Message: Watch spendingTHE ADVERT: Inner Tosser from the Conservative Party
Message: Watch spendingTHE ADVERT: Inner Tosser, from the Conservative Party
THE BRIEF: Raise the issue of personal debt , without looking like it's come from the Conservative Party
THE BRIEF: Raise the issue of personal debt , without looking like it's come from the Conservative Party
THE SCHTICK: Normal bloke is assailed by his "inner tosser", a wide boy in a turquoise suit, who persuades him to spend spend spend on his credit card - clothes, jewellery, flat screen TV, car etc.
THE SCHTICK: Normal bloke is assailed by his "inner tosser", a wide boy in a turquoise suit, who persuades him to spend spend spend on his credit card - clothes, jewellery, flat screen TV, car etc.
THE BREAKDOWN: This advert has had a pretty bad press. One columnist wrote that it had "all the charm of a 'grooming' programme for naive young voters who unintentionally find it on the internet thinking it's a basket of animated puppies, and the next thing they know they're being lectured on social responsibility". Other commentators have questioned the use of the word "tosser". Last week in the Commons, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott attempted to turn the term back on to the Tory benches. Others have pointed out that at least this has established the word counts as Parliamentary language.
THE BREAKDOWN: This advert has had a pretty bad press. One columnist wrote that it had "all the charm of a 'grooming' programme for naive young voters who unintentionally find it on the internet thinking it's a basket of animated puppies, and the next thing they know they're being lectured on social responsibility". Other commentators have questioned the use of the word "tosser". Last week in the Commons, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott attempted to turn the term back on to the Tory benches. Others have pointed out that at least this has established the word counts as Parliamentary language.
Moment of exhilarationThere might also be a certain weariness that the film has been devised as a "viral", which has conveniently given it a currency for the news media. Once upon a time, having a website was enough of a novelty to mean that lots of otherwise inconsequential ventures would suddenly be a bit edgy, simply by virtue of the organiser being able to say "and we've got a website!" This has been followed in turn by having a blog, and then a MySpace page, a film on YouTube, and very shortly a presence in Second Life.
Moment of exhilarationThere might also be a certain weariness that the film is available to see only on the web - that it is a "viral" to be sent around by e-mail. This has conveniently given it a currency for the news media. Once upon a time, having a website was enough of a novelty to mean that lots of otherwise inconsequential ventures would suddenly be a bit edgy, simply by virtue of the organiser being able to say "and we've got a website!" This has been followed in turn by having a blog, and then a MySpace page, a film on YouTube, and very shortly a presence in Second Life.
But if you put to one side the link with a sponsoring political party, the attempted shock value of the word tosser, and the studied virality, then this really isn't a bad advert. (You can watch it via the Related Internet links on the right of this page.)
But if you put to one side the link with a sponsoring political party, the attempted shock value of the word tosser, and the studied virality, then this really isn't a bad advert. (You can watch it via the Related Internet links on the right of this page.)
Public information
Public information
At the heart of the puzzle is how, in a cynical post-modern media environment, can any advert warn of the dangers of debt without appearing square, preachy, out of touch and fogeyish. The answer demonstrated here is simple - don't bother. Instead embrace the Inner Fogey. Worried your film might look like Mr Grayson and Mr Cholmondley-Warner? Don't worry! Just hire Mr Grayson's dad (Edward Enfield) to play the part of an over-the-top public information film announcer. Job done.
At the heart of the puzzle is how, in a cynical post-modern media environment, can any advert warn of the dangers of debt without appearing square, preachy, out of touch and fogeyish. The answer demonstrated here is simple - don't bother. Instead embrace the Inner Fogey. Worried your film might look like Mr Grayson and Mr Cholmondley-Warner? Don't worry! Just hire Mr Grayson's dad (Edward Enfield) to play the part of an over-the-top public information film announcer. Job done.
Watch this faceIt's proof, perhaps, that the ironic authoritarian voiceover lives on after the death of Patrick Allen, the man behind the sound of Protect and Survive, Two Tribes, Vic Reeves' Big Night Out and the trailers for E4. Allen died in July, aged 79. Enfield Senior, having given his voice to Yakult and Nike, looks set to be able to enjoy the position for as long as he wants it.
