The Lorax and Mazda

The Colbert Report
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       Throughout our discussion of White Noise, ads have been mentioned several times as an example of cultural "white noise." I was watching the Colbert Report, and I saw the segment above about how the movie "The Lorax" has dozens of advertising tie-ins (skip to about 1:10 in for the important section). I had seen the Mazda commercial he mentions before, and I remember thinking how strange it was that a Dr. Seuss movie about the environment was advocating for a car.
       I think this is a really interesting example of a lot of the phenomenons we have been discussing in class.  It's a great demonstration of the way large companies prioritize advertisement, and the income it brings in. Colbert does a great job pointing out the hypocrisy of using a story with a strong anti-corporate and environmentalist theme to help promote corporations and consumer products. It's an interesting parallel to the culture of white noise. The movie itself is surrounded by the countless ads. It gets to the point where, to the company at least, the actual movie and its message is less important than the advertising opportunities.
       To be fair, the Mazda being advertised, despite being an SUV and not a hybrid, gets 35 miles per gallon, making it the most efficient SUV in the U.S. so the Lorax's advocacy for it is based on something. That doesn't change how strange it is to see a car receiving the "Truffula Tree Seal of Approval."