…did you really think that ad was about fast food?
Think about the motives of advertisers who make the real product nothing more than a backdrop to the message. For those skeptical TV watchers, or even those who glance at a billboard with some reservations we owe it to ourselves to think about the motive. What is really for sale?
So, you’re watching the most dramatic thing in the house (TV – for those without teens) and suddenly the commercial appears and you’er hooked – that cute little puppy who has just pushed his fluffy little head up out of the pile of straw in the isle of the horse barn. A man appears leading his draft horse out of a stall and that little fuzzy ball of cuteness prances across the straw and out of the barn stealing glances at the horse: they must be buds. Longing to be with the horse he sneaks into the horse trailer to join the journey his equine friend is forced to take. Coming to a stop in a strange town the dog curiously exits the trailer and finds himself all alone. Lost and scared he wanders into the wilderness where he finds himself in grave danger. Standing face to face with a wolf he slinks back in fear. But wait! Some distance away his larger-than-life horse friend senses that the he is not far away and must be in trouble and breaks free from his stall, gathers his large hoofed friends and thunders toward the pup and his hungry enemy (wow, a Lassie moment; in this case, a “Trigger” moment). At the presence of the puppy’s towering allies the wolf flees in fear!
Heart warming isn’t it. Makes me want to get a Labrador Retriever, or a Clydesdale. They’re so cute and personable – the dog, that is!
Then the logo appears – the announcer speaks: “Budweiser, the Best of Buds”.
Wow, really? A beer commercial. Were they trying to sell me a beer? Didn’t see that coming. What were they really after?
Then we realize, it’s a promotion tactic. One that appeals to the core values of the American consumer – this one pushed the importance of good friends, loyalty and protection in the ad. Then, you begin to associate the strength of those values with the product. In this case, Budweiser Beer.
It doesn’t make any difference what you think about drinking beer, you are led to believe that you’ll feel better when you purchase any product that is supportive of the values you feel should be cherished in our country. Most people want things to be grounded in values like these in spite of the crumbling morals and ethics around us.
But be careful! This is one way the “slow fade” creeps into our lives and our culture. Take the sting out of anything and you’ll find peace doing it, drinking it, buying it or thinking it. Anheuser Busch (Budweiser’s parent company) is not concerned about the abuse of their product, they are only concerned about selling more of it. They already have a large following, now they want to expand their market into the lives of those who don’t drink beer or could drink more.
While I find nothing evil in drinking beer, I find that, like most things that have some appeal, some consumers don’t know when to stop. Beer is no different than chocolate in some respects. As a general rule, while consumed in moderation, neither will hurt you. But if you eat too much chocolate your health will take a turn for the worse, and if you’re a diabetic, you better be very careful or that chocolate just may take you out! We all know the negative effects on drinking alcohol and the hold it has on some. While one drink per day has been given medicinal accolades in some instances the casual drink may, over time, lead to less control and larger issues.
We fade. We start to feel warm and fuzzy about things that may hurt us if we’re not careful, but, because of our personal tendencies we take it too far. That chocolate binge or that second and third drink (use other things too: driving too fast, sleeping too long, eating too much, parenting too long, working too many hours, too much free time, etc) just may lead to a crumbling, stumbling existence.
Listen to the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 ERV);
“12 So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. 13 The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.”
Keep your focus on Biblical values and sensitive to the leading of the Lord and you will be strong.
Psalm 18:32 ERV: God is the one who gives me strength.
He clears the path I need to take.