The Drink Cart: Moo Deng Fever
This week, like everyone else, we caught the fever for a lovable tiny hippo named Moo Deng. We also watched more Emily in Paris. Same, same.
Dear Drink Carters. We are all Moo Deng this week. Time magazine called Moo Deng, “An Icon, She’s a Legend, and She Is the Moment.” And right on time, brands have found this too and are doing their thing. Of course the moment you get swept up in Moo Deng meme mania, your algorithm becomes a nightmare of hippo stuff. And this neatly summarized that feeling:
This week we jump back into Emily’s world and more of what culture and advertising is clogging our feeds with:
All the advertising you can take from everyone’s favourite Netflix show
Ill advised brand manifestos, billboard and OOH highs and lows
Logos and rebrands, The best pizza in the world and awesome French bistro hats
Scotch is served on the cart with some nostalgia of my first gig.
1. Emily In Paris - Season 4 Part II Thoughts - Fake Agencies
Where to begin? First, this will be a no Gabriel and Alfie zone. If you’ve already committed fraud with a fake scavenger hunt, you can certainly put the old Agence Grateau logo up in Rome and claim to have an office there. To be fair, that’s actually pretty accurate agency operating procedure. I remember visiting an agency in New York once that had a hundred extra desks and would hire temp people to sit in them during pitches and client walk throughs. It was wild. Fake it till you make.
So Sylvie Grateau slapping her logo on someone else’s office, well, all’s fair game in love and advertising. We are also treated to the all-time agency move. The founder’s progeny arrives to the agency as the new intern. Of course, this being Paris and Sylvie Grateau, it’s her deadbeat partner’s child who they didn’t know about for nearly 20 years. Of course Emily takes her out for a Lillet & Soda who they are pitching the next week.
But before we get to Rome, Emily visits the Air France business class lounge, invents the magic of the category and make it her new mission to pitch. the Airline brand. Can you imagine working with her?
2. Emily In Paris - Season 4 Part II Thoughts - Baby Perfumes & Coffee
In episode 2, after way too much time with Camille’s family, we actually get a pitch in the office. But wait, it’s a meeting about Baby perfume? What is even happening at Maison Laveaux that they are cranking out this stuff to capture the under 5 market?
The bigger thing about this client meeting is how does Agence Grateau even work? It seems you don’t have to run anything by Sylive Grateau as she is always out of the loop - I mean, that checks out at large agencies, but they have like 6 people. Watching Luc and Julien pitch talking babies and chill house music is worth the watch. In the “Maison Laveaux meeting, where I continue to be shocked that no one at this supposedly professional agency is even remotely prepared for any of their meetings with their largest clients,” writes Jessica M. Goldstein in yet another amazing Vulture recap. “Why is ANY pitch coming as a surprise to Sylvie, everyone’s boss?!”
Not to worry, Emily saves the day with a Caitlin Clark like assist from Sylvie by mentioning chic, Birkin bags and silver baby rattles with perfume in them, and the tag “Hey, Baby.” Of course client Antoine loved it the minute they said sexy mother. This is madness.
In the next episode, we meet another new client, Bavazza, a coffee brand. Shocker everyone at Agence Grateau speaks Italian, well except for Emily so they have to do the whole thing in English. The only other real question here is that somehow the agency didn’t have an expresso machine before this pitch meeting? It doesn’t matter we cut to “bavazzatinis” and a random party just scenes later.
3. Emily In Paris - Season 4 Part III Thoughts - Italians do it better
I’m going to continue to spare you talking about the subplots of Emily and Marcello. But the whole season comes down to that fake office pitch of Marchello’s family cashmere brand Umberto Muratori. Fun fact though, the company does no advertising. Worse they want to sell to the Emilyverse’s LVHM.
The due diligence this agency does is terrible - as Goldstein in Vulture rightly notes, “I can’t believe they really thought they’d get away with it. Do they think it’s not going to raise eyebrows that (for instance) their web presence does not mention this office and it’s not going to show up on Google maps as their address?”
Emily doesn’t do websites or SEO. The whole thing was dangerously close to a Hallmark movie. In the end Emily and Sylvie charm them into giving them 6 months to work their magic. “Sylvie promises they can have it all: a small, independent company that the world knows is there. Emily’s idea for a stealth marketing campaign — selling the lifestyle, which in turn will sell the clothes — is … actually pretty clever! Is Emily good at her job now?”
I refuse to answer that question. I mean that’s not too hard since Luc’s second terrible idea of the season that was literally, “Italians do it better. Long story short, they now need an office in Rome. if only advertising agency expansion was this easy. No wonder Sylvie has such a great apartment, office and lifestyle. And with that they unlocked a 5th season probably mostly in Rome.
4. Drink every time you say “Kiss Chase with powder”
Real talk. Thanks to Ashwinn, I had to read the new North Face manifesto, so now you do too. Break out your ridiculous puffer jacket and experience the wonderful AI-parody word salad. It is getting a warm internet savaging as people speculate if it is appropriate for the brand or if it reminds you of, “something edgy me would write when i was 12 years old to describe my after school friend group.”
I particularly liked this summary, “‘You wanna come to the movies bro?’ ‘Sorry, I'm playing hooky w the status quo.’" Oh lordy, and here i was too busy “Playing tag with convention” to even notice that one.
