These are strange times, I know, and presumably the creative people who come up with ideas for adverts are a bit stuck for inspiration. (Not that they were brilliant at it before.) That might be why they’ve all come up with the same four words to use in their adverts.
Now, more than ever, companies are telling us that now, more than ever, is the time to buy their stuff, whatever it is. Once you notice it you can’t ignore it any more. It’s everywhere.
Here are just some of the now-more-than-everers:
- Tesco, who tell us that now, more than ever, every little helps.
- Nespresso, because now, more than ever, their coffee machine pods are technically recyclable (but not in your council recycling).
- Barclays, where now, more than ever, their “digital eagles” will show you how to use the Internet.
- Every single charity with a fundraising campaign right now.
- Country Walking Magazine, who are running very strange adverts to tell us that now, more than ever, is the time to buy a magazine about something that has literally been illegal for the last two months.
There is no solution to this ongoing crisis. The only coping mechanism I’ve found so far is to repeat the words “now, more than ever” back at the TV whenever one of these adverts comes on.
That doesn’t help, obviously. It’s just something to do. But maybe that’s enough – because now, more than ever, we need a way to cope with this unimaginative catchphrase.
14 comments on “Now, more than ever”
This reminds me of the time Ian Brown of the Stone Roses was on the front of NME shouting, “Kids should be angry, especially now!” whereby the NME, in their infinite wisdom had included the tag line ‘Ian Brown and why we need him more than ever’.
I didn’t read the article; his picture and that hype bullshit on the front was enough to make me throw up in my mouth.
That was then and he’s only become more irate over time. Now, more than ever, Ian Brown is very angry. He’s probably writing a song about it as we speak that will reference dolphins and monkeys. (All his songs mention dolphins and monkeys.)
I suppose how I cope with the problem you’ve highlighted in the post is that by not having a TV licence I don’t have to be subjected to most of this nonsense. I keep the TV off and therefore keep my “now, more than ever…” to a smaller quantity than most people.
That’s a brilliant strategy. I like that a lot. You should also avoid the radio, newspapers, magazines and the internet. Just to be on the safe side.
(Since writing this, two more have jumped on the bandwagon… L’Oreal, because now, more than ever, you’re worth it; and Lidl, who are big on quality and Lidl on price now, more than ever.
Gah.
We’re not afraid to jump across the ole’ wagon of bands every now and then. Do you think we should adopt the same approach? Now, more than ever, you need to read this blog (or possibly not given the attitude pre-lockdown).
I don’t need to read this, because now, more than ever, I wrote it. But I do agree that this is a good time to jump on bandwagons. I think we should start manufacturing mattresses, that seems to be a pretty lucrative bandwagon these days.
I still have some leftovers from the Easter Bonny Baskets. We could sew them together and market them as meaty mattresses. People would LOVE that.
A mattress made of out-of-date sweaty meatballs? Nobody wants that. And if you disagree I invite you to make one and then sleep on it for three months as part of our 100 day no-risk trial. If you find it as awful as it sounds, you can get rid of it free of charge, and if you actually like it, you’re deranged.
The right side of my brain is well up for that and is breaking out the knitting needles to start. The left side is wondering how it ever ended up in this sack of nonsense and is planning a holiday as soon as the lockdown is lifted.
I look forward to seeing pictures of you, sad and glistening with meaty juices, after spending a night asleep on a mattress made of sweaty meatballs. It will be a life changing experience for you, and not in a good way.
I bet it will smell like a king’s salt mine (?)
Yep.
Now, more than ever, is the time to invest in sweaty meat mattresses.