January 9, 2009
Puzzling -- but pretty cool, I guess -- advertising.
(Via Popwatch.)
More info: The commercial, for Gatorade, was directed by Spike Lee. The voiceover is by Li'l Wayne.
I like this kind of advertising and think it is necessary. If you just obviously promote some product, I'm going to skip over it. This, I enjoyed watching, and I accepted the unobtrusive presentation of the product's name. It probably created a favorable opinion of the brand.
ADDED: You don't see "Gatorade." The product is now called G. You have to find out what the product is independently of the commercial.
AND: As for finding out the name of the product independently, I have become a product information provider, because it's viral video. And I made you watch the commercial, with my seal of approval. So, clearly, it's fabulous advertising if it can do all that.
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38 comments:
As good and slick as it gets. You might see more of this if it weren't for what must be a horrific budget to produce the spot.
I'm always amazed a clients who have a half-billion dollar company and product and then want to nickle and dime the advertising budget without which NO ONE would know about their company.
This one will have people looking all over for the G.
Thanks for explaining this. I saw it last night, and had no idea what it was. But it also didn't make me interested enough to go try to find out, so for me it utterly failed as a commercial.
That's probably ok with them; I'm pretty sure I'm not their target audience.
Were a few of the men in the first part of the segment doing a black power salute? If so, I find that a little offensive, I have to say.
"Were a few of the men in the first part of the segment doing a black power salute? If so, I find that a little offensive, I have to say."
But are you a Gatorade drinker?
"And I made you watch the commercial, with my seal of approval."
Except that because you added a comment to the post describing what it is, you aren't making us watch the commercial. Don't most readers skim the post to see if the source material is likely to be interesting before clicking through and then returning to read the post properly?
I didn't know it was for Gatorade - but have seen for a few weeks now - during bowl game season. It was fun to try and id each person. I had thought the power salute guys were Tommie Smith and John Carlos from the '68 Olympics, but I could be wrong.
Nice ad (yes, I use the product).
But are you a Gatorade drinker?
Nope. Nor do I drink any of the competing sports-drink products. That's why I'm pretty sure I'm not their target audience.
So they can afford to offend me, I suppose, if I'm the only one offended. But I can still be offended, and find such imagery to be divisive and inappropriate.
siyeh... if those guys with the black power salute are 1968 Olympians, then I won't be so offended. That would make it more of an historical reference than a current statement.
Amazingly uninformed. Tell me, as a pop quiz, who is God with a little "g"?
Let's not pretend Muhammad Ali was Gandhi, as the title of a UK Telegraph article goes.
"In an interview with Playboy, he declared: "A black man should be killed if he's messing with a white woman." When the interviewer asked about black women crossing the colour barrier, Ali responded: "Then she dies. Kill her, too."
....But - to be honest - outside the ring, what is there to admire? His domestic life has been a shambles. During his heyday, he ran through wives (four in all) and girlfriends (too numerous to count) with amazing speed, never allowing his sex life to be impeded by his conversion to Islam or his vows to be faithful to one woman."
Of George Foreman, he said, "George Foreman fought for "White America, Christianity, the flag and pork chops."
His boxing career ended in pathetic displays, including a bout with a Japanese wrestler that ripped off his fans, in which Inoki lay on his back for 15 rounds kicking Ali in the legs as he "danced" around Inoki.
LIke Mother Teresa, it is nearly impossible to find information about the dim-witted thuggish Ali that contradicts the public myth. The article quoted above is deleted from the UK Telegraph's website, and only its first page is cached.
Of George Foreman, he said, "George Foreman fought for "White America, Christianity, the flag and pork chops."
Take out the word "white" and that's exactly right. George can afford a lot of pork chops.
Any ad with Bill Russell gets my vote.
It would have been even better if it ran past 1:01 on my laptop before getting hung up. I do despise paying for high-speed connectivity but getting sometime and partial and slow-speed connectivity. grumble.
As to Ali, the end of his boxing career was pretty sad, that's true. So what?
I'm not the target audience, either. When I first saw it I turned to my father and asked "Isn't 'g' general intelligence?"
The Cranky Professor
Thanks for saying Spike Lee is involved. That kept me from watching. Love Gatorade. With Spike involved no more for me.
Al's already said it all for me.
I sort of liked the commercial until the end part with those white faced creatures came on--they are a little creepy. I think some versions of the commercial lack the creepy white things.
I didn't know what the commercial was for until yesterday, when I read about it in the Wall Street Journal.
I like Gatorade, but I never buy it. If someone hands me a cup of it during a marathon it is quite welcome--I just won't pay for it.
"G" is what the kids say these days for "Gangsta". It's also a term of endearment.
"What up, G?"
