Jason Blake's Blog

I genuinely love most nostalgic advertising, with floods of these on an almost daily basis it is easy to over look many of them. This new advert for Churchill Insurance... even though I was very young at the time I found Gary Numan’s 1979 synthesizer-heavy hit Cars such a stand out song and of course it is an obviously link for Churchill Car Insurance. However, I am more interested in how, over the years, this song has been used so many times; Carling Premier, Nissan, Scottish Government's Go Green Campaign 2009... and more. I particularly liked the last advert, for DieHard Batteries as it featured Numan himself, looking hauntingly gothic, playing a 'car piano' to demonstrate the power of a DieHard battery. This car anthem is sure to be used over and again and again, it’s simply a great song. It seems only recently that Numan has finally gained the recognition he deserves for pioneering the popularity of electronic music in the late 70s and early 80s, and perhaps now he’s even verging on iconic, if not at least his bank balance must be healthy.

I’m back in Portugal to the very resort and even the same villa that features in my book, well just a few paragraphs. Sun, sea... relaxation, although trying to look cool on arrival tripping over your own mini suitcase on wheels and unable to break ones fall with my other hand dug into my pocket was difficult to recover from with any skill. ‘Have you been drinking?’ springs to mind... “Yes PG Tips tea!”

Now I’m here it means much more to me, I almost feel it deserved a bigger part in my book, I guess that's why writers need editors to reign us in from becoming too self indulgent with our thoughts, particularly on a personal piece.

I’m already thinking how long I could stay here until I really want to come home. It’s quiet and peaceful, the sun could be better... Maybe I should have come later in the year but then it's a compromise between the amount of people and more guarantee of all day sun. I’ve probably been here seven or eight times, I feel lucky after such a poor winter, I’m really ready for sunshine 24/7 to thaw me out from the snow back home. It is wonderful here, and I know only to well that it would take just one bad week of rain to ruin that completely... Fingers crossed.

Being young throughout this decade I was of course pleased about every aspect of the 80s revival, (not just due to its use market my book) everything from the sound of the 80s infiltrating new bands to original line ups like Rick Astley, Spandau Ballet and the Flock of Seagulls all reforming and jointly touring. TV shows of the time that hit the big screen like the A-Team to foods like arctic roll and even some selective fashion items. Moreover I am genuinely surprised at how long it appears to be lasting, that it almost seems to be a sub-culture which begs the question have we nothing new anymore? I remember the limp effort of both the 60s revival in the eighties and 70s influence in the 90s. So going by what appears to be a 20 year rule we are due a 90s revival at some point in the teenies? Somehow even though still young in the nineties I can’t think of anything that nostalgic coming from that decade... Grunge bands, Britpop...? Perhaps the 90s was the start of everything becoming more cross cultured, readily available and so wonderfully diverse that the ‘80s was the last fresh, vibrant and inventive decade that we will ever have? We’ll just have to wait and see what music, marketing and media sows.

One of my favourite products of all time (which features throughout my book... mainly as a good hangover cure!) keeps on trying to push itself into other areas. Having tried these various products, and to be fair, as a somewhat dubious consumer (as I think the core brand is absolutely perfect). To give you a hint this product was first introduced into the UK in 1902 and was made in Burton-on-Trent, it’s nutritious, black, tasty savory spread best, I think, served on toast. Any clues... if not, I’m sure the following adverting slogans will clinch it; ‘The growing up spread you never grow out of’, ‘My Mate *******’ and more recently ‘Love it or hate it.’ Yes it’s of course Marmite, and not to be confused in anyway by the poorer Australian version called Vegemite (tastes like out-of-date Marmite). Made from yeast extract, a by-product of the brewing process, rich in vitamin B that’s neatly packaged in a little black jar with a yellow lid and is perhaps the only perk of being a vegetarian. Even though the team at Unilever have pushed to create further Marmite products starting off with Limited Edition jars mixing with Guinness, Champagne, Marston’s Pedigree, XO - extra strong Marmite and currently has a Ma'amite Jubilee limited edition jar with a right Royal / British look. They have introduced Rice Cakes, Breadsticks, Oven Baked Cashew Nuts and maybe with the exception of Crisps and the addictive mini Cheddar Bites I’m not too convinced, but the products and their diversity continues. One thing is for sure, it’s a strong brand that’s here to stay... Black gold, I wonder if they sell shares?