So we have people objecting to everything from ‘the objectification of women’ to the ‘misrepresentation of stereotypes’ to ‘misuse of language’, immorality and what have you. Some of the objections are reasonable and they are often acted upon. We have seen several examples of the Advertising Standards Council banning ads for their implied bigotry, for their dependence on the color of skin, for poor taste and so on.

But inspite of the industry watchdogs we do have several ads that slip past our controls and encourage ridiculousness in the name of creativity. This is primarily because Advertising worldwide depends mainly on self legislation and censorship.

And that puts a huge responsibility on the industry and the people involved with it.

Now I will be the first to admit that perceptions differ from society to society…that different people react differently to different provocations…that what I see as a joke, may actually be hurting someone’s sentiments across the globe.

But when an advertiser, seemingly ignores the fact that there is world of consumers out there who may be privileged enough to be intelligent, then I tend to take offence.

A recent Coke Ad featured on a blog maintained by my friend Vijay Shetty (Advertising ka Kamaal) got my hackles up. Take a look at it…

http://youtu.be/kCv-wmnaNk0

and then tell me if the ad makes any sense.

A randy Princess in bed…a white and soft glow ambience…enter a stable boy…don’t miss the entry of ‘lower class’ and rawer sexuality (horses)…before you know it, they are, as this generation likes to call it, ‘making out’…very sensuous, very sexy…suddenly the love making has a new sound track…it is the gurgling sound of a liquid being sucked through a straw…the sync between the sound and the couple’s oral movements is deliberate…only as the kissing gets more urgent and the clothes are deftly removed from the frame, do we see a ‘joker’ in a red track suit, naughtily sipping a soft drink through a straw…his expression that of an unconcerned voyeur…the stable hand then pulls the girl out of frame, leaving very little to the imagination as to where his mouth is headed next.

Now tell me, is that the best Coke can do to represent its ‘Opening Happiness’ line?

When a small town ice cream manufacturer thinks of showing off his chocobar or ice cream cone being lovingly licked by a bimbo I can perhaps excuse his baser instincts and allow him to let his fantasies rule. But Coke!!!

It’s a much bigger brand. It should represent better values. And in all fairness it does, most of the time. Perhaps and just perhaps this is an example of a bad one that escaped scrutiny. I don’t know. But I sure hope so.

Amen !!!