Watch this faceIt's proof, perhaps, that the ironic authoritarian voiceover lives on after the death of Patrick Allen, the man behind the sound of Protect and Survive, Two Tribes, Vic Reeves' Big Night Out and the trailers for E4. Allen died in July, aged 79. Enfield Senior, having given his voice to Yakult and Nike, looks set to be able to enjoy the position for as long as he wants it.
The conceit of this ad is very similar to that used in the "Frank" anti-cannabis campaign, in which a young bloke wanders into the Brain Warehouse as if it were a mobile phone shop, and is assailed with a variety of different models, including the Spewstopper, the Moodswing, and the Freakout-Free X50. (You can watch that advert also via Related Internet links.)
The conceit of this ad is very similar to that used in the "Frank" anti-cannabis campaign, in which a young bloke wanders into the Brain Warehouse as if it were a mobile phone shop, and is assailed with a variety of different models, including the Spewstopper, the Moodswing, and the Freakout-Free X50. (You can watch that advert also via Related Internet links.)
Screening processBoth are effective, though the details of the Brain Warehouse are beautifully dropped in - the slightly startled customer who is looking at the paranoia range of brains, for example - and the perfect casting of Jeremy Killick as unsettling shop manager Steve Nightingale.
Screening processBoth are effective, though the details of the Brain Warehouse are beautifully dropped in - the slightly startled customer who is looking at the paranoia range of brains, for example - and the perfect casting of Jeremy Killick as unsettling shop manager Steve Nightingale.
One fine moment in Inner Tosser is the moment at which the central character - who in just a few frames takes on the unmistakeable style of conspicuous consumption - decides to give in to the temptation of a 40-inch flat screen TV. "I'm going to buy one!" he almost dares himself. "I'm going to get one!" The growing look of excitement in his eyes feels familiar - and makes real what one reads about the moment of exhilaration felt by compulsive shoppers.
One fine moment in Inner Tosser is the moment at which the central character - who in just a few frames takes on the unmistakeable style of conspicuous consumption - decides to give in to the temptation of a 40-inch flat screen TV. "I'm going to buy one!" he almost dares himself. "I'm going to get one!" The growing look of excitement in his eyes feels familiar - and makes real what one reads about the moment of exhilaration felt by compulsive shoppers.
Both adverts come from very trendy agencies (Mother in the case of the Brain Warehouse, and the Conservative party's new agency Karmarama for the Inner Tosser). Both have slick and informative websites attached. And both have succeeded in generating opposing, in some cases satirical, versions on YouTube.
Both adverts come from very trendy agencies (Mother in the case of the Brain Warehouse, and the Conservative party's new agency Karmarama for the Inner Tosser). Both have slick and informative websites attached. And both have succeeded in generating opposing, in some cases satirical, versions on YouTube.
Similar casts: Frank on left, Tosser on rightThe Conservatives' reasoning for this advert is that it is the first of a series which will hope to make young people think about their social responsibilities. But part of the criticism it has received is that it is odd to hear a message of the dangers of debt from a party which has been revealed to owe more than £35m.
Similar casts: Frank on left, Tosser on rightThe Conservatives' reasoning for this advert is that it is the first of a series which will hope to make young people think about their social responsibilities. But part of the criticism it has received is that it is odd to hear a message of the dangers of debt from a party which has been revealed to owe more than £35m.
That is small beer, compared to the £1.2 trillion UK consumers are in debt. To complicate the issue more, there are no doubt many High Street retailers selling flash clothes, jewellery, TVs and cars who have their own thoughts about the social responsibility of credit card spending.
That is small beer, compared to the £1.2 trillion UK consumers are in debt. To complicate the issue more, there are no doubt many High Street retailers selling flash clothes, jewellery, TVs and cars who have their own thoughts about the social responsibility of credit card spending.
Should the advert have made clear it was coming from a political party, as implied by the commentator quoted above? The risk of doing so (for the success of the venture) is clear - would it really be more effective with a politician pointing at a chart? The risk of not doing so is raising some eyebrows in the press, and that's a risk Mr Cameron is obviously prepared to take.
Should the advert have made clear it was coming from a political party, as implied by the commentator quoted above? The risk of doing so (for the success of the venture) is clear - would it really be more effective with a politician pointing at a chart? The risk of not doing so is raising some eyebrows in the press, and that's a risk Mr Cameron is obviously prepared to take.
Ad Breakdown is compiled by Giles Wilson
Ad Breakdown is compiled by Giles Wilson
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