Thinking About the Text

1.       Melissa Rubin offers the insight that the overall message of the ad was that Coca-Cola will “refresh and unite working America”. The evidence used to support this conclusion comes partly from the immense and towering Coke machine, and the sprite boy. She analyzes the positioning of both parts, and tells us how the god like imagery along with the message written directly on the machine make it very clear what coke can do for the working Americans. She then uses another piece of evidence to support the conclusion, pulling from the writing on the bottom of the ad. She explains how this restates the previous message, and reinforces the idea that coke is refreshing for workers. She also includes an analysis of the people in the ad. All white, mostly male, and all part of an industrial scene, she uses these details to show us how Coca-Cola brings all of these hard working people together. They stand gathered around the machine, each with their very own bottle of Coke, once again supporting the conclusion she has made. Melissa has made a very good case for her conclusions, one that I do agree with. Her analysis of the ad seems sound, and she uses many different pieces of evidence to support the same conclusion, making her argument streamlined and focused.

2.       Melissa brings in many different analyses to the historical context displayed in the ad. She explains how the race of the people portrayed in the ad, all white, is important because at the time the ad was used by the company, racial bias and prejudice was very popular in America. She also explains why this happened in the first place, because having a diverse group would not be a helpful advertising tool at the time. Melissa then takes it a step farther and tells us why this is important by comparing it to a likely ad of our current time, allowing us to see the stark differences between the two times. Another instance of historical context being brought into her analysis, is the discussion of the setting. Melissa brings up the smoke pouring from the stacks into the air, and the heavily industrial scene, explaining how both of these are portrayed in a way that shows them to be overwhelmingly positive. The worry of pollution, gentrification, or deforestation even, are not shown to be even a miniscule concern in the ad. At the time, when the war effort was increasingly important, this scene of assumed productivity would have been not only appealing to many poor and working class Americans, but would have also been a sign of patriotism and support from Coca-Cola. Melissa makes these arguments using the historical context from the time as the starting point from which to make accurate conclusions and arguments. It also provides her details that help to make a clearer analysis of the scene in the ad possible.  

3.       Other than learning about the culture, we can learn things like the motivation or goals of a company, or even the company’s values. Ads are a way for companies to share ideals and beliefs through scenes not unlike the Coca-Cola ad. As people are becoming more and more aware of society and the issues that permeate it, they start to look for companies and products whose beliefs align with their own. In that sense, purchasing products from companies they like, supports the causes they stand for indirectly. For example Doritos, a very popular brand of tortilla chips, was able to understand the growing force of a liberal population, and decided to make it clear where the company stood on one of the most popular issues of our time, lgbt rights. By creating a special bag of rainbow Doritos to serve as a reward for donating to an lgbt cause, they shared with all of their consumers what they as a company stood for. Although it may have led to certain customers vowing to never eat their product again, it also brought in new business to the company, from people who identify with the cause and want to show support.

4.       The very popular ad from JCPenny, showing a contemporary gay family, is a very god indicator of our era, and our societal values. JCPenny, a very large retailer, decided to show a gay family in a relaxed setting, without any further agenda. In a very smart move, they did not place any emphasis on the ad, or create a special or different setting that would have stood out from the others, but instead created a picture that blended the family into the others present in the ad with them. This created an air of equality between the different types of families. There was no group that was better than the other or less important, and this almost tender handling of the societal issue was very clear to consumers about how the company felt concerning the issue, and made the message that they would not be apologetic about it. When comparing the ad to the Coca-Cola ad from the 1950’s, the differences are immense. While Coca-Cola was trying to show itself and their products as wholly American and patriotic, a part of the everyday life and the Great American Dream, JCPenny was taking a stand. The ad was distinguishing the retailer from others, and had a goal behind it that was different from the coke ad. The times not only show a growing difference in political and societal norms, but also a changing way in how consumers are looked at by companies. The coke ad is persuading the customer that their product is the best because it unites and refreshes people who are the embodiment of the American dream, they are saying that if you drink coke, or buy their product, you too can become a part of this dream. On the other side, JCPenny is showing acceptance and solidarity with those who may not be a part of the majority, and is showing others that they should too.