"There was a Marathon gas station at the end of the street I lived on as a kid. Its big, glowing sign was a landmark for me-when I could see it from the window of my mom's car, I knew we were about to be home. Its iconic 'M'-on the rare occasion I encounter one these days-still brings up that old feeling, the familiarity of homecoming, and a twinge of nostalgia."
"There's something perverse about this, I think. The oil company's branding is, or at least was, exceptionally patriotic, what with its red, white and blue color scheme and idealized Midwestern imagery, all dusty roads, cowboys and wild horses that harken the brand's slogan, 'Fueling the American Spirit.' I once heard someone refer to advertising as 'satanic poetry'-I have to agree. That this logo, even with all the evil it connotes, can invoke nostalgia-can be a beacon-is very sinister to me."
There was a Marathon gas station at the end of the street where I lived as a child. The station's large, glowing 'M' sign served as a landmark; seeing it from my mother's car window signaled that we were nearly home. Encountering a Marathon logo today still stirs the old feeling of homecoming and a twinge of nostalgia. The company's red, white, and blue branding and idealized Midwestern imagery—dusty roads, cowboys, wild horses—evoke patriotic themes tied to the slogan 'Fueling the American Spirit.' That nostalgic reaction to a corporate logo feels perverse and sinister because of the brand’s harmful connotations. I once heard advertising called 'satanic poetry' and I agree.
Read at Pitchfork
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