the funniest thing about the torture ad is that it wasn’t blocked by Surfshark, but _was_ blocked by the Advertisement Standards Authority of the UK. insane.
@@Try_in1day i mean i was gonna like this instead of reply because 1 im tired, 2 my friend is boutta hope on rust and 3, i thought of this joke already, idk how to add to it
Tomska: *shoots up a school, says some pretty cursed things, and brings about Armageddon in hopes of the ad being denied* SurfShark: *Jim Halpert window meme*
Theory: This is the next evolution of guerilla marketing. They knew when they hired you that you'd try to push the boundaries and spiral when you felt no resistance from them. They knew you'd form a gripping narrative from it. The ads aren't ads. The whole saga is the ad.
And seriously, they got us to watch a half-hour ad in the end. This has almost 700k views. And I dunno about you or anyone else, but I didn't skip one bit.
surfshark: being really lenient with tom's ad sketches, and generally being really nice to tom tom: literally spiraling into madness, cracking under the pressure of the power he wields
this is like singlehandedly the most effective ad ive ever seen. safety and functionality of a service is always the main focus but i think allowing so much creative freedom with those it sponsors is honestly really nice, with how sanatized and ad friendly the internet has become. its nice
Have to agree, this is how YT advertisement should be done. Viewers don't want ads before every video that interrupt their watching. They want an ad they can enjoy. Think the old spice commercials but as stand alone videos (lucidchart is probably my favorite example, literally fusing their product with memes)
Well fucking played SurfShark. I have honestly never been so tempted to buy a product. They don't give a fuck about how their brand is presented which normally would be a red flag but it works.
They literally ended their sponsorship with Andy Ngo because some known crazy dude on Twitter made up a bunch of lies about him. So that's the exact opposite.
@@Mr.X2019 That's more of a who than a how though. While it sucks that someone did that to him (I know nothing about that situation). It seems like as long as they believe the creator is seen as respectable by the audience then they assume the brand will be seen as respectable by association regardless of how they are presented. Not a bad strategy honestly.
Surfshark: Wow, such a talented creator! We love what he's doing and can't wait to see more! Tom: *_slams fists on table, choking back tears_* Why aren't you firing me, you sick bastards?! *_WHY?!_*
After humanity is dead and gone, and the earth has frozen over, a lone server at surf shark headquarters will still attempt to send tom’s bank account money
i expected the coerced suicide bit to be dull and tryhard just to be edgy, but when the joke was about killing one's personal fbi agent to access stuff i actually laughed. the fact that they're so chill and on the level of consumers and creators, allowing this stuff and endulging in memes that feel peer-to-peer just makes them sympathetic and i'm sure they know that.
This was a fucking rollercoaster lmao I remember vividly thinking "Wow, these ad reads are unhinged but holy shit they're funny." when the lego sexual predator one popped up and then it felt like it just went drastically downhill from there. This explains all of it. Because they did. Damn. I'm getting surfshark as soon as I can. I respect it.
ahaha, i love that though, he's unchained by Blorpo, so the orders have to come from Surfshark or Blorpo's superior, Glurk would have obfuscated what the management are actually okay with
"I'm sorry Tom, but im afraid I'm going to have to approve the video." that person needs a rase, not just because of the BS they have to put up with but, the rolling with it.
Tomska is like the child who does bad stuff on purpose so that the parents would scold him while surfshark is the very supportive parents who for some reason supports what tom is doing instead of scolding him
Honestly never been more motivated to try them. The adds are funny as hell, I think we all realise they're comedy sketches and I don't see any harm. As Tom says at the end, he'd have to do something against TH-cams TOS, which realistically, should be the line. Otherwise, why ask a youtuber to advertise?
Not only are the jokes absolutely bangers but the plotline of Tomska desperately trying to find Surfshark's limits is the most entertaining thing I've ever watched regarding some stupid brand
Mate I'm not even a viewer of this channel. I clicked on the video looking for drama thinking he's gonna shit on the company for being uptight assholes but damn it was the complete opposite of it lmao.
@@scape_stray601 That's just what they want you to think. Surfshark actually rejected every ad at least twice, but this ad was convinced to make us think surf shark is cool.
I remember watching the Thomas the Tank Engine video and being like "THEY ALLOWED THAT?!???!?!?" and now knowing the full stories, this became so much more funnier and perfect. The fact that just let you do whatever the fuck you wanted. That's amazing.
That's the ONLY video I've watched so far, I have a lot of binging to do I imagine, and I wondered why such a 'violent' ad... OK, wow, um, that's amazing, I'm going to go and watch the evolution up to that now. XD
I had forgotten the context until he showed the clips with the video listed! But man, did I ever remember the ad. Given the over-the-top nature, writing, and juxtaposition with the subject of the video, this was probably the single most entertaining ad I've ever seen.
I didn't even notice it was trying to push boundaries. Maybe I'm desensitized, or maybe TomSka is just so talented he can make a gruesome horror scene funny, but when that ad came on I was just like "ok here's the ad part. Aw haha I get it. That was funny. Anyway." Yet watching a serious ad done correctly I'm like "ughhhh this is unbearable! How could you do this to me?"
Not only have I just voluntarily watched what ammounts to a 29 minute add, but I've also shared it with friends and you know, thinking about it I kind of wanted to get a VPN anyway so... GOD DAMN IT TOM
This has the energy of a child trying to get attention by doing stupid stuff, but everyone just telling him "Good, whatever" instead of causing a fuss about it
Even in this video, a video entirely dedicated to spoiling their secrets and talking shit about them, they STILL let you do a sponsor. You could probably assassinate surfshark's CEO and they'd laugh and praise you for your outstanding efforts. Surfshark is probably ran by dark web programmers. I'm truly sorry, Tom.
