It’s coming to something when even a national institution like Paddington Bear isn’t immune from the despotic schemes of advertising agencies. Watching the TV earlier today I was presented with Paddington himself, in that familiar and much-loved TV incarnation, about to settle down and enjoy a marmalade sandwich.
What a comforting, nostalgic image. I was idly considering setting the Sky+ box to record one or two of these vintage episodes (just for the children, you understand), when the advert suddenly took a dramatic and disturbing turn. Paddington, the friendly voiceover claimed, fancied a change and was going to have Marmite on his sandwich instead.
This would have been alright if, after biting into the Marmite sandwich, Paddington had promptly spat it out again and run off to wash his mouth out with soap, but he didn’t. He appeared to actually enjoy it (in fairness, it must be pointed out that in the advert Paddington then offers a piece of his sandwich to a pigeon, which reacts like it’s been shot).
But this could not have been the real Paddington, the Paddington who has been happily munching marmalade sandwiches for 50 years without ever feeling the need for a change.
This must have been one of those ‘lookalikes’ who make a dubious living pretending to be someone else. Someone should have had a word with the advertisers before they made this disastrous decision in a year in which traditional Paddington toys are making a comeback.
You just shouldn’t mess with the classics.
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