Tuesday, March 23, 2010

What do Rube Goldberg and State Farm Have in Common?

Sorry to bump you, Teej, but this is not a cover song and it does have a basketball hoop in it. Plus, ten minutes are up. And this video is amazing; if you haven't seen it yet, watch it.



If you have and judging by the numbers, quite a few people have, then the question is: what is the effect of the overt State Farm Insurance product placement? Though I loved the video, this question was gnawing at my brain while I watched it (which is probably just what State Farm wants).

Am I supposed to wondering: what if this happens to my house? And then go buy some insurance? Or am I supposed to believe, that like a good neighbor, State Farm is there when a pop band needs some bank so they can make a concept video? What is their angle? It's got to be the idea of things going wrong, though the video is all about things going right, but perhaps it is just the threat of things going wrong that pleases State Farm. Anyway, it is safe for work and quite impressive.

23 comments:

  1. Dave, way to post a comment in the wrong post. Which you posted.

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  2. Dave needs some sort of blog etiquette class. These teachers think they can do whatever the fuck they want these days.

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  3. I mean, the guy trumps a blog post and then can't even figure out how to comment in his own post? It seems Future Dave might want to get involved soon. Or at least Rufus.

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  4. Rufus is playing at the San Dimas Circle K. Strange things afoot there.

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  5. i didn't want to upset the strand-- i only bumped your post because i think the video is the most important film since "citizen kane."

    right now, the kids and i have a contraption in which thomas the train rides a rail, knocks a matchbox car down the stairs on that orange track, until it flies into a folgers can which pulls a balloon from between the banister, releasing a string, which pulls up another piece of track heading into the living room, lifting it high enough to propel another car off a jump and into a little ball-- and now they're working on a lever for that little car to hit.

    i've already been hit in the foot by a thomas train that fell from the top of the stairs and hit in the groin with a car that ian didn't tell me was coming.

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  6. Dave's kids are already smarter and more motivated than me.

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  7. Where is the slinky? Where is the creative use of qtips and baking powder?

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  8. Dave's kids laugh at Waldo and Carmen Sandiego.

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  9. dave's kids will be putting their ingenuity to criminal use within the decade. just like their father did.

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  10. David, what will be the tat policy with the kids?

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  11. I also think this Ian fellow needs to work on his "Fore" call.

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  12. No one laughs at Waldo. No one.

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  13. my kids are now working on a Lego hinge and basket to catch the little car.

    i don't think there will have to be a tat policy. mine are so stupid that they will act as a deterrent.

    i wish we had a slinky but they always destroy them.

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  14. Plus, I think Dave has a little time to work on the formualtion of a tat policy. Unless they come stay at "Uncle" Mark's house for the summer, of course.

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  15. dave, i assume that you'll be videotaping/youtubing this project for a future gtb post.

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  16. Hubert Davis just said Brian Zoubek was the key for Duke this weekend. I have now submitted a letter to Norby demanded Hubert's resignation.

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  17. If I had college-age kids I'd rather get free tuition for them at Fordham than at Hofstra. And commuting to work on LI vs. the Bronx is likely equally miserable.

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  18. zoubek's been important for duke over the last few weeks of the season. i think he got 14 and 13 vs cal. i can't agree with hubert that he was *the* key, but if he continues to evolve from useless white stiff to not completely useless white stiff, duke's prospects aren't bad.

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  19. The big kid (Foote) from Cornell is similar in size to Zoubek but he's far more agile and skilled.

    And, I agree with Rob. Zoubek's come a long way and has had a big hand in Duke's success this year. Zoubek gets a lot of shit, most of it deserved, but Lance Thomas is the Duke 'big' that deserves the most scorn. He was a McDonald's AA and has average size, no bulk and no offensive game to speak of.

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  20. Dike has decent bigs. But Hubert had four better answers to give.

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  21. added another train, a lego lever and a card house, cat filmed it but it wasn't perfect so we'll try once more.

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