I saw this Hillshire Farm commercial the other day and naturally our class came to mind. All I can say is have a look and see if you too see anything wrong with it.
Just a couple of things that stuck out to me were the clothes that the white people wore and how the white girl has this awkwardly off beat clap. Personally I have never seen someone tie a sweater around their shoulders at a cookout. Also I noticed that the black guy has got this little dance to the song and that he throws a "say what" in there. Any thoughts?
I've seen this commercial a few times and I've always thought if funny how the creators of the commercial portray the white couple, the black couple and then the lady sitting in the chair. I have also never seen someone tie a sweater around their neck at a BBQ. The creators of the commercial knew what they were doing. They are trying to target their ideal customers. The white couple are portrayed as being preppy, middle class while the black couple are also middle class but maybe to not as high socio-economic standing as the white couple. I think it's all marketing and trying to entice people to buy the food. But the way it's done is obviously playing into stereotypes.
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ReplyDeleteThis commercial is particularly interesting because it combines the two couples of different races. White vs. black is extremely apparent in their language styles and clothing, but I think that the goal of this commercial is to broaden the consumer base. By having the white couple and the black couple in opposition, yet interacting allows individuals who are segregated or integrated to be interested in the product. A viewer will pay attention to what they want to see; therefore, having separated, inclusive individuals can allow the situation to be open for interpretation. Also, I completely agree that this class has opened my eyes to the stereotypes portrayed in average commercials. I think that this is a very big problem because the portrayal of certain groups in media has an effect on ones understanding of that group. Zack agrees that when people see these stereotypes their beliefs are articulated and strengthened. If commercials continue to portray these characteristics for particular races I think that our society will continue to have a difficult time minimizing racial distinctions and battling racism. I wonder if producers and directors of commercials and other forms of media realize the power and effect they have over society?
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