What does "The American Dream" have to do with that ad?

Which 'American Dream' are you referring to anyway?

I agree that its odd that they are basically criticizing parents who encourage their kids to go to college. Is there much hoopla over there about the ad or is it simply being ignored?

After viewing this commercial on tv during a regular evening wind down time, my husband and I both just looked at each other and gasped. To us, the quick and dirty knee-jerk reaction was, OMG! Are they telling the UK public not to push their kids academically?

In retrospect, after looking up the website and reading a bit about it, I see what the organization is about. I urge you to view the commercial without reading the website first. I'm interested in what you would think if this ad aired in primetime US markets.

What does this ad have to do with the American Dream? Perhaps you think it has nothing to do with it, that's why I asked if anyone thought this ad was awful. Perhaps it was wrong to ask about "THE" American Dream. We all have our ideas of what that is. And, this ad didn't air in the US, did it?

Living in the UK for almost one year now, if nothing else, has increased my patriotism by leaps and bounds. It is now infinitely clear to me why the freedoms set forth in the framework of our constitution are so important. It has also made me thankful there was an American Revolution in the 1700's.

To me the negative framework of this ad exemplifies a major difference between the UK and the US: Instead of highlighting the potential of success of a trades-based career (US Version), beat the public down with the message that not everyone has potential and in the process, insinuate (sp?) that a trades career is somehow less successful (UK version).

So, just curious how the ad strikes you??? Brilliant? Thought-provoking? Insulting? Couldn't care less?

Never let it be said, that US advertisers are the only ones who do not behave responsibly with their advertising.

On the other hand, the concept is fine.....that many kids should consider vitally needed trade occupations, vs. academic pursuits that do not suit them.

Ever try to find a cabinet installer? I have, and it is a Hurculean task!

Even the big box retailers won't refer any more, due to problems with the referees.

Is it a bad ad? Yes. Should it be pulled? Yes. Should a responsible, but effective ad, carrying the same message be created? Yes.

That is one strange ad. What does driving like a fruitcake have anything to do with going one educational route over another? How could going for academics possibly hurt a kid?Getting a college degree VS being in a head on collision is a stupid comparison. I truly believe ANY education is beneficial. I've found that I can learn something,forget about it for a long time, then suddenly need that information one arbitrary day. Most of the people I know have had the same thing happen.
Bobbi P, I love to travel and see the different ways people live. However, I do understand what you are saying. I feel that US citizens have a great many freedoms that I felt was lacking in other countries I visited. I'm probably biased and I can live with that. I am not saying others are wrong living their own way, but I am grateful for my own freedoms here. PJ

I don't care for the ad, but I must agree with what Rick said, college isn't for everyone. My brother would not have done well in college due to learning disabilities. He went to a technical school where he received certification for HVAC technician and appliance repair. He received straight A's - something he never got in high school. He would not have been able to make it in a regular college/university.

On the other hand, the lady who was the valedictorian of my high school class went to a prestigious university and flunked out her freshman year. She went on to become a massage therapist. It is not what the rest of us expected from her, but she quickly found out that college didn't suit her. I do think they should change the ad. It is a good thing that we do have the freedom of choice here and am glad that ad has not appeared here in the U.S.

Does not offend me at all, I really don't see anything wrong with it, just a metaphor. I am not oblivious to the fact that others might find it weird, but nothing wrong with it.

I don't mean to offend, but I read your opening post and I can't help but to think that this ad was targeted to 'you'.

It has nothing do with being dumb or academic achievements, it is saying there is something else besides college. My cousin has a trade skill, never stepped on a college campus. Makes more than me, and more than many of our college grad friends. My father was a HS dropout, went to trade school and he makes plenty of money.

I reflect on my time at college and I really do think half of the classes I took were a wasted of time.

"...beat the public down with the message that not everyone has potential and in the process"

I watched the ad several times trying to see where you are getting this connection. I do not see the insinuation anywhere. The ad never makes reference to the kids intellectual skills(or lack of). It is directly reaching to the parent.

There are other ways to get the message across, but there is nothing wrong with this one. I found it kind of humorous.

.02

Zjoe

It seems to be saying that it is stupid and blind parents that push like lemmings to get their kids to college. But a lot of commercials sail right over my head. People who make commercials are the worst at "trying to be the smartest person in the room". Of course, the new guy with the new idea gets the account.

Does England have an overburdened college enrollment? Why are they trying to shift the population of students over to trade schools?

I don't disagree, or take offense from any of your comments, I honestly wanted your opinions on the ad taken at face value.

