I noticed something was amiss right away upon viewing this Trident Layers gum commercial. Do you see it? Or am I reading into something that's not there?
Haha..well it doesn't actually have to do with what is actually said. I'm not going to say just yet because I've pointed a friend to this post, and I want to see what she thinks first. :-)
There is a significant race/class bias here. Not only is the family white, but when you pause the commercial (when everyone's extending their hands for gum) the only people inside the house are white. The two minorities are caged off, left to look upon the Joneses from the outside. Also, the fact that this family's surname is Jones reminds viewers of the "Keeping up with the Joneses" catchphrase, which relates specifically to socioeconomic status-- and indirectly, to race.
The last,despondent line, "no body ever pays me in gum" implies that this is a priveleged kind of payment. Only those priveleged enough to have and receive this "currency" will...and who are those people? The whities inside the house.
Exactly! I knew you'd be able to articulate this so well. :-) I was thinking of the blocked-off minorities out-of-doors and the privileged indoor whities, as you indicated. I hadn't noticed your other observation about the surname Jones; thanks for pointing that one out! Had you seen this commercial before?
Hmm... I'm afraid I missed it. But I've always had a hard time understanding movies without subtitles. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHaha..well it doesn't actually have to do with what is actually said. I'm not going to say just yet because I've pointed a friend to this post, and I want to see what she thinks first. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Leah,
ReplyDeleteI think you're right about this commercial.
There is a significant race/class bias here. Not only is the family white, but when you pause the commercial (when everyone's extending their hands for gum) the only people inside the house are white. The two minorities are caged off, left to look upon the Joneses from the outside. Also, the fact that this family's surname is Jones reminds viewers of the "Keeping up with the Joneses" catchphrase, which relates specifically to socioeconomic status-- and indirectly, to race.
Is this along the lines of what you were seeing?
Allllso,
ReplyDeleteThe last,despondent line, "no body ever pays me in gum" implies that this is a priveleged kind of payment. Only those priveleged enough to have and receive this "currency" will...and who are those people? The whities inside the house.
Exactly! I knew you'd be able to articulate this so well. :-) I was thinking of the blocked-off minorities out-of-doors and the privileged indoor whities, as you indicated. I hadn't noticed your other observation about the surname Jones; thanks for pointing that one out! Had you seen this commercial before?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I had seen it before! Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDelete