Thursday 13 September 2007

Marmite Rape Paddington Bear.



Tonight the world will see Paddington Bear animated on our screens for the first time in 20 years.




However, instead of marmalade manufacturers making the obvious decision to bring back Michael Bonds Peruvian bear themselves, which would no doubt have helped bolster flagging marmalade sales with a younger audience (81% of marmalade consumption from a demographic of 45+) - they have instead allowed him to be pillaged by Marmite.


Not only is this a missed opportunity for promoters of marmalade, fans of the bear himself have been weak to allow this.


Karen Jankel, of Paddington and Company Ltd claims....


"There certainly were reservations until we realised the idea behind it - Paddington trying something different. The thought of Paddington changing to Marmite would be wrong because he's so wedded to marmalade and will continue to be so.
"But Paddington is always interested in trying new things and that's why he gets into the scrapes he does."


So it seems that Karen's defence is 'Paddington is always interested in trying new things that's why he gets into scrapes'. Are we seriously expected to believe that Paddington, after twenty years in the stop-frame animation wilderness suddenly fancied trying something new and went with selling his sole for a big fat cheque from Unilever?


I don't want to make too much of this until I have had time to see the advert for myself, take stock of the situation and come up with some sort of response strategy - but I assure you there will be response.


And if you are the overpaid, sun-dried tomato eating, loser who sat crossed legged on a bean bag in the creative department of whatever ad agency thought this crock of shit up, then be warned.........

The Marmalord is coming for you.