Help me find this funny video I saw on ebaums world Circa 2002?

March 12, 2014 1:17 PM

I saw some funny 2 minute video basically a fake advertisement for some presumably made up company (something like rockman automatronics). The guy toured a room talking about how great the products were, but using super scientific sounding (most of probably made up) words, like "panfandeled ding alarm", and that's what made it funny, because you couldn't understand almost anything he said. At the end it said something like "you can find our rockman automatronics wherever fine electronics are sold" or something like that. Bonus points if you can source who made the funny video and why
posted by crawltopslow to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

I believe that'd be the turbo encabulator.
posted by jquinby at 1:20 PM on March 12, 2014

....Rockwell International did a version as well.
posted by jquinby at 1:22 PM on March 12, 2014

Response by poster: Neither of these are the ones I saw. The guy seemed like he was dressed/talking from the late 90's. He was a sharp looking guy in a business suit, looked handsome, maybe 40 years old.
posted by crawltopslow at 1:29 PM on March 12, 2014

Best answer: Found it!

But is this real? is it made up to be funny? background please
posted by crawltopslow at 1:32 PM on March 12, 2014

The description of the video itself mostly answers your question, and googling the company name leads to the rest. (Try googling 'rockwell automation spoof' for loads of more information)
posted by destructive cactus at 1:36 PM on March 12, 2014

Best answer: All three of them are related - if you listen closely, the scripts are very close. My understanding is that they were created as engineering industry in-jokes. The sort of thing that would get shown at a convention for automotive- or defense/aerospace-engineers or contractors. The wikipedia article says that the first iteration was a gag data sheet for a fake GE product.

Rockwell Automation is a real company...the one you were looking for is just the most recent variation on the theme.
posted by jquinby at 1:39 PM on March 12, 2014

Response by poster: Oh I see! wow.
posted by crawltopslow at 1:42 PM on March 12, 2014

Reminds me of the corporate musicals that big companies used to put on. It led to things like this song about silicone products written for General Electric. Of course there's also a Metafilter post about it.
posted by mullacc at 2:39 PM on March 12, 2014 [1 favorite]

Previously on the blue.
posted by Runes at 3:10 PM on March 12, 2014

I had just started working for Rockwell Automation in 1997 when that spoof was the hit of our big annual Automation Fair tradeshow (it was in Nashville that year). I used to roll it out for lunchtime yuks when I was doing training classes myself.

Mike Kraft did a set of videos and nationwide TV spots for Home Depot a few years ago. I think he and Mike Rowe would make an unbeatable industrial products endorsement team.
posted by Kakkerlak at 5:55 PM on March 12, 2014 [1 favorite]

My company did one of these in the 80's. Whenever we see it, we have to laugh... LINK

I don't know if they meant it to be funny, but it is now. "We Are the World" turned into "We Are ADP".
posted by Leenie at 12:20 PM on March 13, 2014