Lets have a pop at the French. Always good sport.
I've had been watching a fair amount of French domestic TV lately in my hotel, primarily because the English language channels are always on the blink. In the UK and in Dakar I don't watch TV - not for any high minded reasons, its just that there are other things I'd rather do, like cooking.
What interests me a lot about the TV are the adverts. I think they express something about the national psyche - the sense of humour, tastes and aspirations of consumers. I can't decide whether it gives me a sense of despair or smug satisifaction to report that our French brethren seem to be in the same rather fetid puddle as the brits when it comes to the kind of food that is advertised on TV.
In a typical movie ad break (something badly dubbed starring Denise Richards, one of the Wilson brothers, and I think Ben Affleck) we're subjected to pretty lengthy ad breaks. There is the usual stuff about cars, cleaning products, but the food adverts are very interesting:
Also, an advert for Carrefour (big French supermarket) pushing how well they source their freshwater fish locally, with loads of Paysanne-like Frenchmen with large craniums talking about how they tickle their trout etc.
Sound familiar? Judging by this it looks like the French are in as much shit as the Brits are when it comes to tucking in to the processed foods.
Hmm. Its boring in hotel rooms.
I've had been watching a fair amount of French domestic TV lately in my hotel, primarily because the English language channels are always on the blink. In the UK and in Dakar I don't watch TV - not for any high minded reasons, its just that there are other things I'd rather do, like cooking.
What interests me a lot about the TV are the adverts. I think they express something about the national psyche - the sense of humour, tastes and aspirations of consumers. I can't decide whether it gives me a sense of despair or smug satisifaction to report that our French brethren seem to be in the same rather fetid puddle as the brits when it comes to the kind of food that is advertised on TV.
In a typical movie ad break (something badly dubbed starring Denise Richards, one of the Wilson brothers, and I think Ben Affleck) we're subjected to pretty lengthy ad breaks. There is the usual stuff about cars, cleaning products, but the food adverts are very interesting:
- Maltesers
- Vache qui rit (king of processed cheese)
- Frozen burgers
- More processed cheese, this time the lunchbox variety with little biscuits to dip
- Chocolate biscuits
- Something that looks like ferrero roche
- Some creamy cheese substance that appears to be popular with lighthouse keepers (that is the premise of the advert anyway)
Also, an advert for Carrefour (big French supermarket) pushing how well they source their freshwater fish locally, with loads of Paysanne-like Frenchmen with large craniums talking about how they tickle their trout etc.
Sound familiar? Judging by this it looks like the French are in as much shit as the Brits are when it comes to tucking in to the processed foods.
Hmm. Its boring in hotel rooms.
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