Video of the Week: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue’s Ode to Orwell

Brandon Stewart / May 06, 2010

The scene opens up on an image of the Earth and slowly zooms in down through the clouds while an ominous female narrator declares, “Your name is Tom … You live just off of 5th Street … Nice car, Tom—nice house.”

As the camera sinks lower and lower, it finally stops to hovers over Tom’s house while the narrator warns him to pay his outstanding debt because after all, “we do know who you are.” The scene fades and the words, “Find Us Before We Find You” are flashed on the screen before it goes dark.

Is this a trailer for a new sci-fi movie? A remake of the classic novel 1984? No, the video being described is for a commercial for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue’s new Tax Amnesty campaign. This is the latest effort by the state to close its reportedly $1 billion deficit. (One wonders how much the cash-strapped state spent on this campaign comprised of radio, print and television ads.) (more…)