The world’s most terrifying digital babies are back, thanks to a new Evian commercial. Evian’s new motto is “Live Young.” So they’re going about as young as they can, to a kind of youth that can only be created by a computer. When I wrote about their first commercial awhile back, I mentioned that there’s this theory called the “Uncanny Valley” which basically states that as artificial representations of humans become more and more lifelike, they more they creep people out. Or as Wikipedia phrased it, “it causes a response of revulsion among human observers.” Revulsion is the key word there. And the more I watch the babies (which is freaking ne-var, because they give me the willies), the more revolted I become.
So Evian decided to up the creepy factor with their new commercial. I am not 100% sure if the babies they’re interviewing are digital or not. That’s how lifelike this sh*t is. I think I can spot some pixilation at points, but it could just be YouTube. And if the babies are digital, why have them talking in that “Look Who’s Talking?” way? They could just as easily have normally moving mouths. Anyway, Evian’s decided to employ some possibly digital, possibly human, or possibly robot babies to talk about the video shoot for the first commercial. The reason I’m inclined to believe the babies may be real here is that when they flash to the commercial I instantly feel sick to my stomach, whereas I’m only mildly upset watching the babies get interviewed.
Then this:
Director to baby Tom: “Can you do me a favor?”
Baby Tom: “Sure.”
Director: “Can you share any stories with us about the shoot? What was it like on set?”
Baby Tom: “Well, I have to say, that… well, something happened. “
Director: “Are you referring to your affair with little Anna?”
Baby Tom: “Yeah yeah…. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Then the camera pans to little baby Anna crying. Holy… what the crap, Evian? You guys are really skeeving me out. It’s like they sat there in some kind of group meeting and said, “What’s the one thing we haven’t done that could revolt JayBird even more than our artificial babies? Hey, let’s talk about infants having affairs! That’ll definitely make her ill.” Mission accomplished, Evian. As though the thick taste of your water didn’t make me queasy enough, you’ve found the one thing that can really push me over the edge.
Thanks so much to commenter Bellatrix for the lead!
Here’s the original Evian baby roller skating baby commercial, in case you didn’t feel all squishy and uncomfortable already.
I just knew you’d “love” this interview, JayBird…
Poor baby Anna, though. Doucheness knows no age, apparently.
OMG I forgot to credit you Bellatrix! Thank you so much for sending the lead, it creeped me out to no end!
I feel for Anna. She’s got years of that crap ahead of her.
No problemo, JB.
Sorry for creeping you out a little more though. 🙂
Sue Evian for any psychoanalysis and/or nightmare trauma related to watching their “creative” work.
That’s what t..v. remote controls are for. I haven’t watched a whole commercial for ages
Yeah! Those babies are just creepy! The first time I saw the ad I was fascinated…Wow! But then, as they showed it on and on again I started feeling goosebumps all over my body. Hahaha!
These look awful and unnatural.
Anyone have a vote on whether they think the interview babies are real or digital?
I think the interview babies are real. I prefer this (even though it’s still a crappy commercial), at least it’s not doing the fake mouth movement stuff often done in baby commercials, as if they’re really talking (I do think there’s a wee bit of it in there toward the end). It’s dubbed over their natural mouth movements / babbles. And their movements look like stuff they happened to catch, rather than the plastic-looking digitals in the 1st commercial.
I will say however, that I am totally in love with Dan the Automator’s remix of this tune.
“The thing between me and Anna”…
Wow…why sexualize babies?? I just do not (and will never) understand this type of humour. Fu*kin stupido.
Yeah, I think the interview babies are just regular babies, but it is impossible to relax while watching them because they look like they could tumble out of those director’s chairs at any moment. Arg!
What exactly is so creepy about this?
I think they are real, if you look behind them while they are sitting, you can see where the covered arms are of the people holding them in place
I still think they are adorable!
I happen to like the original commercial, ha! the babies are adorable and the faces are hilarious.
I agree with the PP, Im not to crazy with the baby admitting an affair, too “inside baseball” if you know what I mean.
It’s A COMMERCIAL. Why is it creepy? ITS FICTIONAL PEOPLE. STOP being such prudes. Geezus.
I think the mention of an affair is creeepy!!