The Bicycle in Pop Culture and Advertising: A Forum Blog

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:54 pm

Interesting.

Yeah, it's too bad I lost hope for America shortly after starting that blog, because there have been a |expletive| ton of bicycles in pop culture over the last year.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:28 pm

Sorry my first pic didn't work.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:19 pm

The implications of this ad in particular are pretty amazing, because it's appealing to the the average, middle-aged, beer-drinking, American male and it's appealing to the desire for a sense of independence and self-determination that many men (and women) seek. It's pretty simple, and frankly, pretty average, and that's what's so brilliant about it.

And yes, the man is inappropriately dressed for the weather conditions. Maybe he's just headed a couple blocks down the street. Either way, he should be wearing a helmet and riding in the street. But whatever. You take what you can get. I think they sacrificed those things for the sake of showing this man's true everyman averageness.

[youtube][/youtube]

Zilla · Post by **Zilla** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:37 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:The implications of this ad in particular are pretty amazing, because it's appealing to the the average, middle-aged, beer-drinking, American male and it's appealing to the desire for a sense of independence and self-determination that many men (and women) seek. It's pretty simple, and frankly, pretty average, and that's what's so brilliant about it.

And yes, the man is inappropriately dressed for the weather conditions. Maybe he's just headed a couple blocks down the street. Either way, he should be wearing a helmet and riding in the street. But whatever. You take what you can get. I think they sacrificed those things for the sake of showing this man's true everyman averageness.

[youtube][/youtube]

You realize this is more of a joke than anything. It's not meant to actually get people riding their bikes to go get beer in the middle of winter. If anything, this probably hurts bikes more than promotes them. The only responses I have ever heard to this commercial are along the lines of "THAT'S why I own a car," or "F that!" I think you're stretching a bit. Just because there's a bike in it doesn't have some underlying meaning of "ride your bike more!!" Just like that stupid "free bike" Hewlett Packard (I think) commercial.....it's really got nothing to do with bikes. It's just a random object they decided to put in the commercial. There's one for a camera and a third for something else that I can't remember. It could just have easily been a car, a vacuum, a cell phone, or a hooker.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 10:49 pm

The blatant and obvious theme of the commercial is freedom, independence, self-reliance, and "man power" (i.e. human power). If you think the bicycle was just a random object inserted for no reason, then you missed your first day of Advertising 101.

byrdrules · Post by **byrdrules** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 10:52 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:The blatant and obvious theme of the commercial is freedom, independence, self-reliance, and "man power" (i.e. human power). If you think the bicycle was just a random object inserted for no reason, then you missed your first day of Advertising 101.

I thought the theme of the commercial was beer.

Zilla · Post by **Zilla** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:19 am

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:The blatant and obvious theme of the commercial is freedom, independence, self-reliance, and "man power" (i.e. human power). If you think the bicycle was just a random object inserted for no reason, then you missed your first day of Advertising 101.

Again, I think you're looking a little too deep into a commercial that was meant to be comical.

byrdrules wrote:I thought the theme of the commercial was beer.

Bingo!

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:51 pm

Just because you laughed at it and ultimately missed the entire message (yes, duh it's about |expletive| beer; that's what they're trying to sell) doesn't mean that it was "meant to be comical" in the mean-hearted way that you're using it.

Yes, it is meant to sell beer, and it's using all the themes I've already mentioned (symbolically incarnated in the bicycle) to achieve that end.

Zilla · Post by **Zilla** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:44 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Just because you laughed at it and ultimately missed the entire message (yes, duh it's about |expletive| beer; that's what they're trying to sell) doesn't mean that it was "meant to be comical" in the mean-hearted way that you're using it.

Yes, it is meant to sell beer, and it's using all the themes I've already mentioned (symbolically incarnated in the bicycle) to achieve that end.

S...Seriously? You don't think this Miller High Life commercial wasn't meant to be comical? If that's the case, then everyone that I've watched the commercial with has apparently "missed the entire message." You are apparently the only person with direct knowledge of what the writers/directors of the commercial were going for. Odd, seeing as how all the other high life commercials are meant to be comical as well. Of course, none of those contain a bike....which instantly turns any commercial into a serious, heartfelt statement about independence and self-determination.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:24 pm

Yeah. Seriously.

I just re-watched it to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I can't even fathom what you or your buds could possibly find "comical" about it. I'm not saying it is completely serious, but it is definitely a sober (ironic), meant-to-be-somewhat-hearfelt commercial. Light-hearted? Yes. But, comical?

"Comical" is one of the last words I would ever conceive of for describing it. And, as I said, certainly not in the mean-spirited way that you are thinking that it is comical, i.e. "oh, hahaha, bikes are dumb and funny." If that's seriously how you took it, then, my god, then I don't even know. Idiocracy comes to mind.

The sad thing is, you are probably pretty representative of the average American consumer, which is one of the reasons we have no hope as a society. Yep. Sorry.

Zilla · Post by **Zilla** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:54 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Yeah. Seriously.

I just re-watched it to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I can't even fathom what you or your buds could possibly find "comical" about it. I'm not saying it is completely serious, but it is definitely a sober (ironic), meant-to-be-somewhat-hearfelt commercial. Light-hearted? Yes. But, comical?

"Comical" is one of the last words I would ever conceive of for describing it. And, as I said, certainly not in the mean-spirited way that you are thinking that it is comical, i.e. "oh, hahaha, bikes are dumb and funny." If that's seriously how you took it, then, my god, then I don't even know. Idiocracy comes to mind.

The sad thing is, you are probably pretty representative of the average American consumer, which is one of the reasons we have no hope as a society. Yep. Sorry.

LOL. Well as long as you feel all high and mighty. Sheesh. I never said it was "haha, bikes are dumb and funny." It's a fat, old guy, freezing, riding a bike because he REALLY wants beer. Yes, that portrayal is funny. If you can't see the humor in it than perhaps you should go look on eBay for a sense of humor....because you're lacking in one. If being one of your higher society nitwits means I have to have a stick up my |expletive| and cling to delusional ideals to make myself feel better than everyone else than I THANK GOD I'm one of the average American consumers holding society back.

Please, do us all a favor and just leave this country and stop nagging all these people that are so below you.

Good God, I can't believe we're arguing over the political statements of a beer commercial. Idiocracy comes to mind. It's not what you think it is, and just because you see it that way doesn't make it so. Yep. Sorry. Now, if you find me some article from the people who made that commercial that confirms your statements, I'll gladly offer my apologies. But seeing as how the dozens of Miller High Life commercials are nothing but humorous, I don't think you're going to find that.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:28 am

Again, I would just say "light-hearted," not "comical."

Perhaps the brilliance of the commercial is that you can watch it and think, "Oh, haha, how ridiculous. The guy wanted beer so bad he grabbed that old crappy bike and headed to the store in the snow," and that I can watch it and think, "Whoa! A mainstream beer company appealing to the sensibility of the average American male with a subversive message as to the superiority, efficienty, and self-reliance of the humble bicycle," and the end result is we both want to go drink a High Life.

Ah, marketing.