That or they ran by people who want to find the people who use the internet for truly fucked up shit under the guise of a VPN to collect the data. Then turn over to the proper authorities.
I feel like, somehow, TomSka just got me to sit and watch an entire 30 minute advertisement for SurfShark.. and I'm not even mad about it, really. Great content, funny as all hell.
It's really weirdly sweet that in the first gif conversation, Tom sent an Auntie Donna gif by the looks of it- something he canonically loves- and Blorpo responds with a gif of Tom himself.
Here's the deal: I never skipped any of the Surfshark sketches you guys made. They were really good, funny and just captivating. The fact that Surfshark let Tom do whatever, made me respect the company more! Thank you Surfshark for sponsoring Tom's videos!
My friends and I were recently talking about the "fake Good Places" from the show, uh, The Good Place, and honestly I feel like this partnership may be Tom's fake Good Place. A branded content partnership that pays well and offers significant creative freedom, but the brand loves every detail he writes. There is no line to be crossed. Comedy relies on subversion, so comedians _want_ to be subversive and push boundaries, but there are no boundaries to push, so producing these sketches barely feels like writing comedy. A sketch writer grabbing a marketing representative by the shirt collar screaming "CHALLENGE MEEEEE" and the marketing rep softly whispering "no. Here's more money." The monkey's paw ad deal. In all seriousness though I love these sketches and I'm super glad you've found a partnership that offers creative freedom AND decent pay.
I... can't believe I just willingly watched a 30 minute ad on a channel I'm not even subscribed to and didn't even realize it until there were 2 minutes left. Absolutely incredible. 😂😂
Maybe these brands are starting to catch on to the idea that being seen as "cool" by allowing creators to do the ads however they want is more valuable than any amount of informative ad content.
I have youtube vanced with sponsorblock enabled and these ads are the reason I have everything set to "give me a skip segment button" instead of auto-skipping every sponsor segment.
Yea, but part of the problem is they don't want the kind of "noid" or "jared" thing happening. Even if its something like youtube where your brand/commercial will be here forever.
honestly even if this was the case i would still watch all of the good ads because just the fact that they're mini films as well as ads is enough to keep my ibterest
This is just the same as the story of how "The Aristocrats" joke evolved. Pushing the bounds just to find where they break, but then you find out they don't. The rhyming of history. I love it. Great video!
tbh all these "edgy" ads are probably 1000% more effective than pre-written scripts due to being memorable. Thats probably why they signed off on literally everything
I never skip an ad from internet comment etiquette or Internet historian. Even when you can tell that they hate the product they're shilling, oh man it makes for a good ad.
Goddamn.I always skip every ad I see, and you just got me to watch a 30min Surfshark ad without me even realizing. Fucking Genius, they should offer you 9 more vids.
Violence didn't effect them, swearing didn't get ya fired hell even blood failed to do the trick, so you thought fuck it I'm just gonna shit on the company, saying how they don't care and how you can probably do illegal shit with Surfshark... Still got approved, lads
"Surfshark employee: "I'm worried Mr. Ridgewell is starting to become somewhat...unhinged by our lax policies." Surfshark ad exec: (watching BDG Unravelled) "Pretty sure kids are into that psychotic quality. Send it back. No notes."
wasnt there a joke or something about some Execs being in a room and just talking about what the research showed young kids where into and one of them was "existential draed"?
The funny thing is that this video's entire story might just be a genius marketing strategy of sneaking in the product absolutely seamlessly with the rest of the video.
Honestly only reason i got surf shark was because of you beating on that one guy popping into my head randomly... so yo you did your job better than 99% of ad reads
So glad to see some companies going for these style of "anti-ads". We had something like this in the States during the 50s and 60s: Volkswagen marketed their Beetle by talking about how ugly and clunky it was - and it WORKED. I want to see these kinds of fun and creative ads be more common on TH-cam if not everywhere.
I think the average person is aware the average company is not your friend and only out to make money, so self-awareness comes across as endearing. Just look at the Heart Attack Grill
No it's more like a villian kills the hero but with out anyone to stop them, they realise that doing crime for the sake of crime with out any opposition is meaning less
So that is why they increasingly got darker over time!! They reflected how Tom was getting increasingly unhinged as the sponsor showed absolutely no limits to what they would approve.
The story of Tom and Surfshark locked in these mind games as they’re forced into constantly escalating stakes while waiting for the other person to blink first is immensely entertaining.
I gotta say, this is probably the most incredible way to cap off the series. Like, pushing boundaries of taste, morality, and even effectiveness is one thing, but for the ninth and final sponsored video to be a deep dive into the whole campaign, an analysis of how little oversight there was, and a both praising and critical review of their practices, is amazing, and for that to still get approved and end up released is wonderful. Also, I love the actual ad going straight into the “Hey you, thank you for the money” jingle, even if that jingle is meant for the Patrons.
Tom i think you have the limits mixed up! Surfshark likes explicit things, i’d wager if you made an Ad for them as boring and viewer friendly as possible, i’m talking complete opposite of your normal style, that Surfshark would say something
the fact that this was not only a declaration of deafeat and a compilation of your amazing way of doing ads, but also it being a fun ad for them at the same time is simply amazing ^^
We did find out who paid for First Contact though, as well as the game that The Fallen was for being Aliens: Colonial Marines. The process of First Contact being made in Last Week had you mentioning doing a sketch for Tinder, who I can assume was the client for that, and you mentioned The Fallen being originally called Colonial Morons in your Fun Facts/Fuck Ups video
@@Eddoou Yeah, it was somewhat embarrassing how far down that Tomska iceberg I got before it got to stuff I didn't already know. Can't learn to code or anything of value to save my life, but I can have the knowledge of a British youtuber that most people have to be parasocial to have.
