Thursday, March 12, 2009
Dixie Advertising The Disposable?
I saw this commercial last week and it immediately struck me as odd. Maybe it's because of the shift I feel our society taking towards more sustainable living (or at least the appearance of it). I see people around me cutting down on plastic bottles and disposable dishes. Between gas prices and global warming, our culture seems to be on a bit of a green trend whose effects are starting to spread out from just recycling to trying to use less overall. The rough economy doesn't hurt that mantra either; why buy paper cups when I can wash these glass ones I already have? For some people, I'll bet cost is starting to win out over convenience.
Either way, this Dixie Cup ad for disposable coffee cups struck me as jarringly out of place. First of all, those cups are easily recognized as the type you get at the coffee stand in a convenience store or waiting room, not something many people buy for their homes. Bottled water sales started to taper off last year, so it makes you wonder if the public's environmental and economic concerns have started to take their toll on other plastic and paper goods as well.
Maybe it's just me though—what do you think?
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3 comments:
I think it's a definite point-of-view. And probably a slashback that they'll receive.
I believe their point with this spot was the "cost savings" angle of having a "trendy" looking cup that you can take your brewed-at-home coffee to work in. Saving your $$ from the high-priced coffee shop stuff. And you'll still "blend-in" at work even though you brought it from home.
That's an interesting way of looking at it. I didn't take that away from that spot at all. The problem I see is Dixie is never going to 'blend in' with a coffee shop cup, it's far too generic. Plus it's still much cheaper and maybe even 'trendier' to bring your own reusable mug to work. But like you said, it does depend on your point-of-view.
My thought the first time I saw these cups was "how stupid". I don't drink coffee, but if I did I wouldn't take these cups home and use them. An insulated metal (or even plastic) mug will perform better and be far cheaper in the long run. Also much more eco-friendly.
I'm an iced tea junkie and have been using the same insulated large mug for 3 years now. It's still performing well. Imagine how many foam cups I would have gone through in 3 years.
I see these Dixie cups as a tool of the lazy and self-centered.
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