Amanda B.-P. sent in this Coke ad that illustrates the idea of consumption as activism (that is, you can be an activist simply by buying things). The ad tells you that every time you buy a Coke you’re supporting both the Olympics and Special Olympics.
The Coca-Cola company issued a press release titled “New Advertising Shows that Nothing Brings People Together Like the Olympic Games and Coca-Cola.Olympic-Themed Ads Invite People to ‘Connect with the World Over a Coke’.”
For other examples of consumption as activism, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Thanks, Amanda!
On an unrelated note, Lisa’s off doing crazy stuff again, so you’re stuck with lots of posts from me for a week or so. Sorry.
Comments 4
Will — August 21, 2008
Coketivism?
Jane — August 21, 2008
I love that they used the song "Breathe Me" by Sia.
Village Idiot — August 22, 2008
Apparently, (I heard this mentioned in passing on NPR yesterday) the lucrative concessions contracts at the Olympics are locked up tight with Coke and McDonalds. Those are the only two official vendors selling food and drinks in many or most of the Olympic venues.
It's ironic that while going to see the best athletes in the world performing feats requiring top-level fitness, you the spectator are stuck with pseudo-food 'choices' such as Big Macs and Cokes (or Coke products, like bottled water).
The press release should say "Nothing boosts profits like bribing Olympic officials to make your product the only one officially available in a country where the appearance of anything un-official is officially stomped on and jailed immediately." Well, as long as it's all official, it must be all good...
coca-cola and the banality of evil | A Collage of Citations — September 26, 2008
[...] It seems to me that we as consumers are responsible for the actions/results of the companies we support. I would construct a philosophical argument for this, but Coca-Cola themselves has done the work for me (via sociological images): [...]