We can fix our s#*t

2017 has been yet another rough year for everyone, everywhere across the globe. I guess then that the only individuals who are even vaguely happy are the astronauts on the International Space Station, but even they have to come back down to earth (figuratively and literally) at some point.

But I’d wager that the people of South Africa have had it worse than most, on average. On top of all of our usual daily problems of unemployment, poverty, crime and getting distracted by the outstanding scenery, we have descended deeper into so-called State Capture, and with it, many the associated depressing economic consequences, which in turn have exacerbated the unemployment, poverty and crime.

It can like to be a vicious circle of note.

Things may seem bad right now, and that’s precisely because things are bad right now. But South Africa has a history of bouncing back from these sort of seemingly impossible-to-bounce-back-from situations. Hence this sort of positivity from this brilliant Nando’s advert.

There’s a lot in there that South Africans will understand. But it will leave a lot of 6000 miles… readers overseas a little bewildered. So, why am I posting it, knowing that half the people who see it will already have seen it and it will mean nothing to the others?

Well, because I like it and I know that in n years time, someone – probably in a pub somewhere in Bloemfontein – will go:

Hey – remember that Nando’s advert? The one just before JZ got dumped as President? That was so funny.

…will google “Nando’s State Capture Advert” and will arrive here and enjoy the above once again. For old times sake.

If that’s you: Hi. We’ve been waiting. Amazing how prophetic the advert was, hey? We really did manage to fix out s#*t once again.

I know. I’m also amazed.

Irn-Bru ad

This is great. An Christmas Irn-Bru ad featuring Scotland, a soprano, a snowman and a selfish kid.

The deadpan third verse is hilarious.
More like this please.

P.S. Struggling to understand? Or want to try some karaoke?

We’re walking in the air. I’m sipping on an Irn Bru. My chilly snowman mate says he would like some too.
I tell him get your own. He looks like he is going to cry. I tell him once again the Irn-Bru is mine.
Now I’m falling through the air. I wonder where I’m going to land. He nicked my Irn-Bru and let go of my hand.

🙂

Xmas 2017 John Lewis ad out

This year, it’s all about Moz the Monster. Hashtag: #MozTheMonster

Summary: little boy meets monster, fails academically due to immediate infatuation leading to poor time management and self care, turns life around after a mysterious Xmas gift intervention changes his circumstances.
A demonstration of utterly terrible parenting throughout, and quite clearly an analogy for the scourge of illicit drug use in adolescence.

But all’s well that ends well, hey?

The music is Golden Slumbers (yes, a Beatles cover), is by Elbow and is the best bit about this otherwise disappointing two minutes which allegedly cost £7,000,000 and 7 months to make.

Previous John Lewis Xmas ads destroyed on 6000 miles… may include:

2016 Buster The Boxer
2015 Man On The Moon
2014 Monty The Penguin

Not Heartbeats

Remember back in 2003 when José González’s Heartbeats graced that Sony Bravia advert with the bouncing balls in (presumably) San Francisco?

Well, now I’ve heard another of his songs on another advert. The advert – it’s for Nedbank – is nowhere near as iconic as the Sony one, but José’s distinctive voice and style are every bit as engaging as in Heartbeats.

That, as you may have noticed, was Stay Alive. And this time, José finds himself softly singing over a piano, rather than a guitar.

Very nice.