CHOOSE WHATEVER SELLS

C'mon guys, it's been over 80 years. Isn't it time
to give peace a chance?

There's nothing like a good slogan to help sell an idea. Or, rather, a product. What do you
think had more of an impact on society: "Give peace a chance" or "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should"? "All you need is love" or "Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch"? 

Those advertising slogans did such a great job that New York state is trying to tax cigarettes out of existence, while more cities have banned smoking except in the privacy of your home. Unless you live in a smoke-free apartment building. Therefore, it would appear that it's easier to change a person's mind when it comes to buying rather than self-improvement.

Can anybody read that beyond the fourth row?

Or maybe, like "Lucky Strike Green Has Gone to War", it's time for a new catchphrase, as pro football announced over the weekend. The NFL is removing the “End Racism” phrase from the end zone at Caesars Superdome, where Super Bowl LIX will occur. This will mark the first time the stenciled message will not be featured since February 2021. Instead, the NFL will feature the phrase slogan “Choose Love.”

Do NFL officials believe that racism has officially ended? Not at all! “Teams have used on the field this year ‘Vote,’ ‘End Racism,’ ‘Stop Hate,’ and ‘Choose Love.’ This is part of the NFL’s Inspire Change,” NFL spokesperson Bryan McCarthy said. 

Inspire change? How many fans looking at those slogans suddenly think, Hey! I think I'll vote today! I'm going to stop hating [particular race/religion/sexual orientation] and choose to love them! 

According to the NFL, Ray Rice was practicing
his sacking skills on his girlfriend.

This is more on the level of changing "Cool, man" to "Groovy", with the NFL keeping up with whatever slang the kids are saying today because it makes pro football officials feel better about themselves. Look, we're doing something for society! Just like they did when it came to covering up players' domestic abuse scandals and somehow getting involved in damage control for the clergy's sexual abuse cases. 

Forget about love -- all you need is water.

So how did thy settle upon "Choose Love"? As the NFL spokesman explained, “Choose Love is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital, and the plane crash in Philadelphia.”  

So... choose love over plane crashes? Wildfires? Terrorism? The first two make no sense, while the human bomb left the barn a long time ago. Perhaps the real reason for the end of "End Racism" is that it might offend this year's Super Bowl's very special guest Donald Trump -- the man who blamed those plane crashes on minority employees, and whose campaign a large swath of NFL team owners contributed to. Look for next year's Super Bowl slogan to be "Choose a Third Term." 

And as for what the fans think -- perhaps their slogan would be "Stop Giving Taylor Swift So Much Camera Time."

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