As a person who works in the ad industry and that has lost all hope to ever be able to put or even see creativity put in advertising ever again... that, Tom, was one good [CENSORED] 30 [CENSORED] minutes ad [CENSORED].
I bet Blorpo was secretly waiting for the time when you would communicate with a gif, just so they could send that particular one back as planned. It probably made their day.
If this ad had been rejected I think tom may have died laughing. also honestly...this was the most entertaining ab I've ever seen, literally 30 minutes to advertise how chill surf shark is to just let funny content advertise them.
No, a good sign for a good vpn is one that doesn’t store logs and runs off ram and is located primarily in countries where logs aren’t legally required to be handed over. You shouldn’t be choosing a service based off its ads on TH-cam, that’s a horribly irresponsible thing to do.
honestly surfshark's leniency with this makes me wanna put them as my #1 choice if i were to ever get a vpn, i always thought it would be expressvpn since my fave youtubers are usually sponsored by them but holy shit this is just incredible
honestly. i've been telling myself for years that if i ever buy a vpn it'll be nord because of internet historian's ads... now i'll seriously have to rethink that decision
To be honest I actually look forward to this style of advert, it's entertaining and engaging, and if the creator feels strong enough about the company to put so much effort into the ad then they must have a positive outlook on the product. We've all seen mass advertising, but by far Tom skas style of ad has been the most memorable...and truth be told the only reason I'm writing this is in the hope that someone from the marketing team sees it and encourages this style of ad, so I don't have to sit through boring gcse grade ad reads, and we can actually enjoy adverts...because I do genuinely enjoy these ads.
I was sat there thinking "he was contracted for 9, he's only done 8, how's he gonna close out the video...?" The fact that you close with a pretty standard ad read is just the icing on the cake really.
Tom I can tell you they TOTALLY know what they’re doing, because I actually got a video link from my friend highlighting not the video, but the SPONSOR remaking on how FUCKING CRAZY the sponsor was. They are geniuses. You are a genius. You’ve won marketing.
_Wojak Tom : "Noooooo, you can't keep letting me get away with racism, violence, murder, gore, and everything in between in your own sponsored ad reads, Surfshark !!!"_ _The Chad Blorpo : "Approved, no edits needed"_
If it makes you feel any better Tom, the torture ad was so uncomfortable to watch that every time I watch that video I actually can't bring myself not to skip it
Tom's Surfshark ads have been some of the best ad reads on youtube and for them to just keep it running while he loses his mind is kinda beautiful. Best campaign ever tbh
I like this insight to how youtubers get sponsored. Always been something I've wondered about because I keep seeing ads for shitty mobile games. Thanks Tom "Funky Wunky Chunky Boy" Ridgewell!
According to DougDoug, Raid Shadow Legends will pay literally $5k-$10k for a single ad read, but they will accept nothing less than 90% word for word ad read. And when minimim wage is less than $30k, a three minute ad works out to be worth 3 months of working minimum wage. So if you wanted to know why you see so many Raid ads. That's why
the thing is, i now want to give surfshark money to keep receiving this level of ''ads'' that are just extra sketches. instead of a potential ad read. blorbo knows EXACTLY what they're doing
I absolutely love that “Dear Surfshark, please fire me” starts with “this video is sponsored by surfshark”
I think this was the final ad and his best idea was to go meta.
@@scott8919 it was the late of the contracted 9 videos but they could also sponsor him again after this
I find it more amazing that the "sponsored by surfshark" screen is also full of warnings about the graphic content and adult themes of the video.
This Man....
Is Sponsored By Surfshark VPN.
@mcchego 95%? Isnt that a little too low?
At this point, if someone told me Surfshark VPN is just an extremely convoluted way for a rich patron to support TomSka, I might actually believe them
That would be politically fantastic
They wanted to see if they could drive a TH-camr to madness, but also they did want to start a VPN service as part of that.
Surfshark VPN is a extremely convoluted way for a rich patron to support TomSka.
@@Jeremyjji I think I might actually believe you
It's Daldo
the funniest thing about the torture ad is that it wasn’t blocked by Surfshark, but _was_ blocked by the Advertisement Standards Authority of the UK. insane.
Ah, I was wondering why I didn't see that when I recently rewatched that video
....time to use Surfshark to watch a Surfshark ad...
@@hanro50 finally, the only way to use surfshark correctly
@@hanro50 Pretty certain that Tom had to removed it from the video entirely because I'm in the US and the ad is still missing.
@SirGrimly yeah I'm pretty sure they were joking
TomSka is like "don't ever get surfshark. they suck" and SurfShark is like "have a raise"
lol
1.4k likes. 1 reply. truly sad to see how little fucks people cared
@@Try_in1day i mean i was gonna like this instead of reply because 1 im tired, 2 my friend is boutta hope on rust and 3, i thought of this joke already, idk how to add to it
@@Try_in1day I am sleeping with your mother.
@@Try_in1day Still more fucks than SurfShark tho
Surf Shark: Supports Tom's creativity and vision.
Tom: "And I took that personally!"
I actually lol'd at your comment. Cheers mate
lol
Can NORD DO THAT?!
