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Title |
I Am Canadian: National Identity in Beer Commercials |
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journal_title |
The Journal of Popular Culture |
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year |
2003 |
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Issue |
37 |
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number |
2 |
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pages |
12 |
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Type |
Full text |
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Format |
Pdf |
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Url |
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Author |
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| Author or Translator | Famil | Name |
| Author | M. MACGREGOR | ROBERT |
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abstract |
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OCCASIONALLY A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL CAUSES SOCIAL, POLITICAL,
and business ramifications way beyond anyone’s initial
expectations. In March 2000, a sixty-second television beer
commercial became an overnight phenomenon. For approximately
three months thereafter, the advertisement became a national and
international focus of debates on Canadian nationalism and identity.
Some issues concerning national identity will be discussed.
Molson Canadian ‘‘The Rant’’
Sometimes a single television commercial can have such an impact that
it takes on a life of its own. A few examples of such advertisements
include:
1. Coca-Cola’s 1971 song ‘‘I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke’’ that
became ‘‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,’’ a one-millionunits-
sales best seller.
2. LIFE brand cerealFQuaker Oats Company showing Mikey
enjoying LIFE brand. ‘‘Hey Mikey’’ entered the lexicon.
3. The greatest commercial ever madeFApple Macintosh’s ‘‘1984,’’
showing Big Brother (IBM) in an Orwellian nightmareFcaused
the Macintosh revolution.
4. Clara Peller barked, ‘‘Where’s the Beef?!’’ forWendy’s and a popular
culture phenomenon was born. American presidential candidate
Walter Mondale used the phrase in his campaign (Ward Fawcett).
Molson’s beer commercial, in a Canadian context, now stands as an
example of a single advertisement that now joins the pantheon of
selected ‘‘best’’ television presentations. |
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