I write today not on the issue of the horrendous number of commercial advertisements we expect to be aired during the Hatton-Pacquiao boxing match this coming Sunday. There are calls to limit the ads to be inserted in between rounds for us to have a meaningful view of the fight. Rather, I share my idea on the contents of certain advertisements.
Corporations that advertise their products help bring many events, without added cost, to our living rooms. This, I must admit, specially in television coverage of sports. And so, we should also be thankful to them never mind if they are, in fact, just selling their goods and services to us. For instance, were it not for advertisers, we would have missed the spectacular performance of Filipino Gerry Peñalosa, in far away Puerto Rico last Sunday. Because of the tv coverage, thanks to the advertisers, Peñalosa, who lost his fight to a bigger boxer (I don’t want to mention his name here) actually showed to the world he was a far more accomplished boxer than many conceded.
Advertisements are promotions by themselves. That is why they are called ads. They advertise good products. They promote quality services. More often than not, advertisement concepts spring out of positive values of man. They are better in perspective when developed so as to project to the overall good nature of man.
Having said that, let me say, true to the off tangent nature of this column that among those business establishments which sponsored the airing of the Peñalosa fight, there was one particular company, a cargo forwarding firm, whose advertisement put me in a very uncomfortable mood. At first glance, it appeared funny but its subsequent airing offended my naìve ways.
The commercial it produced showcased two traits that I should sadly characterize as undesirable. In the opening seconds, it showed an employee sleeping on the job. The sight sucked! It, indeed, annoyed me no end that the commercial production highlighted the trait of indolence. Sleeping on the job is laziness in its lowest form. A man is employed, and paid his wage, not to sleep during work hours. He is supposed to contribute to the productivity of his employer. When he sleeps during office time, he defrauds his employer.
Was it not Dr. Jose Rizal who exposed our indolence? As early as his time, he discerned rather correctly, that we were a lazy people. That being idle worked against the interest of our race crept into his writings. He wrote about it in the hope that somehow, we would correct our ways. But, what Dr. Rizal wanted to correct in our traits, the advertising company, I surmised, did otherwise.
As if showing to the world a man asleep while supposedly working was not disturbing enough, the ad upped the ante, so to speak. I observed that a part of the commercial production next showed another man, (probably the supervisor) whacking at the sleeping personnel. It exposed the oppressive trait of man, thus leaving a further bad taste in my mouth. Really, I could not stomach the sight of anyone humiliating another for whatever reason he had.
I am almost certain that the forwarding company, I am referring to in this article, will also support the airing of the Hatton-Pacquiao match. Its investment is worth its weight in gold the boxing card being expected record crowd drawer. True, this advertisement is, to use a tv jargon, shown in 15 or 30 seconder spots. It is fast. But because it is crafted in such a way as to drive a point home, it is likely to leave a subliminal message. As I consider that the audience this Sunday includes the younger generation, I shudder in the thought that they youth may think that it is alright to be lazy and oppressive. Is there time to use another plug, huh LBC?
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Email: avenpiramide@yahoo.com.ph