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October 3, 2004
Why I Love Dutch Adverts...
From Michelle, in the Slagroom...
So I was watching some Dutch TV last night in my quest to better understand the Dutch language, and also because this is the Netherlands so a lot of TV is in Dutch. And I have to say that I think the Dutch make the most interesting advertisements in the world!
Here are my two current favorites...
Advert No #1
Picture this: There is a senior man on screen carefully making some sort of pretend fly thing--you know, the kind of flies that people use for fishing?
Anyway, as he's threading a needle to sew something onto the fly, there is a message on the screen which I think means "Can you do it by yourself?" or something like that, anyway.
Next, the senior man is loading up his fishing tackle into the car, and that same message flashes on screen again, "Can you do it by yourself?"
And so the senior man is now driving up winding roads in the countryside, and that same message flashes on screen again, "Can you do it by yourself?"
Finally, after a couple more shots of the senior guy doing stuff by himself, comes the penultimate image of the advert. It features a river, because the guy is fishing. It features a lot of other senior guys who are also fishing.
They are all naked.
Last shot: senior guy in hospital (still naked) with a hook and fly caught in his, um, derriere. The medical team are surgically removing the hook and fly. And that same message appears on screen again, "Can you do it by yourself?"
Haven't figured out what the advert was actually advertising, yet, but I'll keep you posted!
Advert #2
Picture this: two very attractive young people waking up after a night of passion. So of course they, too, are naked (but you only really get "back" shots of them).
They climb out of bed and find their underwear scattered in various places around the apartment.
Still practically naked, they hit the street and find more bits of their discarded clothing.
Not quite so naked, now, they hit the center of the city and find their skirt/pants/shoes.
By the end of the advert, they are in the office at work putting on their coats...
Hmmm, haven't figured out what this advert was actually advertising either, but it kept me gripped! Will keep you posted when I find out...
Tot Ziens!
Michelle, heading back to the apartment to watch more Dutch TV
Posted by Michelle at 8:02 AM | Comments (4)
Comments
The Dutch adverts really seem to be, erm, explicit without being explicit about what they're being explicit about. (Did that make any sense?) I remember a few years back they did one of those "Advertising Around the World" shows on HBO and they showed this one, (you guessed it) Dutch advert that showed this couple making mad, passionate lurrvvve. However, they kept focusing on the man's watch, which was a lovely watch, so of course, I was convinced it was an advert for the watch- it wasn't. It was for ice cream.
Go figure. :-)
Posted by: Barb at October 5, 2004 9:45 AM
Amazing coincidence. I came on this weblog via lots of other sites, and then I read about Dutch adverts. I'm Dutch. Live in a place near Eindhoven, I guess those adverts must be strange to you. I like them anyway, but don't know the 1st myself.
Posted by: Thomas at October 12, 2004 10:06 AM
Did you ever find out what they were about? And sorry for inundating you with these things, but I'm entertaining myself reading the lit chicks. ;+)
Z
Posted by: ZaZa at February 6, 2005 3:43 AM
No, I never did find out what they were about, ZaZa :-)
BTW--there is a new musical in town and it's called something like Naked Boys, or Naked Musical. I'll have to check out the advert when I go out, later. Yes, there are naked people on the poster.
Now that's a show I don't want to miss :-)
Michelle
Posted by: Michelle C at February 11, 2005 6:46 AM
