The Double Rainbow Guy, aka Paul “Hungrybear9562” Vasquez, has officially sold out to Microsoft for a commercial spotlighting their Windows Live Photo Gallery. And while it’s great that Vasquez has finally monetized on the immense popularity of his YouTube video… what does it mean?
It means that riding the wave of an internet meme could become a technique that we might be seeing more of in the digital realm.
Instead of coming up with something new and creative on their own, Microsoft opted to using the borrowed authority that Vasquez brings. This is nothing new, we see brands using celebrities all the time and after all, Vasquez is a bit of an internet celebrity in his own right.
But it’s a cheap trick, and one that will only garner the attention of the masses for a fleeting moment. And for that, we don’t see this commercial as being “so bright and so vivid.”
Aside from that, godspeed Hungrybear9562! You deserve a paycheck.