GLOBALIZED MACHETE--A look at Hybridization in globalized Media

The various nations of the world are no longer separate entities. Cultures, languages, and traditions have fused over time and have created a new kind of culture, a hybrid one. We now live in an age where technology enables us to "know what's on the other side" and as our knowledge of other parts of the world has increased, so has our assimilation of its various cultures. This interconnectedness can be easily explained through the concept of GLOBALIZATION: The increase of convergence between the people, cultures, and places of the world throughout a period of time as facilitated by the development of factors such as technology.

Globalization plays a vital role in HYBRIDIZATION: The product of combining the elements of of different cultures. An example of hybridization is the combination between the Mexican and American culture so evident throughout the US, especially Texas. This combination is evident practically everywhere. Examples of this hybridization are the following:

• CULINARY: A mixture between Mexican and American recipes in restaurants such as Chuy's, Taco Cabana, Taco Bell, Güeros, Chipotle etc. Also know as TexMex food. 
• URBAN: Streets around the US such as (Austin examples) Guadalupe, San Jacinto, etc. 
• MEDIA: Movies such as The Mexican, Once Upon a  Time in Mexico, Nacho Libre, etc. 
• CLOTHING: Brands such as Hollister and Abercrombie and Fitch are manufactured in Mexico. 
• CULTURE: Americans celebrate Mexican holidays such as Cinco de Mayo just like Mexicans celebrate American holidays like Halloween

The example that I am going to focus on is on the hybridization on Mexican-American media as exemplified by Robert Rodriguez's movie, "Machete". Take a look:

The plot revolves around Machete, a former Mexican Federal who is double crossed by his own chief. Machete immigrates illegally to Texas where he gets caught in the middle of an immigration scandal. The public is lead to believe (by the Texan Senate) that Machete is an enraged illegal immigrant out to kill a Texas senator, thus strengthening the senator's position that illegal immigrants should be sent back to Mexico for good. After some very Robert Rodriguez-esque action sequences, the truth is revealed, and Machete triumphs as he is offered legal papers to live in the United States. 

The movie does a fantastic job at exemplifying Hybridization because:

• 1)Made by a Mexican-American director, 

• 2)Shot in the United States and Mexico, 

• 3) Employed Mexican, American, and Mexican-American actors and crew, 

• 4)Deals with issues such as illegal immigration in the US. 

The movie portrays the hybridization fn the Mexican and American cultures through the combination of language, traditions, culture, people and places. There are the hybrid instances exemplified in the trailer:

• CULTURAL ISSUES: 
• Arizona Immigrant Law: Machete is clearly meant to be a crusader for Mexican immigrants' rights.
• Mexican immigrants being forced out of the United States by the American government (as exemplified by Senator De Niro)
• Mexicans (specifically Machete) viewed as violent, likely to have committed murder at some point in their lives
• Mexicans portrayed as overtly religious
• HYBRID LANGUAGE:
• "There's nothing  I'd like more than to see that Mexican dance the bolero at the end of the rope"
• "Well this cucaracha has AK-47s and he's laying waste to everything that gets in his f***ing path"
• The title istelf "Machete" is understood both in English and Spanish.

• PEOPLE:
• Hybrid cast as exemplified by Danny Trejo (Machete, Mexican-American), Robert DeNiro (Senator, American of Italian descent), Jessica Alba (Immigration officer, American, Mexican-American parent), etc. 

• PLACES:
• The movie was shot both in Mexico and Texas.

Essentially, Machete combines the American and Mexican cultures while criticizing some people's attempt to prevent such hybridization. The end product is a movie portraying the Tex-Mex culture now so prominent throughout the United States, thus exemplifying Globalization. The media, in this case the movie industry, is the medium through which cultures converge and through which these hybridized cultures are made visible to the rest of the world. 

Image from Google Images
Video from Youtube

"Nuno Knows Novelty"-Use of Novelty in LG's commercial "Momentos"

Please take the time to watch this commercial, I assure you, you won't regret it:

"MOMENTOS" BY NUNO ROCHA
The latest advertisement that I've seen had me in tears by the end of it; it was the most beautiful 7:21 minutes I have watched in a long time. Now, before I start sounding completely delusional, let me clarify the following: Most ads nowadays are those "aggressive" ones that shamelessly try to sell you their products while screaming at you through the TV with what's supposed to be an extremely convincing voice. Not this one. This ad is called "Momentos" (an LG television commercial) written and directed by Nuno Rocha, and it is one of those very few "feel good" commercials circling the networks. And boy, did it make me feel good.

