The Power of Parody

It has been said for decades that laughter is the best medicine. While there is no scientific evidence that would support this, laughter can help to remedy certain situations. Parody has been used for centuries to draw attention to political and social issues by making fun of hot button issues. The results vary from people trying to use copyright to censor what is an expression of free speech. In many cases the message is well received by the general public due to the less serious nature of the delivery. 

Geico understands that YouTube audiences skip ads and have launched a marketing campaign directly making fun of that. In the ad, the company points out that you can't skip the ad because it's already over. It's humorous and memorable and yip remember it, even though it has nothing to do with the product being sold. Parody has a similar effect in taking something serious and taking a less serious approach to drawing attention to it. Just because an issue is something that requires attention, doesn't mean you can't have a laugh regarding it. 

In the end you have to realize that we are all people and approaching something with a sterile, boring attitude isn't going to earn you any points with people. Besides, recycling can in fact be entertaining.