All opinions are always 100% honest and my own. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also participate in: CJ Affiliate; eBay Partner Network; Rakuten Affiliate Network; ShareASale; Walmart Affiliate Program; independent affiliate networks.
Have you seen the ads for Arctic Circle (a Utah based hamburger and shake restaurant) that have been running on television recently? In case you haven't, they feature commonplace looking adults, in your average no-brainer situations: watching the game on TV, sitting down to work in a sterile looking cubicle, or on a stool in the kitchen. They tell us that they have done something extremely routine and unremarkable like changing a light bulb, folding some laundry, or getting to work on time. As a result of doing these highly regular and sometimes mundane activities, they now tell us they deserve, and are entitled to, a reward. An edible, high calorie, unhealthy reward.
These commercials and others very similar to them bother me for so many reasons. I suppose this particular Arctic Circle series is meant to be humorous, but no doubt those in charge are deadly serious about promoting their products and are spending millions of dollars on this advertising campaign to reach the most amount of people possible—and pander to the self-serving notion that by waking up and having a heartbeat, we deserve compensation.
In our society there is a lowering of expectations with ourselves and our children; we anticipate mediocrity, we reward mediocrity, and here is blatant evidence. We are being taught the following erroneous principle:
Do something normal, expected, something you should be doing anyway, and you deserve to be rewarded. Rewarded by food nonetheless. Spending money and consuming are a direct result from basically doing what is required to just survive.
“It's just a commercial!” you may be saying to yourself. But there is real and disturbing evidence about how marketing and advertising are effective in instilling cultural “truths.” Marketing is real, it is part of our lives, and for better or for worse, it is part of families children's lives.
What is disturbing about these and similar ads is the manipulative quality of such a sales pitch and the underlying hypocrisy behind it. Do businesses such as Arctic Circle and others that promote these cultural ideas really promote productive employees, intelligent and creative people with a sense of responsibility and the integrity our world requires? If they did, their products would nurture personal responsibility, stewardship, and the health of families.
“You can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements,” wrote British author Norman Douglas.
What do current advertisements say about us as a people, as a culture, as a nation?
So what do we do about marketing that we don't like or don't agree with? We could boycott TV. We could invest in Tivo and just skip the commercials. We could never go to Arctic Circle. We could move to Madagascar. There are many many options. The one that I'm most inclined to do at this point is to talk. I mean talk to each other, bring up items in our environment that influence our thinking and our families. Talk to our kids as we watch TV with them and have a discussion about what we see. Engage in face-to-face interactions where quality of life is the subject. Examine our own stewardships. Analyze our motives and determine what is really in our own true self-interest.
Don't wait for the government to create a law forcing others to act in a certain way. Use your own agency and strive for excellence.
There is so much good to be had. An abundance of beauty, joy, and enlightenment. Let's not let our brains take a soothing bath in the warm mediocre crap that is permeating our lives. If we give in to brain-off mode, we will fill the world with fools.
Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.
Amen, sister. Amen!
I DO agree with your position here. I think the commercials, event though they ARE “just commercials” reflect a REAL mindset, and reinforce the mindset.
But, I must ask– what’s Arctic Circle? I’m guessing it’s an ice cream company maybe? Or a slushee company?
🙂
I’ve seen the commercials. It not about whether or not it’s “just a commercial.” It’s about technique. It’s called irony.
I’m reminded of when I was in college and Tina Turner’s song “What’s Love Got to Do With It” was a smash hit. Every time it came on my boyfriend, Jeff, would get crazy. “Love has EVERYTHING to do with it! I hate this song!”
I’d say, “Jeff, you don’t get it.”
If only Arctic Circle were the only company who ran ads like this. I’m also bothered by the ones that encourage you to “pay for” things with credit. But, what can we expect? Commercials are meant to sell something.
*was* the only company
For goodness’ sake– it was in the FIRST sentence????? How’d I miss that? Calgon take me away….
You’re cute, Tink! The “if” makes the “were” correct usage, but it is kind of an outdated usage. Silly words.
I agree that, even though the commercial was given tongue in cheek, the feeling of entitlement is becoming a problem. It hints at a selfishness that has proven historically to be the fall of nations.
I just happened upon this quote from Oswald Spengler, the great German historical theorist. In “The Decline of the West”, he gives the following characteristics of a declining civilization: “Worship of money; loss of idealism, such as capable and good men staying away from politics; the lessening of national pride as people become more and more concerned with only their private affairs; a preponderance (prevalence) of the great cities; a general desire to limit the number of children; the loss of respect for representative government; and the substitution of ‘unparliamentary methods’ such as ‘economic pressure, and above all
the strike’; anti-national peace movements which mean the abdication of the nation not in favor of everlasting peace; and when these have set in, the rise of dictators. I leave it to you to determine whether there is any analogy between these characteristics and our present culture in this country.”
