Many sports fans were upset on Feb. 3 as verbal protest emerged from more than just the football game on Super Bowl Sunday: A commercial for Coca-Cola was aired that sparked a lot of debate.
For those who have yet to watch the ad, it displays scenes of people of different ethnicities participating in various activities as the song, “America the Beautiful” is sung in multiple languages in the background.
The aspect of the trailer that has viewers so offended is the fact that the song is sung in languages other than English. The tune begins in English and ends in English, but every verse in between is greeted with a different language. For some, the alteration of the original tune was shocking. According to these viewers, “America the Beautiful” is a song that was written in English and it should be sung in English for that kind of commercial. By showing the different kinds of people that make up our nation, Coca-Cola is already getting the point across that this country’s diversity is beautiful. These viewers feel that the changing of the languages that the tune is sung in is just a distraction.
Not every viewer feels this way about the commercial, though. When asked about this advertisement, Mesa College student Monica Rivera stated that she was “not offended by the commercial.” She thinks that it displays the “diversity of America,” and there is nothing wrong with it.
It’s hard to comprehend what all of the tension is about. The song, “America the Beautiful” is not even the United States’ national anthem. “America the Beautiful” is a song that has been sung for generations, a song whose lyrics depict how beautiful this country is. What better way to sing about America’s diverse land than through the voices of its diverse people?
When asked if she thought the commercial was offensive, Mesa College student Amanda Levinson said, “Not at all. We’re the most culturally diverse country.” Some viewers would agree and even pose the question: Shouldn’t we show off our individuality as a nation?
At the end of the commercial, the Coca-Cola logo is displayed, and beside it, “#AmericaIsBeautiful.” Why is America beautiful? This nation has the power and the freedom to unite despite its differences. The harsh criticisms that this trailer received were misunderstandings of a simple ad that was made to make us proud to be part of a unique and accepting country.
Justin Russell, another Mesa student, was also very surprised by the large amount of resentment that this commercial received.
“I think the ‘reaction’ to the coke commercial is sad more than anything,” Russell said. “It makes me feel like people are just as divided as ever.”
It’s safe to assume that the overall response to the commercial was not what the company had anticipated. Coca-Cola seemed to only have the intention of advertising the cultural range of the United States.
This country should be proud of the many cultures that are shared. Isn’t it about time that we got past the issues of color? This is the 21st century and one of the biggest controversies after Super Bowl XLVIII was over the fact that a song about America was sung in other languages besides English.
America represents more than just Caucasian, English-speaking individuals. America represents freedom, and through that, diversity. The Coca-Cola Company should be proud of the advertisement that they produced. The diversity of this country should bring us together, not apart, and this ad was only supporting that ideal.