Opinion: Coca-Cola ad aimed at diversity representation ends with ignorance

Chahinaz Seghiri
Wed, 05 Feb 2014 05:06:30 +0000
Opinion, ad, America, coca cola, diversity, super bowl

Super Bowl XLVIII featured a Coca-Cola ad Feb. 2 that was intended to highlight the beautiful diversity in America. Despite the intention, the commercial ended up receiving some negative backlash. Credit: Screenshot from Coca-Cola YouTube video

Super Bowl XLVIII featured a Coca-Cola ad Sunday that was intended to highlight the beautiful diversity in America. Despite the intention, the commercial ended up receiving some embarrassing commentary from some ignorant viewers.

The commercial featured the song “America the Beautiful” sung in multiple languages by various individuals.

The ad was well done, and even had me tearing up because I was able to see the numerous beneficial opportunities that America has given to so many people.

So why the backlash?

Some viewers were offended because the verses of the song in the video were sung in different languages.

Some of the tweets posted after the commercial included, “Nice to see that Coke likes to sing an AMERICAN song in the terrorist’s language. Way to go Coke. You can leave America,” according to “Tweets of Privilege,” a public shaming Tumblr blog.

First of all, what is a “terrorist language?” Secondly, news flash! This is America, the land of the tossed salad. Every person’s individual identity and culture has come to define each star and stripe on the flag.

The English language does not define America nor does the color of your skin, if that is what some of the offended viewers were implying.

Some of the people even declared they would no longer be drinking Coke after watching the commercial.

The more I read these ignorant tweets, the more I became worried about the fact that people have no idea what it means to be an American.

The tweets and comments only worsened as many people said they were offended because the song should only be sung in English.

Unfortunately, I am not sure what that even means. The ability to sing the song in different languages exemplifies what many people such as myself demonstrate.

Coming from parents who emigrated from two different countries, the commercial struck me as an inspiration because it showed the true meaning of being an American.

I am an American, I speak English, but I am also half Arab and half Chinese and I will hold onto these identities as well.

In fact, the reality of all this nonsense is the only true Americans here are the Native Americans.

Therefore, no one has the right to tell another person to leave America or what language ought to be spoken because we are all made up of diverse backgrounds, and that is the true meaning of being an American.

America has been able to provide me with the opportunity to not only be proud of where I was born, but also of my culture.

After reading the comments, I wondered what is the exact meaning of being an American?

Are you required to have a certain look, be born from a certain state, or speak in a certain way?

Every person in the video exemplified the true meaning of being an America, which is to follow your dream and work hard for your goals.

We live in the land of opportunity, where people have spilled their blood for the sake of basic human rights that many people are not able to experience in modern day society.

America is made up of people who come from different backgrounds, and just like the settlers who came here before us, they are all looking for a better opportunity and life.

Every day, we have the ability to rise up and become something great and live to our fullest potential. Unfortunately, not many people have the same luxuries in other countries, and that is what the commercial was highlighting.

So news flash for all the ignorant Coke commercial haters, being an American is not defined by looks or by a spoken language.

The beauty of America is our unique identity and the diverse makeup that has allowed this country to thrive and become something great.