The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

You are so spot on here.
Having just traveled through Europe as a (not so wealthy) 25 year old backpacker, I can attest to this kind of attitude shown by the “whawhaa” brands (as me and my friends labeled them.)

Case in point, Louis Vuitton: Shuffling through their 5 story high flagship store on the Champs D’Elisse, i remember thinking exactly the same thing as you have described in your post. The cheapest thing I found in that store was a handkerchief. It was around about $100.
I was disgusted! But also in admiration. Here was a place, so arrogant about how cool they were that they’d charge you 200 euro for cufflinks. If you couldn’t afford it, then bad luck! “Feel free to walk around the store some more and wish you were someone wealthy though!”

Needless to say the shop was packed, and people – sorry I mean newly married men on their honeymoons – were paying the thousands of dollars for a little clutch bag to please the excited wife.
LV was the pinnacle of snobby attitude and alienation, it felt more like a tourist place to come and “see” the prices rather than shop.

To tie into your other post about over-paid movie stars. With our obsession with needing to be higher class and obtain treasures reserved for the rich and richest, it’s no wonder fake/pirate designer gear sells so well too!

I did however drop almost $500 on a pair of sunnies in Salvatore Ferragamo in Rome. Boy was I popular with all the sales assistants once they realised that scruffy guy in the shorts and thongs was actually going to buy something!

I love it when pre-conceived ideas are fucked up.

One of the best was an old client of mine who went to buy a Porsche but was basically turned away because they thought he was ‘having them on’ given he was a scruffy bastard.

So what did he do?

He went and bought a Ferrari and left it parked in the Porsche dealership carpark [that turned him away] and posted the keys through the office door.

After a few hours, the dealers called the Police to tell them a car had been left there and maybe it was stolen. PC Plod track down my client via his registration and ask what’s going on. He gives them an excuse and promises to go and pick the car up that afternoon.

So later that day, he pops to the dealership and yet again the salesmen look at him like he’s scum.

Just as they are about to tell him to bugger off he announces he’s come to pick up the keys to his Ferrari. With the salesmen opened mouthed, he turned around and shouts, “Don’t Judge Wealth By Your Fake Standards You Fucking Losers” and walked out feeling like he’d just conquered the World.

He will forever be my hero!

Yes he is … and he’s another Champagne Socialist. I’m telling you – it’s the future trend to capitalise on!

Odd. It didnt show up on the left that I posted the above comment. Which is a pain as its directed to you…

One mention in Campaign is more than generous enough :). And to be included alongside blogs like Richard and Faris is an honour!

Why thank you!
I am very wary of believing my own hype so to speak. After all (as Faris is discussing now) its too easy to stop thinking like an average person in how you look at ads/brands.

Very true. I like to think that I can see both viewpoints; as like you say, going to a pub doesnt make you Joe Average.

Though I always believe that its easier to understand someone if you can see their viewpoint. Id hate to only be able to see one side of anything. Abstract cubism gets the objects and the positions, but the perspective is all wrong…