Hulu: An Evil Plot to Destroy the World- Meditation # 3

The wonderful world of Web 2.0 allows me to watch TV shows that I have missed online for free. Seems too good to be true doesn’t it? Hulu is a website that offers commericial- supported streaming video of television shows and movies. Only offered in the United States, the website provides video in flash format. Not only does this site provide a wonderful source of advertising but a place where viewers can meet and discuss their favorite shows/movies.

When I have a ton of homework, am working at the store, or just forgot that my show is on I do not have to fret that I missed my shows. Not only does Hulu allow me to catch up on missed shows, it allows me to begin to start other series all the way from the beginning. For my third meditation I will discuss how Hulu.com has become part of my everyday media life and connect it to the four tool sets we learned in class. I will discuss Hulu itself, and four advertisements they used about a year ago.

Brain Triune:
Limbic- The different images, TV shows, and movies offered on Hulu all are processed through my limbic brain. Each make me feel many different emotions. The advertisements make me laugh. Also having the security that I will be able to watch my favorite shows without missing an episode make me feel at ease.

Eight Shifts:
Technological shift- From analog to digital. Talk about a technological shift, when I was younger if we missed a show I would have to wait for a rerun. To make sure we didn’t miss our favorite shows, my mom used to record them on our VCR. Today not only can I order TV shows on my television, but I can watch them from my personal laptop on Hulu with one click of the mouse.

Personal Shift- From mass to personal/participatory. Hulu offers members to login to comment their thoughts and opinions on a forum at the bottom of every episode and movie page. There users can share their views. Watching your favorite show on TV doesn’t allow you to participate in a nationwide conversation about it, but Hulu does.

Here are four advertisements (all really funny) that you should watch prior to reading my connections to the last tool sets.
Elisha Dushku for Hulu


Alec Baldwin for Hulu


Seth MacFarlane for Hulu


Denis Leary for Hulu



Seven Principles:
Ownership- Hulu is owned by a joint venture of NBC Universal (General Electric, Fox Entertainment Group (News Corp), and ABC Inc (the Walt Disney Company). Advertisers pay these huge media conglomerates to show their commercials and ads during shows. The commercial motive behind this media is obvious. To increase ratings and viewership of shows that these studios produce, and get revenue from the advertisers posting on the site.

“Reality” Construction/Trade-offs- The trade-offs of this media experience is that we are enhancing our lives through the online availabilities of television shows on Web 2.0. This media creates a reality that television shows can be watch free online, legally. The story that is not being told is that the media conglomerates who own Hulu air their studio’s shows. The actors/actresses in the commercials are in TV series on the networks who own Hulu. They are promoting their series in the commercials and on Hulu. I did not realize how beneficial it is for these huge studios to have a website like Hulu, where they receive profit from advertisers and increased ratings for their series.

Production Techniques- The advertisements use studio sets of the television series the actors are in as a background for the commercials. The music played in the background adds a feeling of Hollywood to it. Reminds me of the music played in the films Harry Potter. The special effect at the end of each advertisement adds humor to the basic concept. Lastly, the camera angles and zooms all contribute to giving the commercial a Hollywood "feel."

Value Messages- The value message that Hulu is trying to promote in these advertisements that Hulu is so easy to use and now you can watch your favorite shows anywhere. You can continue to “rot your brain” anywhere you can bring your laptop!

Persuasive Techniques:

Humor
-Many of Hulu’s commercials use humor to persuade viewers to watch episodes online.
-The premise of the commercials is that it was created by aliens (all Hollywood celebrities) to turn our brains into “moosh” so they can be eaten. This is hilarious!!
-Seth MacFarlane uses the voices of different characters from Family Guy to persuade through laughter.
-The slogan itself “Hulu: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy!” is really clever and funny.
-Alec Baldwin uses the symbol of quotes when he introduces himself as a “TV star.”

Repetition
- Words repeated in each commercial: Free, Hulu, Mushy, Goo, Brain, and Alien.
- The phrase “TV rots your brain.”

Rhetorical question
- Alec Baldwin commercial: “You know they say TV will rot your brain?”
-Alec Baldwin commercial: “There’s nothing you can do to stop it. I mean what are you going to do turn off your TV and computer?”

Beautiful People
-The actors are good looking (with exceptions of Dennis Leary). Elisha Dushku also appeals sexually by having that alien tongue licking something.

Big Lie
- Persuading through dishonesty claiming that the actors are aliens and Hulu is a scheme to soften brains so they can eat them.
-Example: Whenever the actors speak about TV rotting our brains and that they will eat them. Also each advertisement the actor claims they are an alien with their own little tag line:

1. Eliza Dushku’s advertisement “Because we’re aliens, that’s kinda our thing.”
2. Alec Baldwin’s commercial “Because we’re aliens, and that’s how we roll.”
3. Seth MacFarlane’s commercial “Because we’re aliens, and that’s our gig.”
4. Dennis Leary’s “Because we’re aliens, and you’re not soup yet.”

Now my question for you…..Do you Hulu?