Dover Police Officer Jeff Davis who made Taylor Swift’s song Shake it Off famous with his lip sync rendition is back!
This time, it’s not just a lip sync session…it’s a full-blown karaoke jam session with a partner. Cpl Davis shares his dashcam in a duet with Cpl. Demetrius Stevenson, the resource officer at Dover High School.
There’s an old saying that if something works once…do it again. So it would seem like a very good idea to do this all over again. But on the flip side, how many times have we seen a Hollywood blockbuster comeback with a complete dud.
The art of making a sequel is not an easy task. It has to build on its predecessor. It needs a storyline that carries itself and it has to be better than the first, otherwise, it will fall short and all three need to be there.
In this case…it falls short.
I love the concept and there really is a good storyline for this kind of outreach but that’s what’s missing. Too long, not knowing the words hurt it, waving at people not there…it just left my feeling, well…let down and asking the question, “Why?”
In the first hit the Dover Police pulled off there was definite strategy and reason for the video. This one seemed to be lacking a real reason other than looking to re-capture the “InstaFame” so many people are looking for online today.
The TV show LipSync battle was the evolution of lipsyncing to your favorite song…practiced, rehearsed, with purpose. This one was not.
A quick look at the social chatter makes two things very clear. People like the ‘quirkiness’ of it and are watching to see how Dover topped the last one, but then there will be many who will be left feeling the same way I am…let down.
Power out? No problem. pic.twitter.com/dnQ7pOgC
— OREO Cookie (@Oreo) February 4, 2013
Oreo has never tried to re-create “Dunk in the dark”…they have just created more awesome content that can also stand alone and be awesome. That is a clear lesson for everyone; always go for better than before.
BUT…the measurement of this video is all based on a comparison to the first video. Now, let’s look at a very interesting point that the Dover Police officers behind the creative, Cpl. Mark Hoffman, the video’s creative originator along with Lt. Jason Pires had to say.
“A lot of people are under the assumption that we are trying to meet or beat the popularity of the original video,” he [Cpl Hoffman] said. “That is actually not the goal at all. The first video went viral because of the ‘shock value,’ nobody expected it.
“Our intentions are to engage the community we serve. If we reach outside of that, that’s wonderful, but at the end of the day-all that matters is that our citizens view us as approachable and friendly faces in times of need. We just have a unique way of doing it.”
I love the intention and how the intent and drive of the Dover Police is their community! That is the exact reason that they should be doing something like this. This video may not be as good as the first and I may not be a fan of it like I was the first, but in the end…it will be the students in Dover and the citizens that will be the real judges and I’m willing to bet, they will love “Meat” and that’s all that matters.
But, I get a little curious here…if that’s the goal, then why this?
What are your thoughts?
I just saw it on my local news and on CNN. In my book that is a win.
That is for sure an awareness win!