Image lecture notes

H1GeneralPaperLecturetopic:Image StructureofLecturePart1: Introduction● UnpackingofdefinitionandimplicationsPart2: EnduringUnderstandingsofImage● Imagerepresentsanarrativeofwhoweare● Imageisnotstaticandmaychangeovertime● Imagecanbeusedasatooltosolidifypower Part1:Unpackingofdefinitionandimplications 1.1Definitionofimage● arepresentationoftheexternalformofaperson,organisationorthing● thegeneralimpressionthataperson,organisation,orproductpresentstothepublic. 1.2Creationofimage● Theimagecreatorcancreateitsownimagethrough:○ Self-presentation:Relationshipsthatyouhavewithpeople,socialmedia,languageuse,marketingstrategies,technology, etc.○ Workandachievements○ Skillsortalents● Theimageperceivedbyanaudience/perceivermaynotalignwiththeimageoriginallyintendedbythecreator, dueto:○ Differencesininterpretationofanimage,e.g.Apersonwhotriestoexudeanimageofconfidencemaybeperceivedasarrogant○ Personalbiases, e.g.Ayoungprofessionaltryingtoprojectcompetencemightbeunderestimatediftheaudienceholdsbiasesagainstyoungerindividualsinauthoritativeroles○ Contextoftheimage,e.g.Ajokestermaybeperceivedasfunnyinacasualsettingandinappropriateinaformalsetting○ Misunderstanding, e.g.Abosswhointendedtoexudeaprofessionalimagefellasleepinameetingduetoalackofsleepwhilecaringforhissickchild,andwasperceivedasunprofessional 1

1.3Importanceofcreatingandupholdingapositiveimageinthemodernworld● Imageholdshighimportanceinthemodernworldasitdeeplyinfluencespersonal,professional,andorganisationalsuccess.● Reasonsforimportance:1)Firstimpressionscount,especiallyinthefast-pacedworldweliveintoday. Ingeneral,astakeholderthatpresentsapositiveandmemorablefirstimpressioncouldhavemoreopportunities.2)Aconsistentpositiveimageleadstomoretrust,credibilityandastrongerreputation.● Goodinterpersonalrelationshipsbetweenpeople● Professionalreliabilityinformalsettings● Marketingeffectiveness,Customerloyalty● Publicconfidence3)Aconsistentpositiveimageresultsinboostedmorale.● Personalfulfilment● PersonalgrowthandfulfilmentencompassthehigheststageofMaslow'sHierarchyofNeeds–Self-Actualisation.Thispinnaclerepresentstheultimateaspirationofrealisingone'struepotentialandachievingadeepsenseofcontentment.● Strongcorporateculture● Individualsaremoremotivatedtoexcelatwork.● National/internationalprestige 1.4Futilityofimageinthemodernworld● Anover-obsessionwithimagecanleadtosuperficiality, withafocusonappearanceoversubstance.→Notallimagesarehelpful→Thereisthusaneedtostrikeabalancebetweenvaluingappearanceandnurturingdeeperqualities.Thus,imageisnoteverything.● Reasonsforfutility1) Imagemanagementoftenfocusesonsuperficialaspects,suchas:● Appearance● Socialmediapresence● Publicperception→thesecanovershadowdeeperqualitiessuchascharacter, skills,andintegrity,leadingtojudgmentsbasedonincompleteorshallowassessments.2)Misrepresentation:Today, theprevalenceoffakenews,alteredimages,andcuratedcontentcandistortreality.→Individualsmaystruggletomaintainagenuineimageamidstaseaofmisinformationandexaggeratedrepresentations.3)Lossofsenseofself:Constantlycuratinganimagetomeetexternalexpectationscan 2

leadtoadisconnectfromyourtrueself,causinginnerconflictandalackofgenuinefulfillmentinlife 1.5Evaluationofimage● 3factorstoconsiderwhenevaluatingthepowerofimage(C.A.R.framework🚗 ) ○ Howconsistentistheimageportrayed?■ Imageisconsistentovertimeandspace○ Howauthenticistheimageportrayed?■ Imagecohereswithreality○ Howrelatableistheimageportrayed?■ Imageconnectswiththetargetaudience ______________________________________________________________________________ Part2:EnduringUnderstandingsofImage 2.1Imagerepresentsanarrativeofwhoweare● Imageactsasapowerfulmediumtoconveyourpersonalidentityandnarrativesaboutourlives.Theycapturefacetsofourlives,preferences,andaspirations.● Theimagesassociatedwithouridentity:○ Self-image:Atitscore,imageishowweperceiveourselves.Itencompassesoursenseofself,ourinternalbeliefs,values,andimpactsourchoices.Theindividualtypicallyhasthemostdirectinsightintotheirownself-image→theyareprivytotheirthoughts,feelings,aspirations,andinternalexperiencesthatshapetheirself-concept,althoughtheymayhaveblindspots(e.g.influencedbyemotions).○ Projectedimage:Beyondself-perception,imagealsoinvolvesthewaywewanttobeperceivedbyothers.Thisisourprojectedimage,thepersonaweconstructthroughourbehavior, choices,andinteractions.Yourprojectedimagemaynotnecessarilyalwaysbeconsistentandauthentictoyourtrueself-image.Peoplemayengineertheirimagethrough:Personal/corporatebranding:showcasinguniquequalities,skills,andinterestsSelf-confidenceCommunicationstrategies A)Imageenablesustoexpressouruniquepersonalityandcharacteristics.Whetherthroughfashion,behavior, orsocialmediaprofiles,wecreateavisualandbehavioralnarrativethatshowcaseswhoweareandwhatwestandfor.● Youmayprojectdifferentaspectsofyourself:○ Personal/ socialidentity→Thisreferstohowyouseeyourselfandareseenbyothersinyourpersonalandsocialcontexts,includingyourrelationships,personality, values,andsocialroles. 3

