Sexes: Pitching Motherhood and Pepsi

Wanda: What did you think of Geraldine Ferraro's appearance in the Diet Pepsi commercial, Ralph? Have you switched to Coke yet?

Ralph: I found her TV ad very tasteful indeed, Wanda. Great photography and a real slice of life as it is undoubtedly lived in the Zaccaro household, at least when all those accountants aren't cluttering up the place. Here we are, sharing a typical moment of televised intimacy between a famous mother, her two daughters and a Pepsi. Like most Americans, I found myself riveted to the tube as she told the daughters, "You can be anything you want to be" and that being a mother was one of the choices she was most proud of. You've just got to admire a politician who comes out for motherhood, no matter who is offended by it. And I liked the way they put the product in the hands of one of the daughters. Otherwise, some people might get the idea that our best- known feminist is shilling for a soda pop, when she's actually having a high- toned chat about women's choices.

Wanda: Let's not play clobber-the-feminist, Ralph. When Pepsi's ad people approached Ferraro in January, they said they wanted to feature serious public figures talking about choices. Lee Iacocca and Peter Ueberroth were mentioned. O.K., Iacocca and Ueberroth haven't panned out, so Gerry was left to face the flak alone.

Ralph: The serious public figures turned out to be Gerry and a bunch of singers and quarterbacks. But at least the show-biz people aren't under the impression that they delivered some sort of public service message.

Wanda: Gerry gave a 30-second version of one of her basic speeches that says women should have options and high aspirations. What's wrong with that? They gave her artistic control of the commercial. She got her message across, got some exposure for herself without Fritz looming in the background, and she got a decent corporation to pay for it. After all, Pepsi isn't selling thalidomide.

Ralph: Manfully argued, beloved spouse. Still, there are cynics among us who think she has just shed seriousness and cashed in on the women's vote and the women's movement to the tune of 750,000 smackers. At least that's the estimate of what she got for the ad. Are you fully certain that this is what Susan B. Anthony had in mind?

Wanda: What Susan B. had in mind is that women should be able to do whatever men do. Even William Safire, the Ferraro-bashing columnist on the New York Times, thinks she was right to "go for it."

Ralph: Right, dearest. So doubtless we shall soon see Margaret Thatcher flogging Dr Pepper, and Queen Elizabeth in her royal quarters having an argument with Prince Philip over Mountain Dew. Maybe we can get Sandra Day O'Connor to push Gatorade. And how about Mother Teresa for Perrier? She could talk to us about choices for the poor.

Wanda: Eleanor Roosevelt endorsed Zenith hearing aids, Cyma watches and Parkay margarine. General Douglas MacArthur endorsed a watch too. And in 1937, several U.S. Senators got $1,000 each for endorsing Lucky Strikes.

Ralph: Old stuff, Wanda. Public figures, particularly politicians, are not supposed to endorse products, and for the past 30 years or so they haven't, though they are sometimes freely purchased in other ways.

/ Wanda: Howard Baker, who may run for President, just did a pitch for the newspaper USA Today.