BAGnewsNotes

The Social Message Beneath the Surface of that Oh, So Silly Super Bowl Ad

Did you see the Budweiser Super Bowl spot where the town bridge is gone, and the townspeople couldn't care less ... until they hear a Bud truck is stuck on the other side?

The subconscious message is fascinating for the way Madison Avenue and corporate advertisers model a response to the breakdown of public services and cities and towns going bankrupt. I mean, so what if public infrastructure is so deteriorated that the town is cut off from civilization? The meta-communication here is, what's the point, anyway? Why even bother? ...That is, unless the opportunity presents itself to party.

So tempting is the prospect of getting the alcohol, the townspeople actually prostrate themselves to form a human bridge, allowing themselves to be run over just for the beer. And not just allow it, but to do it with a smile.

Hmm, that's some message there: Why should you care if things are going to hell? And if you do seek relief, expect to be crushed for it. It's similar to the theme in the Bud Light commercial take-off on "Lost," where people stranded by a plane crash ruin their chance to get help in favor of the opportunity to tie one on.

"Americans..." corporate America is telling us. "You're road kill."

Coke's Olympic Spirit: War is It!

I just saw this at the movies last night and, while I'm still pissed that commercials have invaded the theatre in the first place, I found the spot, itself, unsettling. (And it's not just because so many BAGreaders are Canadian.)

Playing on the notion that the world community exist to tear itself to pieces, Coke not only imagines it's own little world war, but in staging a frolicking, if also violent insurrection in the Olympic Village, it plays on concerns over Olympic security, such as were realized in the Munich massacre at the '72 games.

But then, in the midst of all the world's troubles, there is always one place to turn. And wonders of wonders -- and who would have guessed -- it's the corporation machine.

(8:25 pm PST -- revised for clarity)

Your Turn: Those Haiti Cruises -- The Fun Is Just Beginning

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You knew the newswires were bound to publish photos like these soon enough.

The first three pictures capture passenger activity from a Celebrity Cruise ship docked Friday in Labadee, Haiti, a private resort (satellite pic) on the north coast. In the fourth, set on the Labadee beach, the nurse is a hospital volunteer taking a break from ministering to earthquake victims.

I'm interested in your take on any or all of the photos. (Specific captions are below.)

Obama Weatherproofed

Given how Obama has altered the rules of the game when it comes to political vs. cultural celebrity and the branding of the president, I'd say the Weatherproof ad (and they did license the AP photo) is a case of back-atcha. (The backstory.)

And then, before one concludes it's disrespectful or inappropriate for a savvy clothing company to use the President's image to sell a jacket, I'd say corporate media has thrown that door wide open this past year -- with Obama enabling them all the way. After all, hasn't big media been bombarding the public with Obama's image with all kinds of gratuitous fluff, not to serve any interest of news but instead to feed it's own commercial interests and their own own brands? Along those lines, why should Weatherproof be excluded just because they're in a different market niche?

And then, in response to the jacket affair, White House spokesman Bill Burton says the administration "has a long-standing policy against the use of Obama's name and likeness for commercial purposes." So, does that cover Michelle's appearance this week, along with the White House Executive Chef, on the Food Network's massively-promoted special White House edition of "Iron Chef America"? (In terms of the blurring of the lines, here's the White House Chef even blogging about it.) Before dismissing the appearance as if it was a PSA for healthy eating (though hard to believe if you saw what Emeril and Batali did to those vegetables), I'm wondering just how big was that ad buy?

If there is anything to be learned here, it's probably that the White House valets should be cutting the labels off of all new togs.

(7:45 pm PST - expanded)

(image 1: Weatherproof Corp. via AP. image 2: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)

Double-Take

Checking out the pictures from the opening today, it looks like ... Dubai just rebuilt the World Trade Center.  

(photo: Kamran Jebreili/AP. caption: An Emirati man watches the city view on the screen at the observation deck of the tower, At the Top, of Burj Dubai on Level 124 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 4, 2010. Dubai is set to open the world's tallest building amid tight security on Monday, celebrating the tower as a bold feat on the world stage despite the city state's shaky financial footing.)

Suite Deal at the Capsule Hotel

As a potential nightmare mixture of the mortgage meltdown and "The Great Recession," I just hope this "1984"-ish photo and article kicking off the year on the NYT front page isn't a sign of things to come.

Full story and slide show.

(photo: Ko Sasaki for The New York Times)

The Allstate Jesus Bowl

Just Do It, Lord. Just Do It!

Not having followed college football for years, I came across U. of Florida State quarterback Tim Tebow's on-his-face and in-yours four quarter bible promo for the first time tonight during the Sugar Bowl -- or, as it's officially intoned, the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Apparently, Tebow -- the son of missionaries who is also know for helping the home schooled gain equal access to high school sports teams -- has been flaunting different bible quotes on his eye-catching eye black on national TV the entire Gator's season. (Huffpo explains the particular Ephesians quote.)

As I continue to detox from George Clooney's two hour commercial for American Airlines and its alliance partners, Hilton and Hertz, I'm troubled by the ever deeper cross-pollination of media, entertainment and proselytizing in all its forms.

What seems to be killing the culture as much as anything is how unfettered marketing, PR and commercialism has become a God-given way of life.

(photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images. Louisiana Superdome. January 1, 2010. New Orleans)

Bankers to Obama: Talk to the Hand

The question, Mr. President, is how do you expect to call these guys onto the carpet when you can't even get them on the carpet?

Bad weather or not, consider the symbolism of some of the biggest banking execs -- including Blankfein of Goldman Sachs; Mack of Morgan Stanley; and Parsons of Citi -- not showing up for your highly-touted White House rally/lecture? (And this little faux paux coming just the morning after your 60 Minutes interview with Steve Kroft in which, previewing your pique for the national television audience, you started getting worked up over how these guys were taking us to the cleaners!)

Finally!

Caption: Workers sit near a pond on the walk at Fakka oilfield, near Amara, 300 km (185 miles) southeast of Baghdad, December 8, 2009. Deal makers from the world's largest energy firms assembled amid tight security at Iraq's Oil Ministry on Friday to compete for deals to develop some of the country's most prized oilfields. Picture taken December 8, 2009. (NYT article.)

(photo: Atef Hassan/Reuters)

Who Tiger Let Down More Than Anyone

  

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(photos: Getty Images, AP)