The Four Elements

Marketing is a game of associations. And since most people do not come to decisions logically, but rather, emotionally, this game of associations has large implications. For instance.... ready? ....

Coca-Cola.

What are you thinking of? The color red? Probably. Red is the most emotionally arresting color there is. It also makes you hungry - even warm.

Maybe that bubbly amber concoction fills you with a comfortable notion of family around Christmas time? The Coca Cola Santa perhaps? Is anybody else thinking: Polar Bears? Maybe you associate those delicious reds and whites with being an American, a hip American at that! - the kind that knows how to click into the spirit of eternal youth and utter happiness. After all, check out Coca-Cola.com and you’ll see at the upper left (the first option on the site) is labeled “OPEN HAPPINESS.” This takes you to the “commercials” section. Now, I don’t know if Coca Cola is associated with “Happiness” in my mind, but I’ll tell you what it does reminds me of. It reminds me of being 11 or 12 year olds and spending summer out at Lompoc airport with my father. You see, there used to be a thing called a “coca-cola card” and with this magikal card, well, all I had to do was buy a frosty coke... just one... one frosty, delicious coke and I was entitled to a second game rental FOR FREE. The first game would be a four-player game - something I could stay up playing with my friends, filling the night with laughter, nacho farts and competitive marathons that would last until the sun came up. The second game was something I could sink my teeth into while my father tinkered on aircraft - something to enjoy near the back of the hanger with my nearly undivided attention. Something to keep me busy between riding my bike, taking short flights with my dad and generally sort of fucking around at the airport.

On

Inevitably, the taste of Coca-Cola became linked with the sensation of opening up that shiny, plastic coated, blue and white box containing a brand new Nintendo game cartridge. Exploring the Zora’s domain. Smashing the enemy’s face in with Fulgore’s cyber hands. Infiltrating the embassy as Ethan Hunt. Running from the poo flinging boss in Concker’s Bad Fur Day. I was in heaven. I was hanging out with my dad in his hanger - the most carefree place in the world, oozing with the sensation of male sanctuary. There’s no place like Lompoc Airport when you’re with your dad.

That’s what hits me like a Tsunami coursing its way through my subconscious... every-time I take a sip of Coca Cola. Happiness? Fuck. You tell me. I definitely feel something shortly after cracking a bottle and smelling that distinctive little coke smell emanating from the initiatory hiss.

Marketing is a game of associations.

So, when I stepped into the car and flipped on my radio, I was expecting to hear advertisements. I mean, after all, I do occasionally need to tap into popular culture. Data jockeys need to know if it’s T-Pain or Akon this month. And between tracks filled with product placement for various phone companies and hard liquor - you could glean a lot of information from commercials about that station’s demographic. But what I was hearing now wasn’t a commercial at all. It was something else entirely. It went something like this:

Guy: “Hey! So, what’s with this new bank that I’m now a member of?!”

Girl: “Oh! It’s CHASE BANK! They’re new to California, but they’re a really awesome bank!”

Guy: “Wow! IT really SOUNDS LIKE THIS BANK IS AWESOME! I’m glad I’m doing MY BANKING with such an AWESOME bank!”

Girl: “I know! Just because us Californian’s have never heard of Chase doesn’t mean they’re not the best!”

Guy: “Exactly! I’m going sign up for automatic deposit RIGHT THE FUCK NOW!”

You get the idea. They weren't “selling” you on much of anything - but rather, merely assuring you that although you didn’t have a choice in your change of bank - the right choice was made for you. Now suck it deep down into your brain and start touching yourself. Do IT! DO IT NOW!

::Cough cough:: excuse me.

Now, I’m not here to launch another gigantic anti-bank-paranoia-fest (which I would usually be more than happy to indulge myself in), so, I’m going to focus on CHASE bank’s marketing strategy instead.

Check this shit out.

‘We all shine on... like the [unintelligible] stars and the sun!”

No color can be seen in this commercial. It is all black and white, including the sun, which is permanently eclipsed by the all powerful BLUE CHASE BANK LOGO. See the sun? Good. See the CHASE symbol? Good. Sun. Chase. Sun. Chase. Got it?! Ok. Moving on.

The ATM turns into a surf board.
Water. Swimming. Surfing.

Squeaky, soapy, clean transitions us into breakfast diner.

Steam rising off the coffee. Water evaporates and turns to air.

Air. Sky. Hot AIR balloons. Bubbles in the water.

Swimming turns into a dusty, desert road.

Earth. Motorcycle. Road Trip. Dust.

The Sun, the fire, is presiding over all the other elements of earth - giving light and life to all inhabitants both living and elemental. The Chase Bank logo... well, it’s the one presiding over the sun itself. Sun. Chase. Sun. Chase. Sun. Chase. Light of all things on earth - Chase.

So, to recap, what are the four elements?

-EARTH
-WIND
-WATER
-CHASE BANK

Got it yet?! Suck those mental associations deep down into your psyche. Do it. Now touch yourself. Are you in love with Chase bank yet? You should. It’s the source of all light and life on earth. Suck that mental association, DEEP DOWN INTO YOUR THROAT! OK!? A little bit deeper? Good. A little bit deeper? Good.
 
Now bask in the blue light of Chase’s alien sun.

Do it.

Ok. Now that that’s out of our system... what else can be said in conclusion? Chase’s multi-million dollar marketing campaign is being spent trying to convince YOU, emotionally of something. It’s not about rates, or numbers, or accounts or really much of anything that relates to a science as logical and technical as banking. Their multi-million dollar marketing campaign is being spent trying to create, in our minds, a mental association between THE SUN and THEM. That, the four elements, EARTH, WIND, WATER and FIRE are the essential components to existence and furthermore, the FIRE ELEMENT is completely eclipsed by the blue of the Chase’s Sun. Yes. It’s that simple. Millions of dollars were spent on actors, camera’s, contracted employees and artists to design a campaign centered around this core idea. That money was spent trying to purchase a radical change in emotional perspective from you.

This is a fact.

Here’s where my opinion comes in:

Apollo should be furious.

-Publius