○ Careeridentity→Thisidentityrelatestohowyouseeyourselfandpresentyourselfinaprofessionalcontext,includingyourskills,professionaldemeanor,achievements,andcareergoals.○ Groupidentity→Thisidentitypertainstoyourassociationwithandrepresentationofparticulargroups,includingcultural,ethnic,religious,orothercollectiveidentities.● Example:Auniquetwistoncorporateimage →RyanAir’s‘savage’socialmediamarketingstrategy● Description:○ Intoday’scompetitivemarket,wherecompaniesbattleforpeople’sattention,RyanAirhasfoundanunconventionalstrategytooutshineothers:self-deprecation.● Implications:○ Ratherthanprojectinganimageofinvincibility, RyanAiropenlyacknowledgesandevenembracestheirflawsandquirks,whilekeepingtheirpricesaffordable,endearingthemselvestocustomersintheprocess.● Evaluation:○ [ApplicationofC.A.R.framework]WhenacompanylikeRyanAiropenlyacknowledgesitsshortcomings,itcreatesasenseoftrustduetoitsauthenticity. Thiscreatesastrongeremotionalconnectionwithconsumerswhoareabletorelatetoflightexperiences.Byplayfullymockingitself,RyanAirpositionsitselfasamoreapproachableoption. B)However, imagecreatorscanfabricateandmanipulatetheirimagetoachieveaspecificgoal.Thiscouldleadtonegativeconsequencessuchashyperfocusonsuperficialityanddeceit.Wehavearighttothetruth,sohidingthetruthisanathematomost.● Example:Fabricatingandmanipulatingone’simageinattempttoachieveself-actualisationorsocialacceptance →Looksmaxxing● Description:○ Looksmaxxingattaches"scores"toaspectsofmaleappearance,focusingparticularlyonjawline,muscularityandskin.○ Looksmaxxersaimtoincreasetheirscoresvia"softmaxxing"(suchasusingaguasha,burningmorecaloriesthanconsumed,ormoisturising)and"hardmaxxing"(suchassteroiduse,hairtransplants,orcosmeticsurgery).● Implications: 4

○ Constantlystrivingtoachievehigherappearancescorescanleadtodecreasedself-esteem,asindividualsmaybecomeexcessivelycriticaloftheirlooksandoverlydependentonexternalvalidation.○ Theobsessivepursuitofphysicalperfectioncanexacerbateorcontributetobodydysmorphia,whereindividualsfixateonperceivedflaws.● Evaluation:○ [ApplicationofC.A.R.framework]Thus,althoughthepursuitoflooksmaxxingmayberelatabletoanaudienceasthephenomenonhasgoneviralonline,itisnotauthentictotheperson’strueself,andcouldevenbeveryphysicallyandmentallydangerousifapersonattemptstoconsistentlykeepupwiththetrend,toboththecreatorandperceiver. 2.2Imageisnotstaticandmaychangeovertime● Creatingalastingimage?a. Buildinganimageb. Maintainingandpreservinganimagec. Refreshingandredefininganimage● Imagechangesaccordingtothesocialcontextandtime.● Theimagemustbeadaptedtothespecificlocalcontextaswellasglobaltrendsinordertoreachthetargetaudienceandachievedesiredgoals.● However, evenwhileadaptationmayoccur, theimagecreatormaintainstheessenceandthecorevaluestomaintaintheintegrityoftheperson/entity/organisation/nation.● Trendsthathaveimplicationsonimage:● Socialmediaandthe‘wokeculture’○ Imagecreators■ havedirectaccesstothetargetaudiencetoshapeperceptionduetotheaffordancesofsocialmedia■ needtotakeintoaccountethicshighlightedin‘wokeism’● Someissuesthatarepartofthe‘woke’agendanow:○