So I’m back after a very weird – but awesome – week.
I say weird because in just 36 hours, I got a teensy bit seduced by someone I never thought could make me feel that way annnnnnd somehow managed to insult a guy who is known for being one of the nicest men alive, as well a Hollywood legend – which whatever way you look at it, is not the average sort of week for anyone.
Anyway, all that will come later because [1] it’s late and I’m jetlagged and [2] I am suffering from a dinnerfest with the one man food viking, Mr Freddie Sarnblad … which should tell you I am currently in Singapore where the moment I landed, I headed immediately to my Mecca – the Funan Technology Mall – so I could check out [read: buy] a bunch of new gadget madness to annoy the wife.
Which leads me to the point of this post …
As I was walking around, arms piled high with the sort of stuff ‘The Generation Game’ wouldn’t even offer as prizes, I saw this:
No, your eyes don’t deceive you – a Christmas ad.
In April!
No, it wasn’t an April Fool, it was a fucking “Santa Is Coming” print ad on the 4th April.
OK, to be fair, it’s for an Australian retailer and we all know how mental they are – but come on, even TBWA wouldn’t have the gall to claim this is disruption.
The thing that makes it even funnier is that Singapore isn’t a country that needs much persuading to shop.
After eating, shopping is pretty much the national pastime so why the hell Harvey Norman felt the need to run a Christmas ad in April is beyond me.
OK, so those Aussies have this thing called ‘Christmas In July’ – but this isn’t July, it’s April – and not much into that month either.
Sure, you can say I noticed the ad … sure, you can claim I remember the retailers name … but I also know Miley Cyrus but that doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and ever buy something she produces.
What next? Easter in September …
I know the retail industry is one of the toughest out there, but this tactic is the equivalent of a crack addict stripping in the street. Sure you might have a closer look but at the end of the day, you won’t ever want to bring it home to meet the family.
[You can tell I haven’t written a post for a while can’t you!]