Friendly almighty (Visual TOW#20)

       Who doesn’t know the big brand name of Coco Cola? The dark liquid, red bottle, and double C signature seems to be alongside people’s growth from the origin of time. Coca Cola Company knows the high popularity it holds, and attempts to extends that popularity to the very limit with another advertisement, proclaiming Coca Cola is the “friendliest drink on Earth”.

       Already prevalent on the internet, the “friendly” Cola advertisement is making an impact toward audience worldwide, especially those of relatively wealthier nations. The appeal is simple but direct: encouraging consumers to buy more of Coca Cola commodities. However, the method used is well calculated and brilliant, a well-done example of deductive reasoning, using the universal human assumption and connotation of the word “friend.”

       The advertisement’s head line reads “friendliest drink on Earth”, with a portrayal of planet Earth behind the bottle of Coco Cola. The audience’s immediate reaction to the advertisement will naturally be the connotation of the word “friend”- a positive word with associations such as good, loyal, and beneficial. At the same time, the picture depicted in the advertisement also adds weight to the claim of “friendliest drink on Earth” with the deliberate positioning of Cola bottles before the Earth itself, suggesting the importance of Coco Cola. Even without the picture to back up the minor premise, the universal and astonishing popularity of Coco Cola will naturally appeal to many world-wide audience of the weight associated with the Coco Cola brand name. The conclusion, by deduction, then is clear to the audience through syllogism: if Coco Cola is the “friendliest drink on Earth”, and friendly is good, then Coco Cola drinks must be good and beneficial.

       Nevertheless, the fact still hold true that minor premise of the deductive argument is severely exaggerated, as friendliest itself is a hard term to define. The advertisement will not necessarily elevate Coco Cola to an unprecedented peak, but it will bring them additional wealth, as the advertisement itself, with the symbol of Coco Cola, is enough for appeals.

       So drink up.