Analysis Summary – Advertisements R Us

           In Melissa Rubin’s analysis “Advertisements R Us”, she analyzes a 1950’s Coca-Cola ad originally published in a trade magazine for the company’s bottlers. The author starts by explaining what she will be writing about and the angle that she will be taking in the analysis. She then includes a very detailed description of the ad, focusing on parts she will eventually use in her analysis and conclusion. Before starting the analysis, Rubin also includes historical context to better support her analysis of the ad. Afterwards, the actual analysis begins, starting with the setting and moving through the writing, “Sprite Boy”, and the people in the coke ad. The author argues that the ad offers insight into the culture of the time, using the historical context she provided to analyze that ad and support this point. She discusses the race of people shown in the ad, all white, and ties this into the racial prejudice that was common during the 1950’s. The author also includes an analysis of the setting, specifically the smoke stacks, and explains how this clearly shows a disregard for environmental concerns. The author uses each topic as a building point for the next, and starts each new analysis as a new paragraph. The author uses the visual separation to create a transition, while using writing to continue the connection between all pieces, eventually leading to her conclusion. She states that the point of the ad was for coke to display their ideal society, one that is attainable to everyone if they drink their product. Rubin explains how the ad ties into the context of the time and how it offers insight into the culture of the era, and also ties the entire work back into the introduction, explaining how a company might use an ad to persuade its consumers.