Go Compare? No – Go Away!

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:27 +0000

I was interested to read in a recent poll for Marketing magazine that Webuyanycar.com's musical ad campaign was named the most irritating in the UK. As a regular TV viewer I watch my fair share of adverts and often want to throw something at the screen when an annoying ad comes on. Some of those that make my blood boil, namely the Webuyanycar.com, Go Compare and singing Halifax adverts, not surprisingly all made it into the top 10 in Marketing’s poll. However is the fact that I remember these adverts, for all the wrong reasons, playing into the advertisers’ hands? Is their advertising strategy simply to be irritating so we remember their brand? The answer of course is yes, as Gio Compario (the Go Compare Man) and Compare the Market’s meerkat, Aleksandr Orlov, are now very well known. But, in my opinion, they are only well known because so many people hate them. They certainly don’t persuade me to buy from them and, to me, the increase in brand awareness is not worth the backlash that a lot of these brands ultimately face. Go Compare is now as much about a ridiculed opera singer as about car insurance. But it doesn’t need to be like that. A number of brands have managed to produce ads that you remember but are not annoying – John Lewis being the most recent example. Their ad for Christmas 2011 – a boy eager to give his parents presents to a cover version of The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" – was simple, heart warming, ingenious and reflected the ethos of the brand well. To me, this was much more appealing than an irritating opera singer or a run of the mill choir of bankers! It would also encourage me to shop there – although I do base my purchases on much more than just one advertisement. At the end of the day it is all down to personal taste (whether you have any or not!) but I think it is telling that Go Compare is having a review of its advertising account and the future of Gio Compario is up in the air. It seems that even Go Compare has tired of its mascot…

Tribute to Blockbusters legend

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:54 +0000

As a thirty-something who fondly remembers tea-time as a kid watching and thoroughly enjoying the ITV children’s quiz favourite, Blockbusters, I was sad to hear that its legendary host, Bob Holness had died at the age of 83. Blockbusters had a simple but winning formula, in which sixth-form contestants would answer a series of questions based on letters of the alphabet and no weekday was complete without the half hour show! The news of Bob’s death also brought back memories of what a truly great, lighthearted show it was – what with the hand jive and gold run, and who could forget the comedy classic - “Can I have a P please Bob?” Bob Holness became a massive hit with school and undergraduate viewers, who helped to swell the ITV show’s ratings to 11.5million at its peak. I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Holness and his wife, Mary, when I was a student studying journalism at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. Blockbusters came to our Student Union and after the main event, myself and a fellow journalism student went behind the scenes to interview Bob and what a genuinely smashing bloke he was! A very modest man, Bob was a delight to talk to and I remember him being really enthusiastic about the fact that we were studying journalism at university and he was very positive about the media industry as a whole. But the main aspect, which was totally obvious from speaking to Bob, was just how much he loved being the host of Blockbusters from 1983 to 1993 and he really did deserve to achieve his cult status at the helm of the show. A talented and much-loved presenter, Bob will be missed. But as many people continue to pay their tributes to the legend, at least we can rest in the knowledge that his memory will live on as Blockbusters can be seen on digital TV channel, Challenge, which airs a number of the old classics, including Play Your Cards Right and 3-2-1. I for one will be tuning in.

Ethos public relations Manchester

Go Compare? No – Go Away!

Tribute to Blockbusters legend