Getting My Nerd On

     I have a confession to make. I just watched a two-minute long commercial that I thought was a cute little pro-feminism type thing (like those Dove commercials) only to have my jaw drop at the end when it turned out to be a commercial for Barbie dolls. What???????????????

So then of course, since I'm a nerd, I decided to rhetorically analyze this commercial.

• First of all, the commercial is basically trying to deny the stereotype that Barbies are bad and make girls have unrealistic expectations for themselves and other women and that they lead to the oppression of the female race (I'm exaggerating).
• I guess I should have taken the Pepto Bismol pink overlay on the first shot as a sign that this would be a Barbie commercial...
• The font is even in size, but each letter appears unique, representing a strive for equality that doesn't hinder individuality.
• The fish-eye lens and angle of the first shot, as well as the shape of the room, makes it look sort of like the earth. Girls can be anything they want to be in the whole world.
• The first two close-up shots are of Barbie-like girls, both with bleach blonde hair, yet complete opposites. One is the punk rocker chic, the other is the basic white girl. Again, girls can be anything.
• It is a middle-aged man who says "There's our professor" in shock. Men, of course, would be the most surprised that a girl-a little girl, at that-could be the teacher.
• Cut to another shot of a surprised man.
• Notice the girl's dress: red, white, and blue. America strong.
• Now to the veterinarian. It is a middle-aged man who says "You're kidding" in shock.
• In the soccer one, all of the guys are wearing black, but the girl is wearing red (again, American colors) and stands out against them.
• When the girl is a business woman, a man is yet again the first to notice her. 
• When the girl tells the joke about there being no high school for the dog, it's a man who laughs the hardest.
• CUT TO GIRL PLAYING WITH BARBIE DOLLS <gasp of horror>
• When the girl asks "Anybody?" to her dolls, it's the nerdy girl with the big glasses who raises her hand to answer. She appears to be wearing a shirt that says "Dream". The girl's name is "Sophia", which comes from the Latin word "philosophia", meaning "philosophy" (or "wisdom" in Greek). (Thanks Tootie). She's also the only one sitting alone, like a loser.
• JUST CAUGHT A GOOF! At 1:30 Sophia has her hand raised, at 1:35 Sophia's arm is down and the girl puts it up.
• Don't know what's up with the Straight Outta Compton-esque logo at the end... But that's cool.

     So there you have it. Barbie rhetorically analyzed for your convenience.

Day 705 Song Recommendation: "The Wilder Mile" by Freedom Fly. I just heard this song on 8tracks today and I really like it. The lyrics are a weird mix of depressing (guess we were born for each other/here to make the other cry) and carefree (we'll be the people staring back at the sun...we'll be the people living while we're young), but overall, it's an upbeat song. I'm a sucker for tambourines and whistling and all that other hippie music stuff.

-SE Wagner