Amazon.com Enslaves Boy! Guerrilla Advertising!

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     Guerrilla advertising is basically advertising any and every where, bombarding you with information trying to compel you to consume consume consume! (Yay capitalism!) As our world of technology ages and develops, we see new platforms pop up everywhere as people get creative with how they share their influence and ideologies with the world. Social media sites like YouTube house millions of people who share and absorb content to their hearts content (haha). These new platforms provide more ad space for companies to reach people, and even help them understand the customer's desires based on what they watch and share. Mikey (Michael) Murphy is a creator on YouTube, boasting over 1 million subscribers (followers) while pursuing his passion of becoming an acclaimed director (I plan on reviewing some of his short films soon). The YouTuber occupation doesn't pay the bills without those promos though, and he is big enough now that companies will partner with him and pay him to promote his products to loyal fans such as myself. Having alreay done Hollister, Mikey has now been captured by our smiling overlords, Amazon.

     In the video above, Mikey Murphy displays his directing skills in a cute ad promoting the Amazon Echo (Or dot? Alexa? Something that is supposed to help me). He features many of Alexa's skills in the bit, and easily relates to the audience's need to be proactive and a socialite during the holiday season. From a shopping list to making his condo 'lit,' Mikey uses his lovely personality and the Amazon Echo to plan out the most successful party last minute. Lovely right? Who wouldn't want to buy this product after watching an adorbale manifesto to its awesomeness?

     That's exactly how Amazon wants you to react, and why they are a company who uses guerrilla advertising. YouTube is fairly recent in it's extreme popularity, and within the last five years companies have taken advantage of that. And yes they pay YouTube to play ads on certain creator's videos, and in turn YouTube pays the creator, but now companies are making private deals with creators to make the advertising more genuine and noticed. I have not once decided to watch a two minute video on how a loved one can receive financial compensation if they have Mesothelioma; I tap that skip button so fast they're cured. Companies can now tiptoe around this tool by going straight for what I'm trying to watch, and I'm willing to watch it cause it's impossible not to watch Mikey Murphy! That's exactly the reason Amazon is using guerrilla advertising, and exactly why my Amazon Echo is coming in two day free shipping.

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 10, 2017 at 2:59 PM

    I totally agree. I hate when youtubers incorporate ads into their videos more casually too. They always describe the product and they sound so fake. It is almost like a mix of Gurilla advertisng and Madison and Vine. It is obvious what they are advertising but they still film a regualr video.

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