A video creator I get hundreds of positive and negative comments per video. As a result, I tend to leave only positive, constructive feedback on other people’s videos.
So I have to save my criticism for online advertising like this AOL News spoof on Chris Crocker, Mrs. America and tasers.
Let’s start positive:
- Shows AOL as progressive, because they’re spoofing something recent and viral.
- Nice way to be relevant to a web savvy target, and provide a wink to those who understand these references.
- Nice concept- combining three former viral video subjects in the “where are they now” theme.
Needs improving:
- The execution is somewhat slow, despite the rapid edits. I suppose it’s because so little happens in the video… no real plot progression. This is a great reminder for me to keep my sponsored videos ultra short.
- I’ve always had a pet peeve for political columnists that try too hard to connect two unrelated but recent events. The scenario bringing these three together was a bit forced. Having Mrs. Teen South Carolina walk into a convenience store asking if she’s in Iraq (and then Chris Crocker use his “leave Mrs. Teen South Carolina alone” bit was a little too easy.
- This smells like a spot that cost a lot (high production value, paid actors, and dolly shots). Was the production quality a bit better than it needed to be? I would have loved to see the three characters in public (even if it meant having to use actors pretending to be pedestrians).
I think they made it “a little too long” on purpose, to highlight how boring “flashes in the pan” can become, hence the tagline “Fifteen minutes can seem like a lifetime.”
I liked it. I think one minute is short enough. Then again, my attention span can last as long as 5 minutes sometimes 😉
We want Woodblock Doll!
AOL is the DEVIL!!! They stole my soul!
Oh, don’t be Mr. Grumpy. I laughed at the clerk’s facial expressions. “I’m not tasing you!”
This 65 second spoof seemed like a life time, it went from funny idea to beating a dead horse, 30 seconds would have been enough.
Kevin, what about the “intellectual” property rights of small time creators? Miss South Carolina and Tase-me were both in public forums when they were recorded, and Crocker posted a public video online; however, is it an unreasonable expectation for them to maintain some claim on their likeness or words?
By hoping that a video goes viral, does that mean that you are submitting your creative content to the public domain, and therefore losing all claim to that content? I can’t remember who it was or where I read about it (maybe here!), but there was a guy who’s youtube video was featured, without permission, on a Viacom owned show, but when he showed the clip of it on the show in his YouTube channel, Viacom told him to take it down.
I can’t like this commercial because it is a big company exploiting three smaller people, for profit. AOL has enough money and time to be creative in better ways.
The AOL video: funny idea, shitty execution.
Speaking of shit, and just so you know, today I had to go buy a stool softener because you’ve stopped making videos. Do you know what a stool softener is? It’s something old people use when they CAN’T TAKE A CRAP.
Thanks buddy.