rhema in drag

For once, I have no few words. Someone else has already done the commentary:

Did you see what it says there?

Man, that's a pro job! See how well that "a" is lined up, and the font is near-perfect. Whoever you are, you are my Hero! You deserve a Parade!
The only possible problem is that it now sounds attractive - a men's event full of "gays", whoop whoop.
In other news, Radio Rhema might lose its commercial frequencies.
PS was I the only child who thought of 'Ribena' when I heard 'Radio Rhema'? I never liked blackcurrants.

wake me when the colonial project ends

Good news everybody! We can stop worrying about Africa; they're 100% joy, 100% party over there, according to this poster, and that's all we ever need to know.


Of course it's the "circus of the senses". We already know from classic colonial literature that non-white natives are exotically sensual rather than rational.
Note that for your entertainment, the "i" in "Africa" is actually a silhouetted savage with a large butt and a primitive weapon.
Expand your cultural awareness - go to what looks like a modern follow-up to the black minstrel show.

where do I get me one of those face masks?

Whoa! I'm so excited! It's not everyday the marketing for a "Grammy-winning, Platinum-selling [sic]" band specifically targets me and my punctuation pedants demographic.
For there is no way this will appeal to anybody but us steely-eyed grammar nerds:

Looks like we got ourselves one of those *intellectual* bands - showing the mettle of their metal to become a geek crossover hit. After all, they did name one of their songs "Wherein Lies Continue" - I'm not sure if that's grammatically sound, or what it means, but it sure does sound brainy.

As for the poster, they must of been inspired by this t-shirt. And the DVD they're selling must tell the moving story of how the Loch Ness monster swims to France, frenchifies his name, and produces a whole brood of .... Nesses.

chick nibbles

Proof that this blog not only has an international audience, but also an international photography team! Here's a picture all the way from Townsville, Australia (translation: Towns Town, Australia), snapped by Ian, International Man of Mystery:

Photo credit: I,IMM

Hee, the turkey leg looks like it's nuzzling her, er, white meat. Is it a vampire turkey leg, nibbling at her jungular? I hear vampires are all the rage these days.
Ian and I once attended a school camp on Motutapu Island which featured live turkeys. There is no reason this delicious delicacy - and its advertising - should be denied us here in Auckland!
Thanks Ian.

Reservoir Banks

So. Banks. No, not that one, these ones:



And because recyling is a good thing to do, you'll remember this one from waay back in the early days of this blog:


And then there's BNZ and Westpac.
Now. Scroll back up again and carefully examine all items. Can you spot the difference?
No, neither can I. Obviously one can create a bank ad in three easy steps: 1. Words, 2. blank background, 3. logo/picture bottom right hand corner. Voila!
I can think of three explanations:
1. They are actually all operated by the same shady outfit, and are known to each other by their colours - Mr Seabreeze Cyan, Mr Eco Green, Mr Burnt Custard Yellow. Just like in Reservoir Dogs.
2. Some wise guy who has a beer fridge at work and goes to Showgirls at lunchtime (ie, works in the ad industry) has sold them all the same do-it-yourself Adshop2000 software kit for $$$$.
3. A different ad agency has laboured over every inch of each handcrafted ad to show the individuality and true personality of each bank: "The text will be left-justified to impress upon the reader that this has been typed by a real person, someone just like them..." "The font will be slimline, sans-serif ("calibri") in white, to impart to the viewer that we are not a bank to bowl them over with heavy-handedness..."

I despair of the dearth of creativity in a society in which (3) is most likely.

So. These things above belong together, these things are kind of the same. But one of these things just doesn't belong here:

Actually, it looks too similar, don't you think? You could easily pass this and not read it because it looks like it's for, not against, the ANZ.
Also, I'm sure finsec actually means that even in an imperfect world, banks would pay their staff properly.
Still, pleasing to see a poster campaign from a union against a particular issue! I don't remember seeing that before.
Still, a pity that it's necessary.
Still! and extremely happily, finsec announced today (15 Sept - the dates on my blog are some overseas time) that their campaign "for a different and better offer from ANZ National" has worked! Congratulations!
PS, don't forget that all the banks here save Kiwibank have been investigated for tax non-payment.
PS2, OMG do not type in 'Banks' into google images unless you want pix of Miss Tyra!

interlude

A photographer with any skillz whatsover (ie, not me) could make this look fantastically dramatic I reckon.

The graffiti throw-up is in the empty void where there used to be a water reservoir at the top of Symonds St. The church behind it is on Khyber Pass.
I like the contrast between the prim (yet unusually coloured) church and the energetic writing. But this tableau, which I've passed numerous times, also reminds me that both religion and "tagging" have something in common: they're both easy targets at the moment. Religion is portrayed as the butt of cheap jokes (at best) rather than a phenomenon worth explaining; tagging (which the piece above isn't really an example of) can get you killed.
Maybe the world is divided into two types of people: those who think tagging is worse than religion and those who think religion is worse than tagging...

neighbour from hell

Oh look, there's good ol' Stacy Jones again.


But wait who's that behind him?


Why, it's a family in financial distress, asking people to donate to the Auckland City Mission.
If you get really close you can hear the mum say, "sorry darling, all our other furniture has been repossessed to pay the loan sharks.
"If you keep eating, we will have to join Auckland's homeless and will get disappeared by the council so as not to upset Rugby World Cup fans."
In an NZ exclusive I can reveal this is not the first blog post about this ad! No - it's featured on this Russian website. And thanks to my Latvian flatmate, I can reveal that the Russians were interested in the fact the ad started out featuring furniture which "crumbled" away, by design.
Which was disappointingly mundane after I went to the trouble to secure a Latvian flatmate and all. Surely it could have involved a conspiracy about Russian spies ending up at the City Mish in the hope the food there would poison them or something. (Disclaimer: I have never eaten at the Mission but I'm sure the counterspy ring would have had their hopes dashed!)
In another aside, Stacy here is pretty much opposite the Baycorp building...

Makes me... udder

Mad About Ads had a field excursion to Waihi for the weekend!
So, this is my favourite sign in the Hauraki Plains, outside the vets at Ngatea.
While the thermometer "in" the beast's mouth is at a rather problematic angle for the purposes of temperature taking or gravity assuring, this picture is really what the fug girls would call a "scroll down":


Yikes! I know they're more earthy and used to the facts of life in the country... this full frontal disturbs me more than ye olde MADGE campaign (NSFW). It's like fetish crutches for cows. Maybe it calms the bulls on their way to the meat works.

what, me di?

I once tried to do a free meditation course at uni but we were supposed to breathe in love and breathe out peace, and that turned out to be beyond me. Who knew?
But here's a meditation programme maybe even moi could concentrate on:

On second thoughts, the only clients they're going to attract are landmark forum egotists.
But I like the word-within-the-word play though, very UK 2006. Nearly reaches the heights (geddit?) of Inverness:Alternatives:
All about Meditation - improve your Italian, Greek and Libyan cooking via meditation.
All about Meditation - for those who still hold the Queen of Hearts dear.
All about Meditation - for those who think of "emotion" as E in motion, where E = energy
All about Meditation - how to produce fancies, devices and conceits from the comfort of your own castle.
All about Meditation - what ever you want "it" to be