Commercial Critique: Max It

I could put this at the other place, but I thought it would actually work here just as well as you’ll see.

I’m told that certain things are harmless and that we shouldn’t take it too seriously after all it’s only … (insert appropriate sentiment to suggest it’s hardly critical).  I’d like to think although I can be brooding, contemplative and serious that I am equally accustomed to being laid back, relaxed and chilled about issues.  After all I do agree that life is far too short to get worked up over things that are inconsequential.

So whatever there is to be concerned about has to be of worth and value.

I like a laugh, I like seeing people being clever to do something funny.  So I can appreciate the part of this advert that is rather humorous.  I get it.

Here’s my concern about what it says about what is acceptable and desirable in modern culture today.  The deceit factor is bad enough – going to the effort of putting a spoof warning to clear out a bar to leave the pretty woman with the guy who has just made an advance.  What is worse though is the goal of the whole subterfuge, i.e. to capture the girl for an easy sexual encounter before ‘the end of the world’.  It cheapens relationships to their value as far as physical intimacy is concerned.  It values people on their physical appearance and it suggests that friends get it and will go along for the crack because that’s what living life to the max is all about.

I don’t see commercials as necessarily dictating social and cultural mores and norms, but I do see them reflecting them and subtly propagating them further.  No, I’m not calling for a council of moral advisors to vet every ad to see if it subscribes to some moral code.  I’m more than aware that the way our society is set up such demands are unrealistic.  All I am saying is that behind a lot of the things we consider as harmless (‘come on Chris, it’s only an advert for Pepsi Max’) are not so subtle messages of what makes for the desired life – the good life.  Here’s the thing – as impressionable young people and jaded cynical older people are bombarded by images promoting these ungodly values, there is the question of what will the response of the heart be – will it brush it off as another ad, or will it trigger the godly alternative.

After all the alternative to this image is that ever constant theme of the Bible and life itself – faithfulness.  There is something to be said for finding fun without defraud.  There is something to be appreciated about appreciating the physical beauty of others and still taking the time to discover those deeper qualities that makes relationships last.  This does not necessitate immediate sexual gratification, but the joy of growing in love with others and developing relationships under the banner of qualities like purity, integrity and the value of each human as precious in itself is not the act of prudery, but a celebration of timeless virtues of patience, endurance and love, by which I refer to the agape model, rather than the eros that this promotes.

So I’m not suggesting banning Pepsi Max or stop watching ads (although lets face it, if we could we would), I’m just saying there is more to messages than meets the eye and once exposed then we can deal with it positively.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd