Friday, 02 May 2003 | Sorry for the little creamer

I have this habit—I haven't determined whether it's good or bad—of over-personifying. I just choose to regard an animal or an object as something with complex thoughts and feelings, and I suddenly care about that creature in a new way, and I feel bad when something harms that creature. It doesn't seem to matter if it's something as stupid as an ant or as unalive and unfeeling as a pillow (though it usually helps if objects appear to have human characteristics, such as a face). It's unscientific of me, I know, and it's probably drives me to have even more guilt than I already carry around.

Well clever IKEA has a new advertising campaign that capitalizes on this probably-not-uncommon phenomenon. The first time I saw the new ad, I was surprised and a little embarrassed to be so easily read. I don't remember the exact details of the ad, but there's a dining table with a sad-eyed black-and-white porcelain cow creamer sitting on top of it. There's music of some sort, and a passionate couple. They're kissing and suddenly they're taking over the dining room table, swiping away everything in their way, including the sad-eyed cow creamer. The camera follows the creamer in slow motion as it falls to its death, bouncing on the floor and shattering.

Suddenly a man with a Swedish accent, who's standing outside the house, says, "Aw, you feel sorry for the little creamer? That is because you crazy." And then he goes onto say that another—better—creamer can be purchased at IKEA. He was right; I felt really bad for that cow-shaped piece of porcelain. Which means I have feelings for a cow-shaped piece of porcelain.

...

One of the differences about writing online (as opposed to in a private journal) is the possibility of being misunderstood. I think somehow yesterday's entry may have been interpreted the wrong way, and I feel a little compelled to clarify (not that it really matters). I was writing about friends whom I no longer communicate with, for whatever reason, and noting that it was a little bit strange that all of the people on that list are female.