WASHINGTON, June 27 (by Suleiman Wali for RIA Novosti) – American advertising has drawn heavily on images and perceptions of Russia and the lands of the former Soviet Union over the years, simultaneously exploiting and promoting stereotypes in the process. Here is a look at eight well-known, and sometimes outrageous, commercials that have left a mark on American pop culture.
8. Comrade Kielbasa (GameStop, 2013) - One of the more recent television commercials with a Russian character, this ad for a video game that depicts Superman and Wonder Woman as Soviets, features the "uncool" super hero Comrade Kielbasa.
7. Yakov Smirnoff for Amoco Gasoline (Amoco, 1988) - The Ukrainian-born comedian emigrated to the United States in 1977 and became widely popular in the 1980s for his jokes that contrasted life between the Soviet Union and America. At the end of this ad, he climbs into a Soviet tank.
6. Gregor, the Russian Billionaire, Part 2 (DirecTV, 2011) - The sequel to the highly successful first ad featuring the same main character (see below), this commercial by the satellite TV company highlights the other excesses of "Gregor, the Russian billionaire." The mini-giraffe became so popular that DirecTV created a site for a fake farm that purported to sell the fictional diminutive animals.
5. Yakov Smirnoff for Miller Lite Beer (Miller Lite, 1985) - In his first television commercial appearance, Smirnov, with his signature "America: What a country" one-liners, jokes about what he discovered when he first came to the United States. His joke at the end draws the most laughter from the crowd around him.
4. Soviet Coach (Wendy's, 1988) - The Cold War made for some entertaining ads that played up Russian stereotypes, including this commercial by the fast-food chain Wendy's that shows a Soviet basketball coach who won't let his players select the hamburger they want.
3. Soviet Georgians Over 100 (Dannon, 1977) - This award-winning ad, which purports that Georgians lived to over 100 because they ate yogurt, became a hugely popular and lucrative campaign for Dannon. It was also the first American commercial filmed inside the Soviet Union.
2. Gregor, the Russian Billionaire, Part 1 (DirecTV, 2010) - This commercial was the first that featured the highly exaggerated Russian billionaire. It quickly went viral and generated millions of views online soon after it aired in the United States. The ad features some interesting details that you might miss at first glance, like live dogs playing poker and what appears to be a Van Gogh painting behind the couch.
1. Soviet Fashion Show (Wendy's, 1985) - In what became a hugely popular campaign for the fast-food restaurant, this award-winning ad mocked the stereotypical lack of selection in the Soviet Union.
