s the sex-scandal-plagued Tiger Woods stares sadly into the camera, an archival voice-over by his late-father seems to scold him. This "creepy and cynical" new Nike ad — an immediate viral phenomenon — does what Nike needed it to do, says AdWeek critic Barbara Lipford: "As the corporate parent," Nike couldn't admonish him. "They needed his real parent....[now] the church of the holy swoosh is giving him absolution." Naturally, internet parodists have stepped in to admonish Tiger on YouTube, demonstrating five classic ways to parody a TV commercial:
1. Change the voiceover
Web tricksters have replaced the eerie voice of Earl Woods with Homer Simpson, Morgan Freeman, and even a recording of Woods himself asking one of his mistresses to delete her name from her voicemail. But our favorite was an extract from a Disney movie with a similar theme of parental disapproval:
2. Change the soundtrack
Other parodists dispensed with the voiceover completely, replacing it with music samples like this soundtrack from a Calvin Klein commercial. Here's a taste of Tiger set to an oddly fitting 1980s pop hit that changes the feel of the ad completely.
3. Repurpose other internet memes
Video parodists, insular bunch, often feel compelled to reference other, earlier memes. That's why variations of the Tiger ad "quote" Rick "Rickrolled" Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up, the soundtrack of Hitler losing his temper, and — as shown here — the soundtrack from David After Dentist, a popular YouTube video:
4. Edit the footage
More ambitious manipulatists have toyed with the video footage itself. In this version, an angry (and well equipped) mother reacts to Tiger's infidelities in a far more direct fashion:
5. Spend a lot of money to create your own version
While most internet parodists lack the budget to refilm the ad completely, mainstream humorists from radio personalities to late night talkshow hosts have all had a go. This "Saturday Night Live" version cuts right to the heart of the major criticism being levelled at Woods:
- WATCH: John Oliver ribs Obama on his foreign love-quest
- How typeface influences the way we read and think
- The last word: He said he was leaving. She ignored him.
- 32 TV shows to watch in 2013 [Updated]
- Ben Bernanke to Wall Street: It's the beginning of the end
- WATCH: Australia's army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse
- 7 grammar rules you really should pay attention to
- Everything you need to know about investing in gold
- 7 bizarre tales of people coming back from the dead
- The daily gossip: The 50 Shades of Grey movie finally has a director, and more
- Michael Hastings, remembered
- How typeface influences the way we read and think
- Former employees say Bank of America lied to a lot of homeowners
- How immigration reform could save taxpayers nearly $1 trillion
- The last telegram ever is about to be sent
- The last word: He said he was leaving. She ignored him.
- WATCH: Australia's army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse
- The daily gossip: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have allegedly chosen a baby name, and more
- Can fetuses masturbate?
- What language is your baby speaking?
