Don’t blink or you might miss what these inter-species romance vignettes are actually trying to promote.
Heinz Japan is currently streaming two commercials, titled “Supermarket” and “Fitness Club” respectively, which feature erotically charged interactions between married women and a tall, dark, and handsome Iberian pig.
■ “Supermarket”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmGRfA9_LKw
“Supermarket” opens with a young housewife working as a stock clerk and being berated by an angry customer.
Just before young lady bursts into tears, a reassuring hand alights on her shoulder. It’s her manager, who happens to be an Iberian pig. He cuts in between the two women and deals with the angry shopper with poise and grace.
Later on, as the woman approaches her swine supervisor to convey her thanks, their eyes suddenly meet and the pig gently presses her against some racks in classic kabedon style.
Then just as they lean in for the kiss, the commercial cuts to the woman eating some spaghetti. Because Heinz, remember?
■ Fitness Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-6HKFlGzFg
In the second commercial, the heroine is a slightly older homemaker who attends an exercise class at which the same handsome Iberian pig is the instructor.
As she subtly tries to get the attention of the shapely swine, she feels a pang of jealousy as some younger students begin chatting with the instructor.
But, just as she dejectedly returns to her stretching, a mysterious hand reassuringly touches her shoulder. It’s the handsome Iberian pig! He offers a warm smile…
…and later on, the two meet in the studio where the passion builds.
And then we see the housewife enjoying some spaghetti.
In both commercials the scene ends with a title card that reads: “A secret luxury away from your husband.” The message is followed by an image of box of Heinz Pasta for Adults Bolognese Sauce with Iberian Pork, which would leave us to believe that eating their sauce is like having a passion-filled extramarital fling.
I’m sure Freud would have a lot to say about this commercial, were he alive to see it. But he’s dead and I’m not, so here’s my take on what this commercial truly means. At first this comes across as your typical bodice ripper plot line but let’s go past that and onto the symbolism at work here.
First off, in both commercials the male is in a position of authority while the housewife is seen as a student or subordinate—classic patriarchy framework. Then, we have the fact that the man is also an Iberian pig which doesn’t require calculus to derive that “men = pigs” and the Iberian pig is said to be an ancestor of domesticated swine and wild boars, meaning that this guy was an especially “boarish” pig.
▼ Hey there buddy, she was just saying “thanks.” Not inviting you to violate her personal space.
Now, in each case it appears that the woman is about to fully submit to the pig’s power harassment, but just she goes all the way the scene suddenly changes to her eating his dead, cured, and roasted flesh mixed in with some diced tomatoes and onions. Obviously the commercial didn’t want to turn you off with the gruesome murder and dismemberment that followed, but clearly my sisters went and took the power back.
Go ahead, watch the commercials again and notice how the dramatic piano accompaniment and self-satisfied look on the woman’s face take on a whole new meaning.
▼ I mean come on, have you ever been that self-assured while eating spaghetti?
Of course, I could be a little off on my analysis. I’ve only been woke for a couple of days now, and am still getting the hang of it…
Original article by Mr. Sato
Source: YouTube/heinzjapan
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