Blast(er) From The Past

I recently re-watchedAliens , the second film in theAlien franchise. It reminded me of an ad campaign that Reebok had around the time of the movie’s release, and thanks to the magic of the Internet, I can share it with you.

Ye gods, I just realized where John Woo got the inspiration for theHard Boiled poster…

But that’s not my point. I’ve always held a deep dislike and disrespect for advertisement, since it is inherently manipulative. It seeks to make people do something they wouldn’t otherwise do.

The only good thing I can say about advertising is that it proves that media affects us. Because if ads didn’t work, no one would pay for them. And they wouldn’t be there.

Imagine Hong Kong without advertisements.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world…

I remember (vaguely; it was the 80s) that around the same time as this campaign,  I actually heard the following in an advertisemnt for a moisturizing soap: “The oil and water mix to give your skin…”

I didn’t hear the rest because I was too busy kicking the mortal sh*t out of the television.

Dear Lord deliver us from stupidity, ignorance, and all other forms of dumbness that we may make ourselves a better world and stop being such f@#$#ing morons.

What I liked about the Alien commercial was that it was funny, witty, and made a claim so specious that you could laugh about it.

Rather than destroy your mother’s television.

So for those reasons, t he Alien campaign was the only ad I ever thought was worth a sh*t.

Well, other than this one.

Brought to you by Midnight Dragon Malt Liquor.