‘LET’S DO THIS’ shout the advertising slogans. But do what exactly?
As I understand it, simple soul that I am, advertising is supposed to be immediate. The idea is for people to know pretty quickly what it is that they’re being sold: a car that will make them feel powerful; a shampoo that will turn heads in the street; a sauce that will induce their family to love them extravagantly. So when I first clapped eyes on one of the newspaper ads promoting the government’s new obesity strategy I was confused. What, exactly, was it selling me? Its various slogans, which come with a strong whiff of the weaselly language of self-help, spoke of “better health” and the “little changes” that can boost weight loss. But the image told a different story, one that seemed to me mostly to have something to do with reminding people it might soon be lunchtime.
The ad in question stars a bearded, overweight man with grey hair and a purple T-shirt. “THIS IS MY NEW THING,” it says next to his right ear, a phrase that might seem a bit kinky in another context. Interest piqued – well, vaguely – you then set to wondering what it is that he finds so very exciting and fresh. And the answer is … yes, it’s a sandwich he’s holding tightly in his hands, lips open to receive it even as he smiles for the camera. Putting on my reading glasses, I tried to work out what, if anything, might be special about this particular sandwich. But after some serious analysis, I could only conclude: not very much. It’s a pitta, stuffed with something white (cheese? Chicken?) and a few bits of green.
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