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We’ve all experienced it: someone sends a link our way, and it takes us to a popular commercial that has made its way onto YouTube. No doubt the company being spotlighted and the advertiser who produced the commercial are tickled pink by this phenomenon. After all, they usually have to pay TV networks to ensure their commercials reach millions of viewers. It must be a pleasant surprise when a popular website like YouTube accomplishes the same thing for free. This begs the question: why do some ads make the cut and others don’t? Let’s examine a few of the YouTube hits to see the common thread.

First, who could forget the hilarious ad showing a disastrous Wii accident. In demonstrating the realistic motions of the Wii baseball game, one guy says, “Now throw me a pitch just like we’re outside.” His buddy does exactly that, throwing the game controller at the expensive television, which falls onto and demolishes the even more expensive sound system. A narrator asks, “Wanna get away? Now you can with Southwest Airlines’ internet specials.” This ad breaks the cardinal rule of advertising, which holds that the product you’re selling should always be identifiable and obvious. However, by surprising the audience with the spectacular destruction of what we thought was the product, the advertisers are able to grab our attention and sell us cheap airline fares. The key with any ad is to get people to actually watch it, instead of doing something else while waiting for the program to return. This ad accomplishes just that in a very funny and engaging way. It also lampoons the incredibly popular Wii, which appeals both to adults who had to stand long lines to buy them for their kids, and to the generation of internet users who regularly post to YouTube. It’s no wonder this commercial is reaching new audiences on the video sharing site.

Another popular ad has not only become a hit on YouTube (over a million views), but also spawned various spoofs created by users. This Cingular ad (now AT&T) features a young girl arguing with her mother over the text messaging charges on their wireless bill. The girl speaks entirely in “text acronyms”, and the commercial cleverly provides subtitling for those of us who don’t understand the abbreviations. When asked who she is texting, she replied, “IDK, my BFF Jill?”, which has become a kind of mantra for texting addicts. Some YouTube spoofs have replaced the original subtitles with similar but naughtier “translations”, while others have entirely recreated the commercial with their own actors and scripts. The ad is meant to promote an unlimited text messaging service, but like many incredibly popular commercials the product is overshadowed by the humor of the ad. This example also appeals to a cross-generational group: those who have to pay the wireless bill, and those who spend a lot of time on YouTube.

Apple has also been a YouTube success in its “Mac vs. PC” ads. Some users have created medleys featuring all these ads, but a recent favorite has been the ad that criticizes Microsoft Vista. The “PC” character is accompanied by a security agent, complete with dark suit and ear piece. The security agent filters all of PC’s actions, saying, “Mac is asking a question - cancel or allow?” PC explains that Vista’s security procedures interrupt users to approve many functions that are invisible on a Mac. The ad ends with the security agent telling PC, “You are coming to a sad realization - cancel or allow?” This ad is perfectly suited to appeal to the average YouTube user, who is likely to keep up with technology trends and product releases. These Mac vs. PC commercials have also been spoofed, including a version with South Park characters and an hysterical (but nerdy) rap video.

These commercials have built success beyond the major TV networks by crafting a message that appeals specifically to a demographic that contributes to YouTube. The ads are funny, clever, and high-quality, with products or services that are directed at the Web 2.0 user (but paid for by their parents). These commercials all span the generation gap, and they are funny both to the network television audience and the YouTube audience. Ads that have a second life on video sharing sites are often those that poke fun at our current technology culture, be it Wii accidents, talking in texting language, or the frustrations of an OS upgrade. We like to laugh at these universal experiences, and sites like YouTube prolongs the life of clever ads. The advertisers reach new and eager viewers, without paying for airtime, and they get the last laugh.

Thursday, November 29th, 2007 Both comments and pings are currently closed.

By Haley January Eckels