New Starbucks comercial

[musketbal]

Just saw new Starbucks comercial, for their instant coffee. At end features "Civil War reenactors". Good or bad, what do you think?

Brent Conner
Eastern Shore of Maryland

[Ken]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

I got a laugh out of it

[Gary of CA]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

I found it humorous. It should have had more rifles stacked around that coffee table though.

[briangauthier]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

so, I paused it, just to take a look at everything. I think this forum has spoiled me as to what a soldier from the mid 1800's should look like. They all look like "re-enactors" not soldiers. Note the corporal with his canteen on under all his accoutrements on the left and the infantryman wearing an officers sword and a cap pouch too. Call me a critic.

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFvaXXFrg-E

[btfire]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

Where did they find those guys at? Homeless on the streets of Seattle?

[elcid01]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

its called a production/casting company and thats the uniforms they have. Or you think its designed to look hokey/innaccurate on purpose? In turn mocking what people see from the outside looking in on this hobby? just thoughts as its not even a authenticty issue, but a little bit deeper.

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

I think Skip make a good point here. The reason we are mocked in commercials is due to farbs that give them ammunition to mock us. And then farbs wonder why we get mad about what they do. Frankly, they give us all a bad name. When I speak to friends that are not reenactors, I quickly make the distinction that their our two hobbies within the hobby. I also point out that what most have seen at reenactments are poor historical representations. Again, not that we all have perfect impressions, but it make it worth trying a bit.

Jim Butler

[GreencoatCross]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

Of course it's poking fun at reenactors on purpose. What we see in the commercial is a "wacky" take on what the public might see at the generic local town events across the country. No big deal.

Check out the dogs and their owners in the segment before the reenactors. I see some wackiness there too.

[btfire]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

The whole commercial is wacky: From the town-hall screamers to the reenactors, the people are all kinda odd. My comment on the reenactors is more their physical appearance, where they do appear to be the homeless type.

Jim, you make a very valid point about the distinction between the two hobbies. When asked if I am a reenactor I always answer, "NO!" and then point out what a living historian/historical interpreter is and offer a quick contrast to a reenactor.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

Jim, you make a very valid point about the distinction between the two hobbies. When asked if I am a reenactor I always answer, "NO!" and then point out what a living historian/historical interpreter is and offer a quick contrast to a reenactor.

Brian-

Good on you for doing so... But for me, no matter what distinction that I make when talking to anyone about what we do, most people not familiar with the hobby still seem to think we are part of the farbonzos anyway. I'm very careful what I tell my friends/coworkers what I do exactly on the 'extended weekends' that I go on when I go to quality events. After 12+ years, I kinda gave-up on telling anyone about the more 'in-depth' side of the hobby we enjoy. Perhaps if I have enough whiskey in me at the bar the subject would come-up, but not normally in everyday conversation.

I eschew the use of the word 'reenactor' referring to what we do at events too, lest we get lumped unintentionally into the same boat by the mis/disinformed and uninitiated general public through 'guilt-by-association'.

The commercial made me laugh, but it does reinforce negative sterotypes a bit.

Then again, ironically by their nature, so do farbs... more than a bit there...

All the best and see ya'll in a month... Johnny Lloyd :wink_smil

[Craig L Barry]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

Yes, agree. Made that point on the other forum that the lack of seriousness is what feeds the perception that (re)enacting is a little goofy. If you don't take yourself seriously, don't expect the public to do so. And in summation, the only Starbucks we ought to be talking about on here is the hat maker.

[rebjeb04]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

That was pretty funny. Especially the hacked off townhall guy.

[rlhardingjr]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

Folks..,

Just remember everything in this wide world of our's is realized from one's own perspective. Media ads, commericials and even comedians poke fun at someone or something every now and again to help sell their product. What may be funny to one person may be a slap in the face to another. Here in the "Nations", one of the big time casinos is running a local ad featuring a "comedian" - for whom I have personally never heard of - who's sound-bite was.., "I just got back from South Carolina where they still reenact battles from a war they lost..!", or to that effect. Of course the "laugh track" was full on. My reaction to this commercial is similar to everyone else's concerning the "Starbuck's" ad. You have to be somewhat amused, not so much from the intent of the commercial, but rather the material route the ad took to make its point. In the end, it may or may not sell more coffee, or it may or may not convince one that this comedian is really funny and worth going to see. In either case, the general public really could care less one way or the other about background material. Let us not fall into the same trap as the "caveman". We have our own "rat kill'n" to tend to...

[PetePaolillo]

Re: New Starbucks comercial

If you can't laugh at yourself than who can you laugh at?