Economic and technological changes over the last few decades, such as the global outsourcing of manufacturing and the shift to service economies, have redefined the kinds of jobs that exist within the US. At the same time, the rise of social media, share/trust economies, blog culture, localism, craft/artisan culture have redefined labor, both in terms of unpaid labor and new kinds of jobs. How do consumers perform labor for brands via social media, and for businesses through reviews? Using several examples, make an argument for the positive and negative effects of these kinds of dramatic changes in how work is defined, who is doing it and where, and the value of work. How have these shifts presented new challenges to traditional advertising/marketing?