I am increasingly aware that my views of the British social system are affected greatly by small things like this ad. Zitro, I agree that no where does this ad alone give the message to: "beat the public down with the message that not everyone has potential and in the process, insinuate (sp?) that a trades career is somehow less successful." But it's a cumulative effect of multiple messages in the same tone from various sources over the year I've been here, basically telling the UK public to take their places and stay there, don't dream for something better.

In America, you have the opportunity for hard work, enterprising ideas, thinking outside the box, finding a path that works for you. Sometimes, luck is in your favor. Sometimes it's not. But, the potential is there...

Here conformity only is tolerated from the population as a whole. You do things in this order, on this path, because that's what the government tells you and largely tradition rules. Never mind that many people suffered under old traditions...And, never mind that there's a new wave of immigrants to whom these old traditions mean nothing coming here to escape the atrocities in Africa and eastern Europe.

I don't know if the ad has any great political agendas. It's mostly the tone I take exception to. It's a negative ad that shocks me. Perhaps Zitro is right, maybe the ad was aimed at me????

"Here conformity only is tolerated from the population as a whole....."
It just occured to me how this place you are in must be really hard on you. I remember you saying how much you loved Alaska. Alaska is the home of the wild and free,including the animals :^).
Tradition might make some people feel secure. It would chaff my *** personally. I will pray for a quick return to at least the wilds of TX for you! PJ

Bobbi, you are simply experiencing the difference in 3000 yrs. of civilization, vs. 300 yrs. of civilization. It really does make a big difference.

For me, I found the differences in Europe very preferential to those in the US, in many ways. However, that was 40 yrs. ago, and like the US, things have changed. (I monitor the BBC on a daily basis.)

Also like the US, the governments there, really don't have a clue, about what needs to be done in today's world, to save the planet, or make the world a better place, or if they do, they aren't willing to take the necessary steps to make the changes happen.

Be assured though, that in many countries today, people have become over educated. If you look hard at the numbers, you will find entirely too high a number of college graduates, and even those with advanced degrees, working well below their educational levels. There are a number of reasons for that, but it isn't likely to change any time in the foreseeable future.

On the contrary, the probabilities are strong that even more of our population will be working below their educational level, in the future.

The divisions between the rich and the non-rich will continually cause people to attempt to improve their situation, but in fact, that will be difficult to do.

The "American dream" is now more of a myth than a reality.

I don't see that much of a difference in Great Britain, to be honest. They will be following in the same sort of path, and so, it is only sensible that they consider a practical approach to educational levels.

I have watched the erosion in the US, over the past 50 yrs. of a country with great strengths, to a country with little more than great ideals. The strengths are gone, the lifestyle is far worse, and the future prospects are very limited.

Such is the impact of far too extensive, and far too rapid growth, in world population. Since no one is doing ANYTHING about that problem, there is little chance of future improvement in today's conditions. On the contrary, the probability is very high, that conditions will actually worsen.

So.....the practicality of being a plumber, an HVAC technician, etc., is certainly something to consider. After all....almost all of the jobs in this country today are medical or computer related....and the computer industry is reaching its plateau, where advances are going to slow down considerably.

So....unless you can qualify to get into the medical field, as a doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, etc........which typically requires very high GPA's in high school and very high scores on the college entrance exams, your ooportunities are going to be very limited. The odds of that are 15 to 1 against you. (At least in my medical college.)

I think the odds may be higher than that in the UK.

When we lived there, kids went to school until the day they were 15 years old, then went to work, unless they tested well for University. There were no trade schools to speak of. There was OJT. Poor farm kids had a hard time. Our neighbors had 7 kids, and all save one went to the fields at age 15 years 1 day. The one that did not found a job at the Military base, and became my Dad's secretary.

I don't think college is the best thing for all kids. I think they should have the advantage of college if that is what they want/need, but we NEED all those other people too. I would like to hear the person who tells me a carpenter worth his salt is 'not a professional'.

By the same token, some of the brightest people, have the least 'common' sense.

I was not offended by the ad, but it does drive me crazy that there are parents like that guy.

Janie

I just got the chance to view the ad. A lot of ads use the technique of transfer to get their point across, which is where they take something seemingly unrelated to what they're selling, and use that to make their point. Usually, it's sex appeal, such as the can of soda or bag of chips being equated to a beautiful woman. In this case, the father is literally steering his son the wrong way, and the son is clearly frightened and stressed out. So, the point they're trying to make is that a parent forcing a child to go in a direction he/she doesn't want to go in is a bad idea.

