Irreverent Product Placement

What a story. British humour at its best?

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the world’s largest Frankfurt christmas market outside of Germany when I’ve been to it. And this year saw the centrepiece baby doll mischievously replaced with a garden gnome.

There happens to be a garden gnome stall at the festival, and whilst I’m sure they had nothing to do with this incident, I wonder if their sales have soared?

I fear the article linked to above was written by someone who strangely eschewed true objectivity, as the quotes gathered appear suspiciously unrepresentative of true English feeling on the matter.

Spookily though, there was a “second coming“.

Still, it reminded me of the value of a cheeky slide that can help set you apart when pitching.

Whilst I’m not advocating a kind of Madonna-esque iconoclasm (best to leave militant atheism to Dawkins, and not your precious product presentation), there will be a number of culturally renowned images that can be cleverly associated with your wares.

I blogged on this once before in the context of the famous Number 11 Budget pic.

I myself recently took a Matt cartoon (he of London’s Telegraph fame) and adapted one of his drawings by putting my own strapline underneath.

Both memorable and different, and also sticks in the mind of your audience.

Of course, as with any humour, there’s a big health warning. But if you aim not to be disrespectful, and only gently funny, then it can be a real winner.