Backup Against the Wall

March 3, 2005 10:27 PM

The Institute for Backup Trauma. Yes, it's a virulent viral ad, but it's also funny, geeky, techie and Cleesey! Certainly the finest John-Cleese-based institution since The Ministry of Silly Walks. What a Twain Weck!
posted by wendell (15 comments total)

That... Sucked.
posted by Thoth at 11:14 PM on March 3, 2005

I was wondering what Michael Dorn was doing these days...
posted by googly at 11:24 PM on March 3, 2005

Thanks for the Ministry of Silly Walks link, wendell. Takes me back. I wish I could find larger-format versions of the John Cleese silly walk shots, they would make a great diarama. Thanks again.
posted by squirrel at 1:29 AM on March 4, 2005

Hah! Former comedian John Cleese!

I'm assuming LiveVault went with him because a large percentage of IT professionals still go home and jerk off to Flying Circus, right? And I'm pretty sure the forced zaniness of the site is supposed to evoke Monty Python. I think, anyway.
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:28 AM on March 4, 2005

It may be viral, but it's still better than 95% of what the networks crap out.
posted by lobstah at 4:45 AM on March 4, 2005

Well, I thought it was a clever way of speaking about a very boring subject. Would all advertisers be this creative, I might actually watch ads again.
posted by defcom1 at 5:02 AM on March 4, 2005

Whatever you do, don't press the Third Button.
posted by tommasz at 5:07 AM on March 4, 2005

Nice idea but very long
posted by claus at 5:28 AM on March 4, 2005

What was that about brevity being the soul of wit?
posted by yoga at 5:39 AM on March 4, 2005

POLLY! What have you done to my hotel?!
posted by dong_resin at 5:52 AM on March 4, 2005

Jeez, why so hostile, that was pretty funny! Especially if you've ever lost data :)

Also, if you've ever had to watch a few 'corporates' this is soooo far above the usual standard of humor.

2 extra points for the Loodwig Van!
posted by anser at 7:10 AM on March 4, 2005

I've seen a few other corporates that Cleese did back in the late eighties that were pretty funny, albeit long as corporates seem to require as well. I thought he was far funnier in the Magnavox ads way back when though.

But nothing beats his python days of course.
posted by dabitch at 7:18 AM on March 4, 2005

I'm assuming LiveVault went with him because a large percentage of IT professionals still go home and jerk off to Flying Circus, right? And I'm pretty sure the forced zaniness of the site is supposed to evoke Monty Python. I think, anyway.

In the 80s, Cleese formed his own corporate ad agency. This spot is typical of the type of work he did. The Magnavox ads were another product of his company. It's not Python-quality material in my opinion but it is more entertaining than the usual pitch to corporate techies.
posted by Qubit at 8:34 AM on March 4, 2005

I'm with Claus, it should have been no more than a few minutes, especially since it just ends up repeating the salient points (tape bad, FileVault good). However, I did enjoy the fact that the Clockwork Orange-esque "eye-opener" aparatus was made out of coffee straws and binder clips.
posted by nanojath at 5:02 PM on March 4, 2005

"That reminds me of an interesting story. Well, actually, it's not so much interesting as it is long..." --Grandpa Simpson
posted by neuron at 1:22 PM on March 5, 2005