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Photo: Santosuke
I’ve often said one of the big problems with brands is their inherent ego manifests itself into an obsessive one-way dialogue about how great they are.
Being proud of who you are is one thing … going on about it ad nauseam is another thing.
Funny how quite a lot of these guilty parties are American. More cultural influence in brand communication eh? Ha!
Anyway, while I know they think they’re saying really useful stuff … stuff people want to hear … quite often the reality is they’re just spouting what THEY want to say … things THEY think are important which is why in the minds of the masses, it’s about as relevant as trying to sell tanning lotion to Michael Jackson.
To best demonstrate this point – as well as allow me to use a cringe-worthy clip I got sent by my friend Christina – I would like to play you something that proves if you create communication that just talks about yourself, you’re basically advertising why someone SHOULDN’T embrace you rather than rush out and cough up their hard earned cash.
Bit of background …
A girl was out with friends having some drinks in Toronto.
A guy – Dimitri – approaches her and won’t leave her alone … saying how cute she is and how good they’d be together.
Frustrated, the girl gives him her business card in a desperate attempt to get rid of him.
What you are about to hear are 2 voicemails the guy left on her voicemail.
After you’ve heard them you’ll realise why she didn’t call him back and why there is a fine line between ego and confidence.
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sounds like billy after he read that maxim bollocks about what a woman really wants in a man.
i told him it was big dicks, platinum cards and vodka but the fucker didnt want to know, insisting he was onto something. he was. dying alone.
youve outdone yourself with this rob. the clip, the choice of photo, even the advertising reference is relevant.
it feels like an advertising lesson from the devil himself and i like it. i like it afuckinglot.
dont say this much but good work. now how the fuck did your mate get this and is my fucking answer machine safe from hacking?
Comment by andy@cynic July 21, 2009 @ 7:04 amRead my commnent further down. The voicemails are part of viral marketing for a Hollywood film about Dimitri The Lover. This guy is a manipulative bastard that disseminated them to build up his notoriety over the last year so that people would know his name when the movie was released. Now this document is REAL and is being passed by him to women that reject him:
Comment by Man About Town July 22, 2009 @ 8:16 amhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/christoum/3704411688
I’m too shocked at the clip to comment on the linkage you’ve made to the issues regarding to brand behavior. This is car crash confidence and I love it.
Comment by Pete July 21, 2009 @ 8:01 amRather strike out than end up paying allimony Andy. And it worked, I have my woman and I don’t even have to blow her up each night.
I hate Kayne West. And it is Kayne, not that Kanye wank he thinks makes him sound cool, like when he wears those simply kid sunglasses.
Nice post Rob, what are you going to come up with next, a tape of Hugh Jackson trying to get his wife to wear a fake tash and answer to the name of bum bandit Freddie?
Comment by Billy Whizz July 21, 2009 @ 8:36 amWhatcha know Billy, we have something in common – I hate that Kanye West bloke too.
Seriously, he has more ego than all of adland, Bono and Oprah put together which is quite an achievement.
As for the Hugh Jackman tape, I’m working on it – but as I got in trouble for saying something like that on a VB planning workshop that got videoed, lets just say I’m working on the ‘alleged’ tape, ha!
Comment by Rob July 21, 2009 @ 8:47 amMoral of the story ; guys, don’t ever use voicemail!
Comment by Bhaskar July 21, 2009 @ 9:37 amThat’s right Bhaskar – hide in the bushes then jump out when they leave the house.
Comment by Rob July 21, 2009 @ 9:46 amTop drawer, mate. Top drawer.
Comment by Leon July 21, 2009 @ 9:59 amHilarious.
Comment by Claudio July 21, 2009 @ 11:23 amNever heard anyone digging its own grave faster than this guy. But since in love nice and sensitive guys (alomost) always lose, this is the way to go baby!
I nearly fell off from my chair while listening to the clip!
Comment by Mark July 21, 2009 @ 11:31 amHi Claudio …
Just a quickie. How can that be the way to go if the guy still ends up at home with a can of baked beans and a sock in his left hand? 🙂
What happened to simply ‘talking’?
I know this makes me sound an uber-old fart but this attitude that it is a battle of wits in the dating game is probably leading to more miserable ol’ bastards than it ever has.
Maybe.
Seriously, that book ‘The Game’ makes me ill. It’s not about dating, it’s about manipulating – and whilst that might get you a night with someone out-of-your-league, it won’t lead to a long lasting relationship given it also influences your attitude towards women in a way that is hardly equal and/or healthy.
Maybe.
Of course I say all this, but I’d happily saw off my left arm if Megan or Angelina said they wanted to abuse me then treat me like a piece of shit for a few years – but like Bono being humble, it’s not going to happen is it. Bugger.
Comment by Rob July 21, 2009 @ 11:42 amRob. love the reference to “The Game”, which I agree is pure manipulation. The question is where the fine line is between aspiration and manipulation in advertising.
As you live in HK you know that most shopping malls here are experts at making you look in a mirror, as most of them are covered in mirrors. Then when you then compare yourself to the poster of the photo-touched male model with the fit bikini babe. You have to ask whether making a brand purchase is based on your own decision or joining a brand / tribe at the entry level.
Comment by JohnT July 22, 2009 @ 1:17 pmHi JohnT, great to have you pop by.
My opinion is that all advertising and marketing is manipulative, the issue, – at least for me – is trying to find a way that will benefit the wider society as well as my clients short/long term balancesheet.
Of course it doesn’t always work but it’s part of my socialistic capitalism approach to comms – which is why I will always try and steer away from ‘aspirational’ meaning material possesion and try and make it relate to fundamental emotional values such as honour and integrity.
Again, doesn’t always work but I try which is why I hopefully will be able to keep looking in the mirror in 10 years time. Ha.
[If you haven’t seen it, my PSFK rant talks about this and some of the work we’ve done/doing in this area – http://tinyurl.com/8ow3lg%5D
Comment by Rob July 22, 2009 @ 2:20 pmWhat a dick.
Comment by DH July 21, 2009 @ 2:50 pmis that girl still single or what…
Comment by niko July 21, 2009 @ 3:33 pmCould any brand behave in such a terrible way?
Even if they owned the category and distrubution channels surely they couldn’t make such a tool of themselves like Dmitri?
Oh I’m wrong. I can think of one. 🙂
Comment by Bazza July 21, 2009 @ 5:54 pmI don’t think you should slag off your bosses Baz, it’s a career limiting move, ha!
Comment by Rob July 21, 2009 @ 6:21 pmIt’s a special man who can bring up both cancer and mental illness while trying to romance a lady.
Comment by Dave Mortimer July 21, 2009 @ 6:38 pmreasons to be single, #4457. nice one rob.
Comment by lauren July 21, 2009 @ 8:07 pmnot handing a fuckload of your hard earned cash to some bastard who took great delight in ruining your once happy life is pretty much up on that list as well lauren. not talking about me. im as happy as a pig in shit. im talking about poor rod stewart. its fucking disgusting a pensioner has to hand over his fucking bus pass to one of his scheming moments in history.
Comment by andy@cynic July 21, 2009 @ 8:52 pmThe guy you’re looking for is “Dimitri the Lover”.
http://dimitrithelover.com/
Just… wow >.<
Comment by Warwick July 22, 2009 @ 7:40 amthe only fuckers looking for dimitri are the police. the sex offender department.
Comment by andy@cynic July 22, 2009 @ 8:01 amYou guys have all been had. The voicemails are part of viral marketing for a Hollywood film. My nephew lives in Toronto and he was interviewed on the street for the movie. Also, he passed this latest doucheness a la Dimitri on to me:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/christoum/3704411688
Comment by Man About Town July 22, 2009 @ 8:14 amyou think anyone comes here for factual stuff?
anyway it doesnt fucking matter because the sneaky bastard made sure the clip was used to demonstrate a point he was making about brands or advertising or some marketing other shit i cant be bothered to remember so bullshit or not, he gets away with it again. even scooby doo couldnt catch this bugger. sneaky shit. but hes my sneaky shit.
Comment by andy@cynic July 22, 2009 @ 8:20 amHey, I agree with you 100%, Andy. If you really want to be totally in awe of this man’s audacity, go to his web site at http://dimitrithelover.com then click on the “Banned Animations” section. Not only does he have an animation of him murdering “feminists”, and another of him being crucified by “Feminists”, but also one of him impregnating the Virgin Mary. He is truly “The Most Interesting Man in the World”.
Comment by Man About Town July 22, 2009 @ 8:29 ami didnt like the sound of him on the clip. now i fucking hate the sound of him.
“the most interesting man in the world”?
shows how fucking backward canada is (sorry jill) but you made a spelling mistake because it should read “the most pathetic man in the world”
Comment by andy@cynic July 22, 2009 @ 8:51 amMy nephew stood by and watched while hidden cameras captured “the most pathetic man in the world” seducing women on the street. I have always been a strong believer in the biggest assholes garnering the most tail. As for the sound of his voice, it grew on me after I viewed the clips of him in the documentary that are on the link with the flyer.
Comment by Man About Town July 22, 2009 @ 8:57 amI’m glad the clip is a spoof – the thought that sort of man could actually be walking on the streets for real made me feel sick.
Personally I think anyone that goes to his ‘show’ should be photographed with the images distributed around town so that people can point at them when they see them walking through the streets and shout “You’ll always be a virgin you sad misogynistic bastard.”
I’m hardly Mr New Age Man – but this sort of attitude makes me totally fucking sick.
Comment by Rob July 22, 2009 @ 8:58 amAnd nice save Andy regarding Jill’s heritage.
Though I did ask her if she has ever met anyone called Dmitri. 🙂
Comment by Rob July 22, 2009 @ 8:59 am