Well. I never really thought about how commercial really affect me until ready Nakamura's article. I would hear how commercials were described then think to myself, "how do I feel about that?" In the end, I found the the commercial's exact intentions were what I ended up feeling. For example, in the IBM commerical where everybody was speaking a foreign language, except for the common word "IBM", I remember thinking how interesting it was to be united as one because of a single product (an IBM). Nakamura brings up the point that race is used everyday in commercials and ads (in many highly important events) to get a message across that we (the world) can all come together despite our differences.
One major example would be the Olympics.
I viewed a few commercials that revolved around the 2008 Summer Olympics. The first displayed a series of athletes recieving gold medals. Of those athletes; Black, Asian, White, Male, Female, and even a person of the Special Olympics were shown. Then the voice over states, "if you have had a Coke in the last 80 years, you have had a hand in making every Olympic dream come true." The imagery of the commercial makes a person feel really good inside, if indeed, they've have a Coke in the last 80 years, but what about those who maybe can't drink Coke? Well shoot, you've obviously failed in helping the Olympic dream. This relates the Nakamura, because she's trying to get across how commercials are using race to either, guilt or persuade, a person into something beyond incredile, to something Utopic.
The next commercial for for AT&T, which shows a mulitude of people jumping for joy and complete estatic over something. The people are of various races. The real kicker though is as soon as we find out what the people are so happy about. The voice over states, "We will shatter records. We will pull off miracles. We will make history. Stay connected to Team USA with your TV, computer, or wireless phone - only with AT&T."
This is where I pause.
At first, I feel like the commercial is united the world as part of a journey - the Olympics. By using "we" to communicate the feelings for everyone shown presents a sense of togetherness. HOWEVER. When I realize the commercial is solely based around Team USA, I was a pretty taken back. This is exactly what Nakamura was saying with on how commercials can give off a sense of a world as one, but really is using the race of a person to make the message more impactful. It's saying, "Yes, the Olympics are a reason for the world to come together for a single event... but supporting Team USA is just the same because USA is full of all sorts of races."
The final commercial I viewed was titled "Beijing 2008 Olympics 'One World One Dream'". The commercial was about 4 minutes long, so all I watched were the first two, which is all I really needed. This commercial is the epidemy of what Nakamura was saying. When she desribes the idyllic worlds and the places that everyone would like to see. For example, the oasis of a rainforest, the man on a camel in front of a perfect setting. This commercial begins with an Asian woman, very blissful to be outside in front of a wonderful landscape. Then, the commercial proceeds to display other images that others would probably consider an ideal world. The commerical is pure and relaxing and the viewer can't help but feel good while viewing it. Oh, but wait, there are runners (of all different races) sprinting across all different terrains; the main one being the Great Wall of China. Here is where the viewer sees the world come together for one dream. I feel like I need to watch the Olympics to support such a truly inspiring event (like the commercial is suggesting). Is that how people get persuaded into purchasing things or watching things? A sense of unity? A feeling that our place in the this world can be found every four years during this single event?
I'm all sorts of confused now.
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4 comments:
I also watched the AT&T "All team USA" commercial. It is interesting how much diversity is shown only to attatch them all to team USA, but it just reinforces who these networks are catering to. Right?
I also viewed the Coca Cola commercial. I thought the same thing you did about it. What about those people that don't drink Coke. I must not of helped making the Olympics possible because I only drink Pepsi. But that commercial does creat a lot of guilt and thought, shoot maybe I should drink Coke so I can help with the Olympics to.
I watched several commercials and the article and agree that networks catered to a certain group…but wouldn’t it be interesting to see commercials from a different culture and compare the similarities and differences between the two cultures. It would be interesting to see the how other cultures perceive the world.
The AT&T commercial left a similar effect on me! At first you think that all of the folks in the commercial are from various competing countries and there's a sense of unity. Then the voice over informs us of our opportunity to support Team USA through the purchase of services from AT&T. I suppose we get the delightful communications services though :-)
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