I have never lived anywhere but the U.S., and pretty much the only other country I've been to is Mexico, save for one afternoon in Canada's British Columbia. So, I can't speak to which country is better to live in. I would prefer the US most likely, for all the obvious reasons, but I have to say that it would definately intrigue me to live somewhere else for at least a while. My brother has lived in several contries, and is hoping to live in Australia or New Zealand next. He talks like the US is the best, yet he keeps wanting to live somewhere else. That doesn't entirely make sense to me, but then again, when he lives here it's in the Houston area. That might have something to do with it. ;-) It's my understanding of Great Britain that it's very, very class oriented. So many of the British comedies play on that and make fun of it, but they just don't let it go, either.

Much of college is for people that want to work for other people, and fit into certain categories. Most of the people I know that have degrees do not use them. The people I know that are business owners dropped out of college. It's not to say that college is a bad idea, but it's not the be-all and end-all it's cracked up to be. If one does choose the college route, you pretty much have to go all the way. My DD just graduated from a conservatory, and although she's taking a year off, she will have to go to graduate school to get anywhere in her field, which is music, unless she gets lucky. She likes teaching, so if she wants to work for a University, she'll have to get a doctorate. That's the working for someone else part. Her friend, who dropped out of the conservatory, has just signed a record deal, or is in the process of doing so. Obviously, college wasn't for that girl.

Okay, I should probably stop rambing now.

Sally

I'm confused LOL......Are there two Bobbi___p? One in the UK and one in Cypress?
You said...While it may be (is) true that all kids aren't university material, the tone of this ad is far from pushing the American Dream!

How does a UK ad become an American dream? Maybe a UK dream?

To have more freedom? We're not near as free as we once were our freedom is slowly but surely slipping away from us. We cannot say God or talk about God in our schools. They have tried to take God away from the courts. How are we to swear we'll tell the truth once on the stand? Do we swear to tell the truth to Monkey, Car, Tree.

Our nation once said it was in God we trust but how many trust God to do the right thing by us? Maybe we've let God down?
There are many words I cannot say because it will offend someone but the words I say is not to offend them just a matter of fact.
I do not have a choice to choose my insurance because I'm disabled and I have to take medicare where if I was not disabled I'd be on my DH insurance that is from the very same program that only cost 460.00 a year, now I pay 93.00 a month for insurance that does not cover as much but is still the same insurance but called by another name. Go figure that one out.

Nope freedom is not what it once was....Now they are showing ad for teens to hit their parents up for college loans by cosigning. You'd have to have a lot of trust in your kiddo or crazy to cosign for 40 thousand dollars just for one year of college. If you don't have the money to pay for it then let them go to trade school or pay for it themselves. It's real life for most of us in the USA.

I've heard stories of the kid's going off to college and letting mom and dad pay for 10 years of college then they didn't like what they were doing and ended up waiting tables at a local sandwish shop.
Another one was a guy who's grandmother left him money for college and he beat the system by asking friends for receipts like computers, large ticket items get the money and party till the money run out.

I finally watched over the weekend too. I saw it the same way Sally did, and feel that we do sometimes push our kids to attend college when it's just not the right thing for them.

Barb,
It's the same Bobbi_P, she moved to the UK last year, I think.

Pam

Wouldn't a commercial showing a parent trying to shove their child's foot into every sized shoe in a shoe store get across that same message and be far less controversial?
I too believe a trade education is just as good as a degree for some people. Having 3 children - I know first hand that they all don't have the same potential. I treat them all the same and encourage them to achieve the same ultimate goal...but realize it is not likely they will each find value in it or choose to pursue it.

Sorry about the confusion of who I am and why I'm posting here. Yes, I'm the same Bobbi_p from Cypress, but moved to the UK a year ago. I thought I'd updated my profile and was confused why it kept coming up Cypress, but I hadn't. I think that's fixed now. I'll probably be heading back that way within the year the way things are looking.

I never asked for comments on this ad because I think everyone should go to University. I too, believe that college is a waste of time for MANY people who have valuable talents or skills that are not enhanced by spending thousands of dollars for a diploma. But I do believe, ANYONE who has the personal DESIRE to attend college should be ENCOURAGED to pursue their dreams.

Rick said, "Bobbi, you are simply experiencing the difference in 3000 yrs. of civilization, vs. 300 yrs. of civilization. It really does make a big difference." I can't argue with that. But I'm hoping that those 300 years based on freedoms many countries in Europe have never fully experienced will allow Americans to draw from its people for reforms and innovations to keep America strong.

I really do appreciate everyone's views. It's something that has struck me relatively recently how little bits of news or advertising that strike a raw nerve in me, ellicit different emotions in different people. If I don't check back in this week, have a great Labor Day and wave a flag for me!