It’s cold, dark, raining/snowing/sleeting — the perfect time to read a piece on a Jamaican commercial. Author Mark Crispin Miller makes a claim that commercials use “hidden stimuli that turns us on without out knowing it”. We normally just watch a commercial and take it for what it is never knowing the deep impact it has impressed into our mind. Miller’sMassa, Come Home justifies this claim by pointing out several instances within a thirty-second commercial promoting travel to Jamaica. A women offering flowers symbolizing here available womanhood; another happy women offers you fruit symbolizing Jamaica’s tranquility. Repeatedly you hear “Come back to Jamaica”, “We made it for you”, Make it your own.” These statements promote the feelings of a friendly inviting place like home. You end up forgetting that you would be visiting another country, one with crime, and different laws, not Disney World. These were about the only points I agreed with. Miller must have one incredible racist streak running through him. His comparison to a group of black people playing polo to gang of blacks with machetes was despicable, the title Massa, Come Home and reference to Jamaicans dressed as slaves is unethical.
Getting Dirty is yet another recap of a television commercial using hidden stimuli to infuse our brains with information we would not normally notice by watching. In this scenario the husband freaks out about the new brand of soap his wife switched to. He does have a very important meeting that day and it all comes down to wether his deodorants soap will fail him. She repeatedly tells him it will keep him cleaner and more refreshed all day. Husband reluctantly goes along with the new soap; reemerging as he leaves for work feeling more refreshed than ever. I saw this as a typical husband wife commercial, husband is typical male and wife saves the day. Miller theorized this ad emasculates men and gives women a false sense of hope and control. It just seemed like a typical husband-wife relationship commercial to me. Maybe there would be a change of heart if a video clip of this commercial were available.
Have a closer look at these readings, especially the part where he talks about metaphor and poetry. I hate to be so blunt here, but calling Miller racist is missing the point.
I noticed you were not in class today for the discussion and lecture. We talked about overt messages and subtextual messages in advertising. Miller is definitely examining the subtextual levels. I don’t expect 100% agreement from readers with all his assertions, but he makes a broader point that I think you may see upon a second reading.
I will post some info on what missed in class to the class site and try to email you some specific info to get you caught up. In the future, please email me if you are going to miss class.