Truth In Advertising
5/8/2006
On the subway the other day I saw this poster for Captain Morgan's spice rum. I am still trying to figure it out.
Happy...and Peppy... and Bursting with Love!!!
I am actually being facetious. I know exactly what these poison peddlers are doing. They are saying if you drink Captain Morgan, you will all of a sudden transform from a docile wallflower into a lean mean party machine. The girls will be all over you and the fun will never end. A wild foursome with incredibly good-looking people is not only probable, but almost guaranteed.
And The Captain will observe the whole scene, coolly pull on his cigarette and nod knowingly. For he knows, it was he who has opened the doors for you. He has led you to the Promised Land of self-confidence and euphoria. It was the pirate who has shown you how to make a true "Club Sandwich."
I'm thinking about switching from whiskey!
But we all know this is mostly bull shit, right? For once I wish they would run an accurate campaign. One where the makers of this swill show their clientele, and judging by this poster mostly 18 to 25 year olds, just how many of them actually end up.
Something like this:
Oh so true.
And not to just pick on the buccaneer, how about a persuasive poster from one of their competitors:
What it is really all about.
Maybe I am being to hard on the purveyors of liquor. By appealing to kids and young adults, and directly targeting their inexperience, lack of discipline and lust, they're only trying to make a living. They're just businessmen. Who can blame them?
How about this poster aimed at a much older crowd:
All of our dreams really do come true!
Don't worry about eating responsibly. Pound down that absurdly large Porterhouse. Use the whole bottle of Tabasco. Pound of Bacon...no problem! Smear that extra glob of butter all over your toast. Deep-Fry...well...whatever the fuck you want to deep fry because Prilosec will protect you!!!
As you might have noticed, all around the ridiculously delirious Richard Mulligan look-a-like, there is all kinds of fine print which is hardly legible in my reproduction. I have taken the liberty of blowing up what it says and putting it on a more suitable photograph.
Here's what it says:
Reality
Self-medication is an American tradition. We look to potions and chemicals for our answers. If only we took this or drank that everything will be OK.
Why exactly is Marijuana illegal again?
Larry
posted by Larry B | 9:42 PM
7 Comments:
The blame game. Blame the advertisements for the way people are these days. A typical example of showing that all people are idiots, and it is because of these advertisements that is the reason why people are idiots. Why not put the blame where it really belongs, and this is with the self? Blaming advertisements is such an easy way out, and is why, mostly in America, this is such a litigious society. "Oh, I really thought that that advertisement showed that only good things would happen to me if I drank that rum. And I really beleived it. But now look at me. I'm a bum in the gutter. I'm going to find a lawyer so I can sue that advertising company, because they tricked me into believing that good things would happen to me if I drank that brand of rum." Total nonsense. Blaming outside influences for one's own behavior. People want to see happy advertisements, and this is what the companies cater to. One's own mind makes the decision on whether something is good or bad, but you make it sound as if it is the advertisements fault for making things bad for a person. And you can argue that these advertisements cater to young people, and young people don't know better, but this is preposterous as well. This is why we live in such a litigious society. It is writings such as yours, and mental promotions such as yours, that make the "weak" have to run and blame everything else other than themselves for the state that they are in. "But, your honor, that rum advertisement showed everyone having a good time, so I thought that if I imbibed in that rum, that I would be happy as well." Such nonsense, and totally an attempt to blame advertising for peoples' state of affairs.
As far as the advertisements aimed at the older crowd, the Prilosec advertisement, so what? People know that they shouldn't eat the way you have depicted them as eating, but they CHOOSE to do so anyway. And they know that there is a "chemical" on the market that wil relieve them of the heartburn they get, or whatever else ailment they may get due to what they have eaten. But this is their choice. They're not being told to eat whatever they want because there is a "potion" that will relieve their stomach symptoms. They are being shown, through an advertisement, that if they do get stomach problems because of what they eat, that there is a remedy for their symptoms. Remember, these people CHOOSE what they are doing. But, by what you write, you are blaming the advertisements for actually choosing for the people.
In any event, if one was to believe what you write, then the Amercian public are just one bunch of blabbering idiots who follow whatever advertisements they see. According to what you write, no one makes up their own minds, but instead the advertising companies do this for them. Remember, the advertising caters to what people want to see, hear, read, etc. If such was not the case, then advertising would never sell. But it seems this blogger doesn't see things this way. Let's just all blame advertising for all of society's ills, etc. Instead of laying blame where it really belongs...and this is with the self.
Whew! Was that last entry an honest posting or an ad for speed? Clearly, spoken like a true Libertarian - I mean Republican - no wait, I mean Libertarian - in any case, someone who is devoid of a sense of humor. To quote my dear Uncle Hulka, "Lighten up, Francis!"
Thelonius
What else but humor to make the world go 'round. Good post. Very humerous.
I’m think the first anonymous posted here before because a past anonymous made the same points. He/she is very defensive and always thinks someone is questioning his intelligence. I really have no idea why he goes on these tangents about “blaming” “lawyers” and “imbeciles” whenever I write something but God Bless Him. I welcome all comments so please keep reading!!!
Regardless, he completely missed the point and because I DO believe in the inert intelligence of the human being, I’m not going to bother to explain it.
