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March 26, 2009 11:27 AM

AIG Commercial: Before Crash, Company Was Focused on Butterflies

By
Jim Edwards
(MoneyWatch)  What was AIG doing before it tanked the global economy with its leverage bets on credit default swaps, took an $182 billion bailout in taxpayer money and gave its top employees $165 million in bonuses?

Thinking about butterflies, according to this old AIG commercial (video below). In the spot, a dad and his daughter are picnic-ing in a meadow by a river on a sunny day. Here's the loopy script:
Dad: What are you thinking about honey? Girl: Butterflies. Dad: Hey. Me too. Girl: But daddy, aren't you worried about protecting your company and employees in a changing gobal economy? Are you tapped into the right capital markets expertise? Help re-engineer institutional assets?
[She goes on in this fashion, talking like a financial services sales rep, until the end of the ad]
Dad: We're with AIG honey, so I'm just thinking about butterflies. Girl: Oh.
You can't make this stuff up. Hat tip to Gawker and AgencySpy

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
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