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Posted by admin on January 20th, 2009

Well, the economic roller coaster is mid-plummet and we still can’t see the bottom. So it’s time for my weekly attempt to get you smiling like an air steward and waving your hands in the air like you just don’t care. After all, these white knuckle rides, for the most part, return us to where we started, shaken and slightly hysterical but otherwise unharmed. So hang on in there.

This week’s smile comes courtesy of Boots’ latest tv ad. Continuing with the Here Come The Girls campaign theme, this year Boots holds up a mirror to our obsession with anonymous gifting. In other words, the workplace Secret Santa. And, like last year’s surreptitious preparations for the office party, the ad spotlights the tremendous efforts of the girls.

The ladies might be gently mocked for their exertions but, sensitive to our current financial straits, and undoubtedly feeling the effects in retail sales, the underlying message relates to Boots’ offering of affordable festive gifts (though does seem to extend beyond the £10 limit applied in most offices). Like the John Lewis “If you know the person, you’ll find the present” campaign, the ad portrays instantly recognisable office stereotypes and suggests appropriate gifts.

Before anyone posts to point out my apparent condoning of the inherent sexism on display in these ads, I can confidently reveal that Boots The Chemist is appealing to its core audience of Betty, Tina and Charlotte (see what they did there) with a cursory nod to Bob, who occasionally buys for himself but, where Boots is concerned, is more often the recipient of a purchase from mum, sister, better half or as seen in the ad, secret office admirer.

As Marketing Advisor, as well as copywriter, here at Studio 2 Online, you can ask me about how to reach the right audience for your business with your online communications (not all customers are created equal, believe me), how to engage that audience on your website, and how not to alienate the occasional Bob.

By the way, if you think the “Bob” seen wrapping his stapler in the ad has Scrooge-like tendencies, a certain person in this office (you know who you are) wrapped an orange from the team fruit bowl for his recipient last year. There’s a prize for anyone who can beat that for worst Secret Santa present. Get your posts in before next Monday to claim your prize.

And I offer a note of caution if you’re a first-time Secret Santa: find out what sort of gifts will be exchanged. Joining one company in December, I obviously did not know my designated giftee very well at all, so my gift erred on the safe side. What I didn’t know was that the prevailing tradition was to “amuse” colleagues with the most risqué gift possible. I looked like a po -faced great aunt (it wasn’t hard to work out who had gifted the rather beautiful and otherwise desirable bath oils).

Mariam’s blog last week means at least I won’t be similarly embarrassed this year. Oops, think I’ve just blown my cover again. To level the field, here’s a hint for my Secret Santa: 1928 Collection Faceted Stud Earrings in jet from www.johnlewis.com, just £9.75 (so you can probably even afford to wrap them and still be in-budget). OK, not subtle admittedly, but I promise to be genuinely pleased if you surprise me with these.

Remember there are only 15 more sleeps ‘til Christmas, and last posting dates are 18<sup>th December for 2<sup>nd Class and 20<sup>th December for 1<sup>st Class, so stop browsing Mariam and click BUY!

Til next week, keep smiling.