Wednesday, May 16, 2007

APPRENTICE: GAZALL

It was quite cringe-making this week watching both teams mess around with the dark art of harnassing and packaging urban 'cool'.

Well that's what I spent the first half of this week's show thinking. Then gradually during the second half it, after they'd had the Ad agency pros make their pronouncements, it occured to me that deciding whether someone has got a bit of branding right, depends a helluva lot on how confident we are in the person/people doing it.

With the apprentices, we know they're not Advertising Creatives, so we fully expect that what they'd churn out what would be - in Tre's parlance - BollocksShit. Whereas, in the hands of some hugely expensive agency, we assume what they churn out is doing the right job...even, and this is the important bit, even...if we don't get it.

It's something to do with that naieve trust we have in the expert.

So with that thought in mind, I thought they're JAM and STREET campaigns were actually not that bad, particularly given they only had 2 days in which to do it. I've got to ask myself what exactly have those hugely expensive agencies done for Reebok, Adidas, Nike? You know, other than hire in VERY expensive sports/pop icons (Beckham, Magic, Cent, Snoop etc etc) and film them with grainy film stock? Hmmm?

Anyway, back on topic. I think the right team won, and yes, I think Gazall was a weak team leader, and ripe to go.

Tonight though, for me, the star of the show, was Katie. (Yes Simon was an inspiration, and did indeed, to my utter surprise, sound very, very black) It does seem that everyone's out for Katie, calling her a snake in the grass et al....but sod it, she seems to be the only apprentice who can really give Sir Alan a run for his money in the boardroom. I'm going to stick my neck out now, and predict she will be a finalist.

That bee-atch Katie....the ho' got sole.

2 comments:

AndyC said...

very amusing show this week,I agree it was Gazall's time to go, just plain useless. let Katie take over and never tried to wrestle back control.

As to Katie, well I just don't like her! simple as that!

At the moment i actually tip Simon to be up there at the end. He seems to be able to take anything you throw at him and run with it. good allrounder and he shone this week.

"Reclaim the Street" Bro.....

Material Witness said...

Alex,

I've tried to PM you through your site and it hasn't worked for some reason. COuld you contact me through my site http://materialwitness.typepad.com
I started Last Light this morning and I'm utterly gripped and would like to do whatever I can to help promote it when it comes around if you have time to give me an interview etc

Fabulous stuff. It really is.

Look forward to hearing from you

Best

Ben Hunt