Anti-Clinton 'Big Brother' YouTube clip linked to Obama camp

Adam Turner
Thursday, 22 March 2007 08:04

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A YouTube spoof of Apple's '1984' Super Bowl campaign, portraying 2008 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as Big Brother, has been linked to a digital consulting firm with ties to rival candidate Barack Obama.

Philip de Vellis, a strategist with Blue State Digital, acknowledged in an interview with The Associated Press that he is the creator of the video, reports the Los Angeles Times.

de Vellis resigned from the firm today after learned he was about to be unmasked. Blue State Digital designed Obama's campaign website but de Vellis said he produced the ad outside of work and that neither Blue State nor the Obama campaign was aware of his role in the ad.

The 74 second clip is already being touted as "a watershed moment in 21st century media and political advertising". It is a re-mix, or mash-up, of Ridley Scott's original Apple ad rather than a remake. It features Clinton's larger than life face on the giant video screens, spouting real doublespeak sound bites from the Senator, addressing a brainwashed audience.

No mention of Obama is made until the final moments. The ad finishes with the text; "On Jan. 14, the Democratic primary will begin. And you'll see why 2008 won't be like 1984". This is followed by a modified Apple symbol - transformed into an O - with "BarackObama.com" underneath. The clip has been viewed more than one million times.

The revelation is an embarrassment for the Obama camp, which has previously rejected negative politics and denied responsibility for the video. There had even been speculation the clip was a Republican ploy to create division amongst the Democrats in the lead up the next year's election.