What The…? VitaminWater + 50 Cent = Brain Death
June 26, 2007
Vitamin Water is all about being edgy and down with the kids. This is proven by their choice in ad agency, Berlin Cameron United, which is teeming with young men and has a roster of clients that include Boost Mobile and Reebok. We’ve always liked the work that came out of BC for Vitamin Water like the Kelly Clarkson commercial. However, their recent spot featuring 50 Cent conducting the National Symphony is just drivel. The Clarkson spot had irony and a twist in it that made it enjoyable to watch - even more than once. However, the juxtaposition of a young Black male against the back drop of the traditionally WASPy setting of the symphony is so uncreative we can’t bare it. And then, there’s the corny lines form the announcers (i.e. Beethoven being an OG), which is desperately uncool. White announcers speaking urban slang stopped getting laughs about ten years ago. The minute Fiddy steps to the podium you know the music is going to morph into rap somewhere in there. Another old tired joke.
Vitamin Water just lost some major cool points with us. Berlin? We’re disappointed. Anyone over the age of 18 is going to watch it once and forget about it. Yawn.
July 17, 2007 at 12:00 am
I agree with most of the post, but I would hesitate to wholly dismiss the commercial. The fact that the advertisers could convince 50 Cent to drop his hardcore gangsta’ image for a few minutes shows a lighter side of the rapper that I think is good for his fans to see. I.e., he’s a working entertainer, not an actual cap-busting crime lord. I also enjoy the commercial because I get to hear a good clip of timpani-pounding brassy symphonic music. I also like it because it makes a reference to the viola section, which is often overlooked when wedged between the violins and cellos.
Maybe the ad will make symphony music seem just a little more accessible to fans of rap.
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