in the wrong era. Soundly refuting
liberals online since 2000.
| Politico | Dispute: Santorum: Romney contraceptive decision ‘trumped employees’ religious consciences’ |
0 |
| Ras. Reports | 2012 Watch: National GOP: Romney 34%, Gingrich 27%, Santorum 18%, Paul 11% |
0 |
| B’berg | Oh My: Banks Paying Cash to Homeowners to Avoid Foreclosures |
0 |
| The Hill | 0 | |
| Maggie G. | Courts: Ninth Circuit to 7 Million California Voters: You Are Irrational Bigots |
0 |
Audacity of Truth
Gaffetastic:
Vice President Joe Biden had his “oops” moment Wednesday speaking in a 49er-crazed SF when he told a crowd at a city political fundraiser that “the Giants are on their way to the Super Bowl.” - SF Chronicle, 1-18-12
Warped story of the day: Time magazine article on Pepsi and Obama
I don’t know what’s worse: The fact that Time magazine devoted an entire page to trying to determine whether Coke or Pepsi was the Obama administration’s beverage of choice, or the fact that contained within the piece was the news that Pepsi has now taken to using Obama slogans and logos as part of an advertising campaign used to demonstrate the drink’s “hipness”:
In an apparent homage to the new President, PepsiCo has plastered the sides of buses and bus stops in the nation’s capital with slogans like “Yes You Can,” “Optimismmmm” and “Hope.” In each poster, the letter O is inscribed with the redesigned Pepsi logo, a red, white and blue sphere that echoes the rising-sun image used by the Obama campaign.
It is not hard to interpret the message. Since 1984, Pepsi has been marketing itself as the hip, happening beverage of youth — “The choice of a new generation,” as its longtime slogan went. And Barack Obama, one of the youngest men to serve as President, is nothing if not hip, especially among young consumers who supported him by wide margins. Pepsi says the campaign is not a political endorsement. “We’re not interested in following political tailwinds,” says Nicole Bradley, a Pepsi spokeswoman. “But we are interested in cultural change.”
The rest of it reads like something you’ve find on the pages of Teen Beat, as it displays the writer’s in depth efforts into finding out which cola is the preference of Barry Oh! and Co. Is it Coke? Is it Pepsi? I don’t want give away the “big reveal.” You’ll have to read the rest of the article to find out.
Interestingly enough, in an article titled “Obama: The Pepsi candidate,” Slate magazine pointed out the similarities in the Obama logo and the Pepsi logo last year. The speculation on the logos has been around for a while now, but this year it’s clear that Pepsi has taken the “change” motto directly to heart – without question.
Back in January, a Flickr user documented side by side comparisons of the logos:
As Jake Tapper, borrowing a line from Hillary Clinton, pointed out last month as well when the new Pepsi logo was announced, this is “change we can Xerox.”
And also, let me point out that Pepsi’s claims that this logo change has nothing to do with Barack Obama are complete bullsh*t. Look at this page. Specifically, look at the link on the lower left side that reads:
Dear Mr. President
We recently provided the people an open letter to our new President. See what the world is asking from the new man in charge.
Here are a screencap of the middle of the main page:
Here’s the screencap of the “see what the world is asking” link:
If you click this link, you’ll see what people are writing to the “Pepsi President.” You’ll see pictures and explanations from “regular citizens” as well as Hollyweirdos who endorsed Obama last year – including will.i.am, the co-writer of the now famous “Yes we can” song (along with, unknowingly, Barack Obama).
Also on that page is this section, which speaks for itself:
Get it? Obama is going to “refresh” America. And I’d like to remind everyone that Pepsi has repeatedly denied that their campaign has anything to do with Barack Obama’s logo or motto:
Officials from Pepsi insist that their product’s new look and message in no way is intended to copy Obama’s message, but rather to align their product with the mood of the country right now.
“Pepsi has always stood for youthful exuberance and optimism, which is reflected in our new campaign like never before,” Pepsi spokeswoman Nicole Bradley told ABC News. “We can’t speak to the president-elect’s design sensibilities, but we’re all over his prevailing spirit of optimism. That’s as refreshingly bipartisan as it gets.”
Don’t like having your intelligence insulted? Don’t like Pepsi making its political affiliations clear in their blatantly political marketing campaign? Do what I do: Don’t buy their products.
Just for the record, I’m not accusing Team Obama of having anything to do with this, but I don’t even think it’s arguable that they dig it. It’s a cultural thing, a battle for the hearts and minds of a younger generation, and campaigns like this aid them in winning that battle. Would people drink a Pepsi and automatically think “Oh God, I love Obama”? No – that’s not what I’m saying. But when you’ve got left wing ice cream makers, tea makers, and soft drink drink makers promoting his message, and not only that, but when you have news networks like CBS adopting his logo and motto in their primetime show promotional advertisements, it all adds up to a powerful message: If you want to be “hip” and “with the times,” then you’d be a fool to not support President Obama’s agenda.
The next question is: Do we want people in our party who are so shallow? The answer is that people aren’t born shallow. We have to figure out a way to win over the hearts and minds of the younger generations in a way that appeals to them (but without changing the message itself) because the future of this country is going to rest in their hands. The Jindals, Palins, and Steeles are going to aid greatly in this cause because they are part of a newer generation of Republicans who have compelling stories, and who are likable, bright, capable, and unapologetically conservative, but who also have experience working across the aisle without selling out their core principles.
We, too, can sell conservatism – to anyone willing to listen. Don’t be ashamed to talk about it amongst family and friends. You know who is willing to listen and who isn’t. If the opportunity presents itself, no matter whether it’s over a big issue like the stimulus or a bumper sticker you see, don’t hesitate to speak your mind and engage people in a conversation about conservative ideals. Most liberals don’t shy away from talking about their politics, and we shouldn’t either.
