As I watched this video I encountered a proper #FirstWorldProblems ... a pre-roll ad came on before the ad I wanted to watch. DDB New York have been tweeting this ad back at people who complain that their maid woke them, or that Starbucks is already out of pumpkin spiced latte. Because first world problems aren't really problems which, like, duh, is what made that meme funny in the first place. first-world-problems.com collected the worst offenders and know your meme has a good overview on the history of the joke and the children and subreddit's it spawned, including the 1990s problems.
The bizarre juxtaposition of having poor Haitians read out classic first world problem lines makes for a hefty guilt trip, but it also seems to have misunderstood that "first world problems" is a joke that was born from people mocking those who complain when they have it good. Still, by seeding it on twitter just as everyone is as tired of this meme as we are of shit [whatever] says, DDB NY might have just hit the sweet spot for maximum viral-spread. Keep an eye on #FirstWorldProblems and the Google trends. Donate to Water is life who make the straw available to people that need it.
Ad agency: DDB NY
Client: Water is life http://waterislife.com/
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It seems to me as if they hadn't fully understood that First World Problems is a joke to begin with. #FAIL
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PermalinkActually, the #FirstWorldProblems meme only cropped up as a funny/glib/ironic response to people whining about petty problems like the ones illustrated in this spot. I've done it. We've all done it. The joke came later. So to illustrate that, yeah, your latte made with the wrong kind of creamer isn't really a "problem" like not having enough food or water...well done. Choddy notwithstanding.
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PermalinkTHE MULLET OF ADVERTISING! heh.
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PermalinkThis is so meta. Someone should post it to /r/firstworldwproblems
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PermalinkIf you are going to go all the way down to Haiti to film people in situ, why not pony up the dosh for a track that isn't a needle drop version of "Explosions in the SKy?" I thought this is a great spot for people who aren't aware of the #firstworldprobems meme-- and no doubt there are a few. However, the sense of irony was a bit ham fisted, IMO.
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PermalinkReading the "know your meme" site, "first world problems" has been a glib response since 2009, a long running meme. Putting those words in the Haitians mouth seems a little disconnected to me. Exploitative, even. But I do think it will cut through the PSA clutter as it's very different.
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PermalinkNext: first world cat problems used to sell Whiskas.
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