@@ADerpyReality But... but internet historian's... ads... Yep. Surf Shark does not give a *banhammered* ...
Surfshark playing the long game. They knew Tom would break, they knew he'd rant, and they got a 30 minute ad out of him
Tomska: *Makes snuff films*
SurfShark: Joke’s on you, I’m into that shit.
SurfShark is the embodiment of that meme
Tomska: *shoots up a school, says some pretty cursed things, and brings about Armageddon in hopes of the ad being denied*
SurfShark: *Jim Halpert window meme*
@@shinymainespoon lmao
Until someone reported it and had it taken down
@@datguymiller *T W I C E*
Tom 2016: I wish companies would stop censoring my creativity
Tom 2022: PLEASE censor my creativity!!
XD
Sorry tom, I have no notes. When will the vid go live? I'm excited to see what you come up with. -Glorbo *insert gif here*
The epitome of careful what you wish for.
Careful what you wish for 😆
Monkey paw’d
Theory: This is the next evolution of guerilla marketing. They knew when they hired you that you'd try to push the boundaries and spiral when you felt no resistance from them. They knew you'd form a gripping narrative from it.
The ads aren't ads.
The whole saga is the ad.
holy shit....
That's fucking genius
litterally every marketing company: WRITE THAT DOWN WRITE THAT DOWN
And seriously, they got us to watch a half-hour ad in the end. This has almost 700k views. And I dunno about you or anyone else, but I didn't skip one bit.
@@sirgarberto Holy shit you are right, this is genius.
I think Tomska is the only one crazy enough.
surfshark: being really lenient with tom's ad sketches, and generally being really nice to tom
tom: literally spiraling into madness, cracking under the pressure of the power he wields
With great power comes great responsibility after all ;P
They killing him with kindness.... from the looks of it, a simple breeze from one more kind word would push him over the edge.
Advertising Standards Authority: Nope, you've let this madlad go too far
@@V1G4M1 Or, as Caddicarus puts it, With great power...
.
This was legitimately the single most effective ad for any product I've ever seen and I don't think it'll ever happen again.
its more like a golden vlog
Not just for a product but also for a company and their marketing team aswell as a testament to their integrity - to let people do their own thing.
It will happen again. It always does.
yeah when my nord vpn runs out im changing to surfshark because they dont give a fuck
Stolen comment
I can't believe I just sat through a 30 minute surfshark ad, and not only did I sit through it, I LAUGHED AT IT. NUMEROUS TIMES.
this is like singlehandedly the most effective ad ive ever seen. safety and functionality of a service is always the main focus but i think allowing so much creative freedom with those it sponsors is honestly really nice, with how sanatized and ad friendly the internet has become. its nice
Have to agree, this is how YT advertisement should be done. Viewers don't want ads before every video that interrupt their watching. They want an ad they can enjoy. Think the old spice commercials but as stand alone videos (lucidchart is probably my favorite example, literally fusing their product with memes)
Came here to say the same thing. No ad has ever convinced me to purchase something the way this has.
Well fucking played SurfShark.
I have honestly never been so tempted to buy a product. They don't give a fuck about how their brand is presented which normally would be a red flag but it works.
They literally ended their sponsorship with Andy Ngo because some known crazy dude on Twitter made up a bunch of lies about him. So that's the exact opposite.
@@Mr.X2019 That's more of a who than a how though. While it sucks that someone did that to him (I know nothing about that situation). It seems like as long as they believe the creator is seen as respectable by the audience then they assume the brand will be seen as respectable by association regardless of how they are presented.
Not a bad strategy honestly.
The email response with "I'm sorry Tom but we have to approve it" destroyed me 😂😂😂😂😂
Yeah. That let me know that Blorpo definitely has a great sense of humor.
I hope Blorpo never changes..... unless it makes them even funnier XD
Timestamp?
@@Happy_spider_boi
24:28
It also tells us that Surfshark treats its employees well. Enough that this is THE BEST ad if you ever wanted a VPN.
The REAL challenge was "Can TomSka make a 29 minute long ad that people will watch to the end?"
The answer is yes
Totally worked
The answer is yes
The answer is yes
It worked on a meta level.
Surfshark: Wow, such a talented creator! We love what he's doing and can't wait to see more!
Tom: *_slams fists on table, choking back tears_* Why aren't you firing me, you sick bastards?! *_WHY?!_*
Surfshark: Hahaha, Oh! Typical Tomska! So funny!
Me on Instagram trying to get sponsors: Wait you guys are getting paid 😂
He’s not used to positive reinforcement, he can’t handle it!
@@garylevine3521 "Sorry! Sorry! He's- just not used to positive feedback!"
After humanity is dead and gone, and the earth has frozen over, a lone server at surf shark headquarters will still attempt to send tom’s bank account money
"like"
@@devongratto3261 “dislike”
@@Numbabu comment
@@thatguythere6161 reply
@@BreadOnInternet Engagement
i expected the coerced suicide bit to be dull and tryhard just to be edgy, but when the joke was about killing one's personal fbi agent to access stuff i actually laughed.
the fact that they're so chill and on the level of consumers and creators, allowing this stuff and endulging in memes that feel peer-to-peer just makes them sympathetic and i'm sure they know that.
from a creators perspective I feel like this is even funnier and also refreshing. Mad respect
hi
cool thing someone understood this too xD
Verified and only 3 comments ;-;
This is clearly the best ad I've ever seen, I watched the whole thing which means I watched all the ads and this whole video is an ad ! mad respects !
