what can cause the food they ingest.
• Especially in youth, we can see obese people who really do not pay attention to what they eat, but only care about eating, watching television, playing video games and sleeping.
• The main point for Health care photography is the portraits of people, they must be happy with what they have, and satisfied with the service, i would create a small group of people, representing the family as the core of society. Most of them wearing white clothes, and different ethnics, such as, Hispanic, African-Americans, White Americans, Asians, to try to show the diversity where we live, New York City. The Technic that i would use, placing the camera and shooting up to the top, and the individuals must be smiling, also i would include children as models.
• The portrait would be: The subject needs to look happy, confident, secure. Certainly, the portrait should be bright and clean and most likely shot with front light.

Cesar Infante

According to the article “What is the point of college?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah, there is a clear difference between “Utopia U” and “Utility U”. Beginning with the meaning of UTOPIA, which means: a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions. Therefore, UTILITY U emphasizes in the oppression and stress in the world in which we live today, in Utility U you have no freedom, however in UTOPIA U people have free thoughts and the ability to feel and express whatever they want.

Bringing this issue to the creative world, the main concern is to EXPRESS the difference between these two “words” UTILITY U, and UTOPIA U, but in the world of Visual Communication, which means: GRAPHICALLY.
There are many ways to express both elements, but we have to think critically, in order to let the picture “showing” by itself.
Everyday we see UTILITY U in the street, in college, and even at home.

Individuals think nowadays that they need FREEDOM, welcome to UTOPIA U, where everybody think all is perfect. In the meantime, nobody wants to deal with UTLITY U, which is synonymous of DIFFICULTY, EXPRESSION, DESOLATION, and HOPELESSNESS.

Cesar Infante.