Bye-bye, Boris
A short selection of campaigns that tapped into the opportunity.
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RIP James Caan
From Thief (1981), which I regard as the definitive James Caan movie:
-The negotiation
-The adoption rejection
PS: I can’t forget this scene from The Gambler (1974)- it’s rare to see a Caan character so speechless and bewildered
Ball Dogs
Another campaign in the form of an open letter, or rather, that was just the start. It was from pet insurance brand ManyPets (formerly, Bought by Many) to the organisers of Wimbledon, making the case for ‘ball dogs’ instead of ball girls and ball boys. An excerpt:
Consider this. They are fast and they are fit, on the sidelines they will sit. They have four legs which are better than two, they will live to serve Emma Raducanu. Because there has never been any human with more passion than they, whose whole world revolves around tennis balls and a purpose to play.
It’s time for the Labrador to retrieve and the Boxer to show what he has up his sleeve. The Sheepdog will leap and the Collie will shine, the dogs will be champions, because now is their time. They will be the best ball girls and ball boys that the world has ever seen. They will be focused and dedicated, they will be tennis ball machines. We ask that you consider our plea, to give our furry friends a try as your official Ball Boys and Ball Girls in 2023.
This was then followed with a trial at a local tennis club that got quite a bit of media coverage. In an interview to the BBC, one of the people behind the initiative, had this to say about the results:
…the results varied from spectacular on one end of the spectrum to something varying towards chaos on the other end. I think it's fair to say that we kind of have some work in progress and we've got a long way to go before we'll be ready for next year but we're optimistic…
Nonetheless, the social media campaign continued, with some creative punning:
Fruit Forgiveness
A tongue-in-cheek campaign in the form of an open letter to “whom it may concern” (read: the Pope) that was put out, no less, in the Pope’s preferred newspaper.
Some excerpts:
To Whom It May Concern
At Dole Sunshine Company, International Fruit Day is a time for solemn reflection. This has prompted something of a revelation. That is why, with the greatest respect to your hallowed office, we think the time has finally come to address the elephant that’s been in the room for thousands of years. The most catastrophic PR disaster that fruit has ever faced: the calamity of Original Sin. As one of the largest fruit providers in the world, we hope to redeem its reputation in the eyes of your 1.2 billion discerning followers. For too long, fruit has been made the scapegoat for humanity’s most heinous crime, from the pulpit to the playground. For too long, fruit has been vilified and demonised; it has been maligned in art and literature, symbolising lust, temptation and depravity, in all its vile and wicked forms. This is a travesty of justice, that only you have the power, wisdom and authority to finally rectify.
Far from being the source of Original Sin and the root of all evil in the world, we prefer to think of fruit as the Original Snack, offering pleasure, nutrition and sustenance to the world at large. In an age of more sinful high-cal, low-fibre indulgences, like doughnuts, nachos, curly fries and other aberrations, we think it's time to celebrate the humble apple, the noble banana, the majestic kumquat. Let us not forget that fruit was the only thing on the menu in the Garden of Eden, so Our Lord and Maker must surely have been a fruitarian Himself.
We humbly ask for the absolution that only you can offer. A tiny change that can change the world. Would you consider amending the Bible? Just a tiny word. Replacing ‘fruit’ for any other unhealthy food, for instance? Just an idea. If that request sounds a bit too ambitious, no worries. We get it. Maybe then a message of support would go a long way to restoring the world’s faith in our beloved fruits. Today, more than ever, no fruit should be forbidden.
‘Snicker-snack’ Confession
Former British MP Neil Parish, who quit after he was found watching porn in Parliament, gave a television interview yesterday in which he made this revelation about his wife and, presumably, how she has felt about him watching porn:
She knows I’m no angel… in fact, you know, she chases me around the kitchen with the scissors going snicker-snack, knowing full well what part of my anatomy she’s after.
‘Snip for Shake’
To quote from a news report out of Tennessee, USA:
A Nashville gourmet hot dog spot, Daddy's Dogs, is offering customers a unique incentive for a form of birth control: get a vasectomy; earn a free milkshake.
The deal is called “Snip for Shake,” and it's been inspired by the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Any man who provides a doctor's note confirming the procedure can get in on the offer, according to owner Big Daddy.