@@Nostalg33 those who disagree are brainwashed 0_0
No matter how hard Tom tries, the shark still continues to give him money
Don't talk to me! I am famous! Don't dislike my good good GOOD videos! Don't talk to me, dear gla
It's like the opposite of a Loanshark!
r/Sufferingfromsuccess
@@mmgmagic was about to say lol
It makes sense, I can imagine sharks like chaos and blood.
This was a fucking rollercoaster lmao I remember vividly thinking "Wow, these ad reads are unhinged but holy shit they're funny." when the lego sexual predator one popped up and then it felt like it just went drastically downhill from there. This explains all of it. Because they did.
Damn. I'm getting surfshark as soon as I can. I respect it.
Did you get it now, yue?
did you use tom’s link for the 83% discount and 3 months free?
I got Surfshark with the discount and the 3 months free. Currently watching The Shallows on Japanese Netflix. Thanks, Tom.
And THAT was the marketing campaign all along. SurfShark knew EXACTLY what they were doing.
Tom: "I'm obsessed! There are no limits! I have to know what the limits are!"
Glurk: "Oh! Well..."
Tom: *"Who said you could talk."*
ahaha, i love that though, he's unchained by Blorpo, so the orders have to come from Surfshark or Blorpo's superior, Glurk would have obfuscated what the management are actually okay with
"I'm sorry Tom, but im afraid I'm going to have to approve the video." that person needs a rase, not just because of the BS they have to put up with but, the rolling with it.
YEAH! His manager is fucking AMAZING. Wow.
Tomska is like the child who does bad stuff on purpose so that the parents would scold him while surfshark is the very supportive parents who for some reason supports what tom is doing instead of scolding him
This might actually be the best advertisement for a product I've ever seen.
Honestly never been more motivated to try them. The adds are funny as hell, I think we all realise they're comedy sketches and I don't see any harm. As Tom says at the end, he'd have to do something against TH-cams TOS, which realistically, should be the line. Otherwise, why ask a youtuber to advertise?
Well that shout out was unexpected! Thanks buddy!
OMG I WAS SCROLLING THROUGH LATEST COMMENTS AND I FOUND YOU OMG
hi dad!
Whelp, I know what I’m watching after this
the salvia god :)
Oh no...who do I choose?? S...N... ... ...Nordshark?
Love how this escalated to the point the Advertising Standards Authority had to step in and tell Tom to knock it off.
Not only are the jokes absolutely bangers but the plotline of Tomska desperately trying to find Surfshark's limits is the most entertaining thing I've ever watched regarding some stupid brand
Mate I'm not even a viewer of this channel. I clicked on the video looking for drama thinking he's gonna shit on the company for being uptight assholes but damn it was the complete opposite of it lmao.
Without surfshark this wouldnt have been as fun
@@scape_stray601 That's just what they want you to think. Surfshark actually rejected every ad at least twice, but this ad was convinced to make us think surf shark is cool.
I remember watching the Thomas the Tank Engine video and being like "THEY ALLOWED THAT?!???!?!?" and now knowing the full stories, this became so much more funnier and perfect. The fact that just let you do whatever the fuck you wanted. That's amazing.
I honestly didn’t even really register that it was an ad until he showed it in this video and I was like “wait..”
That was the ad where I finally went, "Damn, Surfshark really will let Tom say/do anything."
Then this video came out and it all made sense. 😂
That's the ONLY video I've watched so far, I have a lot of binging to do I imagine, and I wondered why such a 'violent' ad...
OK, wow, um, that's amazing, I'm going to go and watch the evolution up to that now. XD
I had forgotten the context until he showed the clips with the video listed! But man, did I ever remember the ad. Given the over-the-top nature, writing, and juxtaposition with the subject of the video, this was probably the single most entertaining ad I've ever seen.
I didn't even notice it was trying to push boundaries. Maybe I'm desensitized, or maybe TomSka is just so talented he can make a gruesome horror scene funny, but when that ad came on I was just like "ok here's the ad part. Aw haha I get it. That was funny. Anyway." Yet watching a serious ad done correctly I'm like "ughhhh this is unbearable! How could you do this to me?"
Not only have I just voluntarily watched what ammounts to a 29 minute add, but I've also shared it with friends and you know, thinking about it I kind of wanted to get a VPN anyway so... GOD DAMN IT TOM
This is unironically the best ad Surfshark could've ever wished for. You deserve a standing ovation, sir.
literally the best ad i've ever watched
Yes we willingly watched a 30 min advertisement
Tips le fedora, m'lady sir reddit gentlesir
10/10
*standing ovation*
Exactly what I was going to say
This has the energy of a child trying to get attention by doing stupid stuff, but everyone just telling him "Good, whatever" instead of causing a fuss about it
Oh my god, I can't unsee it
That just makes tomska bratty lmao. i love it
At this point, just write a full movie script, with Surfshark as the main company in the background, and get them to pay of it.
Very funny comment... but please for the love of God edit "move" to "movie" it's driving me insane
@@thekingofdoges sorry my dyslexia missed that.
Even in this video, a video entirely dedicated to spoiling their secrets and talking shit about them, they STILL let you do a sponsor. You could probably assassinate surfshark's CEO and they'd laugh and praise you for your outstanding efforts. Surfshark is probably ran by dark web programmers. I'm truly sorry, Tom.
That or they ran by people who want to find the people who use the internet for truly fucked up shit under the guise of a VPN to collect the data. Then turn over to the proper authorities.