I just thought it was interesting that all these difficulties seem to stem from the sense of entitlement. I think the Arctic Circle commercial was meant to be light-hearted, but it reeks of a social illness that can only lead to heavy-heartedness.
And Face, I am a proud past employee of Arctic Circle. It’s a fast food chain like McDonald’s. Hey, this would be interesting. What are some of the fast food chains you have that we might not have here? Just a wonderin’.
Oh, I have a good one! Skyline Chili or Gold Star Chili. Cincinnati chili is different (and natives say “better”) than chili anywhere else. :tongue:
We also have Donato’s Pizza which I think is the (second) best pizza ever! (IMO, Brick Oven in Provo is the best.) Is Sonic an east-of-the-Mississippi chain? I don’t remember seeing them in UT.
There’s a dairy queen type place in Santaquin, aptly named the Santa Queen, that has the most DIVINE, HUGE scones ever. With their honey butter, they melt in your mouth! They also have English chips that you can’t find outside of UT. Mmm, mmm, good… Oh, and the “pink sauce” they serve with fries and English chips in UT – can’t find it elsewhere (at least where we’ve lived). We make a special stop at the Santa Queen and Brick Oven every time we visit UT. They are that good and oh, so worth it!
And now my mouth is watering and I’m ready to jump on a plane just for some scones, English chips, and pizza!! (I guess if I did that, I should stop in and say hi to our families… :wink:)
I thought so, davidson, but then I got confused, so I thought I’d cover my bases. 🙂
Consider your bases covered. 🙂
Forget about your families, Michelle! If you are flying out for scones, English chips, and pizza, stop in and share with US! Your loyal Mormon Momma friends! We would appreciate it far more than they would. We won’t even tell them. 😉
I hate nighttime commericals. They make me so hungry. I use to bake alot at night because of commerical. Now that I know why I stay out of the kitchen. However, the commericals and the way stores set up their displays are meant to make us buy!!! Notice how they set certain things at kids level!!! No wonder kids go into screaming mode when they are told no when it is right before them. Commericals entice us to do things we shouldn’t. Drinking, smoking-look how they make it seem so wonderful to do it. The recent car commericals are also a good example about how a certain car can make you feel sooooo good!!!!! We go see certain movies because of the trailors in them. But do you notice that some of the scenes you don’t see in the movie??? Trickery is an amazing thing. We just have to be smarter than the retailor!!!!
Yes, we have Sonic out here. Lots of them, it seems.
I’ve been to the Santa Queen! Haven’t eaten there, but back in my pageant days, Santaquin was on our parade route, so we floated in their city days each year. The Santa Queen was our meeting place and we still joke about it.
Yup, we have several Sonics in Idaho Falls. Do you folks have Burger King? Wendy’s? Taco Time? One I hear about a lot but never have seen around here is Chick-Fil-A. (Don’t even know if I spelled it right.)
We don’t get to do the fast food thing too often. Once in a great while. Budget woes.
I worked at Burger King part of my freshman year in college. That is the fate of someone who graduated from high school with absolutely no marketable skills whatsoever.
Taco Bell is way better than Taco Time. 🙂 We have lots of Del Taco’s too. My favorite fast-food Mexican is… can’t remember the name. There’s one in Orem and one in American Fork… anyone? anyone?
There are Chick-Fil-A’s in Utah. One in the University Mall in Orem.
Arctic Circle has great shakes. Inexpensive, huge, and they will mix in as many things as you want. Good onion rings, too. A great healthy combo! :tongue:
Taco Amigo, it’s in Orem and P.G. 🙂
Oh, do we have Sonic!! What a Blast! In-Nout Burgers too!!!! The Best!
When I moved to the South, I was introduced to Popeye’s, Church’s, Chicken Express. Yuck! Everything here in the south is fried. The only thing worse than that is Waffle House. We have some good stuff, too, but the fried chicken is the thing I noticed the most. Could not find a Jamba Juice for the life of me. I later found out there was one half an hour away.
Popeye’s used to be in cali too, atleast in Chico there was one once upon a time.
Two resturants that were our favorite when we lived in Georgia was PO’ Folks. Best darn southern food. Next is my all time favorite-Cracker Barrel. The closet now that I know of is Boise, Idaho. Best bread pudding on the planet! I thought that Popeyes was too spicy and greasy! Oh, there was a Taco Place that had the best mexican food, it was a chain in the South. I think it was Taco Time. Not sure though. Too long ago!
