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Comment by YuriNiyazov | Hacker News Reader

Actually, this reminds me of "This Is a Generic Brand Video, by Dissolve"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YBtspm8j8M

It even has a wrinkled ethnic old man.

In other words, the new video shows that Uber executives lack the self-awareness to understand that they just made their company look like Walmart, Exxon-Mobile or Altria.

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This reminds me of "Better Off Ted"[0], where the protagonist worked for veridian dynamics[1], a faceless multinational conglomerate.

[0] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235547/

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia8OKMlqxLs

I miss that show, never understood why it actually got cancelled.

Or John Oliver's "jangly guitar music":

https://youtu.be/X9wHzt6gBgI?t=2m21s

Also Blue's Traveler's The Hook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdz5kCaCRFM

"It doesn't matter what I say

So long as I sing with inflection

That makes you feel I'll convey

Some inner truth or vast reflection

But I've said nothing so far

And I can keep it up for as long as it takes"

Pop 101 - Marianas Trench:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kpWkV7IBUw

"Get to the floor

And hear some words you should know

Like "DJ never let me go"

Or "Shots and then we'll lose control"

Or "baby, baby, baby, baby, baby"

How about one more last word like

"Hey girl, we've only got tonight"

Some things just go together like

Higher, desire, and fire

Higher, desire, and fire"

In other words, the new video shows that Uber executives lack the self-awareness to understand that they just made their company look like Walmart, Exxon-Mobile or Altria.

Why would they not want to do that? Those companies are huge and successful.

And at least Exxon and Wal-Mart have instantly recognizable, sensible-looking corporate logos.

That is absolutely gold. I have been in rebranding meetings where almost that exact video has been shown.

Any chance this was an immense practical joke on Uber or some other kind of troll?

No, the problem with that theory is that the whole rebrand as well as the video obviously cost a huge pile of money, and a CEO that burns cash "for shits and giggles" won't have his job for very long.

I dunno. Douglas Reynholm managed to outlast his father, despite being awarded Shithead of the Year by a feminist committee three years in a row. Hell, the guy put gold leaf in the water coolers, but he's managed to stick around.

I had to look that one up, but, uh, yea - your counterexample is a tv show character?

I did it for the yucks.

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