Phones 4 U – Wooden Hand
19 May 2007 by SilkyWe’ve got a long and great history of grotesque in the UK: from church gargoyles to Alice in Wonderland to Nadine Baggott.
Oh and freak shows! We love them even more than the grotesque. You know if it’s not midgets, then it’s the Elephant Man. If it’s not the Elephant Man then it’s Peter and Katie. We love freaks and we love it when they are in a show.
The League of Gentlemen tapped into this love perfectly. Creating a setting and a cast of characters that was horrific, disturbing and funny as. But what’s more the writers even managed to get you caring about some of the characters. I mean, who hasn’t got a little soft spot for Tubbs?
Advertisers have been trying to get on board with this for a few years now too. Most notably Phones 4 U. Their adverts are set in a seaside town where all the people are a little odd, except for a thoroughly too pleased with himself mobile phone salesman.
And, OK, they’re not the worst advert on TV but I have to close my eyes, stick my fingers in my ears and shout the German national anthem at the top of my lungs whenever they come on nonetheless.
My main issue with the ad is that the freaks and grotesques are absolutely rubbish. A man who has greasy hair and says “Yeah! Yeah!”? A chubby woman with slightly crossed eyes? A woman with a wooden hand and wait for it a beard? Yawn.
I suspect the reason for the half-hearted weirdos is down to Phones 4 U not wanting to frighten all of their customers away. Maybe these adverts already make you think “Yes, they may have the right deal 4 me, but it will make me an unimaginative freak if I shop there.”?
But I can’t help but feel that the adverts would be so much better if they were just a little darker.
Oh yeah, and if they didn’t have that smug phone bloke in them.
Judge for yourself:
5Responses:
CathK
Said on the 27 October 2007
I am very open minded – but these phones 4 u ads are awful – since when did we have to stoop so low as to get a reet cocky tosser taking the piss out of the village idiots to sell mobiles??? I thought we were all supposed to be making a stand against bullying? Don’t really understand why the fuck they thought this was a good idea. Don’t get me wrong – I think things have gone far too PC these days – but to take the piss out of ‘not rights/village idiots/odd people/people who are a bit slow/psychiatric cases/people with a chip short of a butty or whatever you wanna call ‘em for profit? I just think it’s a bit low.
Andrea
Said on the 5 January 2008
so shit.
kelly
Said on the 1 February 2008
this review you have posted is a tad on the ot funny category, where sarcasm goes wrong.
the simplicity of the advert goes out of mind just seeing freakish people do freakish things. good analysis “andrea. so shit”. this should deffinatley not be on the worst advert list.
Silky
Said on the 2 February 2008
That was the point that I was trying to get across though Kelly, I don’t think that the people are particularly freakish nor the things that they’re doing.
A woman with a beard? Brilliant.
Billy
Said on the 18 September 2008
You guys just dont get it!!!
These adverts are hilarious!!!