by Cameron Mady
"Unedited Footage of a Bear"
Released December 16 2014
The entire video.
**NOTE*** I don't know why the beginning is in tiny text. I've changed it back but it keeps switching to the small text again.
"Unedited Footage of a Bear" is a short video from Adult Swim that comments on the manipulative and intrusive nature of advertisements in modern culture. Consumers fall victim to the empty promises of large corporations and are left to deal with the consequences. People are far too willing to trust the media, and forget that there is almost always an ulterior motive to media production; this could be profit, power, or persuasion. The video claims that advertisements are not for the benefit of the consumer, but rather for the benefit of the company that releases its corrupted messages to the public.
"Claridryl targets where you're most vulnerable, acts immediately, and lasts indefinitely"
The first way that this video addresses the deception behind advertising is through the concept of the video itself. The creators lure in their audience with the false claim that this video is about a bear. Around thirty seconds in, the shaky nature footage is interrupted by a glossy, bright advertisement for the allergy medication Claridryl, forcing the audience into watching something else. This theme of manipulation and betrayal by the media is ever present in this video, as the spokesperson is also betrayed by Claridryl, which promises to solve her problems but instead creates more. In both cases, someone is being fed untrustworthy information by the media, which is doing whatever it takes to make a sale. The video is intentionally deceptive to further push its message about the dangers of advertising.
...and 30 seconds in, the titular bear is never seen again
In the fake commercial for Claridryl, the side effects are tucked away at the very end, overlaid with happy, sunny imagery. This is meant to reflect on how advertisers rely on distractions and the ignorance of their customers in order to sell their product. Despite the fact that these side effects are largely dismissed by the company, they prove to be more than just minor inconveniences when they literally take over the spokeswoman's life. After the advertisement ends, the Claridryl woman begins experiencing the severe side effects of the medication, including paranoia, aggression, and double vision (literally, as the medication creates an evil clone that attacks and replaces her). She isolates herself from her family, and constant gets caught up in her own paranoid delusions. The woman's breakdown portrays the reality behind the neatly packaged commercial for Claridryl, and the dangers that advertisers minimize and ignore to make a quick buck off of unsuspecting people.
Symptoms include: paranoia, aggression and double vision.
Finally, there's of course the moral issue about advertising prescription medication. Is it safe to advertise drugs to people who know nothing about them? "Unedited Footage of a Bear" addresses the issue of actively deceiving and risking the safety of people who don't know any better. The Claridryl woman falls victim to the company's advertising tactics, and like many others, neglects the risks that come with taking any sort of medication. The saccharine world depicted in the infomercial doesn't accurately showcase the potential side effects caused by taking Claridryl, but should it even have to? It is a commercial after all, and if commercials are designed to sell a product, is it fair to make them show the dark sides as well? Is it the company's responsibility to accurately depict their products, or should consumers have to make the effort to educate themselves before making a purchase? These are the questions that "Unedited Footage of a Bear" plants in its audience.
And if you look in the backseat, she's definitely overdosing too.
Personally, I agree with the overall message of this video, and think that advertisements, especially drug commercials, are dangerously deceptive. The reality of products like Claridryl will never be shown in commercials because it would not help sell the product, but people often forget this. We live in a world where it's unsafe to trust the media, because every single media source has its own agenda that is reflected in its writing. Even the news itself is biased. If someone were to only check Fox News or CNN, they would form two very different opinions as each network tries to push its own political agenda. The same is true for all commercials. The world of media is incredibly competitive, and I believe that sometimes advertisers go too far in trying to make a sale or pushing their viewpoint, neglecting the health and safety of their customers for profit. Because of this deception, I think that some things should just not be allowed to be advertised.
Get back to normal life*
*restrictions apply
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