“Ojciec… prać?” is an iconic example of Polish advertise. Created in 1992, three years after lowering the communism and censorship in the country, it went down in cultural history as the very first example of using sexual subtexts in commerce. Also, as slogan the creators adopted sentence from “Potop” – classic of Polish literature, converting the meaning:
(trans. prać – to beat somebody/to do a laundry; Ojciec… prać? – Father, shall we beat [the enemy]?/Father, shall we do a laundry?)
Nevertheless, enlightened ad-makers miscalculated the education and literacy level of the audience, expecting them to find the link with the book. Till now the slogan is associated by most of the society with washing powder only.
Till 1989 Russian propaganda was widely distributed and government was in charge of any information that goes into public, that includes music, films, news and advertisements. After the regime abolition, Poland took the initial steps to catch up with the West standards in all domains: economy, education and culture. The country was no longer limited and restricted by censorship, so the new ideas as nudity and freedom of speech came into mass media.
In advertisement the main character is young, attractive woman wearing skimpy nightdress – those clearly are the influences from the West. Nudity in Polish television was still a new phenomenon in early 90’s. According to Wilson Bryan Key, the specialist in hidden messages in advertising, erotic imagery and nudity stimulates sales and leads people to purchase a product. (Lypton and Miller, 1996) The boundaries of acceptability of sexual subtext has been then challenged by advertisers.
Another matter is the name of the product. Before this campaign the washing powder was called simply Pollena – now it is Polenna 2000. This simple measure gave the product new meaning. Poland is now entering a new era – not only a new century is getting closer, but more importantly, era of freedom after the communism regime. Also, it persuades the concept of novelty and modernity: if you consider yourself progressive housewife you must use the ‘2000’ products. The advertisement is directed into our instincts: the new era is coming and must be followed by changes in foregoing life, and that includes all the innovations, even in domesticity.
Commercial available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv1mG7yUeUA
Lypton, E. and Miller, A. (1996) Design Writing Research. London: PHAIDON.
ola knopek 