20 May Iron curtain fell, Pizza Hut opened.
When the “iron curtain” fell new ideas rashly flooded from the West, but what was the least expected and embarrassing for Russians was to see how the last USSR president took a part in one particular anti-patriotic commercial, if to say noting — saluting the U.S pizza brand... um, face-palm.
The advert that will never be forgotten! With that funny line : “Because of him, we have opportunity!”- OMGoodness, on whose knee it was written…?
Took the pic with Louis Vuitton official photo card but words there are bit blurred “A journey brings us face to face with ourself. Berlin Wall…”.. “Mikhail Gorbachev and Louis Vuitton are proud to support Green Cross international”. The Green Cross international is the environmental org. founded by Gorbachev, as it said, located in Geneva, Switzerland.
The former USSR president (M.Gorbachev served 1985 -1991 in the office, but officially USSR president 1990 -1991), was in the “Pizza Hut”commercial …, even bringing this up makes me, “STOP this planet, IM OUT!“.
The Pizza Hut advert (1998) was his debut and after he starred in a Louis Vuitton advert (2007) looking posh sitting in expensive car with a luxury bag, looking and kind of smirking at the Berlin wall — very symbolic if to say nothing. The fact that he [Gorbachev] was one of those men who were bashing the West on their policies, just couple months back, and now what…picking their side? Doing this political back and forth moves along with administrative reshuffling — huh, might sound too opinionated but still– he was strongly advocating for the new chosen path towards true democracy, and clearly he saw that “wanted” regime when looking at the West.
He won the Noble Price for Peace in 1990 ( for stopping the Cold war), ahem, making a “Peace”! A Peace?? What IN THE WORLD? Who was the jury — well, you can define for yourself — to land the golden medal with a portrait of Alfred Nobel, in the hands of this man who was responsible for “political Chernobyl” (1989): signed for a complete surrender of USSR, destruction of GDR, withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Germany, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia; dissolution of the Warsaw Pact(1955) and Council for mutual economic assistance, stop supporting Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua, and other allies. So how worthy is the Noble Prize? For Peace?? …plz give me this criteria(s) on what they making their final call. Bet one of them is” sell your country” and you became the best candidate.
Don’t get me wrong, that is not solely my words. All was pitifully signed by Gorbachev to please the West, simply only taking a promise (from the US) that NATO will never expand to the East. That was a verbal promise, you might have guessed already looking at how this 30 years of expansion ended: Out of 32 member countries 16 joined NATO after 1990.
He failed to represent and unite the nation that put him on the stage back in 1990. But guess he succeeded in the West and in their market place posturing for their adverts. Could you imagine likewise, where the United States president promoting the USSR’s or Russian goods!? Not on my watch…
Its was said : “Pizza Hut advert was a symbol of capitalism’s victory over communism” (The Times). So basically for some years Russians did lose their cultural identity and look like in that pic…
Idolized in the West and Hated by the East
Just after the Cold War (1947-1991) (unfortunate loss of Soviet Union to the US) seeing a president in advert for an American fast food chain, was such a fatality to yet fumbling county’s identity — or at mere sense, what was left is to catch this Westerns puppeteer strings and be dragged by it. The whole Ruski nation, started accepting this role of being a ‘follower’ to the more prominent ‘unique’ society [USA] to who we [Russians] now desperately wanted to identify with.
Margaret Thatcher (UK Premier Minister) called him a man to do business with, with Ronald Reagan he was a family friend. Would guess, they were going out together and celebrating Thanksgivings, Xmas, New Years together, switching the pumpkin pies and randomly talking what policies they should make… ahh sweet times, huh. “The man of the year” twice by the Time magazine, whereas in his own country, everyday he was loosing any support, and not by inch.
How come he could win over his people, his era was nothing but total shortage of everything! No enough food, essential goods, with long queues to get what is needed (bread, milk, eggs) and assumed to be overwhelmed in supply. In such a HUGE country, ahem agricultural country, grocery shops were never filled with those “life meaning” goods. Oh , and on top of that, he kicked off the infamous “anti-alcohol campaign”, hoping to sober up the nation , cutting down the vineyards and moonshine, and BRAVO — tremendously tearing off the alcohol industry, that is trying to catch up with Western alcohol prod. to this day.
Besides “Pizza Hut” advert (1998), Gorbachev also appeared in Luis Vutton and Apple computers print adverts….and, he paid for it a HUUUGE price — his legacy in Russia…
Remembered not only by Pizza Hut...
Yeah, hearing me talking about what I have learned (via academic texts and personal experience) about this last USSR leader is not really cheerful. You would ask “what was good about Gorbachev then?”. Um, well guess he could be ‘white’ listed for his tries to spread the freedom of speech in USSR, using it as a part to please people compensate of the total food shortage. But still doesn’t help to cover the war’s withdrawal (Afghanistan), bloody interethnic conflicts during perestroika…
Eventually, in 1991 he was removed from power, well, was forced to resign.
But he tried to remain in politics, giving press conferences — mostly talking about the alternative choices that he could make during perestroika –, published more that 20 books (politics related). He tried somewhat hard to dash his “pizza bringer” image.
While he was doing that…
USSR collapsed, poverty rippled throughout, the cloak of fervent propaganda (western ideas) and a big-scale corruption inside the country pulled the drastic decrease in public trust. Thats how it felt like during 90s. Without a 2nd thought “to be or not to be”– the post-soviet men and women were excited to take on a new westerny lifestyle. With “HOORAY BRING IT ON!” vibes.
Brushing off very much vexed thoughts “what are we putting ourself into? WHAT is COMING TO US?”… and rather thought “who the heck cares NOW?! We just lost some of our territories, our unity, banks ripped us, and now we are in deep sh*t… so…”.
Attributes of 90s…
Malinovie pidjaki (raspberry/crimson jackets) equally symbolic to a huge mobile phones (Motorola) with low risk of loosing it– shaking the ground when they fall–, a 600 Mercedes, Adidas or AdiBas pants (aka three-stripes fashion), and a gold chain on a wrestler’s neck.
etruesports
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