Commentary

'Jen' Aniston 'Sex Tape' Goes 'Viral'

There are no legal limits on the number of quotation marks you can put around prose in this marvelous age of irony. Otherwise, our homey "Jen" Aniston would be on her way to the "pokey" by now after the two and three-quarter minute Smartwater video that went "viral" yesterday only a day after it posted. Okay, I will stop. Aniston stars with her patented 40-something adorableness in a viral video that sends up the viral video craze itself. Clipboard in hand, she admits that in "this day and age" it is impossible just to sell a product straight. Now it needs to "go viral." The distinguishing aspect of this viral video is that of course it tells us it is striving to be viral.

Rather than just constructing a one-giggle in-joke, the video pulls off the self-awareness well. Aniston breaks into a viral video's redubbing antics to start us off and introduces herself as "Jen Aniston," a clever bit of business that establishes trust in the speaker and the conversational tone that makes the rest of the send-up work. She can't "just tell you that smart water is the smartest best tasting water that is out there. I have to make a video that turns into a virus." Her nearby "internet boys" (cue the nerds) correct her. Cute pets, dirty dancing babies and a kick to the nuts ("apparently that is worth 100,000 hits") ensue. And of course the "Internet boys" have to suggest that they name this click through grab Jen Aniston's "Sex tape," because that is worth more traffic even than a kick to the nuts.

The lesson here is that you can be irritatingly self-reflective in an ad if the parody aspect is executed seamlessly. But what is most striking about the ad is that while it satirizes the conventions of viral video, the essence is traditional. It has genuine humor, including a self- effacing pop culture reference. A parrot calls Aniston "Rachel" and tells her he likes the hair.  And dirty dancing babies. Come on, that is ikky funny. But most of all it has a trustworthy celebrity endorser who sells the package, ironic remove and all. Although we miss "Jen's" buff midriff in that last run of Smartwater print ads.
5 comments about "'Jen' Aniston 'Sex Tape' Goes 'Viral'".
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  1. George Parker from Parker Consultants, March 10, 2011 at 2:16 p.m.

    I love this spot, particularly the way it takes the piss out of all hype about social media... And, she didn't actually say "viral," she said "virus." Which makes it even funnier. Up yours Brad!!!
    Cheers/George "AdScam" Parker

  2. Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston, March 10, 2011 at 2:23 p.m.

    Let's hope it goes viral.

  3. Kimberley Blaine from The Go-To Mom.TV, March 10, 2011 at 2:36 p.m.

    Thanks Steve, liked the parrot and dirty dancing babies, but got bored. If she wasn't so attractive, I would of turned it off. Just "tweet-it" is still my fav viral video.

  4. Doug Garnett from Protonik, LLC, March 10, 2011 at 3:13 p.m.

    Hmmm. It'll get a lot of views. But it's sad that the truth about social media is it forces otherwise honorable advertisers to use this "bait and switch" tactics.

    So it's fundamental message is: "We think you're so dumb that telling you about our water isn't important. So, get you to watch out stuff just because it has Aniston in it and then you'll also buy our water". Right. Not the most brilliant advertising.

    Smart Water. Not so smart advertising.

  5. Jonathan Mirow from BroadbandVideo, Inc., March 10, 2011 at 6:14 p.m.

    Videous, er - I mean hideous.

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About the Author

Steve Smith is Editorial Director of Events for MediaPost