Our Favorite Videos

We usually don't let Mavis watch TV/video, but occasionally I'll allow (often out of necessity) a small bit. She has recently become very interested in videos of herself, but I wonder if it is not because she can hear her mommy in the background. Anyway, she absolutely loves the video for Grandaddy's "The Nature Anthem."




It is undoubtedly a great song and a great video, and considering that this is a favorite band of her parents, this seems like "a good thing."

However, Mavis was very disappointed to learn that the band is using this song to shill for the automotive industry, and, in fact, this isn't actually a music video at all. It is a long-form commercial. These may as well be hired actors who sing songs devised by "Honda World Global Super Special Marketing." It would have just as much artistic integrity.

On the other hand, they are shilling for the Honda Civic Hybrid, and what's wrong with that?

As William S. Burroughs said: "Just... about...everything..."

You see, on the other other hand, Consumer Reports indicates that hybrids are not as "green" as they may seem. In fact, because of flaws in the way tests are conducted (which are, of course, exploited by the auto industry), hybrids' fuel economy can be overstated by up to 50%. Combine that with the production and disposal of several enormous batteries over the car's lifetime, and this does not seem like such a "green" -- or economical -- choice.

On the other other other hand, if automotive companies are going to eventually produce efficient hybrids, they have to start somewhere.

On the other other other other hand, Mavis and I are out of hands. It's all a bit overwhelming for a 9-month-old. So sometimes we resort to watching daddy's favorite video ever: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Hurra Torepdo. This is a 1995 cover of an 80's classic, done by a post-something punk-experimental group from Norway. Watch this video and I'm sure you will agree there is no way this band could/would shill for the automotive industry (Warning: contains brief male backal (as opposed to frontal) nudity):



OK, you did watch the video, right?

Guess what? They actually are automotive industry corporate shills! They are doing some bizarre reverse Spinal Tap thing where a strange, tongue-in-cheek, but very real band devolves into a fictionalized version of itself. And all in the name of the almighty Ford (Prefect?) It's the state-of-the-art in viral marketing. (By the way, I think the name for this should be more specific -- something like "Ebola Marketing" or "Bird Flu Marketing." Something that would more accurately reflect its true purpose. Just looking for precision in language here.)

Well, this is beginning to sound too much like a real blog instead of just a place to post our baby's pictures. Pretty soon I'm going to have to start running advertising. Or maybe I already have...