Final Project Ideas

I’ve brainstormed a few topics for my final project. As I sat thinking, I tried to develop ideas that were relevant to today’s culture and would interest readers. It seemed even more difficult for me to come up with a topic since I could pick any topic I choose. You would think that I would be able to come up with a topic the moment I began thinking, but that wasn’t the case. Oh well! J Here’s what I have so far. I brainstormed a few just to jot down my thoughts in case I forget any.

1. Store Loyalty Cards: I have about six store loyalty cards on my keychain, which is only a fraction of the amount I have strewn across my room, in my desk, and in my purse. Some of which I have neglected to activate and use EVER. Of the six on my keychain I only use two consistently, my Giant Eagle Advantage card and my Wellness + card for Rite-Aid. I have always been interested in the benefits of these cards to the consumer and the business providing them. Is it really worth it to buy multiple items just because they’re 10 for $10 dollars with my Store Loyalty card, even though I only really need one? Also, how does this affect our culture’s affinity for saving money and getting a deal when making purchases? Are we really getting a deal? What about reward cards you have to purchase? What’s next in our society’s obsession with saving? I would try to include information about the couponing habits of people as depicted on TLC’s Extreme Couponing, and how these couponers utilize couponing blogs and websites, along with store loyalty cards, to get the most bang for their buck.

2. The Cupcake business: Flipping through the channels, I’ve noticed an abundance of shows about cupcakes and cupcakes bakers. My first thought was YUM I love cupcakes. My second was who cares? Why do I care about this bakery in Washington D.C. that makes only cupcakes and expensive ones at that? Over the summer, I went on vacation with my roommate and her family to Plymouth, Massachusetts where we came across Cupcake Charley’s, a bakery that had been on Food Networks Cupcake Wars. I bought four cupcakes and spent almost $15. They were delicious, but ridiculously priced. It seems every time I turn around there is a new business opening up selling extremely expensive baked goods. What happened to the small town bakeries where you could buy fresh cakes and cookies without breaking the bank?

3. Kiddie pageants: Youth pageants have exploded into popular culture. Now, it seems like an extremely lucrative business. Pageant kids have tanners, flipper makers, make-up artists, dress designers, hair stylists, and pageant coaches, all of these things cost a pretty penny. Shows like Toddlers and Tiaras and Little Miss Perfect have really showcased the world of Kiddie pageants: the pageant moms, the snotty kids, pageant preparation, and the competition. The pageant world has really evolved since the early days of pageants. I have heard before that pageants should be regulated as part of child labor laws and thought that was pretty interesting. Do the pageants really offer young children anything? What is there to gain from these types of television shows? How much has the Kiddie pageant business grown and where is it heading?