“The world is a pretty crazy place right now. We just think giving a free milkshake to men who’ve gotten their balls snipped is the right thing to do,” said Big Daddy.
‘Unwanted Residential Paving Incident’
That’s from a report out of Canada, about an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police. To quote:
Wellington County OPP are trying to identify a man who they say was involved in an “unwanted residential paving incident” in Puslinch, Ont.
As for the ‘incident’:
Tammie Corrigan told CTV News in June that her driveway was paved without her permission.
She said a man knocked on her door and offered a discounted rate to do the work. They discussed the matter, but ultimately, Corrigan declined to go ahead with the repaving.
“At the end of the conversation [he said]: ‘I’ll call you next week when we're ready to do this,’” she told CTV News. “My words were: ‘We’ll call you if we decide to do this.’”
Corrigan said the next morning she returned home to find a crew working on her driveway.
Since it was half-paved at that point, she said the man offered to complete the work and give her $500 off the $7,500 bill.
‘Bespoke’ Bacon Perfume
To quote from the press release:
Wright® Brand Celebrates Centennial Anniversary with Bespoke Bacon-Inspired Fragrance - Wright N°100
Wright® Brand knows the only thing more distinctive than the taste of bacon is the smell of bacon. That's why the brand is celebrating 100 years of Bacon the Wright Way® with Wright N°100, bottling up its signature real wood-smoked bacon flavor to create a fragrance that's as addicting as its bacon.
Irresistible Ice-cream
From Italy: ice-cream brand Gruvi makes great use of a Phil Collins classic in a mouth-watering spot that lovingly captures the ecstasy of ice-cream indulgence.
In Your Space
From Poland: a PSA that looks nothing like a PSA and even if you knew it was a PSA, it would be hard to imagine its message. That comes out only in its audacious, jaw-dropping reveal.
Ticket Tracking
A new spot for the British National Lottery finds a creative and fun way to make the point of how the lottery helps communities.
The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019)
MOVIE REVIEW
This is a joyous imagining of the Dickens classic that spotlights its less-talked-about humour, layers it with more, and adds a bit of tasteful theatricality and lots of colour.
For those who have read the book, the very first scene of the movie gives you a sense of what to expect, with a tongue-in-cheek depiction of the protagonist presenting observations surrounding his birth. To be clear, you don’t need to have read the book to enjoy the movie but it’ll be a lot more fun for those who remember the characters and the lines.
That is made all the more delightful, thanks to a glorious ensemble cast that gives wonderful performances all around. Dev Patel is terrific in the lead but for my money, Peter Capaldi (as Mr. Micawber) is the standout.
It’s hard for me to find fault with anything that director and co-writer Armando Iannucci has ever written or directed but going into this, I admit that I wasn’t sure of what to expect. I’ve unashamedly relished his razor sharp wit and I couldn’t see room for that in this. I shouldn’t have had any doubts: it’s an outstanding movie.
Hypnotically Engrossing
From New Zealand: three marvellous spots for free streaming service TVNZ+ that make the case how perilously addictive it can be.
Of Robbers and Kindergarten Teachers
From Norway: a couple of spots aimed at recruiting kindergarten teachers that feature- believe it or not- robbers making a getaway.
Unrecommended for You
From France: retail chain Fnac is flipping around the idea of algorithm-based recommendations to instead present to its customers, books, movies and CDs that they are less likely to enjoy. The idea is rooted in a belief that “culture should be curious and free”.
Bollywood Badass
From Thailand: snack brand BunBun announces the launch of its paprika flavour with a spot that joyfully blends Thai humour with the over-the-top outlandishness that some of Indian cinema has come to be associated with.
Whoppery Lottery
From Germany: ordering a Burger King Whopper in one of its over 200,000 possible customised variations can win you a prize of up to 1 million euros.
The Honest Truth of Online Shopping
From Thailand: department store chain Central is promoting its online shopping app with a new campaign titled ‘Shop it your way’. The brief, I guess, was to illustrate the convenience that it gives customers. The result is a side-splitting spot that shows the extreme real-life equivalent of what that experience would be.