Oh! Oh! They’re building an El Poyo Loco in American Fork! LOVE it! Also like Boston Market, but there aren’t any here.
I love this line. I will have to steal it from you
Oh, and I totally agree, though I do think the idea behind it is funny. Most adults should understand that it’s ironic(though I’m inclined to think that a lot wouldn’t), but they show these ads all day, and kids will see them, and while it may not be a concious (sp?) thought, it could teach them that they deserve to be rewarded for little things, like picking up their room, if we are not careful. There is one ad of a kid, I’d say about 10-12 years old, wanting a shake or something because he took out the garbage as soon as his mom asked him too! While I might be shocked if a child that usually didn’t do things as soon as I asked them to, did, I don’t think they would get much more than a really excited thank you and a big hug. And possibly some tears. And I know that my perfect self has also been plauged with thoughts of “I got up by 10, cleaned my basement (2 rooms), did my course work AND walked both dogs today. I’ve earned me a Whopper.” But really, if fast food is going to be a treat/reward, it had better really be one.
naomlette! I totally understand! I’ve been thinking the same time every time I look at my bedroom (which could no longer even be called a bedroom–it’s really more of a landfill at this point) and I just think “If I really get this clean, what is that worth to me? A cheesecake? a caramel brownie?”
The idea of never watching TV is dismissed as being as likely as “moving to Madagascar,” but that’s pretty much what we have done at our house. We have a TV, so when a breaking news story happens, we can turn it on. Or if they are supposed to watch a PBS special for school.
But we don’t turn it on to commercial television, hardly ever on a weekday, only occasional weekends.
Our girls watch DVDs; we netflix and use the library for videos, so they are not culturally illiterate. During the summer, they are required to watch 2 semi-educational videos, of my choosing, which we sit and watch together. Stuff like LAGAAN, AMADEUS, THREE SOVEREIGNS FOR SARAH, THE ATOMIC CAFE. I try to consider their courses the upcoming year, and choose titles that will complement their history and English curriculum. Oh, and this summer, we’ll start with a PRIDE & PREJUDICE marathon, since one daughter just finished that.
So the advertising is not much of an issue for my family.
I’m not saying that our way is better than talking; I’m just saying that it isn’t on a par with “moving to Madagascar.” Not even close.
It sounds like you’re doing the “no TV” thing on a more level-headed basis. I think maybe the Madagascar comment was referring to those who completely close themselves off to any news of the world whatsoever. I know people– one family in particular, who’s no TV thing is actually a “no media” thing. No radio, no news– I’m trying to remember what the issue was– pooey– I can’t remember now. Maybe it was the tragedy in Myanmar– oh well– it was SOMETHING like that– a BIG story being covered around the world that got brought up during a choir practice and she had no idea because they don’t let any media into their home. On another occasion, a few sisters were chit-chatting about the election and this same sister was completely clueless about the candidates– I’m guessing she has no intention of voting. :confused:
Or they might learn what irony is. I’m really hesitant to stop using literary devices because some people are stupid.
I’m there!
that really sounds pretty balanced. We do the “no tv” thing from time to time. It hasn’t ever been long term but when we start to notice that the kids want to come straight home from school and plop in front of the tv or when I feel like our lives are revolving around tv, that is when we take a break. We did this fairly recently and I feel like the break has helped us to be more selective of what we watch when we do watch. As soon as we can unload our monstrosity of an entertainment center, we’d like to replace it with a rolling tv cart, just so we can have the extra *space* in our living room!
I think that might be going a bit far. How can we be “in the world and not of the world” if we don’t have a clue what’s going on the world? I can understand not wanting to be overwhelmed (in a negative way) with the news but I think it is important to be informed about current events. Plus, how can we be actively involved in improving our communities if we are completely unaware of what needs to be fixed?
Alison and anyone else in the vicinity, jokes notwithstanding, it is worth it to stop and eat at the Santa Queen! This is the way the burger joints/drive-thrus used to be, before they became corporate fast food chains.
Alison, if you did parades in Santaquin, I’m sure you participated in Onion Days in Payson as well. I think you’ve previously mentioned that to Ray. :boogie:
:surfing: :rasta: :crazy: :cheer: :whorship: :crush: :flowers: :updown: :fingersear: [emoticons compliments of my 5 year old!]
I think finding the balance that works for your own family is the key to success in teaching appropriate “entitlement” standards to our children.
Funny Michelle– did you notice the order?
