As you look at one of Coca Cola's first advertisements, you see a picturesque family. The father is in a fitted suit, ready to head to work in the city. The mother with perfectly coiffed hair, expensive jewelry, and fancy clothing. Their two similarly well dressed children, a boy and a girl, also clearly uphold the same values as their parents. This advertisement is trying to show us the "American Family" with a hardworking father, and a stay at home mother who works hard to take care of herself and the rest her family.
In a country full of diversity, it is well known that families come in several different shapes and sizes. Clearly, this ad from many years ago doesn't correctly represent the country we live in. However, as the years have gone by, media has become more accepting, and even embraces diversity among their audiences.
This year, in Coca Colas 2014 Super Bowl commercial, they show American people, and families in a new light. We hear "America the Beautiful" being sung in many different languages while a series of clips are shown. These clips positively display different cultures, living situations and families of America. Coca Cola also takes a huge step forward for the advertising industry as they were the first to feature a gay couple in a Super Bowl ad history. Today, Coca Cola shows us that however different each family may look, every one is beautiful.
Media is constantly criticized for negatively influencing their viewers. But we also must recognize Media's relationship to social progress. Today, they are promoting much more realistic ideals that represent the people they are reaching out to as their audience. Coca Cola is just one of many admirable examples of this. By representing and showing more realistic views of people today, media will also benefit from better viewer reactions. The cultural and social diversity embraced in media promotes self confidence among it's viewers. Rather than being concerned with what media says we should, or should not look like, people are living happier and healthier lifestyles feeling accepted. Media has progressed positively throughout the years, and will continue to do so while embracing ideals of social progress.
To start off I thought that including the picture and the video you were talking about at the top was a very good idea. This instantly made your post visually appealing, and stand out from others. I agree with your point that directors of commercials are finally realizing that realistic commercials that a wider audience can relate to will receive a more positive reaction than those that try to depict a stereotypical "perfect family". I really liked the topic you chose and I think you could have gone more in depth with your argument. Some of your points seemed kind of vague or incomplete, such as when you say "Coca Cola shows us that however each family may look, every one is beautiful". This sentence seems to lack some type of explanation. Otherwise, your topic was interesting and your argument was intriguing and it made sense.
ReplyDeleteJackie, before I even read Julia's comment, I had copied "Coca Cola shows us that however different each family may look, every one is beautiful" as a sentence that I wanted to address in my comments.
ReplyDeleteYour post is creative and important. As we have talked about, I think exploring the relationship between the media and social progress is a wonderful idea. The media does not get enough credit for fostering social progress. This Superbowl commercial was important - and controversial - for doing just that. It is possible that Julia is right that your post is a little vague. The overall idea is great, and you write very well. Like Julia, I also like that you included the actual ads in your post. I wonder, though, if you missed an important element. Is Coke really concerned about showing how everyone is "beautiful," or are they interested in showing that people in all of our diverse groups really like Coke? Coke appeals to a diverse audience? I don't want to come across as cynical, but I am inclined to think that it is just as much the latter as the former. After all, it is a commercial.
Regardless, this is quite good. Thank you. Thank you also for continuing to write very well. I can always count on you to write technically sound and engaging stuff.