Sunday, November 1, 2009
Where's the Beef?
I find it interesting that three words had such a big impact on 1980's America. What started as a Wendy's slogan quickly spread to bumper stickers, advertisement spin-offs, and was even used as a political debate retort when Walter Mondale said it to Gary Hart.
Even seasons three and four of the Simpsons have numerous references to this slogan.
So what is the infatuation?
Irate elderly ladies?
Tasty burgers?
Witty rhetoric?
We may never know.
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I think its popularity might have something to do with the numerous metaphorical levels that beef can represent. It seems to represent substance, quality, the thing desired. Bread is just a filler with no real substance. It may have something to do with the time period, too. The US was, I think, still enmeshed in a time when meat was looked at as real food. There are a number of other slogans/sayings that come to mind: It's the real meat and potatoes; Beef: real food for real people; Beef: it's what's for dinner. Wow, there are so many levels of beef ingrained in our culture.
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