“Just walking around minding my own business— doo de doo de doo….
Along comes a surfer dude.
He’s really “cool and hip”
Oh my goodness!! He noticed me!!
Yay!!! Here’s my chance!
Surfer dude, you are SO cute, I worship the ground you walk on. I’ll do anything for you!
Come here and give me a kiss, you big lug! Flirt, flirt.
Love ya babe, have some flowers.
Bibble, bibble, bibble, bibble (not sure how to write out the sound of a “raspberry”)
Sorry toots, I’m movin’ on!!”
Typical teenage romance
Wow–Love the way your mind works. I never would have put two and two together!!! That was great!
Face, I believe the proper spelling of the raspberry sound is PPTHHHBBPPTHHH. :updown:
HA! I get such a kick out of you all! Face, I didn’t know you spoke Vanillaconish! Thanks for the way cute translation. Marathonermom, I think you’re on to something here: The ONOMATOPOIEA DICTIONARY. Coming soon to a bookstore near you. I’ll buy it.
And speaking of books to buy at a bookstore, Alison, when will your book be published?
Face = brilliance. End of story.
You’re going to give me a big head. Where’s an emoticon of an exploding head when you need one?
That’s why I said “it could”. 😉 If ads like these do teach them to have a sense of entitlement, it’s only because they are being taught that elsewhere as well. If they see people/adults they look up to having a sense of entitlement, they are going to emulate that. The ads would probably just re-enforce that. But the ads are an easier target to blame than the adults in their lives. And I don’t necessarily mean the parents. It could be church leaders, teachers, the parents of friends, friends, or celebrities. Where children pick up their habits, good and bad, doesn’t always come from one source alone, but is a conglomeration of sources.
Well said, Naomlette (and Alison). It seems to me that other than for the purpose of outright rebellion, kids do and believe what they MOST are taught, from whatever source they’re taught.
(Did I say that right?)
For example: I’ve pretty much DRILLED modest dress into my kids. And it was from the VERY beginning. No tank tops on my baby girls, no sleeveless shirts/dresses, no short shorts, no bikinis, etc. And please understand– I don’t think it’s “IMmodest” for a baby to wear a sleeveless top. I also don’t think it’s “IMmodest” for a little girl to wear a sleeveless dress. (It’s kind of hard for a 3 year old to look “sexy”, you know?) For me though, it just seemed easiest to just avoid it altogether and then I’d never have to worry about it. After having spent so much of my adult life serving in Young Women, it just seemed easier to have them dress the way the FSOY pamphlet SAYS they should dress, right from day ONE even though I don’t think a baby can be “immodest”– am I making sense? We’ve also had plenty of conversations about dress standards and WHY Heavenly Father cares about the clothes we wear.
So now, when a commerical for skin lotion comes on and it’s CLEARLY a naked woman, but she’s sitting in JUST the perfect position to hide “things”, my kids all turn their heads- my son being the first one and they’ll all groan. “Why do they DO that? Why can’t they just show her ARM? Why does she have to be naked? That’s SOOO stupid!”. When they see a woman on a show, wearing a sleeveless dress, my girls will say “that dress would be SO pretty, but it needs something to cover her shoulders”. When Dancing with the Stars first started we thought it would be a fun show to watch, but all it took was that first show with the women in dresses that show way too much skin and doing provocative dance moves, and my son was keeping his head turned from the TV, so we turned the channel and never watched it again.
When my girls buy their Barbies, the look for the ones withOUT drop waist pants, withOUT midriffs showing, withOUT sleeveless dresses and tops.
And they do that on their OWN. I’ve never told them they couldn’t buy a doll because it wasn’t dressed modestly. They know our dress standards, the LIKE our dress standards, and they pick the modestly dressed dolls on their own, without my having to say a word. (Of course, once they get home and played with, the dolls are laying around their room’s completely naked– but oh well……)
The same thing goes with bad language, inappropriate music, tatoos, smoking, drinking, caffeine… the standards that we’ve taught our kids have been drilled into their heads for so long, and so consistently, that when they see it in commericals, shows, kids at school, other people, they know exactly what it is, and that they should avoid it. They don’t start to WANT it themselves.
Now as long as that continues through their teenage and early college days, we’ll be good to go!!! But I have the feeling that this will get tricker the older they get…aye yie yie!!!
Ahhh, I haven’t been on in a while. Face, you are a genius!! That emoticon translation was hilarious, and then reading the follow-up comments by nana, marathoner, davidson, and Ray… I haven’t laughed so hard all day! Thanks, guys!
