Diet Coke. It's a product aimed at women, and one that I will imbibe if my beloved Pepsi Max is not available (still nowhere near as satisfying).
Over the years, Diet Coke ads have remained relatively consistent. A bunch of go-getting modern women, coping with the demands of an active work life by enjoying a refreshing Diet Coke. Sometimes it was a hunky man enjoying the Diet Coke, but at least it was within sight of those sassy office ladies.
So I almost, almost got angry when I saw the latest ad for Diet Coke:
But then I realised that this is just the eventual, logical conclusion that Diet Coke was always going to come to. Having followed the real life office ladies for 30 years, it was only a matter of time before they outsourced the job.
And so I have to applaud the out and out ballsiness of Coca-Cola, for not even attempting to hide the subtext of this new ad. Consider:
The "women" are still office workers, but now, they're marionettes. Big heads, tiny bodies. Because that's the ideal we're all working towards. That's why we drink Diet Coke.
The "women" are not just literal puppets, but figurative puppets. Of the Coca-Cola empire. They put on a song, we all dance to it; ie, we ALL drink Diet Coke.
The song that's played is "Maniac". Because you know, all women are crazy.
OK, maybe that's a long bow. But still, kudos to you, Coca-cola. Kudos. It's the most baffling, unfunny ad for a soft drink - possibly ever. But at least you're not even pretending. Your theme is "Love it Light" - and you really, really do.
Oh here we go! The Pepsico fan-girl taking a crack at the hard working team down at Coca-cola marketing.
ReplyDeleteI do have a strong distaste for that game, "Stating the Obvious". That's when it becomes undeniably clear that even though "they" are paying attention, it's "we" who are paying out of pocket.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis of the ad seems spot on to me.
ReplyDeleteHowever in the "baffling, unfunny ad for a soft drink - possibly ever" I wish to nominate the mother energy drink ad from a few years ago which seemed to star an undead, elder monkey/hominid sitting in a tree speaking direct to camera with the husky tones of deep voiced American. Not sure which demographic it was aimed at, only know the campaign pitch probably featured the word 'edgy' in it.
Did the ad hit a little too close to home?
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