Easter, eh? Not as big as Christmas, and yet more substantial than Pancake Day. Still, a very good time to slow down and kick back. Here's what you'll need: some high-quality family members or friends, and small amounts of chocolate crafted to look like enormous amounts of egg-shaped chocolate and sold for £6.00 plus. (They're hollow y'know? HOLLOW!)
Here's what you won't need: one of my rants about spelling, briefs, creative standards and young people. Well, you're in luck. Because instead, I'd like to draw your attention to a campaign which recently broke in America.
The details are largely explained in the clip. But just to give you a bit of background, the ad agency posted a job listing on various recruitment websites. The position was based at a company called Rehtom Inc. and it read like this:
• Standing up almost all the time
• Constantly exerting yourself
• Working from 135 to unlimited hours per week
• Degrees in medicine, finance and culinary arts necessary
• No vacations
• The work load goes up on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and other holidays
• No time to sleep
• Salary = $0
The listing received two and half million page impressions although, perhaps not surprisingly, only 24 people applied. Those people were told they would be interviewed on their webcams, and these encounters were recorded. The resulting videos formed the basis of the campaign.
"I saw the pay-off coming, but others may not."
There's just a couple of things to note. It's a bit of a teaser thing, so you'll need to watch to the end. I also thought it was interesting to see the ways in which the candidates pushed back at the interviewer. Very typically American and assertive, I'm not sure the average Brit would have been this bold, or wouldn't have stormed out in a fit of pique.
You'll also see the interviewees are stunned when they hear the job description and lack of a salary, despite the fact they read the original posting. Suggesting they didn't. What's more, they are genuinely overjoyed to find they've been tricked. Let's hope they received an appearance fee.
Also, I saw the pay-off coming quite early on - but others may not.
The work is through a Boston agency called Mullen, and I caught it on adweek.com. See what you think, enjoy your Easter break and try not to scoff too much thinly-spread, ovoid chocolate. (Hollow, remember).
Magnus Shaw is a blogger, copywriter and consultant (please send him Easter eggs via Creativepool)
