Sam vs Oven Pride : round 1
Apparently this marvellous product is “so easy a man can do it”. As a domesticated badass I am obliged to find out exactly how simple that actually is, just in case I have the double digit IQ necessary to use it.
Dear Oven Pride
I have observed your television advertising for the Oven Pride range of cleaning products on several occasions, the latest being during an episode of Star Trek Voyager on Virgin 1. It’s not the best in the Star Trek franchise, but it stick to the fundaments of the series and introduces some new thinking to the space opera as a whole. In case you’re not familiar with your current television campaign, it is the one that professes that “Oven Pride is so easy a man can do it”.
On each viewing of this commercial I have been struck by the same thought – how easy exactly is that?
About as easy as loosening the lid of a jar, perhaps? Or maybe it’s closer to the level of difficulty required to change a lightbulb? The uncomplicated tasks of checking the oil, water or washer fluid in a car may be comparable, or we could be closer to the realm that is emptying the bins or changing a plug – it really isn’t made clear. How easy, exactly is, so easy a man could do it?
There are many tasks we, as a gender, have yet to master – spending £500 on a handbag for example, or having to look in the window of every shoe shop in existence we are still some way from mistressing. Similarly we have been doing a pretty poor job at keeping the intellectual periodical that is Heat magazine or Strictly Come Dancing in existence, needing the genius female members of the species to keep those going. I for one rest easy knowing that the women of this land are helping to ensure that I am never further than 20 minutes from the next sensational story about Katie “Mensa” Price and Peter Andre, and I’m exceptionally grateful for their efforts on my behalf.
Perhaps if you could provide some insight into how we need to evolve in order to provide this service to humanity once we humble males have finished cleaning the oven and are smart enough to realise that horoscopes are factually accurate I would be able to understand your marketing strategy. From where I’m sitting it seems that you’re trying to encourage women to buy your product (given that men may be simple of mind but they’re hardly likely to buy a product that patronised them in its advertising) who will then encourage their menfolk to carry out said oven cleaning. This would imply that the actual cleaning is simple, but only women are smart enough to what exactly?
I for one will decline any invitations to experience your product in action, I am however still interested to be educated as to the strategy behind your advertising approach.
Perhaps you could enlighten me.
Best regards
Sam
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July 25th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
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