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Pie-making heroes of the FMCG (Fartal Movement Consumer Goods) market, Ginsters have struck 'above the line' advertising gold. By using an unidentifiable regional British accent, what could easily have been misconstrued as 'taste the effort' has transitioned into the unmistakable national 'airfart' campaign.


In addition, newly poached Marketing Director, Janice Short, is straining every sinew to slash costs at Ginsters. 'My specialist experience in shrinkflation at Toblerone has been key,' said Short. My masterstroke there was replacing chocolate with air by spacing narrower chunks further apart. But here at Ginsters we had to completely remove pie contents and retool production line workers to guff broken wind into pies.


'Profit margins soared, the ad campaign flowed naturally from that, research and development went off the scale, and we are about to release something really big. We're branding it the Nasty Pasty.


But there has also been an unforeseen benefit to science. Because of the diversity hiring policy at this company, it has been proven that people bottom burp in different accents. And the same is true of front bottom burps as well. Once one attunes one's ears, the expulsion from a Cornish masterbaker sounds rather different to that of a Mancunian pastry roller.


'Our out of quality control department continues to work closely with Oxford University to establish if regional aromas also have accents. That would be a real breakthrough. Can't you just smell something huge coming my way?'






TV viewers are mystified by rail company adverts suggesting that train journeys are quick, easy, affordable, and take you to places that you might want to go to. Many rail operators seem keen to blow their hard-earned subsidies on TV ads – but why?


Marketing experts are also puzzled. In their view advertising cannot cover up for a bad service. Customers know that, in reality, the rail service is very variable, because of strikes, bad weather, cancellations, underinvestment, overcrowding, illness, weird pricing, government interference and engineering problems. They are also aware that travelling on busy trains is like attending a catch-covid festival.


A number of theories to explain the TV ads have been put forward. The first theory is that the rail companies are trying to find new customers who haven’t used the train before. Interesting theory. Those people are in for a shock.


The second theory is that people are stupid. If you tell them to go by train, they go by train. Even in the sophisticated twenty first century, with its TikToks and space shots and ultra processed food, people will still buy something if they see an ad.


The third theory is that the ads validate rail journeys by existing customers. People who already travel by train can now pretend that their usual service is just an aberration and that one day the trains will run just like in the adverts. Fools.


Other more eccentric theories are: that that TV companies can’t sell adverts on TV and are basically giving them away; the adverts are just an ego trip for rail company bosses; and that the government requires rail companies to advertise in the desperate hope of reducing the subsidies they need.


What’s the answer? Nobody knows. Something to think about next time you’re watching a railway company ad.


image from pixabay




'The proliferation of pre-death funeral arrangement ads on satellite TV channels has seen a new type of consumer emerge,' says Samantha Lyons, Managing Director of Fryem and Plantem.


'We're turning what was once a very sensitive and deeply sad subject into a nice little earner for ourselves,' she adds enthusiastically. 'Because now ad breaks are full of cheerful 70s somethings who just can't wait to be disposed of. It's really very heartening that our industry is providing such a destigmatising service. Not to mention us getting access to a nice revenue stream even before our punters might normally drop off the perch. It really is a win-win. Ker-ching! Cashflow delight.'


And Sam, as she prefers to be called, might just be right. Speaking to people at a seniors' bingo night, seventy-two year-old Bert Jeavons told us: 'I love all them funeral ads. They give me such a lift with so many of my peers looking delighted to be contemplating their final demise. And it certainly is a great feeling knowing all my loved ones will soon be able to piss away proceeds from the house sale, not to mention the ten K I'm hiding in my shed for a rainy day when they find it. Oh, don't print that bit.'


And Rene Coombes, Bert's lady friend, herself a sprightly seventy-five commented, 'Oh yes dear, me and Bert adores the ads. As a matter of fact,' she chuckles through a rasping smoker's cough, 'I'm so keen to be on me way, I dropped Dignitas an email only yesterday.'


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