I’m often amazed by the political incorrectness of advertisements from the past. Especially those that use category experts or celebrity endorsement to mislead and deceive consumers into misinformed, inappropriate and unhealthy product selections. For example, in the early ’90s, St. Ides Malt Liquor ran a campaign strategically targeted at low-income blacks that featured rappers 2Pac, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Project Pat, King Tee, DJ Pooh, The Notorious B.I.G., Eric B & Rakim, EPMD, Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man & Redman, Cypress Hill, RBL Posse and The Geto Boys reciting original rhymes written by St. Ides that advocate consuming the subpar liquor.
Watch some of the campaigns spots after the jump.
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Admittedly, I love these ads. Partly, because they are so politically incorrect. I understand the underlining racial issues that are involved with the very product of cheap malt liquor. However, I also see the product as being partially appropriated by American black culture in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
I guess it up to you to decide if by appropriating this product, they were simply buying into the marketing scheme. However, there seems to be a certain pride and street cred associated with such malt liquor as Olde English or St. Ides. After all, why would these rappers do these ads in the first place?