Everybody is trying to cash in on COVID-19.
Delivery services, Big Pharma, fast food joints -- even large corporations. They have flooded the airwaves with sappy commercials telling Americans to be strong, keep their chins up, and hold their hands over their hearts while they watch their jobs disappear, their credit lines swell, their tummies rumble and their dreams shatter.
"We're all in this together," corporate America declares. "We will look back on this and remember that we had the grit to get through the bad times."
Meanwhile, America burns and festers under the weight of racism, unemployment, and hopelessness.
It's hard to watch big corporations trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Americans, particularly the heartless banks, as they use this opportunity to reach into the back pockets of young adults who are graduating this season. Come to us for a car loan. Credit? No problem. Student loans? Easy peasy.
The commercial below, from the Bank of America, is particularly offensive.
It is loosely based on the writings of Leonard Cohen, Canada's poet laureate, whose insightful and romantic songs speak to us about what is good in life.
Leonard spent much of his life trying to make sense of the world, and find the very best in people through love, spirituality and, yes, a lot of sex. He might have turned the other cheek if he had heard this, but those of us who love his music might not be quite so forgiving.
The Bank of America stole this song from us, the way that Donald Trump tried to steal the words and music of Neil Young, and Aerosmith before those bands were able to slap a restraining order on his campaign.
Mostly, this is a cheap rip off, a lazy effort on the part of Madison Avenue to get the bank new customers.
It makes me mad when I hear it played over and over on CNN.
What's the worst part? That Bank of America didn't use the refrain as it was meant to be sung.
Instead, the ad execs decided if they reordered the words, and had them spoken by the otherwise marvellous Viola Davis, they wouldn't have to pay royalties.
Here is the original song. It's the song that every new grad should hear instead of the words of America's shysters who are happy to call in the loans and mortgages of people who no longer have jobs.
If Bank of America wants to make America Great Again, it can start by telling the truth.
Meanwhile, keep your hands off Leonard Cohen.
Delivery services, Big Pharma, fast food joints -- even large corporations. They have flooded the airwaves with sappy commercials telling Americans to be strong, keep their chins up, and hold their hands over their hearts while they watch their jobs disappear, their credit lines swell, their tummies rumble and their dreams shatter.
"We're all in this together," corporate America declares. "We will look back on this and remember that we had the grit to get through the bad times."
Meanwhile, America burns and festers under the weight of racism, unemployment, and hopelessness.
It's hard to watch big corporations trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Americans, particularly the heartless banks, as they use this opportunity to reach into the back pockets of young adults who are graduating this season. Come to us for a car loan. Credit? No problem. Student loans? Easy peasy.
The commercial below, from the Bank of America, is particularly offensive.
It is loosely based on the writings of Leonard Cohen, Canada's poet laureate, whose insightful and romantic songs speak to us about what is good in life.
Leonard spent much of his life trying to make sense of the world, and find the very best in people through love, spirituality and, yes, a lot of sex. He might have turned the other cheek if he had heard this, but those of us who love his music might not be quite so forgiving.
The Bank of America stole this song from us, the way that Donald Trump tried to steal the words and music of Neil Young, and Aerosmith before those bands were able to slap a restraining order on his campaign.
Mostly, this is a cheap rip off, a lazy effort on the part of Madison Avenue to get the bank new customers.
It makes me mad when I hear it played over and over on CNN.
What's the worst part? That Bank of America didn't use the refrain as it was meant to be sung.
Instead, the ad execs decided if they reordered the words, and had them spoken by the otherwise marvellous Viola Davis, they wouldn't have to pay royalties.
Here is the original song. It's the song that every new grad should hear instead of the words of America's shysters who are happy to call in the loans and mortgages of people who no longer have jobs.
If Bank of America wants to make America Great Again, it can start by telling the truth.
Meanwhile, keep your hands off Leonard Cohen.
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