Filed under: Comment
I’ve written a lot about celebrity endorsement in the past [here and here and here] however in a demonstration that no one reads my shit [and even if they did, they wouldn’t pay any attention to it] Canon have just launched a campaign that is so ridiculous in its choice of endorser, that you start to wonder if maybe you they’re geniuses and you’re a thick bastard.
Except they’re not, because they’ve chosen this person to represent their brand:
Avril Lavinge.
AVRIL FUCKING LAVIGNE?
Sure she once had an international hit with ‘Sk8er Boi’ and has somehow managed to sell 30 million albums [a blight on society if there ever was one] but like all Canadian-born ‘popstars’, she now eeks out a living being in the gossip pages for who she is shagging rather than what she is doing.
OK, so maybe that’s a bit unfair because according to her Wiki page, she’s a fucking actress philanthropist or something – but seriously, couldn’t Canon come up with someone better than this?
Let’s face it, Canon DSLR’s aren’t cheap.
Fuck, they sell lenses that are more expensive than my first house – so do they really think some pre-pubecesent kid is going to see this poster and go:
“Holy Fuck, Avril has some Canon necklace, I have to go out and buy it immediately and walk around showing how she is my idol!”
I fucking doubt it – and for people out there who actually can afford a Canon DSLR – I doubt they’re going to go:
“Holy Fuck, Avril Lavigne uses Canon cameras and she was once an internationally recognised z-grade star so that proves they’re the camera that takes famous photos”.
Let’s face it, they’re more likely to say:
“Who the fuck is bitch holding that camera like it’s a 2 ton phallic object?”
I can only imagine the reason Canon chose her is because her Mum is the senior brand manager or something though on the bright side, whoever’s Avril’s agent is a fucking negotiating/big bollock talking genius.
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after the total shit of yesterdays post, this is quite good campbell. well i think it is, it could just be that you brought things down so fucking low that a photo of your turd would look good in comparison.
bitter, sarcastic, shitty humour, its quite a high standard for you and that talentless bitch and canon deserve every fucking word of it.
im really not sure what offends me more, canon dropping a pile of dough on that cat screaming warbler or her flogging 30 mill of product. thirty fucking million, who the fuck are these people and why have they been allows to breathe?
kick canon campbell, they cant be allowed to get away with this heaving pile of fucking wank for a second longer.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 6:55 amTrust me, when you look again in a few days, you’ll see it’s just good by comparison, nothing else.
I’m trying to confirm that 30 million album thing, it scares me … however when the Glee cast have sold a similar amount in a fraction of the time, it just confirms that it’s not the record industry who are dead, it’s musical taste – and this is coming from someone who wants ‘The Final Countdown’ [or ‘Jump’] played at his funeral!
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 7:21 amdefinition of fucking irony. a queen fan talking about musical standards.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:33 amI’m by no means a Queen fan, but in this case I think he has the musical high ground (for once!).
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 5, 2011 @ 4:33 pmand if canon have some press release that claims shes a mad fan photographer i will go to whoever wrote that shit and smash their eyes with a hammer.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 6:57 amYes … you’re so right.
The amount of times I’ve seen press releases trying to explain that their choice of ‘star’ is because they have an otherwise unknown love/passion for their particular product category makes me sick.
Sure, sometimes that might be the case, but even if it’s true with Avril and her love of photography, the fact her ‘work’ photography has never been seen in public kind of makes you wonder [1] why Canon would use her and [2] why Canon would think she was a good idea to spend a fuckload of cash on.
Madness. Almost as mad as Billy’s love of her music and intellectual delusions.
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 7:24 amAndy, I have a hammer for you. It has the script for a spot remover ad on though. (see below)
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 5, 2011 @ 4:34 pmsk8er boy is a cultural fucking masterpiece.
Comment by Billy Whizz April 5, 2011 @ 7:06 amWhoa whoa… I hope that was meant in jest.
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 5, 2011 @ 4:34 pmin the same way youre an intellectual fucking colossus?
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:09 amThat’s right. Glad you noticed.
Comment by Billy Whizz April 5, 2011 @ 7:16 amyou delusional twat.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:31 amDelusional? Is that like being a magician?
Comment by Billy Whizz April 5, 2011 @ 7:52 amyou might be right billy boy because the thought of spending time with you always makes me want to fucking disappear.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:55 amI’d love to know Canon’s justification. Whatever it is, it will be wrong, but it would be interesting to hear.
