Customs Goes MTV

I have repeatedly said that the work CBP does is important. For the most part, CBP handles its job in a professional and respectful way. It also needs a bit of marketing to let people know the important job it does and may need to attract some new folks to do it. That is probably why it has posted some videos explaining Customs to the world.

I am particularly taken by this one. It has "Miami Vice-ish" music; James Bondy shots of fast boats, cars and even horses; and some peeks at high-tech looking gadgets. It also has a bit of pathos in that CBP personnel are shown saving lives in what appears to be the desert along the southern border. You know they are saving lives because the video includes a helpful title sliding across the screen saying "Saving Lives." Other titles include "Preventing terrorism," "Securing Our Borders," and "Seizing Contraband."

The two things I like best are first that the file is actually called "cbp_music_video" and, second, that the video ends with a graphic of plane taking off and then a smashing pane of glass. I'm not sure that last bit was well thought out. I am sure this is not likely to be a big hit on TRL.

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