Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 09:48:25 -0500
From: "Matt D." <afn02065-AT-afn.org>
Subject: M-I: Coca-Cola culture in South Africa


Richard Pithouse writes:

>The SACP does of course have a history of being a Soviet puppet but it 
>also has some incisive thinkers and huge credibility with working people. 
>American culture is fast dissapating the revolutionary consciousness that 
>existed in the eighties but South African unions are still very powerful 
>and in fact are beginning to challenge the ANC.

<snip>

>I've never been to America and do have superficial view. However when I 
>talk about America I'm talking about the way that American culture 
>affects us here. Even when it has radical posturing (eg rap, spike lee 
>etc ) it remains a vehicle for promoting consumerist values.  

This called to mind something I saw on the news the other day, a piece
on a Coca-Cola ad campaign for the "new" South Africa.  Apparently
(and please, Richard, help w/ the details if I get this wrong) Coke has
more or less bought up, lock stock and barrel, the South African gold
medalist (marathon?) of the most recent olympics.

Of course corporate ownership of athletes is nothing new, but what
struck me was that the theme of the ad campaign was apparently,
"In these times, heroes are hard to find"!

I should think that of all places on Earth, South Africa right now
probably has a surfeit of heroes!  I wonder if Richard might share
with us his impressions of this ad campaign, and its effect on
the people of South Africa.  Does it actually resonate w/ anyone,
or does it just get the same confused look from folks over there
that it does from me here?

What do other listers think?

-- Matt "Maybe you could send *us* some of your extra heroes" D.

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