This is another fine example of how celebratory endorsement has as many downsides as up and that if you go into it with the only criteria of using someone who has once had some mild popularity (though 30 million might undermine my slight on her character) then you are preparing your brand for ridicule or at the most extreme of cases, failure.
I am with Andy, this is a pleasing return to Campbell angst joy.
Comment by Pete April 5, 2011 @ 7:15 amYesterday’s post was really that bad was it? Hell, when even you side with Andy, I know I must have achieved record lows, ha!
It’s way too easy to get some celebratory and bang them on an ad. Unfortunately Asia goes mad for this – or at least Asian marketing directors – and yet with so many people doing it, it sort of has little ‘stand out effect’, especially when their criteria is as you described: a momentary blip of popularity.
It wouldn’t be so bad if they actually used them – as Turkish Airlines [I think] did with Kevin Costner – but no, most of the time it’s just a photo, as if they’re so overawed with having this “celebrity” in their photo studio, that the only thing they feel comfortable with doing is snapping some photos of them in their normal, everyday clothes with ‘brand X’ hanging around them.
Tragic … almost as tragic as me having to go to an all day meeting at this time in the morning.
Ta-ra.
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 7:30 amlook at the little planner boys trying to be all serious. its like watching 5 year olds at a soccer match. its cute in a fucking pathetic way.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:37 amAll-day meetings are like celebrity endorsements – all about the management structure, irrelevant to the customer and a waste of money.
Comment by voice of reason April 5, 2011 @ 7:43 amparasite.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:34 amMe or Rob or both?
Comment by Pete April 5, 2011 @ 7:54 amyoure a planner, take a wild fucking guess.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:56 amSenseless waste of money. What does Canon have to do with her, and why? I see zero connection. This is lazy, inexplicable marketing. For a brand like Canon, you could do something so much more creative and compelling for a fraction of what they spent. Shame.
Comment by Tim April 5, 2011 @ 7:35 amthe connection is canons marketing manager is a fuckwith with a large checkbook and avril lavigne is a fuckwit who likes money.
i blame canon a fuckload more than i blame the stick insect and that bothers me a fuckload more than anyone could ever fucking imagine.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:46 amthirty million fucking records. every one of those audio fuckwits should be shot in the fucking head and ill gladly pull the trigger. fuck me, campbells written a post that has made me angry at the subject matter rather than the subject matters writer. hell be telling funny jokes next.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:50 amRob? Funny? I think you’re running a fever there Andy.
Comment by Billy Whizz April 5, 2011 @ 7:52 amgood fucking point. 3 beers twice a day for the rest of my fucking life should sort it. thank you dr fucking billy.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 7:55 amI am just pleased that Cannon didn’t ruin another day in my life with their offensive line:
“Delighting you always”
Comment by fredrik sarnblad April 5, 2011 @ 9:31 amdelighting you always? do they have a camera that makes you dinner, gives you a blowie and pays your mortgage? if they dont, theyre a bunch of big talking, badly spoken twats.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 9:44 amFor some reason camera brands have an impressive history in choosing the most ridiculous brand ambassadors. Ashton Kutcher and Nikon is another car crash of collaboration.
Comment by George April 5, 2011 @ 9:38 amshould you really be writing on this shitty blog when mr rosenberg is leaving you to fight for yourself in googleland. havent you got new people to fucking schmooze or do you know something i dont?
player.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 9:42 amHave you been contaminated with the Gilles De La Andy-ette Syndrome? Poor f*ing thing…
Comment by truuskie April 5, 2011 @ 2:08 pmFor a change, I’d like to see you post some work you actually like.
Comment by Marcus April 5, 2011 @ 3:00 pmYour Kev Chesters mash up was rather good. And Mother’s IKEA cats. But your was better obviously.
BTW, I’ve just bought a book featuring rare early photos of Queen. Do you think this officially counts as a W+K sackable offense?
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 3:42 pmWas a serious comment, Rob.
Comment by Marcus April 5, 2011 @ 3:51 pmI second that.
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 5, 2011 @ 4:36 pmIf we’re talking traditional television ads … Chrysler superbowl, IKEA cats and VW Superbowl are the best ones I’ve seen recently for a whole host of different reasons which should be pretty easy to work out.
There’s been others that I’ve liked, but those 3 made a bigger impression on me than others which may have got me interested, but ultimately left my brain within minutes.
Of course if we’re talking genius ideas, there’s a whole host but they tend to (sadly) come from clients rather than ad companies.
