The immensely famous, Kendall Jenner, participated in a Pepsi commercial back in April of this year. The advertisement promoted American culture and touched on the current socials issues and how they are being fought against with the help of protests. This commercial did receive an enormous amount of backlash due to the 'glamour' Pepsi associated with protests. Despite Pepsi's attempt to convey American's unity, their main goal was to show anyone from any walk of life can drink Pepsi, and Pepsi can contribute to unity.
The commercial depicted many different people from many different backgrounds coming together during a protest and being united because of Pepsi. It's obvious Pepsi tried to include many ethnicities present in the United States emphasizing the minorities including a hijab-wearing women, an Asian man, African American individuals and many others that are more difficult to identify. The commercial also includes their careers ranging from musicians to photographers, dancers and models.
Even though this commercial is extremely questionable and offensive to many Americans due to Pepsi's defiance for recognizing the lives lost, and the non-glamour lifestyle of protests; my focus will be primarily on the civic related components in addition to the mistakes Pepsi and why Pepsi overstepped. The goal of this commercial was to unite the diversified people and civil activists of America during a protest. This advertisement is the epitome (of an attempt) of using the American culture in relation to their product to try to promote Americans to buy it, even though the opposite occurred.
I would attempt to discuss this advertisement as though it was a semi-successful due to the civically related components, in addition to adding the downfalls and mistakes Pepsi made. I would discuss Pepsi's attempt to use civic components while connected to a few superficial components which directly lead to its downfall. My hook would include something related to, "A drink that brings all Americans together?" One major point that would be included in my speech would be identifying the diversity shown in the advertisement because America is know as the 'melting pot.' Another point I would discuss would be that protests are very common currently in America whether they are LGBTQ motivated or relating to the black lives matter movement.
***I'm uneasy to use this as my artifact so I would really like people to add their opinions on whether or not I should discuss this commercial due to the fact of how controversial it it. I'm not sure if it would help or hurt while writing a speech. I recognize and agree fully with the fact that Pepsi didn't go about this commercial the right way while glamorizing protests when currently, they are no where near graceful nor glamorous.
I think this is a really interesting concept. I like how you not only want to evaluate the civic aspects of the ad, but also the backlash by Americans to its "uncivicness". I know you are wary about the ad (because it's an ad and they are trying to sell a product) but I think the way you want to take your speech might work because you are not necessarily using the product as civic, but rather the ideas behind the ad and American's view of the ad.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a good plan to analyze the commercial. I don't know if speaking about what's wrong with the commercial is a very good point to make unless it's mixed will within two other points. I wouldn't make it a main priority to talk about it. I do like though that this a modern commercial and it does kind of shed some light on protesting even if it's not entirely true. If you are uneasy I would keep looking if you have the time to and possibly find something you have some more confidence in. You seem to have it all worked out though if this is the artifact you choose.
ReplyDeleteWhile I would like to hear a speech about this topic, I'm not certain that the advertisement qualifies as a civic artifact. It covers a civic topic but does not ask anything civic of its audience (it does ask them to buy a product, but doing so is not framed as being civic within the advertisement by anything other than association). If you were to ultimately pick this topic your talking point about diversity is good but I do not think that talking about current events would be as effective when talking about the artifact. As well, I like the idea behind your hook but it might work better if it were rephrased a little bit as a rhetorical question as opposed to a question of disbelief.
ReplyDeleteI love your ideas here. I think that your choice of commercial was a good one in the sense that it does involve protests, something that has kind of become a staple of American society and is so prevalent. However, if you decide to not go with the ad route, you could pull from any pictures of protesting, and use that to make the same points instead.
ReplyDeleteMcKenzie, I echo Jacob's concern that this piece might not qualify as a civic artifact. It's generally glamorizing the concept of protesting, but it's not specific about any cause -- just a general pro-youthful, pro-diversity, pro-Pepsi drinking audience.
ReplyDeleteIf you go with this piece, I also fear that you'll struggle with the next assignment -- the Rhetorical Analysis essay. Not because this ad can't be analyzed -- it's ripe for analysis and even mocking! -- but rather because you have to compare it with another artifact. It's a "fake" view of protesting, given the fact that the protest depicted is fictional and has no origin, real audience, or specific cause. I think this will make it hard to use for the essay when you want to compare it with something real.
I hope this helps!