Live from the Gulf of Mexico (brough to you by BP)

The power of video and infographics is brought home by this PBS (Public Broadcasting System) Gulf Oil Tracker widget. The video feeds from...

The power of video and infographics is brought home by this PBS (Public Broadcasting System) Gulf Oil Tracker widget. The video feeds from 5,000 feet (1,500 m) below the ocean surface are provided by BP. Their web site actually provides 12 different feeds to choose from. Nice of them to share, and I do admire their transparency. But it doesn’t make me feel any better about what I’m seeing or the brand that’s sponsoring the show.

Watching the feed makes me think about the disaster in a different way. Although rationally I know there is oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, watching it live makes it more real. And the graphics drive the point home.

I’m wondering if this technique couldn’t be used for other causes. Any suggestions?

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