@@Johncornwell103 that's a good theory
“Damn bro, you bombed our company office building? Thats pretty funny honestly 10/10”
Plot twist: they hated the sketches from the beggining and are now trying to trick you into banning yourself out of pure sadism.
surfshark does not mess around
Ah the long con. I see...
You know when your communication with your client devolves from formal e-mails to GIFs and memes, that you're in the ideal working environment
I feel like, somehow, TomSka just got me to sit and watch an entire 30 minute advertisement for SurfShark.. and I'm not even mad about it, really. Great content, funny as all hell.
My thoughts exactly. Totally happy to boost the video with a little interactivity.
I mean, technically its like 9 adverts for Surfshark.
I am, but that isn't tomska's fault, I just hate surfshark
If you do something Insaneo Style I’ll literally lose my mind
The fact that it's starting to catch on is actually insaneo style
@@a_lampshade2278 Insaneo Style Supreme!
I went to check the comments immediately
Do a collab already
I was fucking looking for your comment after I realized what he said
It's really weirdly sweet that in the first gif conversation, Tom sent an Auntie Donna gif by the looks of it- something he canonically loves- and Blorpo responds with a gif of Tom himself.
Here's the deal: I never skipped any of the Surfshark sketches you guys made. They were really good, funny and just captivating.
The fact that Surfshark let Tom do whatever, made me respect the company more!
Thank you Surfshark for sponsoring Tom's videos!
My friends and I were recently talking about the "fake Good Places" from the show, uh, The Good Place, and honestly I feel like this partnership may be Tom's fake Good Place.
A branded content partnership that pays well and offers significant creative freedom, but the brand loves every detail he writes. There is no line to be crossed. Comedy relies on subversion, so comedians _want_ to be subversive and push boundaries, but there are no boundaries to push, so producing these sketches barely feels like writing comedy. A sketch writer grabbing a marketing representative by the shirt collar screaming "CHALLENGE MEEEEE" and the marketing rep softly whispering "no. Here's more money." The monkey's paw ad deal.
In all seriousness though I love these sketches and I'm super glad you've found a partnership that offers creative freedom AND decent pay.
That's a beautiful mental image.
I love this though
Wow that's surprisingly accurate (kinda?)
Holy shit thats perfect
Tom was sent to the Bad Place for the butt jokes in Asdfmovie11 and now this is his eternal torment.
@@blokvader8283 probably more than just that lol
I... can't believe I just willingly watched a 30 minute ad on a channel I'm not even subscribed to and didn't even realize it until there were 2 minutes left. Absolutely incredible. 😂😂
Subscribe to him, NOW
You watched ALL the ads!
I just did the same damn thing 😂
It would be hilarious is gorp gave him notes for THIS ad after going this far to say they didn't care
You mean *dramatic hair flip* Blorpo?
Maybe these brands are starting to catch on to the idea that being seen as "cool" by allowing creators to do the ads however they want is more valuable than any amount of informative ad content.
And that boring ad reads are attention killing
Freaking worked on me, didn't skip a single moment. Fascinating.
I have youtube vanced with sponsorblock enabled and these ads are the reason I have everything set to "give me a skip segment button" instead of auto-skipping every sponsor segment.
Yea, but part of the problem is they don't want the kind of "noid" or "jared" thing happening. Even if its something like youtube where your brand/commercial will be here forever.
honestly even if this was the case i would still watch all of the good ads because just the fact that they're mini films as well as ads is enough to keep my ibterest
This is just the same as the story of how "The Aristocrats" joke evolved. Pushing the bounds just to find where they break, but then you find out they don't. The rhyming of history.
I love it. Great video!
The fact they replied with the Horse Gif is to me proof they know and our fans of TomSka and were just fucking with him
tbh all these "edgy" ads are probably 1000% more effective than pre-written scripts due to being memorable. Thats probably why they signed off on literally everything
I never skip an ad from internet comment etiquette or Internet historian. Even when you can tell that they hate the product they're shilling, oh man it makes for a good ad.
Idk man, Old Spice ads were really memorable
That is true, the last one about the kidnapping has been hunting my nightmares for weeks now
The first ever video I watched on this channel was the torture ad, and it was more memorable than the video itself.
Goddamn.I always skip every ad I see, and you just got me to watch a 30min Surfshark ad without me even realizing. Fucking Genius, they should offer you 9 more vids.
surfshark is unnervingly tolerant toward you tom
Violence didn't effect them, swearing didn't get ya fired hell even blood failed to do the trick, so you thought fuck it I'm just gonna shit on the company, saying how they don't care and how you can probably do illegal shit with Surfshark... Still got approved, lads
This was the last of the 9 in the brand deal so I don't think it technically had to be approved
The ASA came and laid down the law so I think Tom and Surfshark are both talking about toning it down a bit.
@@mrrandomperson3106 As I'm not from the UK digging to that is a bit tricky, I don't suppose I could ask for a source on that?
he even implied pedophilia and was approved...
This is actually kinda genius because more people will wanna buy Surfshark when they see how chill and cool of a company they are
See, this whole time I just assumed Tom was in a self destructive arms race with Internet Historian's Nord-VPN-Man campaign...
Or Tom from Flashgitz’s raid skits
you cannot beat IHs "lose the nord contract speedrun" ad
Huh? Internet Historian? The plagiarist?
"Surfshark employee: "I'm worried Mr. Ridgewell is starting to become somewhat...unhinged by our lax policies."
Surfshark ad exec: (watching BDG Unravelled) "Pretty sure kids are into that psychotic quality. Send it back. No notes."
wasnt there a joke or something about some Execs being in a room and just talking about what the research showed young kids where into and one of them was "existential draed"?
