For Fuks Saké

The Shame of SW19

Wimbledon fortnight should be restricted to Wimbledon weekend. In fact, just the Sunday of the Men's Final.

For two weeks of the year, people who know nothing about sport, suddenly take an interest in it. Worse, they try and enter your conversation. No-one likes to see a line of unwashed Australians queuing for tickets every morning on GMTV. Nor should anyone be happy seeing hordes of middle aged, pink skinned women in cheap sun hats and visible bra straps, wetting themselves at the sight of some of the world's most insipid sports figures. These images travel around the world. Britain should be ashamed.

There are three saving graces: Nadal for his genius. John McEnroe for his genius, his bullying of Tim Henman and his dress sense (last night he appeared on TV looking like Mike Strutter). And Roger Federer.

Here's Roger in the same Nike ad that's ever made - a highly paid sports star smashing their chosen ball around in a confined space.

Heroes Of Their Craft: #103

Who are you and me to judge, to have opinions, to tell clients what's right and what's wrong. We've all got CVs, nice white collar experience, and sat around in offices being competent for many years - but really where's the guts? The weak man hides behind opinion and blogs. Others get out and live it.

Christopher Hitchens is an idiot, a genius and a nutter. He is a columnist, journalist, a general angry man. He could write opinionated political columns like the rest of them - by sitting at a desk, getting pissed over long lunches and toadying around politicians. Or he can have opinions via living.

What gives Hitchens the right to criticise the Bush administration for its use of 'waterboarding,' the infamous torture tactic in Guantanamo Bay? Because he went through the infamous waterboarding exercise himself. The result is an outstanding piece of journalism. Read the article and watch the video.

What a twat. Hero.

Stay In All Night You'd Never See Them

Bangers. Bollocks.

Economics and psychiatry are uncomfortable bedfellows. Every newspaper in the UK will contain at least 20 mentions of the phrase "credit crunch" every morning. The drip-drip of an indicator here, a rumour there, a rise one week, a fall somewhere else and before you know another retail bank has dropped off a cliff. We talk ourselves in and out of recession with ease.

Amongst all this, watching a brand make a few extra quid off the fact that we've not got any quid to spend, is a strange paradox. Some would say cynical. What else to make of ASDA's launch of the "credit crunch" sausages as reported in yesterday's headlines? The spin goes that ASDA are bring a meal to the table for £1.60 and that's great. On the flipside, looks like an exercise in taking the piss out of poor people, to get richer 'coping classes' to buy slightly cheaper ready meals.

Spain. Possibly Holland. Anyone But Germany.

Deep down, other than Brian Glanville, James Richardson and the 3 subscribers of World Soccer, who really gives a shit about Euro 2008?

BBC Sport are giving it the best possible shot. Their campaign is a cracker. Simple insight (no-one's got anyone to supoort therefore they won't care), matched with simple idea (who will you support?), execute it smartly (like they always do) and then throw the kitchen sink at it (the campaign is everywhere on telly and online). There's just a chance with them, that this won't be buried on BBC3 alongside Garth Crooks.

Come Friday night and a few pints, my mates and I have all agreed that all of us are alright at being marketers / PRs / accountants / fund managers / solicitors / whatever. But we'd all be geniuses if we were given the chance to do the music for the all the montages on Football Focus. I don't think so somehow.

Here's the trailer.
Here's their Top 10 Euro goals.
Here's their video archive.
Here's the blog.
Here's their Twitter feed.
Here's their Flickr stream.
Here's their Youtube channel.
Here, even, are the opening titles from Euro '96.

Spot The Bull

Asian Intelligence

How to get instantly smart on Asia, the Internet and other things. Norman Lewis: "To See The Future of the Internet, Look East," in the excellent Spiked.

Eat Fat & Love It

You could never accuse Burger King of being sanctimonious. Whilst McDonald's take the flak for forcefeeding fat down kids throats, BK crack on regardless. It's quite simple - give 'em what they want.

Heavy drinkers and fat boys have a new challenge with the news that Burger King is to launch 'the 6 Pack,' a burger designed for sharing. That's what they say - the real challenge is whether you can eat one yourself.  It's one burger in six rolls which the fat eater is expected to tear off portions. £4.49 for the burger. £5.69 for a meal. Good luck to them.

As for McDonald's, they disgust me.

The Day There Was No News

Beautiful. Will Luke the sourcer. Wyld Stallions the talent. 

Burma

Shot by Ogilvy in Amsterdam, on MTV, doing the rounds virally. Burma.

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