Hearing the Still Small Voice
AT&T Commercials Reveal the Thinking of Young People
AT&T is currently airing a series of commercials that feature a small group of children. They appear to be carefully chosen, boy/girl/boy/girl, some diversity and all comfortable with a camera recording their answers.
A moderator asks a question. The children give a few obvious answers but with the creative twists of youth and the voiceover concludes, “It’s not complicated.”
Most of the answers are just cute. A couple are more revealing.
In one, the children are asked about the difference between fast and slow. One boy answers with great empathy for a child his age.
What is slow?
My grandmother is slow.
Would you like it if she were fast?
I bet SHE would like it if she were fast.
Very poignant. Grandma should be proud.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3R-rtWPyJY?rel=0&w=560&h=315]Another shows the situation many students deal with daily, especially girls. The attention goes to the show off. Everyone else is shoved aside.
Which is better? Doing one thing or two things at the same time?
The children agree. Two is better.
One boy demonstrates with silly movements. All sit and watch as the moderator turns all attention to his antics.
I’ve never seen anything like it! he exclaims.
The girl sitting between them tries to attract his attention and starts to say, “Look! I can do it too.”
The moderator cuts her off turning all attention back to the silly boy. Analytically, the boy is contributing nothing. But he continues to get the attention.
The girl shrinks into the background and accepts the passive role assigned to her.
This commercial always makes me sad.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0FL1AzCAJ8?rel=0&w=560&h=315]