All Anti-Americanism, All the Time
We laughed, we smirked, we were grossed out… we cried? The television commercials during the Super Bowl often incite a variety of emotions, but not many can make you weepy. Anheuser-Busch showed a commercial that depicted American troops getting off a plane and walking through an airport. People turn, they notice, and someone starts clapping. Everyone starts clapping. Several cuts are done, showing faces, smiles, and clapping hands. The screen fades to black, and says, simply, “Thank you.”
If you haven’t seen it, watch it here, before you read what follows.
And then there is this analysis, from the New York Times:
A gauzy valentine to American troops, which ended with the Anheuser-Busch corporate logo superimposed on screen, was touching, but some viewers may have wondered whether “Busch” had been misspelled.
New York Times: The Super Bowl Ad Standouts
I’ve never wanted more in my life to tell the New York Times to bite my ass… but part of me is afraid that I’m going to catch whatever it is that makes them so blatantly cynical and tactless.
(via Michelle Malkin)
Super Bowl XXXIX ad watch
USA Today ran their annual “Ad Watch” of the ads that ran during last night’s Super Bowl this morning, and though many commercials were pretty lame to begin with (was I the only one that thought the Subway steamed windows…
Moving as the spot was,
it exploits the troops to sell beer.
That cheapens the endeavor.
There was nothing about that commercial that mentioned beer. The company who paid for the commercial sells beer, sure… among other things. Really, it was just a message to show that their company supports the troops. If that makes you want to go out and drink a Bud… okay… but I don’t think that was the intent of the ad. It is sort of the difference between advertisement and public relations.
Using the sacrifice and suffering of the troops for mercantile gain is wrong.
Actually, the comment about whether or not “Busch” was spelled correctly seems to be commenting more on how Busch mimics the other Bush IN THE WAY it cheerleads the war efforts. A cheesiness (”gauze valentine”) element is noted. In reference to the actual CONTENT of the ad, the author says the ad was “touching,” as you’ve noted. Neither reference offers any kind of anti-American sentiment. The article was merely a critique about the ads themselves.
The ways in which the more conservative side manages to glean these anti-American meanings from what the more liberal side says, to me, proves that the rift in American politics between the left and the right can be blamed more heavily on the right. (Despite what your late-night Fox personalities might, and do, say.)
Steve, you missed the whole point. Busch wanted to THANK the troops, moron.
Would it really have been any different if Phillip-Morris made a similar commercial, or Levitz furniture?
Stop your whining and be thankful for the troops.
Somebody should have taught you long ago that spewing insults only invalidates your argument. I know that Busch wanted to thank the troops, I was commenting on the RESULT of the way they communicated that message.
Just because you’re too stupid to follow a progressive line of analysis, don’t feel that you need to go spewing insults so you can feel better about yourself.
Awfully sorry, JoeBruin… misread your post.
Look at the “was touching, but” construction. That implies that what follows the “but” is a detraction from “was touching.”
Look at:
“I like you, but I need someone who is caring.”
vs.
“I like you, and I need someone who is caring.”
If he had said “it was touching, and some viewers may have wondered whether “Busch” had been misspelled,” it would take on a whole other meaning.
Also, why would one wonder if “Busch” had been misspelled? Is it that hard to imagine that an American company might have a sense of patriotism? If you’re not looking to take a cheap shot at Bush’s “war cheerleading,” then why bring him up at all? The TV spot was about the troops, and nothing more. For all we know, those troops could have just flown in from Spangdahlem, Germany.
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