Is it just me or can anyone else think of a few responses to the Royal Caribbean’s Nation of Why Not? It’s worth taking a look at if you haven’t seen it.
I mean, I’m sure that the ad creative was well in the works before the economic meltdown and the paradigm shift that is Barack Obama … right? There’s really no other explanation for it. I know it’s cruising season but come on.
I don’t watch a whole lot of TV but when I saw this last week I was truly taken aback. Just days after President Obama was sworn in, this commercial comes along and talks about how great it is to ‘ICE SKATE ON THE EQUATOR’ and if all else fails: Just do nothing. Why not?
This seems like anathema to the current spirit of ‘why not get involved’? You might actually make a difference!
Poor timing or not, what is Royal Caribbean really asking their customers to do? Give up on the planet’s future? Ice skate on the equator? Sunbathe past the glaciers? I’m all for living the dream and I’m definitely all for taking vacations but how inappropriate is this?
Am I being too sensitive here?
Definitely strange.
By: Mark Schoneveld on January 28, 2009
at 12:53 pm
I don’t think you’re being too sensitive, Ky. The tone and message of this ad has an almost nihilistic quality.
I was expecting to hear:
‘Why not throw your empty beer cans in the ocean, and while your at it, why not throw that plastic six pack holder in as well, you just might end up strangling a penguin … and why not watch it all go down as you soak in the sun beside a melting ice burg while your kid is practicing her triple axle on the ice rink on the lower deck, and your partner stares off into the void, eyes spiralling, doing sweet fuck all?’
By: Peetiro on January 28, 2009
at 2:37 pm