This "feel good" vibe that the commercial has ties in beautifully with LG's motto, which happens to be: "Life is Good". The commercial revolves around a homeless man sleeping on the street against a store's display window. He is woken up by two men bringing in and setting up 3 LG televisions inside the display facing the homeless man. Once the set-up men leave, the man sits there in front of the working televisions, staring at them in awe. There is a fabulous contrast, interestingly ironic, between the disheveled homeless man and the neat and elegant televisions. The man continues to watch the televisions, which show clips of random shows and advertisements, and even shoos a couple of other homeless men that want to take part in the TV-watching experience with him.
Suddenly, the televisions switch channels, and the man's face appears on the 3 TVs. Who's taping him? What is going on? Next, the channel switches again, and the televisions start to show home-made movies of the man and his family back when he was not homeless. The man is absolutely moved by what he is watching, letting the audience know just how much he misses his daughter.
Lastly, the van that dropped the LG televisions screeches to a halt behind him once more, and takes off quickly again. We then see two nicely-dressed women left on the street, facing the man. The youngest one of them starts to approach the homeless man slowly; she is his daughter. After building a great deal of suspense as father and daughter face each other, they suddenly hug one another and enjoy being reunited.
I felt like the commercial was saying, "families will always love one another, no matter what", and therefore, life is indeed very good. This commercial moved me because it was so beautifully done, and I also appreciate it very much because of its subtlety. I liked the fact that LG TVs were presented as technology that can bring families together. It was a breath of fresh air to see a commercial which kindly communicated to me the importance of its product, rather than attacking me with loud music, flashy colors, and an aggressive salesman, like most other commercials do.

THE USE OF NOVELTY
This commercial's most powerful appeal is its use of novelty; which means showing something that hasn't been seen before, or that is not seen quite as often.

• This translates into novel formats, artistical approaches, content, novel advertisement tactics, etc. Usually, commercials employ novelty to catch the attention of the viewers. 
• This tactic works very well because audiences tend to pay more attention to new material, or at least generic material done in a "new" way, than the rest of the typical commercials. 
• The most successful commercials rely on novelty to bring in new audience members and to expand their viewer base. For example, if a commercial uses novelty like the latest technology, it will probably draw in 1) people from a younger age group who are attracted by new and developing technologies, and 2) people from other age groups because of the technology's "wow effect". 
• The use of novelty also serves as an antidote for today's Tivo happy audiences. One ususally fast-forwards through commercials if possible, but if there is an advertising done in a different, engaging way; it is bound to stop the fast forwarding and to catch people's attentions.
• Basically, novelty emphasizes how different is good, and how different will guarantee audiences' attention. 

NOVELTY IN "MOMENTOS"

• "Momentos" uses novelty because it advertises televisions in an unconventional way. Usually, TV commercials only speak of the supreme quality of its product, casually throwing around facts about high definition, sound quality, stylish look, etc. "Momentos", however, barely even acknowledges the LG TV. Naturally, it does place the product in the middle of the story, but the commercial itself revolves around the homeless man and the importance of family closeness. That's novelty use at its best. 
• The advertisement also used novelty because is was done as a short film. This meant that its quality and the artistic approach was drastically better than most 30-second commercials. 
• "Momentos" was successfully novel in that it attached sentimental meaning to LG televisions. This commercial presents LG TVs as instruments of family bonding. According to this 7:21 minute-long spot, an LG TV can, quite literally, bring your family together once again. This raises LG TVs from being just another piece of home entertainment equipment to valuable family bonding instrument. 
• Another use of novelty, was the commercial's combination of slow pace and beautiful instrumental music. Most commercials are usually delivered quickly and often times aggressively. This advertisement actually took the time to tell a heart-warming story, allowing the audience to connect with the commercial and the product. 
• Lastly, the commercial was novel in that it had no promotional narration. The advertisement fully relied of the power of the story to carry out enough advertisement for its slyly placed product.

In my opinion, "Momentos" is one of the best advertisements that I have seen. Not only did it catch my attention, but it also moved me, made me cry, made me laugh, and made me look at the LG corporation and its products in a different light. Most importantly, the commercial's use of novelty made me want to watch it again and again, which is saying much, much more that any of the other commercials I have ever watched.

Image: Google Images
Video: Written and directed by Nuno Rocha for LG.
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