Mike’s sick of business. So sick, he’s jumped the bad ship ‘Corporate Ladder’, grabbed a spade and started shovelling something a little nicer smelling than executive effluent. But in his new life as a gardener, has he traded the tongue lashings for a trowel? Replaced his rants with radishes? Swapped his bile for Baby Bio? Not a bit of it. Mike’s back. Let pruning commence.
Is it just me or are certain established brands getting a bit bold with their claims for what their products will do for you? These days, we don’t even notice that they’re actually selling us a lifestyle, not a drink. An adventure, not a car. A weird rubbery world full of preening tossers bouncing off buildings, not a mobile phone network. And things are moving into totally bonkers territory.
For example, who exactly is responsible for Citroën’s latest bit of outrageous re-branding on its TV advertising? ‘Imagine what Citroën can do for you’ the none-too-modest strapline invites. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought they made cars. Did they get into cures for terminal illnesses? Budget interstellar travel, perhaps? Half-decent houses in the South West for under twenty times the average salary?
They all require equal amounts of imagination. And each would inspire genuine awe. But until then, I’ll use my imagination on something more interesting than a French motor, thanks.
Next time: Coke’s pointless drink, Coke Zero. Why can’t all good things in life come without a downside? What? Like not claiming your life’s about to be transformed by a bottle of teeth-rotting pop?
Clients often ask us why agencies send them printer proofs to sign, even though they’ve approved the PDFs. Sometimes, it feels like another laborious part of the process. But it’s an essential one.
At the dawn of a new year, it’s natural to want to embrace mankind's myriad of technological enhancements. So why do I find myself back at my desk (yep, too cold for gardening) wondering why so many of the everyday things we rely on are just rubbish?