Sunday, September 15, 2024

A World of Strange Tastes

#NeverNormal now fits on a postcard

Copywriters love to browse through the weirdo catalogue when they need inspiration to sell us something. The stranger the better is their rule of thumb and what is more odd that BDSM? You've seen it in countless ads. One that immediately comes to mind is that of a doting housewife who moonlights as a dominatrix during the day when her husband is out to work. Her slaves clean, cook and anything else mistress desires. And just like a reverse Cinderella fairytale, they disappear right before the husband comes home. It leaves mistress just enough time to change her clothes into something 'more comfortable'. We all know love is equal parts trust and honesty so he must be in on the joke and loving it. What I am really curious about is whether or not such an ad is a sales boost.

Recently I came across an ad for Bass Ale in which a Humprey Bogart look alike is on the floor, licking a woman's blue boots. The text says "in a world of strange tastes, there is always Bass Ale." What does it even mean? According to Nat Whitten, who is probably in the advertising business, maybe he even came up with the add, this:

"A striking departure in tone, but not message, for this venerable British ale. The print, outdoor, and viral effort was designed to refresh the memories of lapsed users who’d been swayed by the latest microbrews, while encouraging trail among beer enthusiasts just entering the premium category."

Obviously. People who are into BDSM will never be considered normal by the rest of the world and no matter which way you show your customers just how freaky we are, it's never gonna make you any money so why not let us be. You can focus on creating adds that actually add value and we forgo all that valuable 'free publicity' and go back to the shadows. Everybody wins.


Face the Music

Mick Jagger -Strange Game

Currently watching Slow Horse, an Apple TV show about a group of outcast spies. The title track Strange Game is by Mick Jagger and it's rather catchy. Feels like an appropriate choice for today.

Mick Jagger - Strange Game [click to listen]

935

The West continues to stick its head in the sand, still debating whether or not Ukraine can use missiles to hit targets in Russia. Which country those Russian missiles are aiming for? Putin has once again cried 'red line'. If you let Ukraine fire your missiles directly into Russia, we're at war with Nato. Don't worry, Putin has drawn so many red lines in the sand and they all have been crossed. His first red line was actually when he invaded Ukraine.

"Russia has drawn red lines before. And seen them crossed before.

On 24 February 2022, when he announced the start of his "special military operation" – the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – President Putin issued a warning to “those who may be tempted to interfere from the outside”.

“No matter who tries to stand in our way or create threats for our country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond immediately,” the Kremlin leader had declared.

“And the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history.”"

- BBC

There is no worse outcome for the West than to see Ukraine loose because what comes after that is infinitely worse than anything Putin can do if another one of his red lines is crossed.


No comments :

From The Archives