Battle of Symbols - Global Dynamics of Advertising, Media & Entertainment
About this ebook
Symbols increasingly dominate international communication. Their power was demonstrated by the events of 9/11 and the war against terrorism. Yet few understand them. Now, more than ever, it is important to understand symbols in a global context.
In his new book Battle of Symbols, John Fraim examines 9/11 in light of global symbolism. While the events of 9/11 represented the beginning of the war against terrorism, Fraim notes “the real ’battle of symbols’ started long before September 11th and will continue long after the fall of the Taliban regime or Saddam Hussein.”
The book observes the response of the American symbolism industry to the events of 9/11. As Fraim notes, the events of 9/11 offered a rare opportunity to observe how American symbols are created (by Madison Avenue advertising and Hollywood entertainment), communicated (by New York media) and managed (by Washington public relations).
One of the more hopeful outcomes of 9/11 was the instigation of an international dialogue about the power of symbols. From this continuing dialogue America and the world have gained a new awareness of the growing power of symbols. Whether this awareness will lead to a new understanding of symbols on a national and global scale is one of the most important questions facing America (and the world) today.
About the author
John Fraim is President of The GreatHouse Company, a marketing consulting firm and book publisher. He is a leading authority on symbolism and the creator of www.symbolism.org, one of the Internet’s most popular sites for symbolism. His writing has appeared in a number of publications and online journals including Business 2.0, The Industry Standard, Ad Busters, The Journal of Marketing, First Monday, Spark OnLine, Media & Culture Journal, The Journal of Psychohistory, Anthropology News and Psychological Perspectives. His book Spirit Catcher won the 1997 Small Press Award for Best Biography. He has a BA in History from UCLA and a JD from Loyola Law School.
