Well. About that Pantene commercial...
Getting over my outraged consumer virtues and diving right into my post here... Let's see... Finding something not at all cliche or superfluous to discuss the deeper meanings of...
So, that butterfly, eh?
Wait, wait, wait. I know what you're thinking. "Butterflies? Lame!" "A third grader could get that symbolism" My pet goldfish could get that symbolism." "How much money did they spend between butterfly/hair CGI animation?" "Couldn't they have focused on ending animal testing in their facilities with the ridiculous amount of effort this commercial must have taken?!" Sorry, sorry, consumer outrage flaring up again. I really should get that checked... Back to the topic.
At the climax of Pantene's short film about a deaf violinist with incredible shine and luster, said deaf girl performs Pachabel's Canon at a Classical music competition. the performance is notably full of life and energy, with intense hair-flipping and images of various memories in her life as well as different images from nature. The particular one that I am interested in talking about is the butterfly coming out of it's chrysalis and flying away. This metaphorical imagery is on of much popularity in many cultures. The butterfly symbolizes transformation and growing up and breaking out of the shell of our former selves. While It has these obvious relartions to the story of the girl, it can also be an effective marketing strategy.
One thing that I thought might have been at work here was the idea of breaking out of a chrysalis being linked to trying new things, which in turn can be linked to trying new products, i.e., Pantene. The idea I am referring to is that if this girl did not venture out past the usual realm of deaf girls and strive for something beautiful, she would not have reached it. If the butterfly did not leave the safe chrysalis it was entombed in, it would never see the sun. If we do not leave our current hair products in favor of Pantene, we will never shine. In that sense, I can see the butterfly as a sort of advertising ploy in that relatively subliminal way. I mean, it isn't likely that we realize the tricks being played on us when we watch these commercials but they feed into our subconscious regardless.
On a final note, When Dr. Lay told us that the old Pantene logo was a butterfly, I was mostly just annoyed by the fact. But, thinking about it in relation to my above comments on trying new things to get new customers, displaying an image tied to the Pantene brand of old, the butterfly, can serve as a reminder to loyal customers of the brand. Our even to ones that used to use it and have veered a way. There is always a ping of nostalgia when we look at old labels of our favorite products from years ago. The memories involved in our use of them come back and it is just a nice feeling of sentimentality. With this, advertisement, Pantene is reaching out to customers old and new, and annoying me the whole time
Signed, Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
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