THE EMPRESS

Orangina's salacious new ad campaign has really hit a nerve; people seem to either be delighted and enchanted by the sexily anthropomorphized creatures shaking their tailfeathers under a shower of golden soda, or thoroughly alarmed and disgusted. Hyena, octopus, prickly pear cactus-- all of these and more have been given an astonishing Marilyn Monroe makeover. You think the posters are bizarre? Wait till you see their dance number.

As improbable as it may seem to attempt a worthwhile Tarot interpretation based on something so ridiculous, I was immediately intrigued by an obvious connection to The Empress, an icon of all womanhood that transcends humanity-- her exotic influence can be read into everything, even the Earth itself as a host for all life. As the archetypal mother and lover, she reigns luxuriously from a lush garden, surrounded by ripe symbols of fertility and sexuality. While nature has its dark side (as do advertising execs, apparently) the Empress is a reminder of the power and exquisite beauty of the primal feminine force, and the almost infinite forms in which it can manifest.

Once the laughter (or horror) subsides, what you may see in these images is the feminine principle channeled so purely that one mere species-- or even kingdom-- is not nearly enough to contain it. The token male figure, the bear, is a hint at the the Emperor's presence (but limited power) in her domain. And the video, in which all of these hybrids frolic together and combine orgiastically, is her reassuring message to us that under her rule, anything may yet still be possible. Of course, if you don't listen pretty carefully, all you'll hear is "BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR ORANGINA."