My friend (and reader) Dorothy snapped these pictures in Washington, D.C. Friday of soft drink maker Pepsi's "president-elect" inspired ad campaign. Using their new, modified red, white and blue circle logo like a half-grin version of the Obama rising sun logo, the Pepsi sphere has replaced the "O" in their one-word adverts, which include "hope" and "together." Some banners even blatantly read "Yes You Can" in case the others were too subtle in their connection to the Big O.
Curiously, some banners read "Oh boy," which depending on how you feel about the word "boy" can be seen as a little clunky or at worst, condescending.
Dot thought it was personally outrageous that anyone would use "boy" in an ad campaign obviously derived from the successful presidential campaign for an adult black man considering the negative history of the term and its use (usually to put black men "in their place"). Once my grandpa, then in his 70s, was called a "boy" by an Arkansas police officer young enough to be his son. We're almost positive that wasn't a term of endearment. But these banners were likely created by some clueless "boy geniuses" on Madison Avenue who know about as much about the history of "boy" and black men as they know what hominy grits are.
But this is just the latest reflection on Obama's dynamic campaign and essence popping up in advertising. This time to peddle corn syrup sweetened, carbonated water. It would be offensive for being opportunistic, but this is America and this is capitalism at work. In light of the recession where people are cutting back on their pointless consumption of useless things, you can't really blame Pepsi for trying to squeeze a good will, Obama dollar out of you by any means necessary. If Rocawear can sell "Roc-Obama" T-shirts at Macy's and Pookie n' em can sell bootleg Obama merch on the streets of D.C. this week, Pepsi is gonna get theirs.
We already know Tropicana may have got themselves an early start. (To see more of Dorothy's photos and art, click here.)
11 comments:
It's going a bit far to think it's something racist behind it. It's one of those things your friend was over thinking. It's funny that a lot of places are trying to get in on the act though and increase sales in any way possible.
If it was "Oh boy" once, I'd be totally with you---not only does that have serious racial overtones, but it sounds like an exasperated Republican ("Oh, boy, this is gonna suck").
But to me, "Oh boy oh boy oh boy" is excitement. It's got an implied exclamation point at the end. It's, "oh boy oh boy oh boy, I can't WAIT for this inauguration! This is gonna be AWESOME!" Combined with the other slogans, that makes more sense to me.
Pepsi woudl be dumb to make a racial campaign, eespecially when they are modeling their ad campaign after Obama's
there is really nothing here in my opinion, if anything, I think they are elevating the success of Obama by copying his campaign (the biggest form of flattery is imitation)
ps: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE OBAMA!!!
I would agree with the others. This is the furthest thing from being racist. I think what's fascinating about these corporations tailoring their ad campaigns around Obama is how it makes everything come full circle with how political campaigns so closely mirror corporate campaigns. What does "staying on message" really mean except the repetition of ad campaigns? The same goes for political slogans. And I don't think people should ask why Pepsi's tailored its logo to more resemble Obama's but why did Obama have a logo in the first place? Is running for president more like trying to sell a car than we realize or would like to admit?
I don't know. Just a thought.
Everybody is getting paid off Barack. As for the Oh boy Oh boy campaign, I don't think it's racist, but I don't get what they were going for either...btw...it s/be "gonna get theirs".
I was wondering what was up with the new logo that showed up on my Pepsi bottle last night: "Does that look sort of Obama-ish for real, or am I just obsessed?" It does make a certain kind of advertising sense, when you remember Barack's "I'm not the most likely candidate" stance. From there, one way to view his campaign is as the most successful advertising ever done. I kind of don't see it that way (I tend to think of him as way more likely than his public estimations called it back then), but wherever his popularity came from, advertisers are going to want a piece of it, because that is what they do. I may have mixed feelings about that, but the truth is that I feel better about the Pepsi logo than I do about hearing The Who in TV commercials. And I read the "O boy" as enthusiasm... maybe slightly tone-deaf enthusiasm, but that is part of my own expectation about advertising. I don't like advertising much.
-Doug in Oakland
What Pepsi's doing is nothing compared to the press release that hit my inbox the other day:
"HENNESSY SALUTES A MOMENT IN HISTORY WITH THE RELEASE OF HENNESSY 44, A LIMITED EDITION BOTTLE COMMEMORATING THE INAUGURATION OF THE 44TH PRESIDENT AND HENNESSY'S LONG-STANDING SUPPORT OF THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND"
Well, I suppose their intentions are good.
LOL@ Hennessy 44....that's wild.
Blah! It makes me absolutely sick when major corporations try to sneak in and put a twist on their company like this. Pepsi is probably hoping that Obama supporters will buy more of their product. So sneaky Pepsi, so sneaky...
-Ihssan
Just to be clear, I didn't necc think it was racist (as in, I wasnt personally offended), I just pondered the banners from a different generational perspective. At first I glanced and thought they were cute and that the culmination of ads were fun. It was only after I took several pics that I was struck by the "possibility" that someone could read those and go "what?".
PS Thanks DB for the shout.
Dotty
Pepsi just wants to sell more sugar water, that's it. No deep mystery to that one. Every street corner near me has a table hawking Obama/King t-shirts. They are trying to make a buck as well.
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