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 5:20 pmI don’t think you understand what I’m trying to say.
Comment by Marcus April 5, 2011 @ 9:05 pmdont be too harsh on the thick fuck, hes from nottingham and doesnt know how to speak fucking english let alone answer simple fucking questions.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 10:56 pmWildlife. As Campbell sees it.
Comment by Chris April 5, 2011 @ 3:17 pmAs in animals or teenage mothers from Nottingham?
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 3:43 pmThat depends on your choice of Saturday night.
Comment by Chris April 5, 2011 @ 3:56 pmfor their defense, she is wearing a Victorian outfit but with black nail polish. hHer music video ‘What The Hell has Sony plastered everywhere: massive flat screens, Vaios.
Comment by Jacob April 5, 2011 @ 3:24 pmIf that’s her defense Jacob, she’s in an even worse situation than I thought she was.
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 3:42 pmNot only does it look like a poor bit of photoshopping, it’s a silly choice of brand endorser that doesn’t make any sense (unless 18-30 year olds there have a shit load of spare cash).
Also, her album sold shitloads because they found the right mix of bubblegum pop and pseudo-skater image to hit 14-18 year old girls over the head like an ad for spot remover written on a hammer.
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 5, 2011 @ 4:32 pmPeople who have a vague idea about DSLRs and aren’t just buying them because they have some £500-£1,000 lying around for no reason will probably be very affiliated to either team Canon or team Nikon, case in which their advertising will mean little to nothing.
Avril was huge when I was a teenager but that’s about it as you pointed out – she actually got married and that was the last I heard of her as I was growing up, I’m pretty certain no one else has, not as much as we saw of her at any rate.
“Great moments are Canon” …and that says what with Avril Lavigne on it? I’d understand some baby being born but Avril isn’t a great moment in herself.
AFAIK canon do cheaper entry-levels with more intuitive interfaces than Nikon, they do have the EOS 5D MK2 in their defence but they seem like the poster guys for people who want a DSLR to say they have a DSLR and let it gather dust because they’re using the 8MP camera on their phone more anyway.
Nikon on the other hand are at least trying to do something slightly more interesting with the ‘I Am…’ campaign. And they’re far more community-focused online although the photo sharing community might be a dying breed…
Comment by deea April 5, 2011 @ 4:38 pmand oh my goodness, getting my online identities wrong. fail.
Comment by andrea April 5, 2011 @ 4:39 pmThe only question that was asked was:
“Will it get coverage?”
Comment by Will April 5, 2011 @ 5:00 pmOr, “what’s the cheapest pseudo international celebrity we can get?”
Comment by Rob April 5, 2011 @ 5:21 pmOh no – that was later, when the likely candidates had said no. 🙂
Comment by Will April 5, 2011 @ 5:25 pmWPP just bought a stake in Vice mag. Seems they figure the buying power of hipsters might be steady enough to exploit and expand on..
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/business/media/05vice.html?_r=2
Avril just might be the early signal of things to come..
or not.
Comment by niko April 5, 2011 @ 5:44 pmwaiting for a line on why buy profanity when you can get it for FREE?
Comment by andrea April 5, 2011 @ 6:36 pmIn that image is she supposed to be taking a picture of us? Why would I want Avril Lavigne taking a picture of me?
Comment by northern April 5, 2011 @ 7:54 pmPerhaps it’s a postmodern comment on modern celebrity, the camera’s on us because anyone can be famous for doing nothing these days.
What that you say? Lazy celebrity endorsememt? Surely not?
is she taking a photo of you so she can take it to the fucking pigs and report you for looking like a lecherous bastard with youporn issues?
enough of this shit, its my birthday in 3 weeks so what the fuck are you tight bastards getting me? and dont say a fucking new roof. cocks.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 10:59 pmA hammer
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 6, 2011 @ 12:07 amto smash your head in? youre so fucking considerate.
Comment by andy@cynic April 6, 2011 @ 12:08 amMaybe not my head, but I’ll help you find the person responsible for this crap if you like…
Comment by Rob Mortimer April 6, 2011 @ 4:57 pmThey took Avril Lavigne, because Charlie Sheen declined.
Comment by michael April 5, 2011 @ 11:44 pmwhich is a fucking shame because their “you can with a canon” slogan or the asian bollocks freddie said they used, “delighting you always” would sound so much fucking better.
Comment by andy@cynic April 5, 2011 @ 11:55 pm