COMMERCIALS
Just as Chevrolet tied their product to the rise in western expansion and national pride with Dinah Shore’s rendition of “See the USA in your Chevrolet”, the company later marketed their vehicles as America’s favorite car with their 1975 commercial “Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet.” The words to the advertisement’s catchy tune triumph American traditions alongside baseball as they are marketed to be one in the same. The inclusion of American baseball signifies how indirectly the purchase of a Chevy car is just as American as playing the sport of baseball. Being American, or acculturate to the American experience, can be defined by baseball. In this commercial, for example, Chevrolet uses "the American Dream" and racial, generational experiences to sell their car as "the American car".
Just as Chevrolet tied their product to the rise in western expansion and national pride with Dinah Shore’s rendition of “See the USA in your Chevrolet”, the company later marketed their vehicles as America’s favorite car with their 1975 commercial “Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet.” The words to the advertisement’s catchy tune triumph American traditions alongside baseball as they are marketed to be one in the same. The inclusion of American baseball signifies how indirectly the purchase of a Chevy car is just as American as playing the sport of baseball. Being American, or acculturate to the American experience, can be defined by baseball. In this commercial, for example, Chevrolet uses "the American Dream" and racial, generational experiences to sell their car as "the American car".
“In the years that I’ve been living a lot of things are sure to change. A lot of things have come and gone, some even came back again. But through all the many changes, something’s aren’t as sure, you know now a mighty fine feeling kinda’ makes me feel secure. Cuz’ I’ve got baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. They go together in the good ol’ USA”
The commercial opens up with the pastoral imagery of an old American barn emblazoned with a giant painted Chevrolet logo and car with the subtext to "try it, buy it!". America has long been associated as a strong farming culture ever since the Puritans founded colonies on the east-coast. For most of American history, and especially in colonial America, over ninety percent of citizens were farmers. Some would argue that rural America is the true America. The American Civil War is in some ways an argument between the rural plantation communities of the southern states against the urbanites of the developing north. Chevrolet plays upon this notion of tying their brand with the American experience and soon after does such with their inclusion of American baseball.
Later in the commercial we see an elderly gentleman stepping up to bat and also umpiring a youth baseball game among roaring excitement. The game is seen as generational, played by Americans of the past and the present. By purchasing a Chevy vehicle you are, in the views represented therein, participating in this longstanding history of being an American.
As represented in the commercial, baseball often precedes national American political movements whereby the sport can be looked to as the pulse of the nation, an idea as to where the country is heading. Chevrolet’s commercial debuts just a few decades after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier and only ten years after the US Civil Rights Act of 1964. Even though African-Americans are presented in the commercial in the segment freaturing a black family at a chapel, the argument can be made for African-Americans being under-represented as in this minute long commercial their share of onscreen presence sits at only six seconds with the rest being highly Anglo-European’s. This is highly reflective of the periodized American culture of the time.
The emphasis upon the aforementioned symbols of American racial diversity stands alongside those of self-empowerment by showing people purchasing hotdogs at an assumed owner operated mom-and-pop food stand. By purchasing a Chevrolet you are assumed to be aiding the American continuation of small business owners and by proxy "the American Dream".
When taken as a whole, the Chevrolet commercial helps identify how Americans use their purchasing power to represent what they find to be American traditions, products, and experiences. Baseball is used as an example of American culture. As the lyrics display, over the years things may change but baseball will always be tied to what it means to be an American. Predominately white, sole-proprietors, family-oriented, rural, and lovers of baseball.
The commercial opens up with the pastoral imagery of an old American barn emblazoned with a giant painted Chevrolet logo and car with the subtext to "try it, buy it!". America has long been associated as a strong farming culture ever since the Puritans founded colonies on the east-coast. For most of American history, and especially in colonial America, over ninety percent of citizens were farmers. Some would argue that rural America is the true America. The American Civil War is in some ways an argument between the rural plantation communities of the southern states against the urbanites of the developing north. Chevrolet plays upon this notion of tying their brand with the American experience and soon after does such with their inclusion of American baseball.
Later in the commercial we see an elderly gentleman stepping up to bat and also umpiring a youth baseball game among roaring excitement. The game is seen as generational, played by Americans of the past and the present. By purchasing a Chevy vehicle you are, in the views represented therein, participating in this longstanding history of being an American.
As represented in the commercial, baseball often precedes national American political movements whereby the sport can be looked to as the pulse of the nation, an idea as to where the country is heading. Chevrolet’s commercial debuts just a few decades after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier and only ten years after the US Civil Rights Act of 1964. Even though African-Americans are presented in the commercial in the segment freaturing a black family at a chapel, the argument can be made for African-Americans being under-represented as in this minute long commercial their share of onscreen presence sits at only six seconds with the rest being highly Anglo-European’s. This is highly reflective of the periodized American culture of the time.
The emphasis upon the aforementioned symbols of American racial diversity stands alongside those of self-empowerment by showing people purchasing hotdogs at an assumed owner operated mom-and-pop food stand. By purchasing a Chevrolet you are assumed to be aiding the American continuation of small business owners and by proxy "the American Dream".
When taken as a whole, the Chevrolet commercial helps identify how Americans use their purchasing power to represent what they find to be American traditions, products, and experiences. Baseball is used as an example of American culture. As the lyrics display, over the years things may change but baseball will always be tied to what it means to be an American. Predominately white, sole-proprietors, family-oriented, rural, and lovers of baseball.
OTHER COMMERCIALS
Listed below are some other commercials reveling upon the same themes of American exceptionalism, the American Dream, modern commercialization, and the tying of baseball and American culture into the product to draw upon both qualities and traits equally. Many use humor to spark interest in their product, but overall these commercials show a timely look into the modern American culture. The Volkswagen commercial displays a father playing catch with his son as a symbol to the passing down of American tradition, the title of Easton's sales campaign below is unique in that it is "God, Family, Baseball" exampling that within American culture those are the only things of importance, and DICKS sporting goods commercial "the glove" showcases again this idea of American tradition that must permeate and that can be bought by consuming baseball, purchasing and using baseball products.
Listed below are some other commercials reveling upon the same themes of American exceptionalism, the American Dream, modern commercialization, and the tying of baseball and American culture into the product to draw upon both qualities and traits equally. Many use humor to spark interest in their product, but overall these commercials show a timely look into the modern American culture. The Volkswagen commercial displays a father playing catch with his son as a symbol to the passing down of American tradition, the title of Easton's sales campaign below is unique in that it is "God, Family, Baseball" exampling that within American culture those are the only things of importance, and DICKS sporting goods commercial "the glove" showcases again this idea of American tradition that must permeate and that can be bought by consuming baseball, purchasing and using baseball products.
WORKS CITED
Chevrolet. "1975 Chevy TV Ad: Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie & Chevrolet." YouTube. N.p., 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 09 Dec. 2013.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYXfdnhh2Mo>.
"Banned Commercials - Japanese Baseball Commercial SKY PerfecTV." YouTube. YouTube, 16 Mar. 2009. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbs_NCoGS3o>.
"DICK'S Sporting Goods Commercial - "The Glove" Extended Version." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Nov. 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6WW8SRjrEc>.
"God, Family, Baseball" - Easton Baseball Commercial." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Sept. 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMDjZClazCg>.
"Volkswagen Passat Commercial 2013 -Throw Baseball." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Jan. 2013. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c_onhzgvcY>.