So did anyone else watch Willie's Chocolate Factory, the three hour promotional vehicle for brand Willie that aired on Channel 4 this week? Okay Channel 4 have done this sort of thing before with shows promoting various holiday villas, but at least those shows featured what appeared to be genuine human drama. This shit on the other hand was something else entirely: a mess of utter fluff transparently designed to promote a) Willie's chocolate business during the build up to Easter, b) promote the businesses of those that he supplies (Waitrose, Marco Pierre White's chain of restaurants), c) build the Willie Harcourt Cooze brand (see the ostensibly random cookery segments in particular).
Add to that the fact that WHC is now fucking everywhere (check your Observer magazine if you don't believe me), and the programme is revealed as simply one part of a broader strategy. Now, call me crazy but I'm of the opinion that Channel 4 should not be doing shit like this. It's an infomercial for fucksake. |
