Bad Hair Days In Ad Land - Thank God For Bees And Biff
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday July 2, 2008
THE GRUEN TRANSFER 9pm, ABC1: Are we becoming more discerning or less? Are the choices and decisions we confront every day growing exponentially or are they shrinking as our poor old planet struggles against critical mass? We generally prefer chocolate-coated lies to inconvenient truths and congratulate ourselves on our excellent taste, by reiterating the mantra "we owe it to ourselves." And we do, Deirdre, we do! Nonetheless it's amusing and informative to see how marketing brains operate and to observe the calculated mindset involved in seducing us to buy stuff. Business is war between manufacturers, with the consumer as both territory (market share) and collateral damage. Conquest, pillage? A spot of rape is practically inevitable. The hidden persuaders at HQ are as ruthless as secret agents with a 00 prefix: cajoling, ambushing, flattering and creating models in our image. Great science - as this provocative series continues to reveal. And if collateral damage is a military euphemism for unfortunate but inevitable casualties then "piece of communication" seems to be the preferred term for an advertisement. If the product doesn't sell, you can always blame the public for being too stupid to appreciate the genius involved - right, Will? Silvio? Hillary? We'll be back (with more!) after this "massage".
INSIDE AUSTRALIA: THE PASSIONATE APPRENTICES 8pm, SBS: Back to misty Tasmania, where some communities are insulated against the daily barrage of "pieces of communication". Yves became interested in apiary as a kid in France. Now making honey in Tassie, he has a strong connection to his environment - and with his daughter, who is learning the ins and outs of beekeeping. This is engaging, gently life-affirming stuff. We all know if bees go, everything else goes; no amount of nectar can disguise that bitter truth. In the quest for a rare variety of honey, Yves, nine-year-old Marlin, and her teacher, Damon, embark on an expedition to the highlands where the tiny flowers of a winter-blooming heather hold great promise. Few viewers who ponder the vicissitudes of city life and the existential ratmangle of 21st-century living - heading into the maelstrom at a million miles an hour - will escape a feeling of envy for people enjoying a productive and rewarding existence from simple elements.RUGBY LEAGUE: STATE OF ORIGIN 7.30pm, 9: The Decider! One win apiece and the home-ground advantage to NSW. Too much talk and not enough action? Elvis would undoubtedly agree that the Blues were smothered in Game 2, a frenzied Queensland defence denying what little brainpower the NSW team possessed a chance to create opportunities. This has to be better. If wrestling tactics are to be penalised surely a bit of old-fashioned biff wouldn't go astray and Dallas Johnson hasn't been knocked cold for a few games. Too much league energy has been wasted in nightclub stoushes. We need to see that venom on the field where it belongs. The winner? Rugby league, of course!OPRAH WINFREY 1pm, 10: It would have been easy to give up, roll over and die like a dog, wouldn't it? But some unfathomable, primal urge kept you going. Was it optimism? Hope? Faith? The allure of a dysfunctional city as His Holiness approaches to dissolve our woes? Pity those who capitulated to negativity and will, as a consequence, miss today's searing instalment of this inspiring program. Five - count 'em - five celebrity hairstylists reveal the dope on their A-list clientele, plus insider tips to help you style your own mane at home. Viewers prone to heart palpitations, damp trouser sensations, fainting spells and other manifestations of extreme excitement are cautioned to take the necessary precautions before reaching for the remote.RADIOBY DESIGN 3pm, Radio National: It was sad to see our Kylie reduced to random molecules during Sunday's Dr Who special, but comforting to know her golden hotpants are still around. This program gets into them.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald