Creative Genuis by Skoda

Skodas used to be jokes of cars. It’s a little known fact that in Czech (where they’re made), the word skoda means “pity” or “shame”. They don’t make a big deal about that, but I feel oddly pleased at knowing it.

They’re great cars now and I own one myself. They have a lovely advert on TV at the moment where, bizarrely, a group of cooks bake a cake the shape and size of a new Skoda Fabia. See it here if you’ve not already seen it. The slogan is “Skoda Fabia: full of lovely stuff", which I think is immensely cleverly evocative. Another slogan is “Skoda: manufacturer of happy drivers”. Brilliant, just brilliant.

It’s a fantastic advert; really creative. It also generates much conversation and some heated debate on whether it’s genuine or a fake, which further adds to its efficacy and brilliance. How many adverts really get noticed, let alone get people talking about them? A friend of mine is entirely convinced that it’s a normal Skoda Fabia, covered in a thin layer of icing. I’m considering nicknaming him “Grassy Knoll” from now on.

The soundtrack is “Favourite Things” from the Sound of Music, thus confirming that Skoda Fabias are exclusively intended to be driven carefully by women and gay men. Although I’ve heard said song lots of times (natch), I’d never before noticed how preposterous the words were. Julie Andrews chirps that, inter alia, her favourite things are “door bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles”. Schnitzel with noodles is right up there with chicken tikka lasagne as fusion food I don’t wish to try. Said song progresses to say “When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling saaaaaad, I simply remember my favourite things and then I don’t feeeeeel…. so bad!”

Now call me excessively literal and insufficiently romantic, but if a German Shepherd had just angrily taken a lump out of my leg, I really can’t imagine that picturing a doorbell in my mind would have any palliative effect.

I apologise for having put Sound of Music songs in your head. They’ll be there all day. Blame me if you sing them out loud.