Cinema, Pop-con and Stress-Relief

Cinema advertising is less effective when audiences eat popcorn, according to a study from Cologne University.

Researchers found that viewers remember brands by simulating the pronunciation of a new name with their mouths.

But this "inner speech" can be disturbed by chewing, rendering adverts redundant, said the research, published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. - bbc

(the following are comments beneath the aforementioned article of Facebook)


Ben: Went to see The Hobbit a while ago and there was a man reading along with the book on his iPad. He was on his own, unsurprisingly.

ed: He's making the most of his book by adding sights and sounds to it. Very innovative that bloke. Need to have more brains to appreciate that point though.


Ann: when i walk into a cinema the moment i smell the popcorn I start getting excited for the movie....

ed: That's the power of 'association' for you. Not much thinking involved in that process.


Zina: NOOOO! I wouldn't go to the cinema at all, if there wasn't popcorn.

ed: Well then, get some popcorn at home so you wouldn't need to leave the house.


Natalie: shut up and give me my popcorn!!! Evil people tryin' to take my popcorn away...

ed: The scary thing is that you probably have the right to vote and bear children.


Wolfgang: Popcorn is horrible. Bag of sweets and a drink fir me

ed: And that is better because?


Peter: I got a blow job once from a nice young lady I can't remember the film but it was worth the price of pop corn

ed: I suppose it wasn't difficult to tear out a hole in the bottom the pack then.



Basically, popcorn, like cigarettes, e-cigarettes, harsh-tasting whiskies, cold beers, etc, are ‘stress-relievers’ that enable one to relieve stress by, 1) first inflicting mild stress (the act of biting on the pop corn, the harsh sensation of taking in smoke/whisky/cold beers produces stress) and then, 2) being able to enjoy the more relaxing sensation that comes with the abatement of that stress, i.e. The more relaxing feeling that comes after the effort it takes to, or the stress that comes with, the chewing of popcorn, drinking of the aforementioned, inhalation of smoke, etc.



On the whole, such activities actually serve as a distraction from what one is experiencing, and that can hence reduce stress and tension by compromising focus and concentration on the event.

On the whole, such activities actually serve as a distraction from what one is experiencing, and that can hence reduce stress and tension by compromising focus and concentration on the event - though smoking actually also increases stress due to its content.  And that might be even more so the case these days with ‘wham! Bam!’ visual-effects based movies that do more to stimulate the reflexes and senses than the mind.  I don’t need any costly scientific study to tell me that.  Commonsense to those whom are not disinclined to studying themselves.

Anyway, cinemas capitalise on this in movies, but profit greatly from it by selling you next to nothing in the form of popcorn.  If compressed, it will probably be the size of a biscuit.  And anyway, it kind of tastes and feels like little bits of mishapen cardboard, with butter and honey thrown in to mask the former fact.  And anyway, this is just another instance of mindless observance and celebration of american culture.



ed