The funny thing is that this video's entire story might just be a genius marketing strategy of sneaking in the product absolutely seamlessly with the rest of the video.
when i first saw the torture ad i remember thinking "how did they approve this" and i'm glad i now know how
yeah honestly same i was thinking "they approved of this???" and the fact they did, actually made me consider getting surfshark over any vpn
"How does 2020 ends?"
"It doesn't."
Curse you Tom, it was funny two years ago, now it's just pain.
Welcome to "2020 II"
@@vgarzareyna I can't wait for 2023 to start and for nothing to change. Then we'll have two-thousand-and-twenty-two: Electric Boogaloo.
@@tessabakker662 Do you mean 2020 lll?
Honestly only reason i got surf shark was because of you beating on that one guy popping into my head randomly... so yo you did your job better than 99% of ad reads
So glad to see some companies going for these style of "anti-ads". We had something like this in the States during the 50s and 60s: Volkswagen marketed their Beetle by talking about how ugly and clunky it was - and it WORKED.
I want to see these kinds of fun and creative ads be more common on TH-cam if not everywhere.
We bought a fiat multipla in the early 2000s that came with a sign on the back window "if you think I'm ugly now, wait until you see the front!"
Yeah
I think the average person is aware the average company is not your friend and only out to make money, so self-awareness comes across as endearing. Just look at the Heart Attack Grill
This is like that trope where a reformed supervillain fails to do something evil and they're like "have I lost my edge..?"
No it's more like a villian kills the hero but with out anyone to stop them, they realise that doing crime for the sake of crime with out any opposition is meaning less
@@epicgamer-ny4fj So the joker? Tomska is the joker?
@@Drone8900 And or megamind
Kinda like Dr D?
I'm so sorry, "tired of getting your FBI agent to kill themselves" made me laugh SO FUCKING HARD
So that is why they increasingly got darker over time!!
They reflected how Tom was getting increasingly unhinged as the sponsor showed absolutely no limits to what they would approve.
it's good enough to be a show on netflix. like i-carly but very dark trying to get banned or fired but for some reason, it does the opposite
VPN is all about no limits to your viewing, so it is on keeping with the ad. You need Surfshark to watch TomSka Surfshark qds.
The story of Tom and Surfshark locked in these mind games as they’re forced into constantly escalating stakes while waiting for the other person to blink first is immensely entertaining.
Waiting for the anime adaptation!
Not only did TomSka trick me into watching a 29 minute advert for Surfshark, I *enjoyed every second of it*.
I gotta say, this is probably the most incredible way to cap off the series. Like, pushing boundaries of taste, morality, and even effectiveness is one thing, but for the ninth and final sponsored video to be a deep dive into the whole campaign, an analysis of how little oversight there was, and a both praising and critical review of their practices, is amazing, and for that to still get approved and end up released is wonderful.
Also, I love the actual ad going straight into the “Hey you, thank you for the money” jingle, even if that jingle is meant for the Patrons.
I love blorpo, he needs a raise. Also your ads have convinced me multiple times over to get surfshark, but I can only buy it once. Such a shame
Actually, you can buy it multiple times, with the all new: IDENTITY THEFT!
Using Identity Th- [skip ad]
The ads make me want to buy it as soon as I can, so it's pretty effective
Tom i think you have the limits mixed up! Surfshark likes explicit things, i’d wager if you made an Ad for them as boring and viewer friendly as possible, i’m talking complete opposite of your normal style, that Surfshark would say something
It's too late for that, now it would be a continuation of the saga and a meta textual joke.
@@FFKonoko Yes
I mean, Tom, you're bringing in new customers. That's all that matters. Whatever it takes - even if it's chopping Eddie up and sticking him in a bag.
Man makes a 30 minute surfshark advertisement and tricks us into watching it all, and keeping the whole thing entertaining.
Devious bastard.
the fact that this was not only a declaration of deafeat and a compilation of your amazing way of doing ads, but also it being a fun ad for them at the same time is simply amazing ^^
We did find out who paid for First Contact though, as well as the game that The Fallen was for being Aliens: Colonial Marines. The process of First Contact being made in Last Week had you mentioning doing a sketch for Tinder, who I can assume was the client for that, and you mentioned The Fallen being originally called Colonial Morons in your Fun Facts/Fuck Ups video
SHould have used SurfShark VPN to hide those documents/videos
@@icarue993 lmao
Combine the original being “Colonial Morons” with how badly Gearbox’s “Colonial Marines” bombed and the whole story makes sense.
Lorekeeper Xedalni
@@Eddoou Yeah, it was somewhat embarrassing how far down that Tomska iceberg I got before it got to stuff I didn't already know.
Can't learn to code or anything of value to save my life, but I can have the knowledge of a British youtuber that most people have to be parasocial to have.
As a person who works in the ad industry and that has lost all hope to ever be able to put or even see creativity put in advertising ever again... that, Tom, was one good [CENSORED] 30 [CENSORED] minutes ad [CENSORED].
Man this comment is so [REDACTED] good
Surfshark basically went "ha ha this guy is funni, let's make him a permanent employee".
I bet Blorpo was secretly waiting for the time when you would communicate with a gif, just so they could send that particular one back as planned. It probably made their day.
If this ad had been rejected I think tom may have died laughing. also honestly...this was the most entertaining ab I've ever seen, literally 30 minutes to advertise how chill surf shark is to just let funny content advertise them.
I did notice how unhinged the ads were and legitimately it is why I watched them.
