Malt Liquor and race

The ethics of making malt liquor hip from The Accidental Blogger via 3quarksdaily.

Some malt liquor drinkers were just after cheap booze, as they had been since the Depression, but the majority were college students or nine-to-fivers playing a game of racial masquerade. It wasn't just black people who liked to imagine themselves as Billy Dee Williams or Snoop Dogg.

By drinking a 40, anyone could pretend to be a black outlaw, someone who didn’t have to worry about getting up in the morning, someone who just didn’t give a fuck. In a variant on the minstrel tradition, these drinkers adopted a stereotyped black identity as a form of entertainment and psychic release.

Bill Hicks - not a fan

The new 90 second 'She's always a woman to me' John Lewis ad

I think it's the first time I've heard an ad used in a sermon on or off Radio 4, but this morning on Thought for the Day, Canon Lucy Winkett of St Paul's Cathedral mused on the importance of the feeling in human life and referred to a new ad promoting John Lewis::



Made by Adam & Eve, it seems as though the ad isn't quite as original as the clients would have liked. According to a report in News of the World, it turns out that it is in fact an updated version of an italian ad.



From Campaign - Class of 2010,

SID ROGERS, HARRY BUDGEN - Creatives, Adam & Eve

If Sid Rogers and Harry Budgen's work at Adam & Eve is anything to go by (the ruthless areyoupopular.co.uk and the Phones4u Christmas wrapping paper featuring an Asbo Santa, gangster elves and a suicidal turkey, for example), you'd be forgiven for thinking they are slightly disturbed. In fact, Rogers would rather not talk about his personal life because "it makes people uncomfortable".

But this couldn't be further from the truth, according to Ben Priest, a founder of A&E. "They are the most helpful, no-bullshit team you will ever meet," he says.

Since joining straight from Central Saint Martins, Rogers and Budgen have worked on six TV ads, seven radio ads, three press campaigns, an outdoor campaign and a website, and become "a very important part of the Adam & Eve family".

Wonder if Sid or Harry visit Italy now and again?

Why Yahoo is doomed

Because they are prepared to spoil a great service (flickr - the best photography site on the web) with this kind of thing:




Beautiful pictures, minimal design drowned out by stupid animated gif that looks like it was dug up from a dodgy site 10 years ago..... Yahoo you need to hire me!

Excellent article on how Yahoo missed the boat by Paul Graham.

Worst ad of 2009?

Here's to freedom - wherever you find it.
Jean Paul Sartre (actually Mark Hunter).

On reflection this is unfair. It's a long way from being the worst ad. Perhaps the most gut wrenching, but definitely not the worst.

The 'Live with chivalry' campaign was produced for Chivas by Euro RSCG with the main writing writing credit going to Creative Director, Mark Hunter. This is so artfully close to parody that it almost makes one think that Chris Morris has concocted a CV and is masquerading as an ad man.

I suppose the initial thought, following a brief to make a fusty, old whiskey brand cool and sexy, pivoted around the happenstance that chivas/chivalry sound similar.

Who drinks whiskey?

Blokes drink whiskey, so what we need to do is increase brand awareness among young blokes - internationally, mind - so we'll be doing this without any side.

Right. How do we appeal to these shallow, affluent young men?

Ah, well it just so happens there's a publication which they love - all over the world. GQ magazine. So shoot frat boy types - clean cut and buff - doing kind of things which make young wannabe alpha males feel good about themselves. High production values, of course - premium hair, tailored suits and and a couple of blue collar guys including one ethnic face to make sure we have all bases covered. My tip (and the guys at Johnnie Walker will confirm this) south Asians like whiskey, so next time be sure to get at least one affluent, smiling oriental in there. A global campaign without an asian? Madness.

According to a report in mad.co.uk,

The campaign looks to “the fundamental values of modern men” for inspiration and Pernod Ricard says that it communicates a point of view on life that is original and true to Chivas Regal’s brand heritage.

The campaign targets 25-34 year old males, and seeks to celebrate “the concepts of brotherhood, honour, class and sophistication” rather than materialism.

The brand carried out consumer lifestyle research that showed chivalry is a quality that is highly prized and relevant to the brand’s target audience. 71% of people surveyed believed that they would have a far better quality of life if the people around them adopted the positive values typified in the campaign. Additionally, 95% of all men and women said they found chivalrous qualities attractive in the opposite sex, with British men believing confidence, honour and intelligence are the three prime strengths of the modern man.

Patrick Venning, head of marketing for whiskies at Pernod Ricard UK, says: “The ’Live with Chivalry’ platform will reinforce the exuberant and luxurious essence of the brand, whilst showing the need for us to bring back some positive values into modern life. The advertising campaign is just the beginning of a host of activity for the brand which we believe will create significant awareness and stand out for Chivas Regal, whilst illustrating the brand’s place as a modern, vibrant and relevant choice.“

I love Mr Venning's choice of the word 'exuberant' and 'vibrant'. A real maverick. A non-pareil. Instead of a degree in psychology or an interest in the art of persuasion, my bet is that Mr Venning has heard that it's good to 'emotionalise the brand' - the creatives at RSCG catch his drift and knock up a proposal which hits all the right cliched slick and sexy notes.

Great job!

.................
I see from comments on Youtube that the ad was filmed in Argentina. Makes some of the cultural cues a little more intelligible. I also found this, slightly different version. It's a little darker complected and the old guys look like Rat Pack wannabes who appear just as the voiceover eulogises 'here's to the straight-talkers'. We're also treated to some gaucho/Gillette dudes galloping on a beach - racing back to the bar for a slug of the old Regal.

The agency does not, of course, mess with the finale. We're left with James Bond flashing his gnashers as his effete butler looks on.

The thinking being that the mark/punter/consumer thinks to himself: 'I want to be like this guy - a king, a prince. I've have been making the most of myself, I've been selling myself short... what the hell, whiskey isn't such a bad drink...'.

And for any of you cynical enough to think this kind of thing doesn't work, proof positive that the whiskey dollars were well spent. As exuberant and vibrant as the client could wish.

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Credits - information from Campaign:

CHIVAS REGAL - LIVE WITH CHIVALRY - GLOBAL
CREDITS
Project: Live with chivalry
Clients: Martin Riley, international marketing director; Sophie Gallois,
international brand director, Chivas Regal
Brief: Strengthen Chivas Regal's premium positioning in mature and
emerging markets
Creative agency: Euro RSCG London
Writers: Mark Hunter, Brendan Wilkins
Art directors: Glenn Gibbins, Rod Kavanagh
Planner: Russ Lidstone
Media agency: n/s
Production companies: RSA, Amarillo Films
Directors: Johan Renck, Rob Sanders
Editors: The Quarry, Final Cut
Post-production: The Mill, The Moving Picture Company
Audio Post-production: 750mph, Wave
Exposure: TV, cinema, online

THE LOWDOWN

A series of vignettes on the theme of male bonding is featured in a fresh round of global advertising by Chivas Regal, the Pernod Ricard-owned premium Scotch whisky brand.

Using the line "live with chivalry", the campaign, through Euro RSCG London, aims to update the meaning of chivalry by inviting men to become modern "knights".

It extends the long-running theme of Chivas Regal advertising, which links the brand with an exuberant attitude to life.

Chivas Regal, which claims market leadership of its sector, has seen a sales growth of 40 per cent during the past four years.

The new advertising is intended to strengthen the brand's premium positioning in mature and emerging markets. It sets out to show that fulfillment and success comes from more than material wealth and self-interest.

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