Browsing Month February, 2012

Late, later, latest.

February 6th, 2012 // 6:13 pm @ // 3 Comments

Hello there. Yes, yes. I know. BLOODY AGES. Yes. It’s really gone a bit beyond a joke now, hasn’t it? I know that for some time the standard starting point of any of my posts has been a groveling apology for not having written anything for a while but I really have excelled myself this time, haven’t I?

I do have a couple of excuses though. Firstly, December is traditionally a very busy month for me, due to my spectacularly lucrative sideline in performing as an elf in Santa’s Grottos in locations all across the North West. Secondly, in January I often act as a paid ‘first footer’ carrying coals over thresholds throughout the Greater Manchester region. I used to travel further up North but the old problems regarding my lack of Scottish ancestry reached a head with some quite ugly scenes in the winter of 2010.

Still, I digress. There have been other much more Advertising related issues which have kept me occupied. All the LE50 ads I’ve been doing, a couple of pitches and, notably a new business concern which is presently bubbling away and which I will tell you all about when I’m allowed to. That is if you’re interested of course. No? Thought not.

Anyway, now we’re both here, what shall we talk about? Shall we talk about the madcap life of a Manchester Copywriter? No? Then how about we do the usual and  pick holes in an ad or two? I’m not bored with doing that yet, even if you are.

Actually, before I get into some really awful and often unnecessary slagging off, let’s try something a little more unexpected. Let’s talk about some ads I really like. Have you seen all the new ( ish ) TV ads that Aldi have running at the moment? I love them. And what’s more they’ve all been done by one of my past employers, McCann Erickson, Manchester. Here’s one to refresh your memory.

 

 

Now isn’t that rather lovely? Short, simple, strong message and absolutely perfect casting. I love the whole series of them, for a couple of reasons. The first ones, I’ve already mentioned but I should also add that I think they’re very clever indeed. They strike a perfect balance of being just smart enough, knocking the opposition gently enough and leaving us all feeling rather good about the Aldi brand. Not too far away from their position as a place for ‘bargains’ but just a little higher in terms of quality. Splendid.

However, it really wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t stick the boot in to at least one ad that gets up my nose would it? To be honest though the main one that I REALLY, REALLY hate at the moment, I can’t even bring myself to show on here. It’s one of those rare campaigns that tear at my very soul so much that I have to change channels or even, ( heaven forfend ), turn off the telly when they appear. It’s those godawful Wonga dot com ads with the geriatric puppets. What in the name of god were these people THINKING? The puppets are repellent, the dialogue bloody awful and I just can’t imagine who or what they’re aimed at. I mean, where the buggering bloody did that idea come from? “We have Wonga.com run from a 1970s office, by a bunch of OAPs in the throes of senile dementia, represented by badly executed and inexpertly operated marionettes! What do you think, Sebastian? ” “IT’S GOT WINNER WRITTEN ALL OVER IT, NATHAN!”

Bastards.

So, as I won’t actually show any of those ads, let’s have one that isn’t actually unspeakably awful but just leaves me slightly bewildered. Over to you, Kia.

 

 

There. Not nearly as bad as it could be I suppose but it simply doesn’t cut it for me. Obviously we’re going for the down with the kids, social networking thing with the facebook ‘likes’ but what’s with the stuff in between? Is it just me or does that, slightly too old, slightly too manicured of beard, in-line skater look like he’s performed a pied-piper style trick with all those poor skater kids and is about to hurl them into the back of the capacious Kia and make good his escape to an abandoned abattoir on the outskirts of town?

Followed through to its natural conclusion, the ” I *like* fun ” message that follows immediately afterwards is simply chilling.

7 people like this post.

Category : Advertising &Blog &humour &Uncategorized

Opinions...

"I was just saying how good it was to work with someone who I knew would nail it. Thanks, Andy"

Steve Byrne, MD, The Gate Films http://thegatefilms.com

Subscribe Now