Monday 21 March 2011

Meme Monday #2

Wonga Man

In the book of television adverts, this has to be one of the very worst in recent years. A collection of smiling people you wish would just disembark from the screen in front of you, and disappear into the night sky. Too jolly for my liking.

But then, like a punch in the face:

“Dosh?”
“Reddies?”
“WONGA?”


 
The thumbnail guy, plotting your demise.

Suddenly, nothing else matters. Everything is still in the room. Something almost…magical has been witnessed. Who is this fellow? Why is his face so very, very large? He even cancels out the semi-attractive redhead who precedes him. You have to feel for the well-groomed fellow who has the misfortune of following Wonga Man. The audience is most likely still in a state of WTF? And it doesn’t exactly help that he does that peculiar little wiggle after he shuts his mouth. It’s also nice how any thoughts of helping the environment are given all of 2 seconds at the end. Yeah, money matters people. Don’t give your phone to people purely to recycle. Get some piffling amount of money for it.

But that isn't why we're here.

After starring in a series of user-created videos, Wonga Man garnered a kind of semi-meme status. Perhaps he would have even ascended into the halls of superior memes, had Envirofone not been so keen on utilising him in every advert from that point on. Some things are just not destined to stay underground. Some things are destined to make people money. You can’t fault the community for trying though.

W-wonga.

But in a way, I’m happy for the guy; sure, I’d do everything in my power to avoid someone like him in a social situation, but you have to assume he’s enjoying his moment in the spotlight.

And who would want to take that away from him?


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The word "Meme" can be defined by typing it into Google and hitting "search." Meme Monday, on the other hand, is a series of articles seeking to elucidate and educate. It deals in those memes, which may find themselves on the fringes of super popular, world conquering status. It is concerned only with spreading joy and attempting to answer that question posed so many years ago..."Where is the love?" The answer, is right here.

14 comments:

  1. british advertising is so much different

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  2. @Electric Addict - To be fair most British adverts involve a Stephen Fry voice-over, a Katie Price lookalike or a combination of the two.

    Either way I would gladly listen to this man say wonga on infinite repeat than listen to even five seconds of "Go Compare!".

    Good post.

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  3. I don't DO advertising.
    That reminds me I must check my email for that ad signup dealy. biab.

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  4. Haha! Woops - I thought I was chatting there for a sec. Ha.

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  5. Ahah interesting concept.. I guess o_O

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  6. Wonga, heh, that made me smile

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  7. Haha what a great idea. Check out my new blog, puzzledyet.blogspot.com if you haven't already!

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  8. Ha, British style. very posh. I think that's how they say it, right?

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  9. interesting post..
    uh.. i was told there'd be otters? :P

    ReplyDelete

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