Last year’s Super Bowl ads included several Big Business suck ups to Obama. Their cash and their ads worked for him, doggonit.
This year’s ads point to a changing America.
Last year’s “We Are Young” song got transformed into Taco Bell-munching geezers having fun, backed by a Spanish-language version of the song. A dual point: the rise of Latinos and the fact that older Americans are stronger consumers than the no-jobs generation instrumental in re-electing Obama.
The Kia Forte ad – showroom robots in command – points to the increasing robotization of American factories. That trend helps explain why factory jobs haven’t recovered.
Jeep’s wonderful “Whole Again” ad evoked American aspirations. Jeep got caught in the 2012 election because of allegations that Jeep would favor China. Jeep’s foreign owners said “no way” in October, but last month pledged up to 200,000 China-built Jeeps, with 100,000 more in Italy – jointly more than all of 2012’s non-American Jeep sales. So all those returning soldiers may find it tough to find jobs from more American-made Jeeps.
American’s desire for wish fulfillment (especially in our economy) was on display in the RAV4 ad. In the milk ad Dwayne Johnson said, “We’re outa milk.” Ain’t just milk we need, is it? Pity the bride and groom in the Century 21 ad who need a home. The ad glides past the question “can newlyweds afford homes nowadays?” Tackling our wishes head on was E-Trade whose baby said, “Save it.” Don’t we wish Washington understood saving money better than they understood spending it?
A value-laden America was front and center in the Dodge Ram “God made a farmer” ad – which was far away from Gildan’s “end of a one-night stand” ad. Let us praise these virtues:
- work all day,
- support local schools at board meetings,
- help a neighbor,
- don’t cut corners,
- go to church,
- hold a family together with soft strong bonds of sharing.
Those are the best reasons to pray for a restored American Dream, a change we’d all support.