Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Abject Commercialism

It's no coincidence that this blog is stitched together with some very clear common threads. I am one person, after all, and all these videos are recommended for me.

But one pattern that has emerged somewhat unintentionally is a strong emphasis on the marketing and commercial capabilities of YouTube's recommendations. I think that's because it feels safer to analyze those videos than to analyze the extremely personal recommendations that might steer this blog into murkier territories. Then again, maybe they'd be more interesting.

Until then, here is a recommendation that you've all already seen. It's only one of the most successful television commercials in recent memory.



Why was it recommended? Well, according to YouTube, because I watched an extended ad for Rock for Equality, an organization that fought to extend Social Security benefits to LGBT seniors. That commercial was called "What Kind of Planet Are We On?," and it employed a very obvious alien metaphor to show how ludicrous it is for sexuality to have a bearing on sharing Social Security benefits with a partner.

What's darkly funny to me here is the disparity between a commercial that plays to the most stereotypical conceptions of masculinity with that kind of "WTF?" humor I've decried in earlier posts and a commercial that tries so hard to use an eye-opening device that it just comes off as a little strange. The first commercial becomes wildly successful and reaches 17 million views on YouTube. The second commercial remains a rather sad sermon to the choir.

So thanks for the slap in the face, YouTube. Your recommendation, as far as I can tell, was motivated purely by some ploy of Old Spice's to keep this commercial going going going. I only hope you didn't realize how inappropriate was your leap.

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