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"Support Group" is the most viewed IBM commercial in history. It ran during the Oscars. Carrie Fisher in the role she was born to play—A psychoanalyst who runs a support group for robots.
We gave each robot a unique Twitter handle. During the Oscars, they twisted just about every memorable moment into something about human domination.
Online we conducted one-on-one therapy sessions with the bots. We aligned their personal traumas with Watson's various aptitudes. And even let viewers play with Watson's API's online.
I ended up being the voice of the bot below. Ogilvy CCO, Steve Simpson said: "Mark, you're not a professional voiceover. Your timing isn't perfect. And you're inconsistent. But that's what I like about it."
Now this is voice talent. The incomparable Steve Buscemi played this little guy.
Carrie's not only a terrific actress. She's also a skilled writer who does punch-up on screenplays. She asked if she could freestyle. Naturally we indulged her.
News spread fast.
The campaign was an unqualified success. Something tells me we'll be back at the Oscars next year.