Relationship Status

Recently, I've been impressed by the newest cell phone and service provider commercials and their accuracy of daily life.

Whether it's a good or bad thing (I'm not sure) smartphone users depend a lot on their social network apps to provide them with information, especially about people they've just met and their closest friends. I find it funny how much people are willing to share about themselves and how important it is to provide every detail of your life on Facebook and other platforms. I'm pretty guilty of this myself, but have recently "cut back." However, I'm not the only person guilty of this. So many conversations now begin with the words, "So I saw on Facebook..." This is why these new ads are so amusing to me.

The two that caught my eye are for AT&T's fast iPhone 4GS and Nokia's Lumia 900 "Beta Test" campaign. I find these the best because they discuss network speed and "relationship status", two important factors in today's society. Those individuals who devote themselves to social networking depend on speed to send and receive information, making their phone an essential part of effective communication. And checking on a friend's status? A necessity. But what get's me is the irony of the two commercials. They combine interpersonal communication with electronic communication, showing awkward moments that really could happen in every day life.

I feel that the two companies are trying to reach their target consumers by playing into the idea of quickly checking up on friends and knowing what everyone is up to. And they succeed. But at the same time, I feel like they are almost mocking today's society and its obsession with technology and fading communication skills. Again, I'm one to talk because I have my iPhone always and use my iPad as much as I possibly can. It's almost like we're forced into it. However, I have taken a few minutes to sit back and look at what we have become as a society, and it's actually pretty funny (and a bit disheartening for someone who learned the importance of interpersonal communication).

Here are the two ads. What do you think?