“I’ve got an ad feeling about this”: Amazon taps Harrison Ford for Alexa Superbowl ad
I like advertising…really. My Significant Other (who studied advertising) and I used to go see the Clio awards, which were given for ads. We’d go to the local showing (TV commercials, radio commercials), but people would dress up just for fun.
I like Harrison Ford. 🙂 It feels like Ford’s been out in the public a lot more in the last few years. I saw a great interview with the actor, and I’ll be totally paraphrasing, but I think you’ll be able to imagine the voice. When filming Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, a door on the Millennium Falcon accidentally crushed Ford (there was eventually a considerable fine). Earlier in the day (as I recall), the movie star and pilot had been chatting with a Bell helicopter pilot (the meeting was accidental, as I remember). Anyway, Ford is severely injured, but is thinking about how disruptive it would be if an ambulance came and took “Han Solo” to the hospital. Remembering the pilot, Ford pulls the business card out of a pocket and says (gravelly voice): “I got a guy.” 😉 That pilot airlifted Ford…
I like Amazon and I like
Alexa (at AmazonSmile: benefit a non-profit of your choice by shopping*)
I felt like I won a trifecta! 😉
Just as they did a thing last year with celebrities after Alexa “lost its voice”, they are doing a campaign this year based on the “Amazon Beta Testing Program”. You can see four teaser ads here:
Besides Harrison Ford, they have Forest Whitaker, Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer (from Broad City), and astronaut twins Mark and Scott Kelly.
I think the beta testing program is a joke, and that the celebrities will be shown testing something goofy and probably tailored for them.
One fun element: say, “Alexa, what is the Amazon Beta Testing Program?” to your device. An interesting point was that it asked me to say a confirmation code back to it before continuing. I have a couple of “cards” in my Alexa app about it, but I’ll leave that for you to see. It mostly just says that more is coming on February 3rd.
Fun!
Recovery update: I had hip surgery about a week ago…and today (pre-approved by my Physical Therapist), I went to a park and walked there (on a paved path) with my walker! I couldn’t have done it without my Significant Other, who is being so supportive. I can honestly say that I think my prep helped, but the surgeon must have been great…and progress has really been made in the tech for this surgery!
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* I am linking to the same thing at the regular Amazon site, and at AmazonSmile. When you shop at AmazonSmile, half a percent of your purchase price on eligible items goes to a non-profit you choose. It will feel just like shopping at Amazon: you’ll be using your same account. The one thing for you that is different is that you pick a non-profit the first time you go (which you can change whenever you want)…and the good feeling you’ll get. 
Shop ’til you help!
This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.
I Love My Kindle 