AdAge just posted an article about a Russian print ad from Voskhod for the ice cream bar Duet.
The interesting thing about this ad is that it not only plays off racial stereotypes between black and white, and holds both of them in contempt in certain ways, but it also alludes to the popularity of President Barack Obama, which some people contend, is only a fad (see the phrase, "Flavor of the Week!"). The ad features Obama holding his hand in a "peace" sign, signaling his attempts to bring Americans out of the war in Iraq; however, Obama plans to concentrate his efforts more on the war in Afghanistan, making the peace sign somewhat ironic. The rainbows in the background possibly also stand for the President's asserted support of the gay community, symbolized by his willingness to sign the bill that decriminalizes homosexuality worldwide, and has been supported by 27 nations in the European Union along with three dozen other countries.
Perhaps this ad was meant to be funny. Instead, it not only makes fun of Obama's campaign promises and the work that he has accomplished in his first three months in office, but it also discriminates against several minority groups, including blacks and homosexuals, and ridicules Americans in their efforts to change after the mess made by the Bush administration. Maybe this ad was just a failed attempt at humor, or maybe Russians just really don't like Americans.
On the other hand, however, one cannot see this ad as run-of-the-mill. It does, indeed, drive home the point that the ice cream bar does contain both chocolate and vanilla, and may even be quite tasty. The ad is brightly colored, and its political and racial overtones do stick in the mind. Though it will most likely increase awareness of the Voskhod brand, this awareness itself may not be entirely positive, with the amount of criticism that the ad is drawing, and there is no way to predict whether or not it will actually increase sales of the Duet ice cream bar.
I also have to wonder what consequences the ad will have for Voskhod's brand image. Will the image change at all, and if so, in what way? Will Voskhod be seen as a racist, bigoted, anti-American company, or will the ad's failed attempts at satire be forgiven by the Russian (and the world's) populace? Will the ad have an effect on America's (and Americans') relationship to Russia (and Russians)? More importantly, however, is it fair to generalize on agency's ad for a client that happens to negatively impact the feelings of Americans to the entire Russian populace?
The prevalence of advertisements domestically and intenrationally affects not only how countries relate to each other, but also the general opinions held by the masses of each country in which advertising is produced. In the worldwide sphere, these cultural icons can affect not only whether one product is bought or sold in certain quantities, but also the political and social atmospheres of the nations involved, as well as their relationships to one another.
No wonder advertising is seen as the core of our culture.
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