The Commercial Is Perceived Differently In The United States And Russia Due To The Man Cast By Pizza Hut To Appear In It

A Russian man and his daughter are walking through a deserted snow covered Red Square in Moscow following the collapse of the Soviet Union, they're visibly cold and shivering. 

As depressing music plays, the camera zooms into their faces as they enter their final destination: A Pizza Hut located in the city.

When they sit down and take off their clothes, it's revealed by other patrons that the man who walked in and ordered a pizza for himself and his daughter is no other than the former General Secretary of the dissolved Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, who debate about the man.

One older patron of the Pizza Hut says: "It's Gorbachev!

Because of him, we have economic confusion!".

But a younger patron tells him that: "Because of him, we have opportunity". 

The argument continues a the topics of chaos, instability, freedom, and hope come up during the conversation.

Amid the heated debate, a babushka in the restaurant said: "Thanks to him, we have Pizza Hut!".

Suddenly they all stop, with both the young and old patrons agreeing with what the babushka said.

Soon after, the older patron raises his slice of pizza and says: "Hail to Gorbachev!". 

Then everyone else joins in, as the former Soviet Premier smiles with the little girl.

What I just described isn't the mad ramblings of a lunatic, but it was the plot of an actual Pizza Hut commercial which aired in 1998 starring the late Mikhail Gorbachev who's themes of unifying a those in a new and unfamiliar Russia via Pizza Hut was met with conflicted views in the United States and Russia.

The advert has become a piece of cult filmmaking among the American youth of today, but in Russia it was and continues to be met with ridicule and parody. 

The situational irony of a Communist politician promoting Capitalism via appearing in a Pizza Hut commercial wasn't lost on Mikhail Gorbachev, according to a 1997 article from CNN reporting the starring of Gorbachev in the commercial before filming began: "Mr Gorbachev agreed to star in Pizza Hut's newest advert because he wants to address the public on his legacy in a Post-Soviet Russia".

Pizza Hut first opened in the Soviet Union in 1990, one year before the collapse of the USSR and one year after McDonald's opened in Red Square.

32 years after first opening in Russia and 24 years after the Gorbachev advert aired, Pizza Hut exited the Russian market following the invasion of Ukraine six months ago.