The TV commercial you’re about to watch — which apparently went live a few weeks ago, but which I didn’t see until last night — doesn’t broadcast its politics, or its meaning, or its orientation in a very direct way. And that’s probably what I like so much about it.
The only visuals (other than the ad copy) are of a scene from a movie where a jukebox gets played in a diner. When the music starts, an unseen person’s voice asks Alexa to identify the song; Alexa ansswer; another voice chimes in; they both agree they want to play that song at their wedding. Cool tech, end of pitch.
But the two voices sound distinctly male, and the diner scene is from Moonlight, the Oscar-winner for best picture, in which two men who once loved each other as boys reunite and rekindle their affection for each other. But the film, and context, are never identified, which makes it somehow all the more powerful. It’s really what we most want in our commercial discourse: Not special treatment, but fair treatment. Straight people can use Alexa, too, I suspect. Watch it here.