Richard: The song is called 'Half-Acre,' recorded by an eight-piece band called Hem. Yeah, the Liberty Mutual logo, etc. was annoying. But I like the story told and the way it's told.
Philip pointed out that, in the ad, none of the people who treat their neighbors considerately are the ones who received the benefit of a good deed; they were always the people who witnessed a good deed.
My friend Steve Sjogren loves to quote Mother Teresa, "Small things done with great love will change the world."
I like it too, because it upholds a communitarian ethic, the notion that freedom without mutual responsibility is license.
Someone in the comments at YouTube mentioned that this 30 second spot is effective and affecting in encouraging being thoughtful and encouraging (my words, not the commenters), while a Hollywood film would take 2 hours to offer the same message without nearly the same impact.
(I'm thinking that comment was aimed at Pay It Forward, but I could be wrong)
Commercials are an artform where the extreme limitations of serving a commercial interest, while setting a tone or imparting information all in the course of 30 seconds, leads to a wonderful economy of message that other art often lacks.
(now would be the time to launch into a discussion of how when pop songs started breaking the 45RPM single limitation of about 3 minutes, they lost, rather than gained, something beautiful)
(and somehow a long rambling comment regarding the value of concision seems rather contradictory)
3 comments:
It was great until the insurance company pitch. Let me unabashedly display my ignorance and ask, what song is that and who's the singer?
Richard:
The song is called 'Half-Acre,' recorded by an eight-piece band called Hem. Yeah, the Liberty Mutual logo, etc. was annoying. But I like the story told and the way it's told.
Philip pointed out that, in the ad, none of the people who treat their neighbors considerately are the ones who received the benefit of a good deed; they were always the people who witnessed a good deed.
My friend Steve Sjogren loves to quote Mother Teresa, "Small things done with great love will change the world."
I like it too, because it upholds a communitarian ethic, the notion that freedom without mutual responsibility is license.
God bless!
Mark
Someone in the comments at YouTube mentioned that this 30 second spot is effective and affecting in encouraging being thoughtful and encouraging (my words, not the commenters), while a Hollywood film would take 2 hours to offer the same message without nearly the same impact.
(I'm thinking that comment was aimed at Pay It Forward, but I could be wrong)
Commercials are an artform where the extreme limitations of serving a commercial interest, while setting a tone or imparting information all in the course of 30 seconds, leads to a wonderful economy of message that other art often lacks.
(now would be the time to launch into a discussion of how when pop songs started breaking the 45RPM single limitation of about 3 minutes, they lost, rather than gained, something beautiful)
(and somehow a long rambling comment regarding the value of concision seems rather contradictory)
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