I think the concept of hegemony helps me understand these two advertisements for Hamburger Helper clearer. It shows that Gramsci's theory was accurate when he said, "The mass media uniquely, 'introduce elements into individual consciousness that would not otherwise appear there, but will not be rejected by consciousness because they are so commonly shared in the cultural community." This advertisement reinforces the idea of "normal" in the public's consciousness while placing their product as a way of accomplishing "normal".
In the first commercial for Hamburger Helper, the setting is several middle class type, workers leaving the office to go home. The product is explained as "being so easy your boss could do it" as a way of showing the consumer how little skill is needed to make their product. The mixture of races including African American, Asian, and Caucasian helps define the group of consumers they are targeting as middle class. In the second advertisement we see an African American family, where the mother is characterized as being at home watching the children, working long hours and then in the kitchen making dinner when the father comes home. This advertisement concentrates on the family unit and shows through both commercials what a "normal" American family does every day.
First Commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ts5cYET6Ds&NR=1
Second Commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7LRJx1pOLc&NR=1
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