Student Video Sparks Internet Furore

Some say that in the microclimate of Durham it’s gone more viral than Kony. Amassing 10,000 hits on YouTube in 48 hours, one video has sparked adverse reaction from the student body.

The video is simply an application to Jack Wills’ “Summer Seasonaire” job which entails promoting the brand in Salcombe and the United States for 6 weeks. The compensation package:  a whopping 10 grand in university fees.

What perhaps could not be anticipated was the cyber uproar that ensued.

The facebook group ‘Overheard in Durham’ is an online forum in which students post some of the embarrassing stereotypical Durham comments that have been overheard in and around town.

The offending video was posted on the group yesterday morning and what ensued was something of a social media nuclear war.

The initial reaction to the video was not too positive being described as ‘everything detestable about Durham student’s condensed into 60 seconds’ and ‘an advert for enforced sterilisation.’ The comments below the youtube video were equally aggressive.

The video contained lines such as ‘Jack Wills isn’t just a brand, it’s my state of mind’ so there was likely to be some uproar. However, the reaction over what was a seemingly tongue-in-cheek video was savage. One commenter noted that he was 'grabbing the popcorn' in order to watch the 'class warfare unfold'

The mockery and abuse reached unanticipated levels until the creator of the video, Bennett Johnson, joined the group.

“It’s easy to make fun of someone you don’t know” he told The One, “but I think once I had explained what the video was for, the crowd appreciated that I was simply trying to get a summer job. I think people misunderstood the tone.”

Undoubtedly the video was a tad cringe and could be misinterpreted but equally, the internet predators surely sunk their teeth in too deeply.

What can be sure is that this video has highlighted the discomfort of Durham students with their own stereotype. The lashing out of some facebook users towards the 60-second video says less about the video and much more about students’ fear of becoming the cliché they mock.

If you want to see the video concerned you can watch it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GWaa_PcjE0&feature=plcp

And, if you can bear him after seeing the vid, you can vote for Bennett every 24 hours to help him get the job with Jack Wills at:

http://bit.ly/KBlRTf