SHOCK HORROR PROBE: Rob is angry again!
What about now? I hear you groan?Well, lots of things – however for the sake of this post, I’ll just focus on these 2 ‘things’.
So imagine my amusement when I went shopping for a film at the weekend and came across this …
There are so many things wrong with this concept, I just don’t know where to start.
Oh yes I do …First of all, the BEHIND ENEMY LINES [I] was actually based on a real event – so unless the ‘sequel’ features the soldier from the original flick at his home … lounging on the couch … watching television … drinking whisky from the bottle and experiencing the odd ‘war’ flashback … it’s a load of made-up bollocks.
Then there’s the fact this movie has the words, “AXIS OF EVIL”
Hmmmmn, wonder which countries that could be referring to eh!
Given the Chinese Government BANNED Mission Impossible 3 because they didn’t like the way the movie projected elements of the city as old [ie: washing was shown hanging from balcony windows] I don’t think BEHIND ENEMY LINES II [Axis Of Evil] is going to go down particularly well with the film fans of in Iran, North Korea and Iraq.
Mind you, lets face it, the only people who will actually watch it are redneck Yanks who think they should drop the bomb on the whole lot of ’em and be done with it.
[Best Ever Quote? Evel Knievel who said, “I am against violence, but I think we should just nuke the whole of the Middle East as that’s the only way they’ll learn!” Yes Evel, very anti-violence!]
However, as annoying as that film made me, it’s nothing to this absolute abomination …
That is an ad for the iconic DR Marten’s shoes …
Can you believe it?
On one hand, you could be impressed they’re NOT showing any of their shoes in the ad, but then you quickly realise it’s one of the most mental things EVER.
Then there’s the line … 47 YEARS OF ORIGINALITY.
Can you actually be be ORIGINAL for 47 years?
Surely that means you have to be continually innovating your product to fulfil that claim … and if that is the case, can someone tell me 47 years worth of DM innovation?
This is a brand with a history, a soul, a genuineness … and they honour it with this page of crap.
Devastating … especially for a brand with that much potential.
I remember years ago we pitched for the business and if memory serves me, the idea was around “DM’s Put The Great in Great Britain”
We didn’t get the account because we were ‘off-strategy’ and ‘limiting the brands potential in International markets’. Well all I can say is that the person behind this rubbish is doing more harm to DM’s than if they featured an ad with a skinhead kicking the crap out of a 10 year old kid.
OK, so this ad was in a Singapore paper – a country where anything with any level of aggression [bar the Armed Forces ads] are boiled out – but come on, surely someone must have realised this was about as ‘off brand’ as you could get.It’s so bloody rare to have a brand that has undeniable soul and attitude … and to see it reduced to this makes me want to scream. And cry.
I think its time we re-approached them … don’t you?