Pantene Commercial

Pantene goes to great lengths just to sell their product.  They captivate their audience with a story about a deaf girl who learns how to play the violin. This girl falls in love with the instrument.  Playing the violin takes her to a place where she can hear the music and is free from harm. Pantene tries to tell us that their shampoo is the reason behind her success.  They want us to think that she receives a standing ovation because Pantene gave her the confidence to “shine”.  The message of their commercial is that if we buy their product, we can achieve extraordinary things and have great hair all at the same time.

The violinist finds her happy place with the help of her mentor, a lowly street performer.  This place is a figment of her imagination. It is a field with tall grass that blows in the wind.  This is the place that her mind travels to when she plays music.  In the commercial her mentor says, “Music is a visible thing”.  When her hand touches the grass in this field, it represents the way she can feel the music.  The image of the grass and the sun in the field is symbolic of her being able to see the music. In this field she is free from everyone who has ever told her that she can’t play.  All of their voices are silenced and all she sees is beautiful music.  The deaf violinist is free to be herself.  She is free and alive in this place.  Pantene tells us that by using their product, we will be able to find a joyful place where nothing can ever go wrong.  In this place, we can shine.