The Most Baffling PSA Ever: Vote Like ... Spider-Man?
How do you take something boring and make it seem hip and cool? That's a question advertisers have been struggling with since the dawn of commercials. It's also a question that's led to some of the most egregious television commercial blunders of all time.
It was probably the question of making the uncool into something cool that plagued the makers of this PSA from the 1990s:
It's about voter registration. It stars Spider-Man, because if there's any group you want voting on important issues, it's people who are easily swayed by fictional spokesmen.
Let's take a look at a few of the ways this idea went horribly wrong ...
The Intro
What the fuck is up with the balls-tripping intro? It's a voter registration PSA, not a D.A.R.E. ad. Also, why are you using Spider-Man instead of Captain America? If you're going to pander, pander correctly.
The Message
"If you think superheroes like me can fight all your battles for you, think again." That's the message that Spider-Man is delivering to the unregistered voter nerds of America. Meanwhile, among the enemies fanboys have had to fight alone: A) soap; B) virginity; and C) complex carbohydrates.
Every election cycle, countless people are screwed out of their right to vote, but fanboys aren't usually the largest demographic in that group. Get your priorities straight, Spider-Man.
Shady Tactics
So, Peter Parker just registered his alter ego as an actual voter. Congratulations, this is now a PSA on how to commit electoral fraud.
Bad Advice
"Register, and vote ... and tell them Spider-Man sent you." Love the pause here. Look at Spidey clutching his head. It's like his brain is trying to force a migraine in order to prevent him from giving such bullshit advice.
Seriously, try to register to vote while spouting crap about Spider-Man being the one who sent you. Afterward, you can pitch an article called "The 6 Things They Don't Tell You About Getting Tazed by Local Law Enforcement" to detail the experience.
