5 things you love that were created by Advertising

A regular point of discussion I bring up with strangers is how almost everything they know and love, they happen to know and love because of the ad industry.

Now this usually sparks up a huge discourse. People don't want to feel as if they were 'influenced'. They want freedom of choice. How dare I suggest that advertising has played any part in their lives!

Now I'm not saying we fucking mould society to the whims of our clients. Sometimes a good product is a good product and the advertising doesn't have to work very hard to sell it. Apple makes incredibly sexy gadgets, so it's not very hard to sell those, a more generic item like Gatorade would need more branding behind it and so on.

There are instances though, where we do something and it just blows out of proportion. Here are some examples:

1) Santa Claus

Probably the most famous story here, the modern image of Santa Claus was created by Coca-

Cola. As mentioned on their website:

Most people can agree on what Santa Claus looks like -- jolly, with a red suit and a white beard. But he did not always look that way, and Coca-Cola® advertising actually helped shape this modern-day image of Santa.

Coca-cola advertising? Sounds like something that was created in an agency. So you have us to thank for the big blokes you take photos with in malls. And of course, Santarinas.

You're welcome.

2) Boxer shorts

Helping the bros hang loose since the early 20th century, advertising didn't create boxer shorts. They did however, make em' popular, but not on purpose. Here's the story from wikipedia:

In more recent decades, boxer shorts got a fashion boost in 1985 when English model and musician Nick Kamen stripped to white boxers in a 1950s style "Launderette" in a Levi's commercial.^[1] Since the 1990s, some men also opt for boxer briefs as a compromise between the two.

Ever since then, they've been a staple in every dude's drawers. Stolen by ex-girlfriends, riding high above the jeans of hip-hoppers and protecting my eyes at the gym changing room.

3) Practically every 80s cartoon

Not many people know, but practically every cartoon in the 80s was produced so that some toy company like Hasbro or Mattel could sell toys. Looking back at the various toys I had when growing up, they did a pretty good job.

4) Barack Obama

Yes we can. If there's anything I can say about Obama, it's this: what a fucking great ad campaign.

If you kept tabs on the last election, you may also remember a public service announcement from Sarah Silverman asking Jewish folk to get their rellos in Florida to vote.

Created by the wizards at Droga5, who have a habit of creating awesome viral videos, there's no doubt it played a pivotal part in getting Obama into office.

5) A whole bunch of great ads we enjoy every day!

Sure there are a ton of shitty ads out there, but isn't it great when you watch something and it makes you laugh, or shed a tear, or whatever man. Ads aren't all that bad. And besides, shit's changing.

Check out this ad from the 80s:

And what advertising is today: