(Ed. Note: Please note that this post was written by a Microsoft user. And even though I want to put Internet Explorer in a virtual burlap sack and drown it in the acid vat from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, I also don’t have the patience and/or money to become an Apple user.)
Our good friend Lindsay over at Videogum has come across a veritable feast of internetty delight in the commercial for the Microsoft Songsmith. What can someone really say about the Microsoft Songsmith ad? Since there is literally no way to describe what you are about to see, please, please watch the entire thing. And then read on for my controversial theory:
Lindsay believes that the above video was made with zero irony or sarcasm, saying, “It’s like Microsoft found some kind of home-schooling Christian commune in the woods and hired them to make their commercial.”
But I have a different theory. I’m about to give Microsoft way too much credit and say that the commercial is SO meta that it has gone ahead removed all traces of meta-ness. “Wait,” you’re saying, “that makes no sense.” Doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?
Microsoft is looking for its next viral hit. It appears that they’ve hit the mark, creating a video that is the epitome of media unsavvy in this hyper-savvy world. It’s like the M. Night Shyamalan of viral ads! But there are some hints that the creators of the Songsmith ad were in on the joke.
For example:
- The effeminate father with the terrible singing voice. He’s on the verge of losing his job as a jingle writer. He eventually hits the jackpot, writing a jingle about GLOW IN THE DARK towels with the lyrics “Sometimes it’s dark, but you still need to get dry.” Sometimes it’s dark… but you still need to get dry. Hmm…
- This same gay Dad is seen moments later pitchily singing about his struggles in a dark closet. Struggling. In the closet. In the dark. With a towel…
- His poor, unsuspecting wife.
- The Indian coffee house guy, whose band accuses his songs of being “a little stale”. And right after he cranks up the ol’ Jazzy meter, he breaks out into the cheesiest ass MIDI file jam about writing love songs.
The video is so unself-aware as to be extremely self-aware. The commercial is already raking in the views, and dare I say, for the first time in my entire adult life: Well played, Microsoft. Well played.
Off to buy me a Songsmith, a vocoder, and a glow-in-the-dark towel. And a shotgun.