It’s going to take some hard work from leaders in the party, and from the rest of us, if we want conservatives to start winning again in the arena of ideas and then eventually take back the House, Senate, and Presidency and at times it’s going to be frustrating – especially considering how the media is going to demonize every strong conservative voice that emerges in the coming years, in an effort to protect the guy they helped get elected President, as well as the party they helped give stronger majorities in the House and Senate.
Can conservative ideals rise again in the era of overwhelming Obamania? Why Yes, They Can.
“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” – Winston Churchill, 1941
RSS feed for comments on this post.
15 Responses to “Warped story of the day: Time magazine article on Pepsi and Obama”
Comments
Blogads
Disclaimer: The views expressed on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of ST's advertisers, nor do their opinions necessarily reflect ST's. Island of Misfit Bloggers
Stats
Coke Zero’s better tasting anyway.
Unfortunately, Pepsi sponsors my favorite NASCAR Jeff Gordon, although if he doesn’t stop letting Tom Cruise hang out with him on race day that will change in a hurry.
I thought Kool Aid was the official soft drink of the Obama administration?!?!?!?!
Obama Kool Aid
I drink water. Until he starts to claim that he is the one responsible for the purity of it, Im sticking to that. Thats funny NC about Koolaid. I had never seen that before.
We, too, can sell conservatism – to anyone willing to listen.
Unfortunately, the “packaging” is going to matter.
As I said in comment at my own site:
I believe that we have a huge number of [media addicted and sound-bytes addicted] voters out there, never mind that video presentations can never reach the depth of the printed word. In my view, this dependence upon video “evidence” is one reason BHO got elected, and BHO’s campaign well knew how to sway voters with those means. I think that conservatives are “behind the times,” though it grieves me to believe that our citizenry has so degenerated to be so easily manipulated.
Right now, we’ve got a dumbed-down electorate, easily swayed by the demagogue Dems and this constant advertising of “hope and change” and “stimulus.”
I don’t give a hoot about whatever soft drink BHO imbibes.
After dumbing down two straight generations and they’re well into the third, why would anyone think voters today would go beyond the party line of indoctrination and actually think about what’s being said in campaigns? That, to me, is liberal thinking at its best/worst.
As far as Pepsi goes, I will resume drinking it when they refrain from pushing a socialist by proxy.
.
“pushing a socialist by proxy”
Look, I am a staunch conservative so believe me when I tell you this.
At one time I worked for an ad agency that had Pepsi for a client. The marketing people at Pepsi are the most arrogant, smug and miserable human beings I ever met. 90% of them have MBA’s in marketing from top business schools at Michigan, Northwestern, Indiana and even Wharton.
Their internal slogan is “If it ain’t broke, break it”, I am not kidding. They are never satisfied and revise their packaging, colors and logo on a regular basis to suit their mood. The new design has everything to do with stealing Obama’s equity to sell sugar water and nothing to do with politics.
If Pepsi marketing can steal some new pop culture equity they will jump all over it.
They are capitalists first and foremost. If they can sell product by using socialism they will do it. They are nothing more than shameless capitalist whores.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that : )
CZ, far as I’m concerned it’s ok that they’re “shameless capitalist whores.” More power to them.
But they also understand (if they’re as good at it as you say) that if a campaign doesn’t work they need to retool again.
Whether they are consciously pushing Big Zero on purpose or not is irrelevant because that is the end effect. I don’t like that end effect enough that, in spite of my preference for their product, I will not buy any of their products until that campaign ends.
And if enough of their customers are similarly moved that way, that campaign will end that much sooner, and Big Zero will have to look elsewhere for free advertising.
NC you beat me too it. I was thinking the same thing. I thought Kool-aid was the official drink of the Obama supporter.
Ohhh Well. My slogan is, if if ain’t A&W rootbeer, what’s the point. – Lorica
Yes Carlos, they will. As I said, they are never satisfied. They suffer from Coke envy. They never blame their marketing for their sales, they retool as you point out. Pepsi was very active executing what is called “guerilla” marketing tactics at Obummer rallies handing out posters, baners and signs. Like this:
http://www.thelogofactory.com/logo_blog/index.php/obama-pepsi-logo/
After working with them I stopped purchasing any of their products.
Check the Pepsico Website for a list of all of their domestic and international products so we can boycott the entire product line, not just their sodas. Funny that capitalist enterprises don’t seem to think Obama’s policies will affect them in a negative way.
LINK
Annie, money makes the world go ’round, even in a socialist country. That was the basis for the “some are more equal than others” statement in “Animal Farm.”
And that’s why people like Soros and Heinz could care less about what happens ’cause it’ll only affect people who don’t have their kind of money.
Also, keep in mind that there isn’t a truly altruistic rich person in the world. If they were truly altruistic they wouldn’t be rich.
I wrote a letter to Pepsi and received a response on 2/6. Here is what old Dennis said to me:
My response to him was:
I have been in a mixed marriage (me Coke, she Pepsi) for ten years now; producing four beautiful Pepsi guzzling little ones. Obama notwithstanding, I will continue to sleep with the enemy for many years to come.
Joseph, Pepsi is not the enemy, stupid socialism is. But their riding on the coattails of a socialist makes thinking people take pause with their product: is their product really worth the cost of support for such sleazy tactics, whether they individually or corporately support the socialist’s policies or not?
Carlos:
I’m well aware that Pepsi is not the enemy. I was merely adding a little levity to the thread. My attempt at humor obviously fizzled with you. Trust me, I won’t quit my day job!
Best,
Joseph