The campaign was based on many duplicities. The first of them was that Iron Eyes Cody was actually born Espera de Corti — an Italian-American who played Indians in both his life and on screen. The commercial’s impact hinged on the emotional authenticity of the Crying Indian’s tear. In promoting this symbol, Keep America Beautiful was trying to piggyback on the counterculture’s embrace of Native American culture as a more authentic identity than commercial culture.
The second duplicity was that Keep America Beautiful was composed of leading beverage and packaging corporations. Not only were they the very essence of what the counterculture was against; they were also staunchly opposed to many environmental initiatives.
Back in elementary we had a school photo day where the photographer setup on the roof of the gym looking down on everyone. Then randomly someone started chanting "Mario" and the whole school got in on it. Was pretty funny, as a 12 year old.
I love the Gillette ad. One can be jaded and look at it as a company trying to leverage a movement for their benefit - but it is such great story telling. The key point is that, as men, we must model the right behaviors for our children to break the cycle of damaging machismo. The moments of the one guy breaking up the fight between the two kids, and the other with the other man rescuing the kid being chased - all while their boys are watching - is so powerful.
And I love the fact they are looking inward and asking is this really the best the man can be?
Really powerful stuff and an important message. We can be better.
The Following User Says Thank You to Jiri Hrdina For This Useful Post:
It's really cool how guys who claim to be the authority on masculinity can't even handle a razor commercial telling them to be less ####ty without their brains imploding.
Really great look dorks.
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Fire Geoff Ward.
Into the Sun.
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This one always touched my heart strings. Considering I've never had kids or been sick in a hospital, something about this one just hits me every time.
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From a marketing perspective, absolutely. It’s a good video with a moving message, but as the article suggests, it took some big missteps as far as motivating the market and actually selling product (which is what most ads should do).
That said, it seems like more of a brand shifting exercise that a market grabbing one. I disagree that all ads should avoid politic, I think it depends on the intent of the ad.
Good message, solid land, but a poor lens. I would say success and failure can be defined only by knowing Gillette’s intent, which the author of the article doesn’t.
From a marketing perspective, absolutely. It’s a good video with a moving message, but as the article suggests, it took some big missteps as far as motivating the market and actually selling product (which is what most ads should do).
That said, it seems like more of a brand shifting exercise that a market grabbing one. I disagree that all ads should avoid politic, I think it depends on the intent of the ad.
Good message, solid land, but a poor lens. I would say success and failure can be defined only by knowing Gillette’s intent, which the author of the article doesn’t.
Naw, #### that. That article says it has been received negatively because of youtube comments. What a ####ty gauge of how it is being perceived.
The internet is full of extremes and very few moderates.
Also, women also use razor blades to shave, so while this particular ad is aimed at men, it does a lot for brand awareness at women.
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Was it ad to push razors or ad to push an initiative? If James Woods feels threatened by it I think it is great. The sooner those types are left behind the better.
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Powerful Commercials
