Saturday, July 21, 2007

As good as *what* gets, exactly?


Originally uploaded by joellaflickr.

What's wrong with *you*? said M as I stomped around while we were waiting for a bus the other weekend. Look at that fucking advert, I said. I resent having to stand near it. In fact I might boycott this bus stop till it's bloody well gone.

He looked at it for a while. Is it because you don't like sport? he said.

No it is not, I said. Well, maybe only obliquely. Look who has been playing sport. Look who's been keeping the cider cold while looking pretty in a tea dress. Look who's talking. Look who's not. Who's going to be washing those cricket whites, do you suppose?

Oh, he said. I should have spotted that, shouldn't I?

I'm going to send you back, I said, and order a Stepford boyfriend who will do a better job of picking up gender oppression messages in popular culture.

joella

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gaymers? What the hell is Gaymers when it's at home, is it some kind or wierd hybrid between Guinness, Bulmers Cider and, oh, what's that Irish cider that's all the rage nowadays (and has similar advertising featuring unfeasibly wholesome thirtysomethings beaming at each other with their casting-couch-white teeth against vaguely Celtic backdrops? Whoever they are if it's any consolation I can tell you that their slick marketing has made no inroads whatsoever into this particular corner of Manchester M19 although I imagine it's only a matter of time...

Spine said...

I'm curious as to whether Gaymer's, or their PR company, would notice you boycotting the bus stop where they advertise. Perhaps direct action would be more suitable in these circumstances. Marker pen?

Ben said...

Maybe the bloke second from left does the laundry, and the girls are so rightly proud of a man who can get such dazzling white that they're happy to let him witter about cricket. It's his treat. In fact, they're all laughing at the bloke on the right who plainly can't get better than off-white on his jumper.

Jo said...

J - Actually I had assumed it was the Irish one (Magners?) till you pointed that out... I think they used to be Gaymers Old(e?) English but now they're trying to be cool. And failing.

Spine - true. It's an empty gesture. My life is full of them.

Ben - interesting metrosexual interpretation, but way too charitable I fear.