There is a particular episode where Jack Donaghy is trying to make and sell couches made in america. The couches are a disaster, better fitted for CIA torture chambers than living rooms.
The ad he has shown is such a desperate attempt to hide how bad they are, and still tries to convince consumers to buy it by using american stereotypes.
Although these couches clearly would not be comfortable, a characteristic I require in furniture, I see an interesting technique that almost persuaded me: his weaving of American pride with guilt. For a split second after he stated, "Being comfortable? That's not what America's all about," I found myself actually questioning my Americanism. After watching my first Top in Blue (https://www.usafservices.com/TopsInBlue.aspx) performance, I've been full of pride. Thus, my extent of pride may explain why I actually questioned why sitting in this padded lounging chair versus his couch was such a betrayal to our country and its descendants.
ReplyDeleteDo you guys see any other advertising techniques? Was it just me, or did any of you-even if it was for just a slit second- question why you were sitting in comfortable seats?
Sitting on a couch doesn't make anyone American. Getting up and going to work every morning doesn't make you any more american than someone living in another country doing the same job for even less pay. Americanism is a ideal that shouldn't appeal to people because it makes you seem ignorant. Believing that we are the best at everything which isn't true. We incarcerate more people per capita than in any other place in the world. That idealism isn't something we should feel obligated to be proud of because we are american's. I would rather sit in a comfortable chair than an uncomfortable one any given day
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