.oO Tailwind

United Colors of Smarties

Originally uploaded by fiorinolatino

I’ve just seen the most bizarre television ad for Smarties.

(As in the confectionary made by Nestle)

The message is basically that “Blue is back” citing the return of the blue coloured Smartie after 3 whole years!

Has it been that long?

Not strange so far I guess, but it’s the plot and underlying message of the ad that I found odd. Warning, this gets weird from the off.

So cut to a scene of people dressed in brightly coloured lycra enjoying an idyllic country life.

Then a guy dressed in blue runs across the brow of the hill and shout ‘Woo Hoo, I’m back!’ at which all the pink, red, yellow, orange, brown, violet and green ones run away and hide inside a giant smartie pack.

Cue Mr. Yellow Smartie who gets thrown outside of said giant Smartie pack to deal with incoming Mr. Blue Smartie and get rid of the unwanted guest.

Mr. Yellow Smartie is clearly struggling within himself, coming to terms with himself as to how he should get rid of Blue (acting without saying anything is so incredibly hard, so credit to Yellow here).

Cue Blue showing a piece of paper that qualifies him as being 100% free of artificial flavourings and colours.

Woooooooo Hooooooo!

Hang on…

What?

Why is this a good campaign?

I know that there was a rumor that blue Smarties unlocked your inner ADHD within, but this is an odd way to run.

“Hey everyone, that blue Smartie we introduced three years ago that sent your young ones a little nuts is back. But this time without the mad stuff inside. Yeah!”

The press pack that’s available cites 2007 being “graced with comebacks. Take That, Spice Gils, Prince, Boy Zone and even Led Zepplin. Leading the trend for 2008 is the BLUE SMARTIE!”

It goes further to explain:

“Nearly two decades after Blue was first launched, a genuine fan base still exists with over 20 Facebook groups and nearly 2,000 members asking what happened to Blue and demanding its return.”

What was strange about the press statement was the solution as to how you provide the variety of blue in a natural way:

“So after years of scouring the globe for a solution, Nestle has found a way to create the much-loved variety with no artificial colours and flavours. This has been done by using a blue concentrate from an edible algae called Spirulina.”

Spirulina?

Errrrr. No thanks. Sounds mingin’

I’ve never ever been to a confectionary website. Not least the Smarties one.

i have now, so I guess it works.

New Piccadilly Cafe London

Originally uploaded by Gee Bee

RIP New Piccadilly Cafe, which closed in September 2007.

I was hoping to have a meeting there a few weeks ago when I soon realised that plan was a flawed one.

An awesome venue for cheap eats in an authentic 50s style surroundings. Proper caff fare was to be had for a small amount of hard-earned.

The interior was amazing, Formica lovliness and 50s streamlined styling on everything from signage to lampshades. A veritable banquet and postcard from yesteryear slap bang in the middle of horrid, touristy old ‘Lie-Cester Sqware’.

I was first introduced to this gem of a venue, just off Piccadilly in London, by my mate Fosta’s then girlfriend. It’s been closed, no doubt , to make way for some crappy chain venue where they make enough money to pay the rent.

From Classic Cafes: “Described by the Financial Times as an “orgasm of searing yellow Formica”, this is truly a cathedral amongst caffs run by the irrepressible Lorenzo (a true son of Soho) and his crack team of uniformed waiters. This is the last of the big hitters left in Soho and one of the largest original cafes left in Britain: pink Formica coffee machine, big plastic horseshoe shaped menu, wall-to-wall laminate surfaces and lots of brilliant booth seating. Even the New Piccadilly menu is a stone design classic. A place of reverence.”

I loved the way that the guys used to wear white uniforms with epaulettes on their shoulders and served a can of coke with a glass. So classy.

I love authentic Cafes. I’m going through a bit of a ‘Fry-up’ revival which contradicts my half-marathon training.

Oh well, everything in moderation…

Here are some images of the well wishing message written on the hoardings:

The internet is a funny place ta’int it? he says with a tear in the eye.

Of all the life-changing, ground-breaking innovation taking place, the stuff that puts a smile on your face is always… well, silly.

This is old, but being a Snowbadger of internet monicker, I wanted to dust it off and give it a little revival.

Enjoy

There’s also a remixed ‘Football version’:

…and a Harry Potter version: