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Adland is generally quite obsessed with “being cool”.
I’ve discussed the reasons – and the folly – of this many a time, but every now and then something happens that means even they can’t live in their little delusional and illusional bubble and one of those times has just happened with Susan Boyle being number 1 on the American Billboard chart.
Susan Boyle.
The ugly duckling who turned into an ugly swan.
Number 1.
Ahead of artists such as Rhianna, Kid Rock, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Nelly … American mega-sellers.
Now, while this demonstrates America’s alarming lack of musical taste, it also shows how in the ‘real World’ … the World that so many in adland views with scorn and ridicule … real people don’t always want the latest and the greatest, don’t all aspire to designer homes and dinner parties … don’t care about being the most popular person in the room.
That doesn’t mean they’re stupid, irrelevant, out-of-touch, out-of date – hell, they’re possibly the most honest people you could meet because they don’t feel the need to spend ridiculous amounts of time, energy and money ensuring they only present the World with the bits they think makes them look cool – so next time you read your Wallpapers, PSFK’s, Wired & category-specific blogs … remember they don’t necessarily represent the opinions, thoughts or habits of the masses, they [for some people] represent your need to look and feel different from the masses, which is why if you really want an insight into the issues swimming around the masses heads – the things that most clients actually pay us for – you’re better off going to the places the masses go, not just the [sometimes] condescending elite.
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the ugly duckling that turned into an ugly swan comment made me laugh out fucking loud.
did you hear that campbell?
laugh. out. fucking. loud.
call the newspapers, have a drink, change your fucking cv, you did it. fuck me, only taken 20 years and me being so fucking tired my campbell defences are fucking low.
i know you wrote this to justify your jerry fucking springer manlove but theres method to the fucking madness and knowing the latest custom gps designed drinks bottle from desperateforattention breweries about 30 miles from amsterdam is all well and fucking good but unless you know what the fucking masses are thinking because of ms fucking sycophant winfrey, youre going to have a load of dinner party wank for your equally as blinkered media fuckwit buddies in soho but not much for the mums when you have to sell daz fucking automatic to the people you buy spacesuits to avoid touching.
doesnt mean susan boyle is my cup of fucking tea but it does fucking mean she is some bastards and it might be the woman who buys the daz or the sales manager who can fucking influence whether youll make good work or self indulgent wank that is loved by your media wanker buddies as an ironic statement on the link between fashion and environmental beauty.
wankers.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 6:51 amI’ve called my Mum and she says ‘Thank You’, you’ve made her proud and helped her feel the last 40 years weren’t a complete waste of time.
Top ranting by the way – and on topic too. I particularly love the “custom gps designed drinks bottle from desperateforattention breweries about 30 miles from amsterdam” and the “ironic statement on the link between fashion and environmental beauty”. It makes me miss working with you.
God I’m sick.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:19 amYou realize what you’ve just said?
Comment by Billy Whizz December 2, 2010 @ 8:34 amof course he fucking does billy. and he finally talks sense. hey mrc c, glad to help. its my christmas present to you.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 8:39 amYou can’t rip off good ideas for ads from Oprah. Unless you’re working on fat products.
Comment by Billy Whizz December 2, 2010 @ 6:54 amexcellent snide comment billy. the fucking bitchiness on this blog is back and about fucking time.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 7:04 amYour praise is all I live for.
Comment by Billy Whizz December 2, 2010 @ 7:11 ami know.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 7:17 amEvil, but excellent comment there Billy. We’re all on top form today.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:19 amall?
you fucking delusional big head.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 8:40 amDon’t understand what youre saying, but then I’ve not read the post. I’m trying to work out if Susan needs a better bra or a boob job from the photo at the top of this post.
Comment by DH December 2, 2010 @ 6:59 amshe looks like campbell if he had a short brian may fucking perm and wore a dress.
hey campbell, when w+k sack you, you can earn an income as a susan boyle lookalike. finally a job that will match your talents not tower over them.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 7:02 amI’d rather look like her than a fat Louis Walsh … mentioning no names but it could be directed at Andy B.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:22 amGood post Rob. It’s also no coincidence that the biggest star in the music industry today is Simon Cowell.
Comment by Rafik December 2, 2010 @ 7:00 ampeople did that rage against the machine thing and thought theyd won the war but mr fucking teeth is made of sterner stuff and has his unthinkertainment brainwashing weapon on his fucking side.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 7:10 amThat’s a good point.
The public saw the power they had and then decided taking action was too much hard work so let normal “mindless pap” service continue.
No wonder Governments feel they get away with whatever the hell they want. Seriously, if there was a War between Western nations – and nuclear weapons weren’t allowed – it would last a day and then everyone would slowly make their way home so they could catch the last episode of X Factor.
Explains why so much of adland is talking about doing shit rather than doing shit. [Or in the case of some agencies, they do shit, but sadly in the most literal sense of the words]
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:26 ami’m depressed enough already, for fuck’s sake.
Comment by lauren December 2, 2010 @ 9:30 amThere’s more than just the advertising industry that could learn from this view. In my industry I believe the best technology is created with people in mind, not technology in mind. I hope everyone on here is well and I thank you all for your kind words of support.
