This isn't a Ram's World any more

[djm4_lj]

As heard on the radio this morning: Young's Bitter has been criticised by the ASA for range of adverts portraying a figure with a ram's head in various situations and with the strapline 'This is a Ram's World'. The ram figure is pictured playing golf, at a gentleman's club, and by a swimming pool surrounded by several scantily-clad women. The adverts have been criticised for 'linking Young's Bitter with success at a social occasion or seduction'. Young's defence is that 'the idea of a ram being in the social situations shown in the posters was so preposterous that people would understand it was not real'.

Interestingly (to me), lizw and I have rather different reactions to the adverts, and I thought I'd create a poll to see what other people thought. If you haven't seen the adverts, they're available here (needs Flash - follow the 'Advertising' link on 'explore my world').

[Poll #649924]

Comments

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

I reckon it's precisely intended to do the aspirational alpha figure thing, but designed carefully to have enough not-real-ness about it to make it defensible against protests from the likes of me and ciphergoth, on the grounds that it's just a laugh (="My Lord, I mean, it is a ludicrous parody not intended to be taken seriously.")

And it's got us all talking about it. They are very good at their job.