Borkowski Weekly Media Trends 25-03-22
Dishy Rishi Washed-up? | William and Kate's Jamaica Trip | Disney 'Don't Say Gay' | Advert of the Year - Arby's x Pusha T
Is Dishy Rishi Washed-up?
Rishi Sunak spent the early days of his Chancellorship as the acceptable face of the government. He had no name recognition and therefore less attachment to the gaffes and scandals that had engulfed the Brexit process.
More superficially he was younger, cleaner-cut, more articulate and better looking (Dishy Rishi, anyone?) than his fellow senior ministers. He also appeared more politically dynamic; Eat Out To Help Out was far from an unqualified success that arguably contributed to soaring Covid rates and further lockdowns, but it was undeniably a big, radical idea.
David Milliband once described a Conservative election policy as 'the David Cameron wrapper sliding off the same old Tory product' and now in similar style it would appear that the lid has slid off Rishi's dish. His projection of a shiny exterior is increasingly failing to detract from the internal stew of privilege, hypocrisy, gaffes and plain old weirdness that has characterised many of British politics' top brass for decades.
The signs of this decline started a while ago; a ludicrous photo opportunity allegedly geared towards making the diminutive Chancellor look taller and the 'massive coke addict' effort to appeal to the common citizenry took some sheen off his reputation.
The reputational paint stripper came out this week, and Rishi took an absolute hiding. The Spring Statement was always going to be a challenge with the onset of a potentially huge cost of living crisis, but Rishi didn't help himself by illustrating beyond doubt how far removed his life is from those worst affected.
First he revealed that his family eats "all kinds of bread". It's an innocuous statement but enough of a signifier of the lavish, 'bi-weekly-Ocado' life he lives to earn him the nickname #RishiAntoinette.
He then attempted to portray himself as an ordinary commuter in a cringingly stage-managed photo of him filling a Kia Rio with petrol, drawing instant suspicion given his infamous wealth, and unsurprised derision when it turned out that he had borrowed the car for the stunt. Nor did it help matters when a business in which his wife had an interest was alleged to have links with Russia.
In 2022 with public knowledge and cynicism around political figures at an all time high, and an unstable and scary world adding an extra drop of venom to the relationship, it boggles the mind that politicians are still mixing a basic lack of intuition with cack-handed attempts to gerrymander their public image. Rather than simply having delivered a difficult and unpopular budget message with integrity, by attempting to spin his way through it, Rishi has somehow managed to show himself as out-of-touch, privileged, dishonest and potentially corrupt in the space of a few days. The Dishy might find himself prematurely washed-up if he's not careful.
Prince William and Kate's Controversial Caribbean Tour
At the beginning of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges' Jamaica tour, headlines focused mainly on the various designer gowns worn by the Duchess. However, two days later and the story could not be more different.
The first domino to fall was a misguided photo opportunity of the Royals greeting Jamaican children through a wire fence. Then came the rest: The news that Jamaica would be pursuing a withdrawal from the Commonwealth. The speech in which William said 'slavery will forever stain our history' subtly evidencing Royal's historic concern for their own interests. A visit to Trench Town, where Will and Kate played the drums next to a statue of Bob Marley, who was famously vocal about emancipation (the British, as Gal-Dem pointed out, banned drums in Jamaica for 200 years, fearing their use as a communication device in uprisings).
The continued parade of formal visits and photos looked like a pantomime alongside those incidents. It says a lot that right-wing media has published no retaliation to critics – only quietly ignoring them. Rather than cause outright controversy, there seems to have been a broadly universal reception: William and Kate look tone-deaf, the Royal's look like a joke.
Will the Cambridge's benefit from looking foolish, as Boris Johnson has? Their characters might. The Royal family as an institution will not. As for the Jamaica Tourist Board, which has appointed Raheem Sterling as their new ambassador, may an influx of business be the first of many reparations for Jamaicans to come.
Disney draws ire over 'Don't Say Gay' Hesitation
It began with an infographic. Micro-influencer Dr Eric Cervini posted an extremely well-crafted post calling out Disney's donations to Florida sponsors of the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill - a proposed bill limiting discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity classrooms exposing teachers to lawsuits if they don't comply.
The post was designed for virality, playing on precisely the levers that activist groups increasingly use to drive corporate action.
From then on, Disney was roped into a conflict it would have much rather avoided. Fast forward to Tuesday, when Disney workers staged a walk-out demanding that the company denounce the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The coordinated effort by activist groups protesting the Florida law, including Save LGBT, the AHF South and Equality Florida, was designed to force Disney's hand. CEO Bob Chapek finally capitulated this week, apparently calling the Florida Governor to express his displeasure with the legislation while the company issued a statement.
Perhaps most damaging about the claims against Disney - and the underlying point - is the accusation of hypocrisy. Every year, Disney celebrates Pride, sells rainbow merchandise, creates messaging for gay and lesbian fans and hosts "Gay Days" at its parks. As a result, the company has an adoring fan base of LGBTQ+ people, not to mention those who staff its numerous parks and venues.
In this context, to not respond more quickly with a forceful repudiation of the legislation seems a significant comms failure. That said, the company faces a balancing act between the demands of its workforce and what The Guardian tactfully calls 'a politicised marketplace'. There is no easy win, and perhaps the best outcome for Disney is for the focus to not be on them exclusively. As Dr Cervini's initial post points out, many, if not all, large corporations donate to politicians on both sides of the aisle as part of their lobbying efforts.
Though Disney might not be in the clear, the focus seems to be shifting to other corporations who exploit Pride. There are calls to rid Pride of all 'fake allies' who pander to LGBTQ+ communities while simultaneously 'funding hate'. For corporations, the tightrope is not going away.
Advertisement of the Year (and expect a Grammy nomination too)
We all know that rap collaborations with fast-food and delivery brands are a recipe for success (see Snoop Dogg x Just Eat & McDonald’s Travis Scott Meal). But Arby’s (American fast-food chain) has blown out its competition and direct competitor McDonald’s in a stunning partnership with legendary rapper Pusha T.
This isn’t what you’d expect from paid advertisements. Sonically, this song is excellent. The beat is comparable to anything you’d hear on a studio album and Pusha has penned a powerful verse that slams McDonald’s, including his signature ad-lib & reference to drug dealing (in a fast-food advert!).
His support for Arby’s is one thing, but he’s framed the entire track as a full-blooded attack on a direct competitor and the biggest fast-food brand in the world.
But why?
Mr T alleges that he and his brother were responsible for the original “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle, for which they were paid a one-time sum with no royalties. The story is complicated, and we won’t go into detail, but you can read about it here. Just know that Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake were also involved, and JT was paid $6 million for his involvement.
It’s a massive win for Arby’s. It’s tremendously powerful to have someone as respected and talented as Pusha produce a jingle that blasts a direct competitor. McDonald’s couldn’t possibly find another rapper with Pusha’s electricity and pen-game who would fight for their brand like this. It’s the equivalent of sucker-punching an innocent bystander with a one-hit KO and being hailed as a hero.
McDonald’s should take the L and move on. It would be disingenuous to exchange verses via advertisements in the spirit of an old-school rap feud, especially given Pusha T’s track record. But it’s the ideal campaign for Arby’s; advertisements or paid partnerships don’t come much better than this.