It looks like ToATG may not feature in my future to any great extent. The impasse that we appear to have arrived at may well mean that I (and Enthusiastic Account Guy) decide to say “Fuck it!” and move on to the next big challenge – but without the destructive force of Travesty careening off [...]
Archive for January, 2009
Escaping Travesty of All Things Gay
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Enthusiastic Account Guy, Travesty of All Things Gay on January 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Current Reality
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged American Diva Planning Friend, AMVBBDO, Recession, Sainsburys on January 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
One of the things that alarms me most about marketing’s reaction to the current economic crisis (or recession, depending on where you’re living) is that it has become an all-consuming (and almost entirely misunderstood) context for all discussions had, and all decisions made. “What are we going to do in the current economic climate?” has [...]
Impoverished in Waterstone’s
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Chiswick, Eldest Son, Family, Jonathan Bate, Waterstone's on January 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I thought Eldest Son had been kidnapped today. This is (as with any parent) the nightmare to end all nightmares, and it strikes me most forcibly when Wife is (as she was today) engaged elsewhere. Shepherding three children, particularly around the catnip-filled lagoons of Chiswick’s Waterstone’s, is pretty heavy-going – and so I am always [...]
The Next Level of Shame
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Advertising, Shame, Shit, Swearing Account Director on January 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Swearing Account Director walked me through her latest career humiliation – and I was more than ready to lap it up, keen as I am to hear any story that begins “So I made a right cunt of myself…” SAD’s brand is a loo cleaner – and the unembarrassed discussion of all things cloacal and [...]
Work/Life Balance
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Old Friend at Work on January 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I was talking to Old Friend at Work about someone who she works with. She was saying how much she likes this person, while simultaneously finding their professional ability somewhat lacking, not to say (eventually) irritating: and it was with that she coined the phrase “My would-be friend and professional Nemesis”. Brava.
“Thank You, Singapore! Good Night!”
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Axe, Good Friend in PR, Halifax, Lynx, Noitulove, Singapore on January 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It’s a feature of some very good, and some very bad advertising to tell the story backwards. I won’t name the bad ones (they are too numerous – and even I am not that vindictive), but the good ones include “Noitulove” and “Getting Dressed”, for Guinness and Lynx/Axe respectively. On the same principle as “If [...]
Farewell, then – you bearded twat.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Advertising, Advertising Agency, Creative Directors, Old Friend at Work on January 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It was announced yesterday that the Creative Director of one of our agencies is leaving: pushed, rather than jumped, it seems. It’s about time: I worked with him a couple of times and have seldom been so struck by the division between reputation and reality. Here are a couple of reasons to celebrate the bearded [...]
Prince Harry – Twatmeister
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged George W Bush, Prince Harry, Racist, Royal Family on January 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve never much cared about the Royal Family one way or the other. Obviously they are a bunch of out of touch, preening, adulterous, bigoted, small-minded, talentless, cossetted imbeciles – but then so are lots of people. The argument that it is on my money that they lead this stupid life is one that I don’t [...]
The Jesus Toy
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Discipline, Family, Parenting, The Jesus Toy, Wife, Wii on January 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Not that long ago, Youngest Son kicked my father in the shins. My father, of course, dismissed it as absolutely fine and rather charming (but then, if any one of his five grandchildren opened automatic rifle fire on my father, he would probably describe it as “absolutely fine and rather charming”) – but Wife took [...]
“We Need A Meeting”
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Advertising, Advertising Planning, Campaign, Enthusiastic Account Guy, Meetings, Planner With Austrian Hair, Travesty of All on January 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Oh shitting hell! Is there any pronouncement more likely to be both simultaneously untrue AND dreadful as the daily pronouncement that is the scourge of my life: “We need a meeting”? It is a particular favourite of Travesty of All Things Gay (who is quite a one for confusing activity with productivity), but not limited [...]
