Television and Media - Social Messages in a Coca-Cola TV Commercial

Explicit and Implicit Social Messages in a Recent Coca-Cola Commercial

Directed by feature-filmmaker Bryan Singer, Coca Cola’s most recent television ad in their “Real” campaign features Salma Hayeck in the supposed natural setting of a business meal at an upscale Hollywood restaurant[1]. While presenting many of the elements that Jib Fowles discusses in his essay “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals,” this Coke ad also portrays the duality of women in our society.

The only unambiguous message of this commercial is the product it endorses: as product recognition is most important in advertising, Singer subtly creates the “Affiliation”[2] appeal. The fast-moving ad features unidentified people and indeterminate foods; however, amidst the myriad of attractive imagery stands the easily-recognized Coca-Cola contour bottle. While Coke is rarely dispensed in glass bottles anymore, the choice to present it in this container distinguishes it as nostalgic and thus familiar, as opposed to the vague and thus anonymous food that the ad is not promoting. This dichotomy of the indeterminate food and prominent Coke bottle serves as one example of the duality I will discuss throughout the essay: Salma Hayeck resembles the Coke bottle’s distinction in contrast to the unknown people also featured in the commercial[3]. Additionally, the ad evokes affiliation from audiences with its text “Craving” “Coca-Cola” “Real,” which resonates the company’s previous slogan, “The Real Thing.” Essentially viewers acknowledge the reality of Coke through their memories of prior ad campaigns.

As I mentioned, the pace of this commercial is fast-moving, likely intended to mirror real life; in a thirty-second ad, viewe...

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...y be women who feel the pressure of this duality, the ad reinforces the rigid social expectations for women’s behavior as distinguished private or public.

This recent Coca-Cola commercial illustrates the complexity of advertising’s explicit and implicit social messages: because directors intentionally include all elements, audiences should thoughtfully analyze the expectations, stereotypes, and assumptions companies perpetuate and measure our complicity with these messages by unconsciously viewing.

[1] http://www2.coca-cola.com/presscenter/nr_20030917_americas_real_salma_hayek.html

[2] The “Appeals” I discuss henceforth are taken from Jib Fowles’ essay “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals.”

[3] Though I will admit that I mistakenly identified the featured actress as Penelope Cruz, who stars in another commercial for Coke’s “Real” campaign.