Honestly, a vpn company that Doesnt "censor" their ads is a very good Signal
That is an interesting point.
It is a very good Signal I agree
True
No, a good sign for a good vpn is one that doesn’t store logs and runs off ram and is located primarily in countries where logs aren’t legally required to be handed over.
You shouldn’t be choosing a service based off its ads on TH-cam, that’s a horribly irresponsible thing to do.
@@LucasCarter2 while very true, its a small start
Mad respect for surfshark. Might use it when I inevitably need a vpn.
Please don't. VPNs are scams.
Yeah, pugs are getting pretty controversial nowadays, what with pugolph lickler rising to power in the pounds.
@@thegreattotemaster nfts are scams. Cryptocurrencies are scams. A quality vpn is not a scam.
@@Goretantath not sure why you mention that but there are people breeding them to have longer snouts to lower their risk of having breathing issues.
vpns aren't scams, though they do use some pretty shitty advertising tactics. Tom Scott's video about vpns explains it very well.
I love how when watching the ads you can see Tom slowly spiraling into madness
Alternate Title: Why Blorpo is the best Content Partner/Boss you've ever had
Alternate Alternate Title: Enjoy this normal surfshark ad
What if Blorpo too was trying to see how much he can approve before being reprimanded? My man Tomska throwing him under the bus lol.
I remember watching the sketches during the campaign and seeing the ads get more and more unhinged. It was amazing.
TomSka is the only person who can make me laugh with an advert.
Oh man you should check out Noodle then. Full belly laughs at their sponsor segments.
Also Jay Foreman/Map Men are BRILLIANT with their ads
Gamegrumps also make fun ads
Well i did not whatch Gamegrumps for like 2 years so maybe not anymore
Man, the Internet Historian adverts, those are **chef's kiss** beautiful.
I'm still waiting for the plot twist to be that Blorpo was approving all of the ads trying to see what would get them fired.
Omfg I'm loosing it at your comment. Hshshd
When he said 'blorpo was gone' I actually thought he was fired for a second, but then he was just attending a wedding :o
honestly surfshark's leniency with this makes me wanna put them as my #1 choice if i were to ever get a vpn, i always thought it would be expressvpn since my fave youtubers are usually sponsored by them but holy shit this is just incredible
This video makes me wanna buy surfshark now 🤔
Bababooey 🧐
Blorpo is a marketing genius.
I bought the 3 year deal immediately after this video
I t s
W o r k i n g
Wonder why?
First half of the video: History of TomSka ads
Second half: The Five Stages of Grief, presented by Surfshark VPN
honestly. i've been telling myself for years that if i ever buy a vpn it'll be nord because of internet historian's ads... now i'll seriously have to rethink that decision
get mullvad, its the only decent vpn anymore
To be honest I actually look forward to this style of advert, it's entertaining and engaging, and if the creator feels strong enough about the company to put so much effort into the ad then they must have a positive outlook on the product. We've all seen mass advertising, but by far Tom skas style of ad has been the most memorable...and truth be told the only reason I'm writing this is in the hope that someone from the marketing team sees it and encourages this style of ad, so I don't have to sit through boring gcse grade ad reads, and we can actually enjoy adverts...because I do genuinely enjoy these ads.
I was sat there thinking "he was contracted for 9, he's only done 8, how's he gonna close out the video...?" The fact that you close with a pretty standard ad read is just the icing on the cake really.
well, aside from the fact that it contains the fuck word
And implying that SurfShark is part of an illuminati-style global conspiracy theory.
@@MIrfanPerdana and the inaccurate depiction of some internet "legends"
This man is really having a breakdown on a gem of a sponsor.
Tom I can tell you they TOTALLY know what they’re doing, because I actually got a video link from my friend highlighting not the video, but the SPONSOR remaking on how FUCKING CRAZY the sponsor was. They are geniuses. You are a genius. You’ve won marketing.
We all realise that we just sat here and watched a half hour long ad for surfshark... right?
And damn you, Tom. This was so entertaining 😂
7:23
Red Shadow Maggots of course
Raid Shadow Spray indeed
_Wojak Tom : "Noooooo, you can't keep letting me get away with racism, violence, murder, gore, and everything in between in your own sponsored ad reads, Surfshark !!!"_
_The Chad Blorpo : "Approved, no edits needed"_
If it makes you feel any better Tom, the torture ad was so uncomfortable to watch that every time I watch that video I actually can't bring myself not to skip it
Thank you Mr./Mrs. Blorpo, for pushing Tom to his limit and making him one of the only people who actually made me excited to watch an ad
I feel like blorpo must of had some fun with this!
Unfortunately for Tom, his breaking point was much lower than that of Blorpo.
blorpo doesnt break
Tom's Surfshark ads have been some of the best ad reads on youtube and for them to just keep it running while he loses his mind is kinda beautiful. Best campaign ever tbh
I like this insight to how youtubers get sponsored. Always been something I've wondered about because I keep seeing ads for shitty mobile games.
Thanks Tom "Funky Wunky Chunky Boy" Ridgewell!
According to DougDoug, Raid Shadow Legends will pay literally $5k-$10k for a single ad read, but they will accept nothing less than 90% word for word ad read. And when minimim wage is less than $30k, a three minute ad works out to be worth 3 months of working minimum wage. So if you wanted to know why you see so many Raid ads. That's why
the thing is, i now want to give surfshark money to keep receiving this level of ''ads'' that are just extra sketches. instead of a potential ad read.
blorbo knows EXACTLY what they're doing