It's a remarkable thing when an ad actually works. There are so many horrible examples of ads that don't. My boyfriend works in ads: brands. It's difficult to balance all that needs to be accomplished in a few words, or a few seconds. Ads can be the poetry of the media spew. More often than not, though, they're just ignored. We recently got Hulu, which means we watch ads after not doing so for a long time. Mostly, the experience is groaning and wanting to get on with the show, but a few stand out. Or, they do for me. (But then, I imagine every dog I pass on the street is humming a little tune and giving commentary on the day). JetBlue works. Pigeons taking on the voice of people on planes is adorable and sharp. It's funny. On the same note, an ad by the Argentina Liver Transplant Foundation is even better. It pulls on emotions. It uses the same music from the movie UP, which so many adults realized was NOT just a kids movie. It might bring you to tears in under 2 minutes, mostly because it's true. If you've ever had a dog, especially as a single adult person going through tough times, you can say for sure, that your dog saved you: maybe even literally saved your life. Dogs know things. You might actually WANT to watch this ad, which is pretty impressive.
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NBC bills American Odyssey as a thriller, but that makes it sound less sophisticated than what it is. This is entertainment, just a step away from reality: a scary thing, which is what keeps us anxious for where it goes next. It becomes clear that a US company is funding Islamic terrorists; it becomes clear that the public doesn't have any concept of what they don't know. Sergeant Odelle Ballard (Anna Friel) is the only surviver of an attack in North Africa: her biggest challenge (besides staying alive) it to try to convince people back home that she is alive. There are several threads to this story: plenty of questions to ask, plenty of characters to like, and then despise. Also, parts of it were filmed a few blocks from my apartment in Harlem: true rough meets TV rough. Watch this show.