YouTube Sketchies (and Stupid Thumbnail Ad by Dove)

You have until March 3 to enter your comedy video into the first round of YouTube’s Sketchies II. Corolla, leveraged popular YouTuber LisaNova to promote the contest (she was second place last year with this “LisaNova does George Bush” video).

I spoke with LisaNova via phone for the first time on Saturday, when TheMightyThor1212 was good enough to put her on the line while at the YouTube San Francisco gathering.

Here’s a recap (wish I had videotaped it since it doesn’t quite translate as a manuscript):

• Nalts: Hey, Lisa
• Lisa: Hey
• Nalts: Are you getting bombarded?
• Lisa: What?
• Nalts: I’m a big fan. I liked your recent video about the comedy contest.
• Lisa: Which one?
• Nalts: You know- the one on the beanbag. With your face on the homepage.
• Lisa: Oh- the Sketchies.
• Nalts: Yeah. Will you do the BubbleGumTreeShow? (a show featuring viral creators, like Mark Day, who will perhaps be juding the Sketchies?).
• Lisa: Sure. Just send me the information.
• Nalts: Kay. Have fun.
• Lisa: Some kids is asking me to autograph their shirt.
• Nalts: Go make their day. Nice speaking with you.
• Lisa: Nice speaking with you too, Renetto.

Too bad I don’t have a screen grab of the YouTube homepage when it featured LisaNova’s video. It was framed so the ridiculously huge gray play button doesn’t obscure LisaNova’s face. Unlike the image here by Dove.

Honestly. Who lets an ad like this go live?

Just before I posted this, I hit refresh and found this version. Now instead of featuring the Dove host, they’ve got an image from the winning entry (by Celeste Wouden) of the Dove Cream Oil Body Wash advertisement contest.

Hmmm. Two-star rating with the last 4 being the lowest possible. Hmmm. Either the YouTube audience doesn’t care for this video or some of the losers are launching an attack on this video.

Too bad about the thumbnails. You know, Dove, this gal isn’t going to drive nearly as many clicks as a woman with a slender neck and face shaped like a play button.