The Real Thing A review by Jim Keith Cybernetic brain control, achieved by innocent-seeming increments of technology: A popular product provides the capital for saturation advertising, saturation provides the continual reinforcement via electronic brain massage so that a culture takes on a hypnotic mode of acceptance, and the advertising offers the carrier wave for really sinking the subconscious, glandular meathooks in. The ruthlessness, the cynicism of control makes it certain that the puppet strings will continue to be implanted as deeply in the flesh as the state of technology permits. Take the image of Coca Cola as being "the real thing", the all-American fun beverage, consumed by (if we are to believe the ads) middle-American, horsing-around-on-the-beach, hot dog-grilling, "soft" drink-swilling, fresh-faced teenagers (who no doubt have as little idea of the techniques of Pavlovian advertising as the rest of the world). And then observe the techniques by which Coke is actually sold. I just watched a Coke ad on television and noted (as I have noted in most of the ads for companies with the kind of cash necessary to buy top flight Madison Avenue brain and gland rinsing) a number of interesting things. First, the jerking breasts of the teenage girl in a sack race. Coke, presumably, expects us to believe that is was a candid shot taken in a slap-happy moment of abandon, but anyone with any familiarity with film knows that it isn't. The image is precise, focused, choreographed. The shot was chosen precisely for the image of jerking breasts (virtually every Coke ad has one or more images of jerking tits and fluxing buns, as do Pepsi commercials, etc.). Another image shows the uplifted Coke bottle with guzzling teenager. Let's not rule out that Coke executives, choosing the imagery of the ad, may just possibly have considered the fellation equation. Another shot shows a toddler's diaper falling down, people laughing uproariously at this no-doubt hilarious occurrance. But the following cut is the telling one, where all of the elements cum together. A young woman, sitting on the lap of a fellow in a rocking chair, falls backward onto him as the chair tips over. Everyone is still laughing (their asses off), but that precise posture of anal penetration is shown in slow, loving motion. Compare the strategy of this ad, its techniques for obtaining and holding attention (what more fascinating image than analism, the Coca Cola Company thinks) while the "Coke" message is drilled in. Compare it with the above ground image of the company. Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful, Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful, Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful, Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful, Wholesome, American, Fun, Youthful. Jim Keith is the author of Casebook on Alternative 3: UFOs, Secret Societies and World Control, available for $12.95 from IllumiNet Press, POB 2808, Lilburn, GA 30226. 1-800-680-INET.