Earlier this year, the European Commission reportedly spent $128,136 to create "Science: It's a Girl Thing," a one-minute promotional video aimed at getting more young women interested in pursuing careers in science.
But the plan backfired. Actually, it tanked and sank to the bottom.
While the creators' original intentions were respectable, the result was 60 seconds of stereotyping girls as sexual and superficial. In fact, the video was so appalling that the EC had to deny that it was an attempt at irony and try to bury it under the rug.
But even the worst of web fails have a silver lining. This week a group of Bristol Psychologists created their own parody video. "Science: It's a Thing.4.Girls" has it all: pop music, tabloid-reading and some slick dance moves. And, more importantly, they did it all for less than $13.
Real ladies with a sense of humor? Now that's how you promote science.
Watch the Original "Science: It's a Girl Thing"