Media and Society Honors Project
Hobart and William Smith Colleges

This project explores dramatic changes in the distribution and access of media by fictionally rebranding Blockbuster Video, the movie rental franchise that defined the 1980s and 1990s. Specifically, “Be Kind, Rewind,” addresses what is lost in the transition to digital streaming, emphasizing that video stores such as Blockbuster created an in-person, interactive, curated, and community-based experience for consumers.

 

This project focuses on the impact of in-person interactions within media spaces, shopping theory, nostalgia, media industry shifts, and advertising, and culminates in a complete, fictional rebrand of Blockbuster. The rebrand portfolio includes a brand guide, business plan, digital advertisements, and commercials. This fictional rebrand of Blockbuster aims to bring back the long lost community, curation, and media auteurism within the film industry. This project critically evaluates the vast and quick changes in the film industry over the past 40 years -- from the theater, to the video store, and to your own home.