Q & A from pg. 181 with summary

Summary:

Author Melissa Rubin breaks down a classic Coca-Cola advertisement from 1950 and how, through the use of advertising, can unite a country. She begins by describing the overall ad and how each placement of certain items within the ad were a direct reflection of 1950 American ideals. Specifically, she says, "In this advertisement, the buildings surround the people, symbolizing a sense of community and the way Americans had come together in a successful effort to win the war" (pg. 178). She also urges readers to come to this conclusion by pointing to the placement of wording within the ad by saying that not only will a Coke refresh you, but it will also unite you (pg. 179). She also points out that the ad itself is a direct reflection of the ideal middle-class American society. At the end of her essay, she points out that throughout the years, Coca-Cola has played an important role in not only American society, but throughout the world, by saying, “The message: theirs is a life to be envied and emulated, so drink Coca-Cola and live that life yourself” (pg. 180). 

Q & A from pg. 181:

1. Ms. Rubin's insight that she gleans from this ad, is that Coca-Cola started off reflecting the ideals of American  middle-class society and eventually showing the world that this is how all Americans are and they should drink a Coke to become more like us (pg. 180). Her conclusions are supported when she describes the people used in the ad, which are mostly white, blue and white-colared, males congregating together and enjoying a Coke together suggesting that a job can be done if everyone is united (pg. 179). She is further supported in her conclusion when she points out that the placement of Sprite Boy in itself is a "uniting force" (pg. 178). Her analysis has persuaded me that her conclusions are correct and are represented well in this single ad. 

2. She incorporates historical context by pointing out several ideals that were very prevalent in 1950. Her description of the people that make up the ad supported her contextual thoughts that during the early 1950's most workers were white men, fresh from serving in the war and the incorporation of housing near the plant in which they worked were closer together than they were in the previous decade. Additionally, she points out that this ad was used in the years after WWII and the start of the Korean War and how that played into Coca-Cola choosing the people to be depicted in the ad.

3. Some other questions that can be answered from an ad is, what type of lifestyle is a company trying to promote? How can this product improve your life? Where will you be when you "X" happens? 

4. A recent ad from Coca-Cola depicted the life of foreign workers in Dubai not making enough money to pay for regular phone calls home. What Coca-Cola does is develop a phone booth that uses phone calls for currency. This is an especially poignant commercial showing that the average worker in Dubai only makes $6 an hour and can cost up to $.91 per minute to call back to their families. This machine converts a bottle cap into 3 minutes of time in which they can use to call home. Additionally, the ending directs the viewer that "Because happiness is a Coca-Cola, and a phone call home," we should have a Coke and enjoy life. This is further evident when Coca-Cola uses their phrase "Open Happiness" at the very end of the ad. These two ads are comparable because they both depict working class people and their need to enjoy a Coke in order to be happy. Both ads show what Coca-Cola can do for them in order to become a happy and harmonious unit. The message for both is that Coca-Cola can and will unite workers and to drink more Coke to because happy.