Standing in Melbourne Central, we are completely surrounded by media. Specifically, advertisements. Logos, LCD screens, banners, boards, stickers on the ground and mannequins – brands were promoted everywhere.

 

Surprisingly, there were not many forms of media that are informative. The only ones identified were signboards for directions and the metro schedule. Even the store directory is not easy to find.

 

Then there is the more interactive and helpful media like QR codes and vending machines (this one sells power-banks and phone accessories).

 

Could media take on a more abstract form? Such as uniforms, lighting, upbeat background music and bright attractive colours.

 

Some patterns have also become synonymous with specific brands, like Sephora for example.

 

Through this exercise to raise awareness, I realise that media has become such a grand, immersive environment we live in. I observe that advertisement/marketing makes up the largest fraction of media, be it in physical or digital form.

It seems that humans are generally more comfortable with less interactive media. In this crowded location, I only chanced upon one occasion when a sales person was physically communicating with a potential customer. Maybe humans have evolved to be less social now? Is there a point in arguing that we should “get out there” and interact physically?