Rubin: Thinking about the Text

1. In Melissa Rubin's analysis from the Coca-Cola Bottler magazine published in 1950 suggests the insight that the ad described and even created the identity of the American population at that time. The ad shows a completely white group of happy people, predominately male, who are standing in front of a sky scraper sized Coca-Cola vending machine. The ad accentuates the presence of service men by putting them in the center, then business men the next closest to them, and only displays a couple women. These specifics are extremely relevant to the era, supporting Rubin's analysis. She stated, "Another important factor to consider: everyone in the ad is white. During the 1950s, there was still some racial prejudice and segregation in the United States." This shows how the ad reflected the culture of the American 1950s. Secondly, the focus on the service men significantly explains the time period. As World War II had just ended, American device men were greatly appreciated and celebrated with winning the war. This is demonstrated by the large amount of attention they receive in the ad. Rubin gives many more supporting details, convincing me, as the reader, of the correctness of her analysis.

2. The author includes historical context by noting historical references in the ad. An example of this is how there were no African Americans in the ad. This is referring to the segregation that was still going on at that time. This information makes her analysis more believable as it is likely to resonate with the reader's personal life. Examples of this could be if you had a relative in World War II, if you grew up during the 1950s, or if you grew up then as an African American and experienced the unfairness dealt to that race.

3. In analyzing an ad, there are many possible questions that could be answered. These questions stem from the ad's design, wording, and tone. Examples of such questions include: What conclusion can we make about the intended audience of an ad based on its design? Looking at the ads wording, what message about the company is the advertisement trying to convey? What tone directed towards a certain lifestyle when focusing on the pitch and emphasized phrases of an oral ad?

4. Similar to the way the advertisement for Coca-Cola that Melissa Rubin's talks about shows the values of the 1950s, the hTc BoomSound phone ad from 2013 displays what society values now. As you can see, the ad displays a video, being played on a phone, of a crowded concert, full of people that are dancing to and cheering for music. This shows that modern culture is full of music and technology just like the overwhelming majority of males in the Coke ad demonstrated the sexism of the 1950s. Just like the service men were the main attraction in Rubin's ad, the video takes up the spotlight in the phone ad. It is the most animated part in the whole advertisement, and pops out against the neutral, gray background. This grabs the viewer’s attention and gives them the impression that if they get the advertised phone with dual frontal stereo speakers, they will be able to have the same exciting, musical experience the people in the video are having. Likewise, the joy on the drawings faces in the Coca-Cola ad tells the audience that they will be just as happy if they drink it too.