IONESCU DANIELA

L.E.P.C. - Ist Year

JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW

Raluca Galita published an interesting article in Interstudia - Cultural Diversity through

Language and Communication- Alma Mater Publishing House, Bacau, 9/2011, pp.127-134.
The title of this article is Americas cultural changes through Coca Cola Slogans and
Titles. As the title suggests, this article is about the changes of the American society reflected
in the language used in the slogans and titles for Coca Cola.
The author considers that advertising may have a good or bad influence upon society
while reflecting its states or changes.
The advertising of Coca-Cola -this internationally sold carbonated soft drink, also known
as Coke- has significantly affected the American culture and at the same time it has illustrated
the changes from the American society.
The writer presents the Coca-Cola advertisements throughout the time, from 1900s till
the 1990s.
From the very beginning, Coca-Cola advertisements were created to address to all
Americans because they presented images from everyday life which people could easily
identify. According to the author, Coca Cola, as an American brand, represents an icon of
the American values and ideas, which are generally associated with leisure, wealth, freedom
and also with progress, modernity, success and lifestyle.
The first decade of the XXth century was a period of peace and relaxation for the
American society, when people used to spend their free time playing tennis, golf or baseball,
going to picnics. The images used for the Coca-Cola advertisements in this period show
people doing sociable activities. The titles and slogans also contain nouns related to the idea
of leisure (1906-Coca-Cola is a delicious beverage delightfully in harmony with the spirit of
all outings.).
In the 1910s ,when America became highly industrialized, the Coca-Cola advertisements
use images of people travelling by cars, while the slogans make references to automobiles,
using nouns such as road ,car, street: Heres the road to comfort(1912).
The 1920s was a period of conservatism and prohibition but also of prosperity for
America. CocaCola advertisements of this period present symbolic images of women
dressed in fur-coats or wearing dresses which stop at the knees. The slogans and titles contain
nouns such as: furs, topcoats, fashion: The glass of fashion(1926).
The 1930s marked the period known as the Great Depression due to the largest stock
market crash in Americas history. People found escape in the Hollywood movies and the
Coca-Cola advertisements went in the same direction, presenting famous actors or movie
scenes .The slogans and the titles contain words related to the movie industry: scenes, star,
show, camera: Refreshed for the camera(1933).
In the 1940s Coca-Cola was involved in World War II. The advertisements present
soldiers and sailors at war or returning home. The slogans and the titles contain nouns related
to war and patriotic themes: soldier, camp, allies, mission: Soldier, refresh yourself .
After the World War II, people were happy and content again.

The 1950s were dominated by the ideas of family and hospitality. The Coca -Cola
advertisements display happy family images. The noun hospitality is the most frequently
used: Where theres Coca-Cola, theres hospitality (1950).
Besides this, there is an emphasis on the teenagers, breaking away from their parents,
trying to define themselves in new ways. The adjective young is used in many Coca Cola
slogans and titles: Theres this about CokeYoung America loves it.(1954)
But the 1950s decade were also the decade that began the civil rights act, which ensured
that all African Americans must be given equal treatments with whites.
The Coca-Cola advertisements in the 1960s use the images of famous African Americans
drinking this beverage: Diana Ross and the Supremes, Aretha Franklin. The author stresses
the idea that the advertisements of this period contain African Americans names such as
Aretha comes on for Coca-Cola (1968).
The 1970s were marked by political uncertainty and Coca-Cola advertisements tried to
remind Americans of their positive values: Look up, America! Its the real, thing, Coke
(1970).But this was also a decade when young people adhered to the values of peace, love
and freedom. This young spirit is met in Coca-Cola advertisements, presenting happy young
people: Have a Coke and a smile(1974).
The 1980s and the 1990s are not very much visually presented in Coca-Cola
advertisements which focus on the slogan.
In the 1980s the slogan was : Coke is it!.
In the 1990s, the slogan was: Always Coca-Cola and according to Raluca Galita, this
slogan was an embodiment of everything that had been presented in advertisements
throughout the century.
At the end of the article, after having analysed the images, the slogans and the tittles used
over the years, the author draws the conclusion that Coca-Cola tried to reconstruct the values
and the ideals of the American society and these efforts made it possible for Coca-Cola to
become the American icon that is today.