In the $1990$s$,$ PepsiCo's Mountain Dew brand largely abandoned the brand$$s association with so$-$called "hillbilly" culture $($see Willy the Hillbilly, left$),$ present since the $1960$s$,$ and began to incorporate features of so$-$called "slacker" masculinity. Its hugely popular and successful $"$Do the Dew!" campaign featured ads with bicycle stunts and rock climbing, along with sponsorship of skateboarding and extreme sports, focused almost entirely on young men. Even though Mountain Dew's brand managers did not realize they were using cultural branding, they pursued its main communication$$s goal, which is to encourage the target market segment to $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

a$.$

poke fun at hillbillies

b$.$

appreciate and identify with Mountain Dew's value proposition

c$.$

spread the Mountain Dew brand like a virus among slackers

d$.$

enact the slacker myth as an identity myth

e$.$

buy more soda