Reading response number the third

Kelly Wilson




The commercial I have chosen is a Coors light commercial from several years back with both R. lee Ermey and John Wayne. The commercial starts out with R. Lee Ermey questioning a platoon of soldiers about a case of beer found in there barracks. While questioning the men the commercial shows us pictures of the Rocky Mountains and the soldiers imagining themselves drinking the beer with beautiful women. After questioning them John Wayne shows up playing the role of a general and tells them that the beer is his. He then demands his beer back and asks where his pretzels are at this point the commercial fades to black and shows the words “Tap the Rockies”.

This commercial is most likely made to try to sell to men and isn’t necessarily trying to sell the beer itself but the image of manliness. Most people who know both John Wayne and R. Lee Ermey know that they always play roles as tough guys in movies either cowboy’s, soldiers or marines. Most people also consider most of the men in our armed forces to be tough which is probably why they had R. Lee Ermey addressing a platoon of soldiers. They also showed several beautiful half naked girls with the beer. All of these things are aimed not to sell the beer but to sell an idea most people are already familiar with. That idea is masculinity or being tough. By showing all of these things together they’re trying to make us think that if we drink there beer we too can be manly like the guys in this commercial and girls like the ones in this commercial will be attracted to us. Coors light might not be able to reach everyone with this commercial most likely women or people unfamiliar with the characters. But they know that almost all Americans know who John Wayne is. He was a living legend an American icon almost a symbol of American strength. By associating John Wayne with there beer there almost saying that it’s America’s beer. Another important image they associate with there beer is the Rocky Mountains. When most people think of the Rockies they think of pioneers or mountain men brave tough people who faced extreme weather and challenges. This is just the last of the myths they try to connect with there beer.