This Corporate Ad Is Actually Really Funny

Is there any way to actually make a commercial for a boring corporation that people want to watch? Most of the time, I'd say, "No way! Now get out of my home, random stranger asking me questions about advertising." It mostly feels like advertising dollars down the drain. But I've finally seen a promotional video for a corporation that actually made me laugh. Risual, a company that does...something involving Microsoft products (I'm still not entirely sure what) has taken self-satire to the next level with their weirdly hilarious promotional video. That sentence just made me laugh because like, is self-satire even a thing really? And if so, are there actually folks out there who are all, "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, FELLOW SELF-SATIRIST." My goofiness aside, their newest ad is clever, funny, and had I any idea what they actually did and discovered that I needed their services, I would not hesitate to contact them. Thumbs up.

There's something exceptionally compelling about the almost-stock clips and images the company has selected and compiled for their advert. In a strange way, it reminds me of the greatest sitcom that basically never was, Better Off Ted. It's got that same off-beat, intelligent, and slightly dark angle that wins me over every time. I also think that if 30 Rock's Jack Donaghy were a real dude, he would give this ad 5 stars. Because, synergy.

I've always been a huge Monty Python fan. (Yes, this is relevant; stay with me.) British humor definitely formed the way in which I look at the world so there might be a bit of a bias here when it comes to just how funny I find this ad to be. I don't think I'm the only American who automatically hears a British accent and eagerly awaits an opportunity to laugh at dry wit. It's true. I tuned into Downtown Abbey for the first time and spent a good hour waiting for the pratfalls to begin. When they did not, I wrote Hugh Bonneville a strongly-worded note, and then proceeded to watch many, many Benny Hill sketches on YouTube because that was clearly the only reasonable thing to do.