1995 video promo for internet cafe puts Finland on the hi-tech map
Recently, the online elite was amazed by a Finnish Internet Café video promo from 1995. It shows how quickly the world has changed. Back then, computers were clunky, fast internet connections were extremely expensive and there was no Wi-Fi.
The charmingly corny video probably did not serve its purpose back in the day as an insert on MTV. You should give the thing four minutes of your time.
The show-reel
This show-reel for Helsinki’s internet cool has everything. It includes a very nineties Drum’n’Bass soundtrack and an American sounding dude trying to look excited in the slushy snowfall in downtown Helsinki.
Finnish people miraculously contain their enthusiasm over the promise of the information super highway in a deadpan, Kaurismäkiesque fashion.
You also see people hunching over enormous computer monitors with matchbox-sized Real Player clips of ice hockey, some beer-serving robot thingy and important-looking yuppies working on laptops. Portable computers were silly expensive until the mid-00s.
Origin story
The folks at Nyt.fi did some digging on the origin story of CompuCafe. The first iteration opened in the Kluuvi shopping mall in Helsinki in September 1993. It was the result of brainstorming over a beer.
Computing was and remains mind-blowing. It is easy to understand the urgency with which the stakeholders wanted to make the internet a place you could get to easily. Printed yellow pages of cool sites were included.
Restaurant entrepreneurs got involved with developing the concept. CompuCafe relocated to a fancy new location at the intersection of Annankatu and Eerikinkatu in Kamppi. The business model was hazy. Use of equipment was free of charge and not everyone bought beverages.
CompuCafe closed in 1995 but the legal entity remained registered until 2005.
The location today
Helsinki dwellers will recognize the place by its later tenants: Pickwick Pub, Hostina and currently Ølhus Stockholm.
The story of CompuCafe shares similarities with @Cafe in New York City, recently documented by Vox.
This feels more like a parody or a kaurismaki movie :) :)
This is both depressing and cool at the same time. Depressing because it looks so grim probably filmed in November or something. Cool because everyone is so enthusiastic. In a very Finnish way :)
Don’t give up your day job, Mr Presenter
This is so bad it’s almost like a parody. Pretty sure they had proper TV presenters even in 1994
Very well made documentary.