When I was 16, I saw a commercial that captivated me like nothing I'd seen on TV before or since. Laugh if you will, but it was an 80's throwback to the Greasers and Socs of S.E. Hinton's THE OUTSIDERS, a sultry, loving, black-and-white (with a touch of pink) pseudo-film with a bad-boy-meets-good-girl storyline starring a very young Matt LeBlanc. The commercial was for Cherry 7Up - a product I had never once thought of consuming - but let me tell you, I was hooked!
Sugary soda drinks don't appeal to me. I've never cared for Coke or Pepsi, and at the age of 16 I'd never even considered drinking 7Up, but at that time in my life, I was extremely vulnerable: I'd just gotten out of jail (so I was very lonely and rebellious), kicked out of my house (so I was living with my estranged mom), and I had no friends (so I was ripe for a Cherry 7Up assault…).
Picture it: a smooth, melodic, romantic 80's soundtrack - the only audio of the commercial - that whispers "Isn't it cool, in pink? Isn't it cool, to drink? Cherry 7Up. Can't get enough. Isn't it so cool? " while Matt LeBlanc, a rough-looking teenager, walks into a store to see a very cute teenage girl behind the counter. Colors were dark and moody. There were pink highlights in a few places (like the 7Up can itself, LeBlanc's shirt, the girl's headband…) but other than that it was completely black-and-white. LeBlanc is obviously smitten with her. She's smitten with him but she's working, so he abandons his friends and waits for her to come out for a Cherry 7Up after work.
The moment I saw this ad, I wanted a Cherry 7Up. That sad, romantic music spoke to me directly. I was sad and romantic! I was that rebel! I wanted a girl! Seriously - I thought that if I bought Cherry 7Up I would have the exact same experience as Matt LeBlanc. So I bought the drink and waited on the corner of my street for a girl to come by.... And this went on for a week, before I realized I'd been had. Cherry 7Up wouldn't get me the girl. And I was just as sad and lonely as before - only worse because I was drinking something I hated.
This assignment made me think back to a very strange time in my life and realize that I was a young, stupid boy who needed direction and guidance. That commercial offered me guidance, so I bought their product in the hope of salvation. Sadly, however, that saving moment never came and I felt used. In Reading Images, Kress and Leeuwen ask (with regards to multiple forms of communication), "Is what we hear true, factual, real, or is it a lie, fiction, something outside of reality?" (p. 154) Because of this commercial, Every commercial I saw became suspect, a possible lie, something outside of reality.
Commercials are designed to sell a product, and in the case of Cherry 7Up it worked - I bought their product. But at what cost? It preyed on my weaknesses. It made me wary of what I saw, and mistrustful of my society.
One of the best questions I've ever seen, actually came from this deconstruction assignment (and Jean Kilbourne), which is 'Can one be both a citizen and a consumer'? Well yes, right? Can't I live in a country where the products I buy are trustworthy and safe, and the commercials are geared towards the betterment of myself and that society, as opposed to someone's pockets? I think a better question might be: 'Can one be both a citizen and a SELLER?' because that's the big issue here. Can someone sell their products - regardless of truth or ethics because they need to make money, AND at the same time, can they be a citizen, meaning: can they be loyal to the people within their city, state, country? Maybe? Some? 10%? Less? But on the whole I'd say no, because regardless of product (good or bad) sellers make money to sell, not to be ethical members of a society.
When I was 16, I needed a lot of guidance, direction, and…well, help. At that time in my life, I would have listened to anyone who spoke to me and offered a lifeline. Unbelievably, for at least a week, a Cherry 7Up commercial did just that, and while it gave me hope, it was really based on a lie, and when I discovered that lie (that Cherry 7Up wasn't going to get me the girl or make me feel as confident and cool as Matt LeBlanc), I was worse off than when I started. Today, this distrust of media has stayed with me and expanded to doctors, baby-care products or ANYONE that sells a service or product to earn a living, because it's a conflict of interests. Ultimately, they don't' have to care about what they sell or be ethical. They have to make money! It's sad….very, very sad, because in our society today, caring, helping and teaching have become secondary to the all powerful dollar, and instead of helping me as a child, that commercial hurt me, and instead of helping me today, most commercials just make me worry about the future of our species.
Resources:
"Vintage 80s Cherry 7UP Isn't it cool in pink? Commercial with Matt LeBlanc" Online video clip. Youtube. Uploaded on August 23rd, 2009. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPV4Zbs1ogY
March 10th, 2015.
March 10th, 2015.
Kress, Gunther & van Leeuwen, Theo (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. New York: Routledge.
Josh,
ReplyDeleteYou posted a rather interesting question: “can one be both a citizen and a seller?” You make a valid point. I think it would be difficult to maintain honesty and ethics when trying to sell a product especially when money is involved. Yet, there are sellers that stand behind their products and promote honesty and morals. I have a friend that created a line of natural soaps and lotions. She only used natural products to create her products and backed her items with a 100 % money back guarantee. To me, she is a both a seller and a citizen because she wouldn’t use the products herself if she didn’t stand behind them. She created a safe, natural product line and she also took the environment into consideration. Sadly, sellers like this are rare, but they are out there so I have to disagree with your thoughts that sellers are out to make money not be ethical members of society though I do agree there are more sellers like that in the world than those like my friend. I am just as skeptical as you are and I do not trust easily in anyone or anything. I always do my research with regards to any products I want to possibly try. The advertisement may spark my interest, but I have the control over whether I purchase the product or not. Great post – really gets you thinking and I really enjoyed the visualization you provided about the product. I could picture the Cherry 7-up and Matt LeBlanc in front of me!
Josh : watch this :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTy5-RC1-4
ReplyDeletesee the Pervert's Guide to Ideology it is on netflix.
I will, thanks Khader!
DeleteJosh-
ReplyDeleteI like the way you rephrased the question of being a citizen and seller. You listed some great points about commercials in the 80's and this was pre internet. I think it's tougher to distinguish the two today because of the many outlets where goods can be purchased and sold. To your point , loyalty becomes so very important.