Coca-Cola Super Bowl Ad

(YouTube link)

Coca Cola’s Super Bowl ad celebrates America’s melting pot by having people sing “America the Beautiful” in several languages. It’s a lovely idea, although it won’t get me to drink a carbonated soda. What’s amazing is the folks who were offended by the ad. There were a few dozen showing up at the #boycottcoke hashtag at Twitter, but then they were outnumbered by people who either liked the ad or had a better reason to boycott Coke.

Victoria Wyatt summed up the kerfluffle well in a comment at Coca-Cola’s Facebook page.

I don't know what is funnier - the complainers who think we speak "American", the complainers who think "America the Beautiful" is our national anthem, or the complainers who do not have full command of the language they're demanding.

We should note that one of the languages used in the song is Pueblo, a Native American language.


This commercial was a sad insult to those who believe that part of what makes America great (though maybe "made" is the more appropriate verb tense) are the commonalities (amongst them belief in liberty, equality, and hard work) UNDERNEATH their numerous and wild cultural differences. America has been called a melting pot; the idea has always been that while many choose to retain and celebrate their heritages (as, perhaps, they very well should), ultimately, by coming to America, they place a greater allegiance to the SINGLE place they now call home. A nation cannot thrive where half the people can't understand what the other half is saying (nor, for that matter, what the other half is celebrating at one moment, and complaining about the next).
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
  4 replies
Daniel
"Voices that mingle" may be a beautiful thing (perhaps metaphorically), but the result will hardly be comprehensible. That is my point: E Pluribus Unum. "Out of many, ONE." The peoples of a nation must be able to understand what they are saying. Have you considered the possibility that a common language actually PROMOTES mutual understanding? There are many in America today who put their ethnic identities FIRST, who put their language and culture FIRST, dismissing the pull to assimilate (even minimally!) as racism or perhaps something even worse.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Click here to access all of this post's 10 comments
Email This Post to a Friend
"Coca-Cola Super Bowl Ad"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More