Of course this anonymous poster has written before in response to a writing from the blogger. I read this blog and find it quite interesting at times.
By the way, when referring to me, you can say "she," as I am a "she."
That's beside the point. There's no "defense" being alluded to from my writings, although you seem to think this is the case. And "questioning intelligence?" This is furthest from the truth. As a matter of fact, it is the blogger who seems to be questioning the intelligence of human beings when they see particular advertisements. And who is blaming lawyers and imbeciles? What I am pointing out is that your posting, (unless this a posting trying to put forth hubris writings), is blaming advertisements for the state of mind of people. It's as if the blogger is saying that truth in advertising, (lack therof actually),is entirely missing, and when someone sees these advertisements, that person is going to believe what they see, read, hear, etc., with no actual thinking on their part. Yes, this can be substantiated and researched when it deals with youths who have no reality thinking of their own, but that is another study in itself.
With the probability of my intelligence actually being questioned, what point is the blogger actually trying to make? From a response to my response, it seems that I may have missed the ship altogether.
The title of the this blog is "Truth in Advertising" as in there is none, and it is not about assigning blame.
It's just another area of our society that's full of shit.
But in a larger critique of the advertising world one would certainly see how advertisers have influenced us. After all, we are a nation of consumers.
Buy it because it's better, newer, sexier, bigger and don't forget we have to keep up with the Joneses.
Aren't you tired of the bullshit, no matter where it comes from?
Sorry for the lateness of this reply but, quite frankly, I debated if I should post any further on this. I decided to briefly respond because you (anonymous) obviously have been reading and following my writings so you certainly deserve courtesy and respect.
It was once said that if you read any kind of non-fiction history book, about any historical subject or era, you will learn considerably more about the time period the book was written then the time period the book is actually about. The author of any such text, no matter how hard they try, can not help but to apply his/her values, prejudices and attitudes to the subject they are writing about. They will emphasize one aspect or another depending on what the author himself feels is important. And what one feels is important is heavily influenced by the contemporary culture one dwells in.
For example, find a non-fiction book about Abraham Lincoln written in 1920 (I am sure there is one) and then compare it to one written in 1968 and then to one written in 2000. Although all three books were written about the same exact person and all three probably have all the "facts" correct (and the same) they will spin it and emphasize different things. The 1920 one will probably focus on his "stabilizing the union," the 1960 one will stress how "he set the slaves free" and the 2004 version will primarily concern itself with the rumors that he was a homosexual.
"The business of America is Business"
"We Shall Overcome"
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"
I think the same can be said for these postings.
My Blog post's point was that many Americans (Maybe People all over the world but since I lived here my whole life, here is where I know) look for the solutions to their problems through drugs. Be it the legal kind such as alcohol, Prilosec or whatever the hell else Pfizer comes up with or the illegal kind like Skag, Blow and Reefer. These chemicals are Band-Aids, masking their real problems, which range anywhere from low self-esteem to gluttony to whatever. I never suggested that people could or should abdicate their responsibility for their own actions. If you read this blog, and you apparently do, you should draw the conclusion that I am consistent on that subject.
The "humorous" part of the post dealt with the hypocrisy of the government's position, which by proxy is Our position, in regards to the "war on drugs." Drug dealers are routinely vilified as the lowest of the low. In our society they rank about one notch above pedophiles and rapists on the vermin scale while the CEO of Bacardi or Captain Morgan is greeted warmly by government officials as "pillars of society." Ironically at these meetings they probably get their "fix" by knocking back High Balls.
So why does Wally the Weed Dealer get life in prison while Mr. Old Harper get the key to the city? Even though they are both providing the public products which pretty much serve the exact same purpose? Is it because Wally is selling his "harmful" and "dangerous" products to kids, getting them hooked, leading to years of all kinds of physical and mental problems…possibly even death?
Judging by the ad campaigns of most of these liquor companies, that is EXACTLY what they're doing.
If you didn't get "the joke," what can I say?
Which brings me to my initial point. Your whole characterization of my post as the "Blame Game" and "Accusations of Idiocy" is completely ridiculous. I am just making my own personal observations on the world I live in. If those observations strike you as accusations…oh well.
In this case, my observations were pretty darn accurate. What exactly did I say that was not true? Those pictures are EXACTLY what is waiting at the end of the line of a quality binge drinking session. I know that for a fact. I have been there myself as well as seen others making their own "Club Sandwich."
Not once did I say, nor do I believe I implied, that the outrageous substance abuse problems in this country would go away if the Captain stopped advertising. Alcoholic beverages go back to the time of the Bible and if I remember correctly, Jesus didn't have a publicist…unless you count St Peter.
But is the liquor merchants' behavior cool? Making a product THEY KNOW is killing people...at this very minute...and making (a lot of) money from it is, to me, morally reprehensible. Am I "Blaming" the buccaneer by saying that? No, because he is not the one drinking it. But he is certainly not someone to look up to.
And in response to these observations your attitude is "So what, people aren't idiots. They know that this crap that is being represented as having social value is actually poison that quite possibly will destroy their lives."
Then why is Wally doing life?
Thanks again for reading!
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