Coca-Cola Ad Analysis: Sexual Appeal and Parental Rhetoric

Introduction: Two Eras of Coca-Cola Advertising

This analysis examines two Coca-Cola advertisements from different historical periods. The first is a contemporary advertisement that relies entirely on visual imagery and sexual subtext to appeal to a young adult audience. The second is a mid-twentieth century advertisement that pairs an idealized image of early childhood with substantive ad copy designed to exploit the anxieties of new parents. Together, they illustrate how advertising consistently leverages deep psychological vulnerabilities, even as its specific strategies evolve across generations.

Contemporary Advertisement: Images and Audiences

Because there is no ad copy in the contemporary Coca-Cola advertisement, it necessarily relies exclusively on the connotations suggested by the image selected for the piece and on the implied association between the corporate and product logo and those connotations. The selection and composition of the particular image used in the advertisement appear intended to elicit both conscious and subconscious appeal. More specifically, the obvious conscious appeal is based on the natural interests and psychological inclinations of members of the target audience. The models selected for the piece all appear to be in the prime of young adulthood, and they are all, objectively, well above average in physical attractiveness. Members of both genders have a very specific conscious interest in the appearance of members of the opposite gender.

Because the choice of individuals and situations depicted in advertising imagery is dictated by the makeup of the intended audience, it is reasonable to assume that the primary intended audience for this advertisement consists of young adults of approximately the same age as the models depicted. Secondary intended audiences would probably include consumers substantially younger than the individuals depicted. Tertiary audiences may include individuals substantially older than the models — consumers who still maintain a self-image as a peer, or the equal of a peer, in the age group depicted. It is perfectly conceivable that the piece is designed to maximize its appeal to consumers as young as 12 and as old as 50 or 60 years of age, with a core target audience somewhere between 16 (if the company were being perfectly honest) and 35.

Contemporary Advertisement: Overt Appeals, Suggestions, and Subtexts

The attire chosen for the subjects in the photograph is intended to be revealing enough to catch the visual attention of real-life counterparts — and wishful counterparts — to the models in the piece. The postures and apparent activity depicted are intentionally sexualized in multiple ways. First, there are five males and five females, and the pairing of five separate opposite-gender couples is unmistakable. Second, each male is directly associated with and oriented toward one specific female. Third, in every pair, the male is either embracing his partner or physically oriented in a way that suggests a sexual relationship between them. Fourth, the relative positioning of the respective partners closely resembles positions that could easily suggest coitus. Fifth, the postures of the models recognizably denote a style of dance characterized by rhythmic pelvic movement, exaggerated hip motion, and mutual synchronization that readily suggests coitus, both consciously and unconsciously.

While all human dance rituals likely evolved as forms of sexual display meant to convey fertility for women and virility for men, this particular style is among the most overtly and deliberately sexually symbolic imaginable short of actual sexual activity.

Mid-Twentieth Century Advertisement: Images and Audiences

The image in this piece is the less explicit component of the advertisement. Whereas many advertisements emphasize the strength of their visual images and restrict the ad copy to a single "hook" line or slogan, this particular piece relies primarily on the substantive rhetorical content of the ad copy. The image is consistent with and promotes a favorable impression in connection with the copy, but it is much more dependent on the latter than vice versa. The image itself depicts a very healthy and robust-looking toddler. Even in the black-and-white medium of the era, the child exemplifies idealized "All-American" features, such as flowing blond hair. From a technical perspective, the photographic techniques of the day were apparently insufficient to capture both subjects in the same shot; the images appear to have been produced individually, and it is relatively obvious that the infant's attention during the moment his image was captured was not on the model portraying his mother.

The audience for the piece could hardly be more clear: it is mothers of infants, toddlers, and young children. The targeting of parents through idealized depictions of childhood was a well-established strategy in mid-century consumer culture, and this advertisement is a textbook example of the technique.