"The key learning from this was that *Santa* IS brand. PARTLY literally and TOTALLY metaphorically."

December 16, 2010 1:51 AM

*Santa* is a Concept, not an idea. It's an Emotion, not a feeling. It's both Yesterday and Today. And it's Tomorrow as well. Santa winds infinite Possibilities around finite Limitations to evoke the essence of invention and the Odour of Nostalgia. It has the complexity of Simpleness and the Simplicity of complexitiveness. It begins with the Hiss of Power and ends with the Ah of Surprise. *Santa* is.
posted by creeky (18 comments total)

I love the Ho Ho Ho Venn diagram. Will have to show the gang at work that one.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:56 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

'Never Knowingly Undersnowed'

This - a bit surprisingly - was actually worth it. Nice find ...
posted by woodblock100 at 2:02 AM on December 16, 2010

Santa ia a Concept, not an idea. It's an Emotion, not a feeling.

In it's essence it is nothing other than a brilliant way to separate people from their money.
posted by three blind mice at 2:54 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yes this is quite good.
posted by smoke at 2:56 AM on December 16, 2010

"'Santa' backwards is atnas, which is Lithuanian for chimney.'

OK, this is great.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 3:11 AM on December 16, 2010

Dead brilliant. The "Last Brand Book". Can you imagine anyone doing another, after this?
posted by Faze at 3:47 AM on December 16, 2010

This had me at "A brand is like a sack on a sleigh of belief."


By the time I got to this, I was filling out the order form:

"Our critical asset duopoly is Volume of Beard (beardiness) fused with Extent of Fat (fatiness). This schematic geographilises us and our key competitors on the fatiness/beardiness spectrum."

And, well, with the Age/Belief graph for Santa / God / Socialism, there are no words, just big fat RED032C HO HO HOs.
posted by chavenet at 3:52 AM on December 16, 2010

Most excellent. No other agency's Christmas card comes close, except maybe this one. NSFW! (For swearing)
posted by DanCall at 4:07 AM on December 16, 2010

I'd like to point out that "Father Christmas" also anagrams as "Ache Farts Mirths."

Guess I know which list I'm on this year...
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:50 AM on December 16, 2010

*Santa* is.

Darkseid does not look kindly on the fat man attempting to take over his franchise.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:06 AM on December 16, 2010

The 'Curve of credulity' for the win. Brilliant.
posted by freya_lamb at 5:54 AM on December 16, 2010

It reminds of the speeches on Eventualism from Schizopolis: Eventualism isn't designed to answer all questions. It's designed to question all answers. It's not about healing pain. It's about the pain of healing.
posted by cottoncandybeard at 6:05 AM on December 16, 2010

"...your request for [insert name of item] has been mis-sleighed..."

Genius :)
posted by londonmark at 6:13 AM on December 16, 2010

TA - the final two letters are the (abbreviated) thanks of the world's children. Note: TA can also stand for Territorial Army. This should not be referenced in our communications.

Awesome. Ta!
posted by biscotti at 7:02 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

I love it when companies who do branding make fun of branding so more people will hire them to do branding.
posted by neroli at 7:50 AM on December 16, 2010 [2 favorites]

THIS IS SO GOOD.
posted by flippant at 2:49 PM on December 16, 2010

Tell that to the Dutch.
posted by anniecat at 3:57 PM on December 16, 2010

Hagrid line had me in stitches.
posted by bonaldi at 7:21 AM on December 23, 2010