Bizarre

Now there can’t be many readers who don’t know that I was brought up in Blackpool. It never was a pretty place but it was always lively with a strong sense of purpose but whenever I go back now it seems seedier and more run down and perhaps unsure of its role these days.  The current chaos at the football club just seems like a metaphor for everything that’s sad and troubling about the town. But I remain interested in the place – after all my father, brothers,  sister and their families all live nearby. So news items which might affect them catch my attention.

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Sigh it’s Xmas marketing time

Well the last posting was a celebration of some lovely festive activity down our local High St and this is the antidote; a little rant about the indulgent and schmaltzy Xmas ads that have been running for weeks now. Apart from Iceland’s two bob ads they were all interesting to watch the first time round but it’s only 2nd December and I’m already sick of listening to Lily Allen, watching Ant &Dec joshing with a ginger bread man, and trying to understand why M&S couldn’t just do an homage to one of Alice in Wonderland or the Wizard of Oz, but both? Will sticking Helena Bonham-Carter on the end as the Wicked Witch of the West/dog-catcher really help sales? Is she really thought of as a style icon?

Err…what do I know eh. Am I alone in thinking Rosie Huntingdon-Thingummybob in her undies was doing a decent job pitching the appeal of M&S? Well it worked for me Santa.