In the last few years many alcohol companies have produced public service campaigns reminding their consumers of the dangerous effects of alcohol. The following is one such ad distributed by Smirnoff:
The message of the ad may seem simple—don’t drink and drive—but there is more to it than meets the eye. The ad ends with the tagline, “drink responsibly” next to a large Smirnoff logo and is encouraging its viewers to believe that Smirnoff has their best interest at heart, when in reality all they have is their own best interest at heart. Such ads are an example of the Marxist theory of false consciousness. According to Sturken and Cartwright in Practices of Looking, false consciousness is defined as an “ideology…spread by dominant power among the masses, who are coerced by those in power to mindlessly buy into the belief systems that allow industrial capitalism to thrive”. In this case the dominant industrial power is Smirnoff, and at a larger level, the alcohol industry as a whole. Here we can see that Smirnoff wants their consumers to believe that they care about their well being. What the ad is saying is, “Smirnoff is the vodka company that cares”. In turn, the ad causes the viewer to have a false sense of security about the product, mindlessly believing that the company truly does cares about their safety.
Yet, the real aim of this ad is ultimately to sell Smirnoff, and it is successful in reaching that goal. Through such false consciousness consumers will buy into this ideology that “Smirnoff is the vodka company that cares.” As a result viewers will choose Smirnoff over, Grey Goose, Absolute, or any other vodka company that isn’t portraying a similar ideology. We all want to feel cared for, and Smirnoff is utilizing this basic human desire to sell vodka, and its working.
So "drink responsibly", but drink, and drink Smirnoff.
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