Junior Theme Update

I am well on my way with my Junior Theme. I have already written my introductory paragraph and will soon make an outline for my essay.

Yesterday, I had a telephone interview with Mark Gilman, Chairman of the Board of Gill Studios, which is the company that originated bumper stickers. Since part of my essay will be on bumper stickers and how they relate to Americans' expressions through automobiles, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to interview the head of the company where bumper stickers were created. Overall, the interview went well.

I first asked him, "Why do you think people buy bumper stickers?" He said that it was a "natural progression" and briefly described the history of bumper stickers and advertisement. I then asked him, "What do you think it says about someone if he/she buys a bumper sticker?" He then described some of the bumper stickers his company has been asked to make - some of which are outrageous - and said that some people feel really strongly on certain issues. He then explained how effective they were (not very effective), but people think that they are, which is in some cases why they have them. Lastly, I asked him, "Why do Americans choose to use the bumper sticker to express themselves instead of a yard sign? (What is it about the car?) He responded by mainly saying that, in a car, a person is isolated and insulated, so he/she can put a message on the car and still be protected.

I might interview another person who worked in the car advertisement industry in Detroit, MI. Any comments on the interview described above?