5. Figma Advertising
On King Street in Toronto Figma is advertising on billboards. I really don’t get this. Designers all know about Figma, don’t they? Unless they are stumbling out of Ruby Soho and the new Earls, had a seafood tower and had their memories wiped, i’m not sure what this is designed to do. And there are more Figma ads in other places too.
6. Thirsty OOH
Last week it was cocky billboards, this week it is thirsty OOH. Was this Wines of Ontario transit shelter ad flirting with me? I think so. I’d actually been thinking about it since I saw it earlier in the week. But I went back to snap a pic and then I went to the website, pleasuretomeetyou.ca. Despite the "quiz” having way too many questions, it was not the worst. I mean this was pretty fun when you remember this for finding your wine.
I’m not sure many people are using this wine quiz, but getting recommended Cab Franc is not wrong for me. And the copy there is decent too - better than the ads. I don’t think they get into the details enough or go far enough. “My perfect date would be me + you + pizza + a Star Wars marathon (including the prequels.)” Kinda fun.
7. Evolution of a Logo
I was surprised that this updated PayPal logo was done by Pentagram. I mean I guess I buy the logic that all brands in Finance and Fintech are blue. But not sure that makes this standout to anyone but brand nerds. Now for some of the armchair banding reaction.
The Verge notes it’s a logo, “that makes it look just like everything else.” Mostly I loved this one suggesting it, “achieved a new level of soullessness i never thought was possible in design.” Fact: Rebranding is hard.
8. Hat of the week: The French Bistro Hat of Your Dreams
I stumbled upon GiftShop this weekend. And since we’re back talking about Emily in Paris Rome, this was kind of perfect. I think it was the Café de Flore that is sold out that caught my eye.
This cap is perfect if, like me, you revel in a solid Parisian bistro, “The signature cap of Bistrot Paul Bert in burgundy, reminiscent of the fine wine you enjoyed with your steak at this iconic Parisian establishment.” It’s a hat that just makes me want to eat steak frites right now. I mean this wine bar hat is also pretty essential.
9. Chef Boy-Are-No
I’m disappointed that of my years on earth, I didn’t get to experience when Chef Boy-ar-dee was cooking up pizza and whatever the hell this this is. Wait, I’m being told you can actually still get this magical, “world’s most popular pizza mix.” Who knew?
It’s 1972 and the copywriter was absolutely cooking here by throwing in other pizza’s like Polynesian and Indian. I’d like to personally call out that “knockwurst” is a word I have never written, is way too funny to say and I’m mad that it took seeing this ad to roll it out. This is equally fun:
Last call: The Drink Cart Godfather
Since we’re in that Italian mindset, we’re doing The Godfather. This one is perfect - just 2 ingredients and supposedly inspired by the movie classic. And what’s nice about this simple scotch cocktail is it runs in the face of the podcast I listened to this week lamenting that Scotch sales are down from two things: first, using scotch in cocktails (busted) and that it’s no longer the luxury item it used to be. It’s an interesting take. It is funny since I also found this scotch cocktail recipe for the Major Blunt which seems good to try too.
Generally I don’t care for scotch - it’s just not for me. Despite me liking Rye and Bourbon, I lump it in with being the alcohol version of tea. If tea is as my wife calls it, “Hot Grass Water”, scotch is simply a cold, “Dirty Moss and Rock water”. In my first gig in marketing, the creative team hosted a weekly “Scotch Friday” end of week (kind of my first drink cart experience). Each week one member of the team had to buy a bottle to share. But quickly became like the Cold War - one bottle became two, the blend became single malt, the 12-year turned to 18-year aged. The price tag spiraled out of control and went up and up.
And for me, I just never liked the taste. Now, it was the key to unlocking time with senior people and execs. So there are times when it is worth drinking it even if you hate it. To that, I raise a glass to my first Creative Director, Rick. Today I’m down with it mix it regularly with Drambuie for old timey Rusty Nails. And throwing in a splash of the Amaretto sounded like a good early fall take. This and some Chef Boyardee pizza and we are Emily in Rome.
Here’s my take:
1 ½ ounces of blended Scotch, nothing fancy
½ ounce of Amaretto
Stir with ice and strain into your favourite glass over more ice and serve with a lemon twist.
Your Drink Cart Approved™ agency discussion topics
Take 10 minutes to debate if this KFC ad needs the word bread in it.
What do we think of this new Australian remake of The Office?
McDonald’s 1993 pricing is shocking to see.
Love this Texas Rangers art scavenger hunt.
This should surprise no one, but Toronto’s Pearson Airport is rated second worst mega airport just head of Newark. Agree or disagree. (CP24)
Is this the best fan engagement experience of all time? Sending out your players to deliver the season tickets?
What did you think of this week’s newsletter? Drop me a comment or question below or tell me how your weekly drink turned out.
The Drink Cart is a weekly newsletter of advertising, pop culture, baseball and cocktails from Jackson Murphy.
Great read! I had to jump over the Emily in Paris piece so I didn’t get any spoilers! But that Ontario wine quiz was good. I agree, it’s too long but it told me I was a rosé so I love them forever.