Our kids model what they see. Entitlement is a learned response. We need to offer our kids a more viable, more enjoyable alternative to the typical one the world shows in commercials and elsewhere. Like what face has done with teaching modesty to her kids.
:shamed: :trompet: :surfing: :shades: :rasta: :pirate: :peace: :boogie: :beard: :tooth: :clap: :rolling: :crazy: :jumping: :whorship: :rainbow: :kiss: :dinner: :grouphug: :threesome: :devil: 😎 :fierce: :fingersear: :hungry: :updown: [compliments of the 5 year old and 9 year old!! I gotta find time to catch up on my MM reading when they’re busy doing something else, or I’ll become emoticon queen!]
“All Hail her Majesty the Queen of Emoticons!!!” (spoken in a deep resonating echo-y voice that sounds to the heavens)
kiar, that’s my voice. She hears it every day, and it gives her shivers. :heartbounce:
Quick, quick, Face! We need the above translated! I guess Michelle and her sweet kids have the gift of “speaking” (typing?) in tongues! We are now waiting for the interpretation of this particular tongue. It will be profound. (This is gonna be good, I can feel it.)
Are you KIDDING me????? That one is WAY too involved. I think I’d need a Urim and Thummim for THAT one.
Ray, whatever helps you sleep at night! lol! is she shivering cause she’s cold or scared??
cold – which is why I sleep with a thin sheet while she gets multiple blankets doubled up.
Or creeped out??
He he he– sorrry. Just trying to think of the varying reasons why one would shiver.
I think we all know EXACTLY what he meant.
“Ray and Michelle, sittin’ in a tree
K-I-S-S- I- N-G…..”
My, has this thread deteriorated—–what were talking about again?? :tooth:
Ah, yes. The three little words that make you shiver and tingle all over. (“Cold toilet seat.”)
Oh, my, yes. Payson GOLDEN Onion Days, no less. In fact, I missed a tour of EUROPE because of my fierce dedication to Payson. They had the last parade of the season and so I STAYED IN THE STATES during the trip and flew over after the parade when my parents had settled in England. (Dad was on sabbatical.)
OK, so that was about the dumbest thing I ever did in my life and was really prompted by my fear of the devastation that would result from being away from my crazy boyfriend for SO LONG, but hey, I just really love Golden Onion Days.
Ah, thanks, Kiar! And Face, Davidson, and Ray. Thanks for helping me smile today. My shivers… not from cold, fear, or creeped out when it deals with Ray. :heartbounce:
Alison, I’m not sure even Ray was that dedicated to Payson Golden Onion Days and that was his “hometown” parade! You were late for a tour of EUROPE for Onion Days?!?? Wow… That must have been some crazy worth-it-at-the-time boyfriend!! :jumping:
No, I was not late. I missed it entirely. My parents toured all over the place for two whole months. Bought a VW Jetta in Germany and explored everything. I stayed home and did parades and just went to the UK from September-December where we lived in Leeds.
Leeds-I am drooling with envy. Barbara Taylor Bradford area!!!!! Did you enjoy?
I don’t know that Leeds is worth loss of saliva. 🙂 I don’t know what “area” it was. We lived on Grove Lane, if that helps. There were eight deadbolts on both the front and back doors to our flat, since we lived in the area of the Yorkshire Ripper. (As if that would keep him from breaking the windows???)
You had to have gone to York. My favorite place in England-now that I have been to Bath, Bristol and Stonehedge area they may be. London is so wonderful.
Yea, many times to York. I can do a mean Broad Yorkshire accent. Went to Stonehenge and Bristol and spent a number of days in London eating blood sausage. I also think I took a bath there once or twice. 😉
I would love to hear you try!!! I use to be a pretty good judge of areas when I worked there. English people were amazed by my accent too. Thought I was from New Jersey!! HE HE CA & Idaho were my homes!
Alison, that is dedication… to miss a 2 month tour of Europe for parades! I’ve never been, but think London/Europe would be a wonderful place to visit! Think I’ll pass on the blood sausage, though. Just the sound of it makes me shiver!
Dedication to dating, that is…
Okay, here’s the epitome of stupidity. How about giving up a BYU education instead of the moronic boyfriend who I later found out was cheating on me anyway?
(And how moronic must *I* be to start an “I’ll bet I was more stupid than you were” debate?? ) :shocked:
I concede to Tracy.
:shamed:Tracy hangs her head in shame.:shamed:
We may not make mistakes as spectacular as Tracy or Alison, but we all do some stupid things – stupid in retrospect, anyway! However, at the moment I can’t recall one of mine that equals missing out on Europe or a BYU education! 😉