Ripples #90

Compiled and Written by Lenny Giteck

Cadillac ‘Poolside’ Commercial
Sparks Controversy, Derision

Advertisers have long used swimming pools to symbolize “the good life” — witness the sexy Air France commercial Ripples covered back in 2011 (see item below). Of course, that was then and this is now. A television commercial by U.S. luxury carmaker Cadillac — first aired during the recent Winter Olympics — has opened a hornet’s nest of controversy and led to a clever advertising counterattack by Ford.

The Cadillac ad — dubbed the “Poolside” commercial by the press — begins by featuring a middle-aged, white male, presumably a CEO or successful entrepreneur, who surveys his luxury backyard pool and then proceeds to charge through his beautiful home, all the while touting what he sees as Americans’ superior work ethic and unapologetic, no-holds-barred consumer culture.

It didn’t take long for Ford to launch a somewhat tongue-in-cheek counteroffensive, whose message USA Today characterized as follows: “Cadillacs are for people with pools. Fords are for people with passions.” The article continued, “That’s the theme of the newest ad from Ford, which parodies a recent Cadillac commercial that’s targeted to the affluent.”

Speaking of passions…in what can only be described as a wonderful coincidence (or perhaps it was not all that coincidental), the Ford commercial features entrepreneur Pashon Murray, a young, African-American woman who founded the “sustainability consultancy and advocacy group” Detroit Dirt. Unlike the hard-driving, self-congratulating, hyperacquisitive subject of the Cadillac ad, Murray works hard to — among other things — help her community grow fresh vegetables.

Thus, the generational, cultural, class and economic advertising lines are drawn. The swimming pool, at least symbolically, is portrayed squarely on the side that many Americans these days, rightly or wrongly, identify as the bad guys — the so-called 1% reviled by Occupy Wall Street types and many others.

Yes, owning a swimming pool is part of the American dream. But at a time when wealthy Americans are, by all accounts, becoming enormously wealthier, and the middle class appears to be shriveling, to directly connect pools in the national consciousness with the very rich might not be all that good for the pool and spa industry. Face it, many more Americans own Fords than Cadillacs.

A final note: Both commercials end with the main character coyly uttering the French phrase n’est-ce pas? (Translation: Isn’t it so?) In the first case, it is a sly reference to those allegedly lazy Europeans who take a lot more time off work than Americans. Or
to put it another way, no American advertiser ever went broke making fun of the French. In the second case, it is a sure sign of an advertising agency with a très bon sense of humor. N’est-ce pas?

Not-to-miss videos: To watch the Cadillac commercial, click here. To watch the Ford commercial, click here and scroll down. Ripples also recommends googling “Cadillac Poolside commercial”; you’ll find interesting opinions on all sides of the controversy.

Ripples Classic: January 26, 2011

Air France Sexy Pool Scene
Symbolizes La Vie en Rose

The backstory: He is in seat 8A on an Air France flight winging its way across the Atlantic; she’s in 8B. They are both good-looking and fit — definitely in their prime. Even though they never met before boarding the aircraft, once in the air their eyes lock in lingering, longing glances.

The scene: The two find themselves in a luxurious, dreamy poolscape. She dives in and swims toward him, exiting the pool to sit on the lounge chair next to his.

The voiceover: In smooth, sultry tones, a female flight attendant announces their imminent landing (presumably at Charles de Gaulle airport). The Air France logo appears.

To Ripples, what’s significant about this très sexy Air France TV commercial is one of the subtle messages it delivers: A swimming pool is part of the good life — or as they say in France, la vie en rose. Does Air France guarantee this scenario will take place if you fly with the airline? Not exactly. Still, it’s nice to imagine that it might…non?

Video: To watch the Air France commercial, click here.

And with that Ripples once again says…
Until next time, happy watershaping to you!