I saw the ad during the game last night. It did not hold my attention for more than 5 seconds. I'm not their target audience, but I wonder how it played to the average mother of school-age athletes. They are the ones that buy the products. Coaches require kids show up with bottles of whatever. Moms go buy it. Old Aunties like me do too, when I'm running kids to practice. Seems to me that there are thousands of budding athletes (consumers) whose Mom buys the product for every adult athlete who buys it for himself.
G is the force of gravity. I guess that fits.
The commercial, for Gatorade, was directed by Spike Lee
That must explain the shortage of pink men in the commercial.
Of course, we are all so brainwashed none of us asks the obvious question:
Do any of those people drink Gatorade?
Even as short a time ago as the 1980s, people actually asked question.
How naive.
Now we all know it doesn't matter. We no longer care.
It's all some sort of weird political statement tied in with Obama. Risky strategy to link a consumer brand with a politician.
Best of all, it's a myth that one should drink Gatorade while exercising:
"The so-called electrolyte replacement drinks contain electrolytes, sodium and potassium. But research has shown that only small amounts of electrolytes are lost during exercise, and these can easily be restored with a well-balanced diet. In addition, many sport drinks have a high concentration of sugar which will slow the absorption of water in the body. Remember if you insist on having Gatorade®, Powerade®, All-Sport®, etc., there is nothing in the medical literature that proves these products will make you perform any better than drinking plain water (if the team uses a sport drink, simply dilute with water until it's half-strength)*.
Pedialyte is the stuff to use.
The best recovery drink? Chocolate milk.
It's so NOT pink.
Who watches TV anymore? It is so twentyth century.
As for the black power salute. Would you find this ade just as appealing if it should Germans giving a heil Hitler salute? Or Klan members or the Aryan brotherhood giving pro white salutes?
I think not, and the point is it proves you are a racist.
"Ah, look at the little negros acting militant, isn't that cute."
That is what you're thinking. Typical of the racist attitude that pervades academia, especially in the law schools.
An ad for the letter G reminds me of when bits of Sesame Street would be sponsored by the number 3 & the like.
No dreaded white males in muticultiland.
I would have rewound the Tivo if I saw this in the passing commercial stream.
So, clearly, it's fabulous advertising if it can do all that.
It's only fabulous if it makes people buy the product. It won't. Most people will just laugh at this ridiculously grandiose ad for sugar water.
Not a single white male in the ad? Oh my God! The sky is falling!
That's B ... S.
Not a single white male in the ad? Oh my God! The sky is falling!
Huh?
Blogger Mark O said...
"The best recovery drink? Chocolate milk. It's so NOT pink."
I prefer strawberry milk, myself. I guess if he were awake, Mort would say I'm a racist.
Kroger had a sports drink for dogs; I asked the cashier if it was drool replacement but she didn't know or care.
Years ago, back when sports drinks came up.
Chocolate milk has about zero milk in it. It's mostly HF corn syrup.
Go ahead and sneer, Beth dear, you should stick with your talent. But is Gatorade going to do better by turning away from the white/white male segment of its audience? Don't white people have and spend more money than black people?
I came across Gatorade (Gatorgum first actually, as a kid) presented as being made by scientists to help athletes. Now what does "G" mean to anyone? Not that, it seems.
BTW - Do you know a Nancy Johnson in Metairie? Pediatric nurse at the Children's Hospital?
Chocolate milk has about zero milk in it. It's mostly HF corn syrup.
Not the way I make it.
Niche,
Not every ad has to address every buyer.
Sorry, I don't know that particular Nancy Johnson (must be a popular name since I do know two others.) Children's is a great hospital, so she's doing good things for people who really need it if she's a nurse there.
Now I want reader's chocolate milk recipe.
presented as being made by scientists to help athletes
Remember, it's a U. of Florida creation. Thus the name.
In truth, I don't even watch TV anymore, so would have never seen this ad; so maybe I should keep shut on it. But...it seems alienating. Unless they can ensure that white audiences will not see it, why alienate them? Sports would seem an arena where all of all races are, or can be, equal. Well, I hope someone is happy.
Thanks for the respopnse on Nancy; met her I guess it would be about 12 years ago; we were seatmates on a flight from SFO to, I believe, LGA, and she invited me down for Mardi Gras.
Wonderful time, wonderful girl...tried to look her up after Katrina but somehow, didn't have much luck. Can't recall if I tried calling Children's but if so, no soap. Wish I could drop her a line.
She WAS a nurse there, an RN I believe; she could have moved on or entered another specialty; perhaps she was not a ped. nurse but just worked in a ped. specialized institution and I am confused.
MAN you got some exceptional food going down there. I would consider moving there if I could get a good IT job.
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