In television they call it ‘Jumping the Shark’. The moment when what once was genuinely funny and fresh became just a little bit tiresome.
In advertising speak, I fear that this phenomenon may become known as ‘Whoring the Meerkat’.
For the first time since Aleksandr Orlov, that aristocratic Russian rascal stormed onto our screen in 2009 I actually found myself wincing with mild depression at the latest ‘Compare the Market/Meercat’ ad.
I doubt very much that the latest ad is any worse than the first ones which rightfully garnered such an avalanche of praise. Maybe it’s just me who felt an overwhelming desire to punch him squarely in his furry little snout when he smugly declared that all was ‘Simples’. Maybe I just need a hug.
Whatever the reason, as far as I am concerned, Comrade Aleksandr can happily take a seat alongside the ‘Go Compare’ man and the ‘Halifax’ radio ‘DJs’ on the rocket ship that I intend to cheerfully fire into the sun.
So, although we had some good times I fear that our meerkat chum has overexposed his way out of contention for my prestigious list of the top three greatest TV ad characters of all time.
Monkey: PG Tips
Although he was initially the knitted face of the almighty catastrophe that was ITV digital, Monkey (correctly pronounced ‘Muunkeee’ by Jonny Vegas, The Gielgud of the North) has been reborn as the champion of PG Tips. And in doing so is now ranked just a fraction behind the Queen, Stephen Fry and Greggs the bakers in the list of British National Treasures.
George the Volcano and Tyrannosaurus Alan: Volvic
A criminally short lived campaign in which a mildly camp and utterly dim-witted T-Rex sought the wisdom of the impeccable suave George the Volcano. The fact that George was voiced by Matt Berry, a man with a voice so sexually smooth he must polish it with the tears of a Panther, only added to the sheer magnificence of the ads. If I didn’t have a tap I might even have treated myself to a bottle of Volvic.
Polar Bear: Birdseye
Never let it be said that Willem Dafoe shirks an acting challenge. With a career that has seen him wrangle rather embarrassingly with Madonna, engineer the ‘Finding’ of Nemo and die probably the most iconic death in the history of film in ‘Platoon’, the offer of voicing a quietly threatening puppet Polar Bear was too much to resist. Brilliant in their own right, these ads are also an immeasurable improvement on the increasingly creepy Captain Birdseye character.
(Tell me if I’m wrong. I can take it. Probably)
