Just like buses

You wait for ages for a pink butterfly and then two come along at once. Typical.

Exhibit A: NSPCC 'Child's Voice Appeal' with pairs of ears flapping like butterflies.

Exhibit B: Surf girl chasing a butterfly under the covers and over the landscape.

It's particularly strange when they are shown one after the other.

Sign of the Times

I saw something advertised today that I've never seen before.

H&T Pawnbrokers.

The TV ad featured a chirpy, jolly animation and voiceover with the slogan: 'There's a new gold-rush'.

I'm not sure that someone selling their gold is in quite such a cheerful mood, but then advertising reflects real life without actually reflecting real life.

And that's my sobering thought for the day.

An Homage

Family Lunch Dance R..
Watch the ad...

The Aunt Bessie ad shows a choreographed family serving a roast lunch to big band music, and the caption 'Another all-time family favourite'. And so it is. Watch out for Dad carving the beef with decided echoes of Morecambe & Wise.

Here's the unbeatable original in all its glory.

Talking of signs

I saw one at a hotel entrance the other day that reads: 'Smoking is not allowed in this building. If you observe someone smoking, complaints may be made to the management.'

So what's wrong with that?

Well, what it actually says, is that if someone sees you watching someone smoking, they can make a complaint about you.

Warning. I'm going to talk about grammar now.

The problem is that it mixes passive and active tenses which changes the meaning.

It's better to use the active tense throughout (and be more specific and simplify the language at the same time) i.e. 'If you see someone smoking, please tell our staff at Reception.'

It doesn't tell me where to complain about dodgy sign-writing.

Reading the signs

In a book of short stories by Richard Bach, there is a chapter listing *all* the signs that can be read from one point inside an airport. It starts with a complaint from a staff member that people keep asking their way. "There is a sign, but they don't read the signs." That's because there are so many it's almost impossible to pick out the one/s that relate to you.

Trouble is, once you learn how to read, you do it so quickly you can't *stop* yourself doing it.

A series of signs has sprung up along my local main road. Each one has a main message (e.g. 'Turn Off Your Mobile', 'Wear Your Seat-belt' or 'The Speed Limit Is 30'), plus a web link and various logos underneath it.

There were already a number of signs in place along that route, including road signs/symbols, property 'For Sale' signs and banners about a boot fair in the church hall.

What worries me is that there are now so many signs to read that it distracts drivers from their driving.

I heard of an experiment somewhere, where all this street 'noise' was taken away... drivers drove more carefully.

Wish that would happen round my way.

Read the small print

The Nutella ad mentions it contains hazelnuts, skimmed milk and cocoa powder.

Mmm. Sounds nice. And healthy too!

The ad doesn't say anything about the sugar and fat content. Those are only listed on the label. Sugar is listed first, which means there is more of it than anything else.

Shame. I might have bought some if I hadn't noticed that...

Having a bad day?

It won't be as bad as the guy in the Timberland Earthkeepers ad.

He's blown off the cliff edge, chased by bees, trips over a rock, falls in the river, is attacked by eagles...all because he's wearing the wrong shoes.

And you thought the worst the wrong shoes could give you was blisters!

Talking of tattoos...

There's an ad where an old lady discusses the reliability of the oven she bought years ago. A good decision. Then shows off the tattoo on her wrinkled upper arm. Bad decision.

That's why I've never had one done.