Sprite+Hoax

Jennifer Cicchini Media Log #5 MSET 593/Kingsley Hoax Sprite Advertisement-2009 __ Description __ : Even though this commercial is a hoax, I wanted to include it in my Media Logs because it is a good example of not using Digital Citizenship. This You Tube video was banned because it was assumed that the ad was real and should be censored. The ad starts with the back of a young, blonde naked female visibly having oral sex with a young, black male. He is shown close up moaning and obviously getting pleasure from the act of the young female. The camera goes to her close-up with a caption below her neck that reads, “I could really go for a Sprite right now.” You can hear German dialogue as she continues giving oral sex. The black male is shown again, close-up, with a big smile on his face. The camera goes back to the female showing her mouth over the opening of a bottle of Sprite, and as she pulls away, the Sprite explodes all over her face. She is smiling and shaking her head as the Sprite falls away from her face and mouth. The ad finishes with a can of Sprite on a black background and the German words, “Befolgen sie ihren durst.” There is another caption below that I assume translates the German words, “Obey your thirst!” __ Meaning __ : Obviously, Max Isaacson, who was responsible for making this video thought he was having fun. It turns out that he had to write an apology in the Huffington Post explaining that this was a joke and that he never thought it would go this far. He made two similar videos and when they were posted on YouTube, they spread like wildfire. America was intrigued and duped in thinking that this was a real ad for Sprite. Now the Coca-Cola company has disclaimers on every YouTube version of this video saying that they had nothing to do with this ad or the production of the ad. They take no responsibility for this ad whatsoever. The Young Turks program aired this video on their news program via the internet. Supposedly, this ad was to be released in Germany, but on further reading of an article in the Huffington Post, the ad wasn’t even filmed in Germany as viewers are led to believe due to German dialogue heard in the background during the ad. The lighting on this ad was above the actors, and the camera angles were low. __ Meaning __ : Knowing that this ad was made as a joke, I think Max Isaacson was using sexual humor to make a bogus commercial for Sprite. It is interesting how many people viewed this ad and thought it was real. Digital Citizenship was not being practiced in that this ad makes the Coca-Cola company uncomfortable and Isaacson was made to write an apology to the company and YouTube viewers explaining himself. Someone commented at the end of this webpage, “Have to admit, not making me real thirsty for a Sprite.”, so if the ad had been real, maybe it wouldn’t have made people go out and buy Sprite, but may have made them thirsty for sex…ha! []