4B - Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Shopping in harmony
MALL MUSIC
From Page 3B
represented through sound. Take
a martini glass, for example. I
imagine a martini to sound like
Frank Sinatra. An umbrella, on the
other hand, would sound more like
a Moby ballad.
Beyond brand image, the play-
list is tailored to the time of day. It
progresses in energy throughout
the day, targeting specific rounds
of customers. Research has shown
these time-structured playlists
actually impact sales: One study
reported that malls using Muzak
increased sales 51 percent in cus-
tomers ages 25 years or younger, 11
percent ages 25-50 and 26-percent
ages 50 and up. Another study
showed that customers spent more
time browsing the supermarket
when slower music was played,
while service-related companies
(i.e. postal service or health care)
that played upbeat music scored
higher
veys.
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on customer service sur- buy things, remember the store
and become a repeat customer.
e's no doubt music can be Music can essentially build a
ably persuasive. It pulls bridge to brand loyalty.
ple's emotions in ways not If we're not listening to music
ther things do, and it both in stores, restaurants or lobbies,
s and enhances other facets then we're plugged into our iPods.
ure. Have you ever watched This barrage affects us, though to
e with the audio off? Tried what extent is unclear. Do you
k out to a ballad? I'd like to really want those Ray-Bans and
leggings,.or is it just that song by
The Ting Tings? Are you really
king elevator thirsty for coffee or tea, or is it
just that Norah Jones ballad?
nusic to the There was, of course, a time when
music wasn't so pervasive, and
next level it's hard to say how this "sound-
tracking" of America has affected
us individually. But in a day and
age where Muzak strategically
a party, play nothing but streams music through stores,
ard Confessional and see cafes and even drive-thrus, its
appens. Music tells us how presence in our culture should
in different situations, and not be overlooked. So the next
pping mall is no exception. time you wander into your favor-
music in a store makes us ite fashion locale, open your ears
od, then we feel good about and think about the Muzak you're
re and are more likely to listening to.
Which style of dance do you prefer?.
The best forbidden fruit
in contemporary art
*I
penci Smart.,
GUILTY PLEASURES
From Page 1B
equivalent of Thanksgiving left-
overs, and I challenge you to
refuse it.
ABIGAIL B. COLODNER
"NOT ANOTHER TEEN
MOVIE"
Let's face it: Almost all parody
movies suck. The ever-looming
problem with satire is descend-
ing too far into stupidity. It's at
its best when it seems to really
love its subject. That's why "Not
Another Teen Movie" works so
well. The film pays wonderful
homage to those guilty pleasure
teen comedies - from "She's All
That" to "The Breakfast Club"
- while also showcasing why
they're so loved in the first place.
It's absolutely ridiculous while
simultaneously being outrageous-
ly brilliant. More importantly, it's
freaking hilarious, and the more
you watch it, the funnier it gets.
It just goes to show that a good
"Movie" movie can .actually be
made.
SHERIJANKELOVITZ
"NAPOLEON DYNAMITE"
This earnestly goofy indie com-
edy had the misfortune of being
an unexpected smash hit upon
its release, meaning that soon
everyone from frat boys to your
grandma was wearing a "Vote
for Pedro" T-shirt and spouting
bizarre catchphrases like "Gosh!"
Naturally, the next step after
"popular" is "overrated," fol-
lowed closely by "sucks" - which
iswhy I now have to feel guiltyfor
enjoying the movie. But here's the
truth: Napoleon is a legitimately
creative, original character; the
film's cinematography perfectly
conveys the comic desolation of
the barren Idaho plains; and those
dance moveswere awesome. Also,
Rex Kwan Do wins every time.
ANDREWLAPIN
("The Dance") and sometimes
both at the same time (the unin-
tentional, tragic hilarity of the
video for "Standing Outside the
Fire").
But there was one thing ol'
Garth could never quite do: look
cool. Betweenhis bizarre cowboy-
chic fashion sense and that whol-
ly baffling "Chris Gaines" fiasco,
there are plenty of reasons why I
must seek some alone time before
I can comfortably fist-pump along
with "Ain't Going Down ('Til the
Sun Comes Up)."
JEFF SANFORD
"WHITE CHICKS"
Don't look at me like that.
Look, the Wayans Broth-
ers should never be discounted.
They created a benchmark of '90s
humor with "In Living Color,"
and "Scary Movie" (the first) was
funny as hell, right? Right?
But 2004's "White Chicks" was
met with unsurprising hostility
both critically and commercially.
Brothers Shawn and Marlon play
two FBI agents who disguise them-
selves as two Paris Hilton-esque
girls. Sounds awful, yes, but it's
actuallyreally clever. Seriously.
Think culture clashing meets
fart jokes, and this movie ain't
half bad. And break-dancing
combined with bro-bashing is
funnier than you think.
BLAKE GOBLE
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN
DANCE"
Once you get past the melo-
drama and glitter, "So You Think
You Can Dance" is one of the
most genuinely entertaining and
inspirational reality competitions
I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot.
The contestants are extremely
talented and have struggled to
make a career in the fickle indus-
try of professional dance. They
perform every style, from Krump
to Viennese Waltz, often outside
their comfort zones. That's what
the show's all about: Bringing the
vibrant, diverse world of dance
to the masses. Sure, the show
sometimes suffers from "Ameri-
can Idol" cheesiness, but all the
sequins, gimmicks and product
placementare greatly outweighed
by the deeply emotional and tech-
nically proficient dancing it dis-
plays.
JAMIE BLOCK
"GOSSIP GIRL"
Sex, scandal and underage
debauchery - in prep school
outfits. What's not to love about
"Gossip Girl"? The CW-teen
drama follows the travails of two
oft-feuding Upper East Side prep
school hotties, played by Blake
Lively and Leighton Meester. The
show has allthe elements of"OC"-
inspired trash, including murder
mysteries,virginal conquistadors,
hormonal teenagers, characters
who often fall out of character
and an "OMFG" ad campaign that
revels in the show's bad press for
its depictions of underage sex
and drug use. Despite all this, the
show still gets an A+ for enter-
tainment value and is becoming
one of the mostwatched shows on
the Internet. It's safe to say that
in spite of its eccentric writing
and vulgarity, "Gossip Girl" will
continue entertaining for a while.
SASHA RESENDE
BARENAKED LADIES
When it comes to juvenile band
names, "Barenaked Ladies" falls
right behind "Butthole Surfers"
at the top of the list. And while
BNL's embarrassing moniker may
have been the reason I became
infatuated with them during
5th grade, somehow their lame,
hyper-Caucasian adult contem-
porary has kept me hanging on
ever since. (OK, even I fall off
when they go Canadian white-
boy rap.) But it's impossible to
ignore the strength in Steven
Page's voice, and when he pours
it all into "Brian Wilson," "The
Old Apartment" or, yes, even "If I
Had $1000000," the enjoyment I
receive is more than just the feel-
ing of nostalgia.
DAVID WATNICK
*I
Take advantage of your educational discount this holiday season. V si
Computer Showcase located on the ground floor of the Michigan Unior
Pierpont Commons to find out how.*
iPod Shuffle, starting at $49
iPod Nano, starting at $149
iPod Touch, starting at $229
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