Update: Here's The Commercial (in full quality).

https://youtu.be/OVE1OcfB1E4

You probably saw the teaser ad for HTC's new campaign featuring none other than Robert Downey, Jr., star of the 2003 film adaptation of British TV series The Singing Detective. (Among other things.) Today the full 105-second spot was posted to YouTube. The quality is a little low, but you can still make everything out. Then you'll have to try and forget it.

https://youtu.be/fdO3ETcCPTk

I get the message - limitless possibilities, creative potential, yadda yadda. But the execution is just awful. HTC is clearly going for the lol so random brand of Internet humor, but they seem to have left out the humor bit. The ad reminds me of the cringe-inducing James Van Der Beek Bachelorette spoof from a few months ago. But that ad at least had some direction and a couple of chuckles, and this one is just two minutes of bland branding.

The lack of direction in HTC's marketing is just downright disheartening. After all, they've got what's widely considered to be one of the best premium phones on the planet, the HTC One. So where is the phone in the ad? What buying decision is this supposed to influence, non-traditional car washes? Instead of seeing actual products, we see RDJ being arrogant and goofy. Which is fine -that's what he does best. But we've seen him do that in four Marvel movies already. This is a huge missed opportunity - let's hope HTC has something better planned for the rest of the campaign.

If you're wondering what HTC really stands for, it's High Tech Computer. But I think one of the YouTube commenters put it best:

Source: YouTube - thanks, Chris!