Comment by Bazza December 2, 2010 @ 8:02 amis that your brief for ipad 2? might make me accept a free one. you do know campbell has a fucking samsung piece of shit as well. and a toshiba. and hell get a fucking giant blackberry bollocks when they come out. hes got the loyalty of an italian so stop fucking looking after him and start looking after someone who stays true as long as the goodies come in his fucking direction. nice to see you back on here baz, ill let you buy dinner for me soon.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 8:10 amI don’t know if this is a sly dig at your employer or subtle smuginess praise. Eitherway, it’s wonderful to see you on here matey and I hope we can catch up soon. Be good to yourself.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:27 amLovely to see you back Bazza.
Comment by Marcus December 2, 2010 @ 1:47 pmyou prewrote this didnt you campbell. have you checked if spanner face is still number fucking 1?
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 8:41 amfuck she is.
http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200?tag=chscr1#/charts/billboard-200?tag=chscr1
thats about as much fucking proof you need to know that palin bitch is going to get into the white house. were all fucking doomed.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 8:42 amthe reviews are some of the fucking freakiest shit since 2 girls 1 cup
http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200?tag=chscr1#/album/susan-boyle/the-gift/1450323/review
is every fucker impressed i am actually linking to shit these days. im the new fucking steve jobs.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 8:45 amI know your obscenely better half did it for you.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:59 amIt’s short, to the point and has no spelling mistakes. Of course, he pre-wrote it.
Comment by John December 2, 2010 @ 8:48 amIs that a compliment John? Careful there …
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:54 amI know what you’re saying but Rhianna, Kid Rock, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi and Nelly don’t exactly hail from Williamsburg either. Mega sellers are always the choice of the masses. As are Apple when the masses can afford them.
Comment by John December 2, 2010 @ 8:47 amYou’re right about Rhianna etc, but I’d say that the difference between them and Susan Boyle is that their music is more designed to infiltrate popular culture whereas hers is – by the nature of her singing style and on face value – more niche an audience, hence her success is even more impressive.
Anyway, we’re still basically agreeing on the same point which is scaring me however I would say the ‘Apple’ brand is being bought more and more by people who – again on face value – can’t afford it, however the desire to ‘belong’ and feel successful is driving them to reach for the credit card.
I read a report somewhere that talked about Apple’s growth coming from a segment they had ignored for 20 years, but for the life of me I can’t remember where I saw it. Will ask Baz.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 8:59 amas much as i love the fact that she’s at #1 and thoroughly crave a culture in which ms boyle IS the leading lady, i’m also taking that figure with a huge grain of fuckin’ salt.
billboard charts are from sales of albums/cds with a recent influx of numbers from sales via walmart. ms boyle’s main distro is CD and i’m also guessing through walmart with extra ‘buy this shit for christmas’ POS razzledazzle.
$5 bet that the bulk of rhianna and friend’s audiences are downloading the bejeesus out of her songs. and more often than not, they’ll be buying hot single after hot single or video file. not whole albums on CD, which is what billboard bases itself on.
so, whilst i applaud your point about not losing sight of the middle (and distributing/leveraging your awards accordingly), i wouldn’t be claiming victory of the entire music industry, yet.
and besides kanye is #1. but he’s a fucking prince. (actually, i’d still be happy if the cultural monarchy was run by susan boyle and kanye west)
Comment by lauren December 2, 2010 @ 9:45 amI would rather listen to The Smiths than Kanye West.
That is how much I hate the fucker …
And all charts are open to certain elements of ‘manipulation’, but even though she is #1 on one particular chart – a chart that may be increasingly irrelevant – she’s still #1 and that’s worth celebrating given it will annoy so many of the uber-cool squad.
Comment by Rob December 2, 2010 @ 11:03 amahem
Comment by northern December 2, 2010 @ 4:58 pmI have a weakness for Girls Aloud
Comment by northern December 2, 2010 @ 7:08 pmmakes me want to drink alchoholic beverages
Comment by jimmy December 2, 2010 @ 11:12 amAnd of course I should have added that “the masses” are not homogenous in themselves and are also different in each incarnation of them.
Comment by John December 2, 2010 @ 6:51 pmYou know I have a bee in my bonnet about this, personally i think all agency people in the UK should be made to watch the X factor, Corrie and read the Sun at least once a week – not to mention Strictly – how come we get Widdecombe but the Americans get a Pussycat Doll and Pamela Anderson?
Comment by northern December 2, 2010 @ 7:45 pmwhy the fuck do you think i moved here. it wasnt to get closer to fucking susan boyle fans.
Comment by andy@cynic December 2, 2010 @ 9:41 pmIsn’t Pamela Anderson canadian?
Comment by northern groper December 2, 2010 @ 9:53 pmDont mention Canada.
Comment by John December 3, 2010 @ 2:57 amher body is but her tits arent and her tits are the bits that are the most interesting. and not fucking sagging.
Comment by andy@cynic December 3, 2010 @ 6:34 am