Trying to describe the appeal of Simply Sylvio to someone who's never seen him is like trying to describe the appeal of cupcakes to someone who's never eaten one. "Um, they're really sweet, and colorful, and they make life nice?"
Simply Sylvio describes himself as "an ordinary gorilla just trying to live a simple life." He's a man -- okay, a hipster -- dressed in a gorilla costume, and he uses Vine to showcase moments from his life as a primate who lives an idyllic life in the country. Sunsets, train tracks, and the chickens who wander on a nearby farm are often stars of his videos, as are craft beers, vintage movies, and Sylvio's own quirky, homemade art projects. His Vines remind us of a time before shameless self-promotion online, when life was simpler, and posses a home-movie feel that's deeply endearing. Probably he's tapped into a certain je ne sais quoi among 20- and 30-somethings who appreciate vinyl LPs, local food, and good times.
Vine allows users to post 6-second video clips that loop over and over again. Unfortunately this means that the app is flooded with way too many posts by unfunny narcissists who think every quip or sassy gesture should be performed for a camera. Sylvio, on the other hand, takes a cinematic approach. His Vines are staged carefully, tell a story, often with great music, and usually make us laugh with a surprising plot twist or punchline. And as one of Vine's first micro celebrities, he's built up quite the following in the handful of years since the app's debut.
Here are some of my favorite Sylvio Clips (make sure you click to hear the audio!)
Sylvio builds a birdhouse:
Sylvio loves cheese curls...and making art with cheese curls:
In the country, you never know who's going to drop in:
Pizza and Phil Collins...we've all been there:
One good cut = classic Vine: