I think that charities by and large are in a better position than commercial companies. Most advertising by definition creates a need or desire and try to convince you to buy something to fulfil that need you didn't even know you had. Whereas fundamentally charities communicate a need and ask you to buy into allievating that need.
Do charities communicate it better? In my opinion, sadly not always. Charities are often trying to focus and communicate on their internal problems/position too much and not identifying the supporter need. Inside out rather than outside in. Whereas at least the mobile phone ads offer you a range of tariffs to suit you, Alex.

Hi Alex, I think mobile phones are annoying, fullstop. But I know that my little sister, who's six years younger than me, feels like she couldn't survive without hers. Not just any mobile, but hers. To Camille it is everything, and it says everything she wants it to say about herself to her friends; from the stylised cover, to the various techno gadgets she uses. (Oh dear I sound like one of them; the kind with moth eaten slippers, wanting to refrain from understanding any new technology. I am not one of them. Yet.) To get back to what I was trying to say is... Yes big corporate brands dress up their product, but does it matter? Camille knows what they're doing, but corporate branding doesn't matter to her, she's doing it because all her friends do it. On the other hand charities just can't afford to get the messaging wrong, whether people are savy or not. Charities need to be able to communicate their product - to set it against the competitor, whilst maintaining transparency and giving the donors choice. It's a hard gig.

I know what you're talking about, Alex. Companies are often not who they appear. Products and services are not what they appear. Advertising is misleading. More and more products and services seem to be out-sourced and re-branded.

My latest adventure in consumerland: I asked my broadband supplier to upgrade me. They ignored me, so I switched - from Pipex to Bulldog. I later discovered Pipex owned Bulldog. I wasn't really switching at all.

When I signed up to Bulldog I was told I also had to switch my phone. The implication seemed to be that there was some technical reason my phone had to be changed to accommodate the faster broadband. I found out later - trying to find out why my phone had been disconnected for a week - I was actually getting phone service from Cable & Wireless. There was no technical reason to switch phone suppliers.

And it slowly dawned on me - Bulldog sold *me* to Cable & Wireless. *I* was the product being sold! And I was *paying* to be sold. I felt conned. Used. Dirty. Angry.

I realize that one could justify the practice: Bulldog is bulk-buying phone service and using that to subsidize lower broadband prices. But there are 2 problems with that. 1) Bulldog isn't any cheaper than any other broadband supplier, so they aren't saving me any money, and 2) it's equally and simultaneously true that I am being turned into a commodity and sold on to another company.

It's outrageous! And I expect it happens all the time. Increasingly, I regard all commercial companies as if they were lawyers, insurance companies, or organized crime. Best avoided whenever possible. Sticking with people you trust is increasingly important.

Compared to that, the Water Buffalo movie experience seems little different than finding out there's no Santa Claus. I can't imagine charities are as bad as the commercial brands.

The folk tunes they use on those Corporate adverts are pretty cool. However they have nothing to do with the product. After seeing those ads I usually end up getting the soundtrack album rather than a new contract or bank account. It's an interesting debate though, as I guess you can argue that the presence of the folksy music is just a way of making you feel good. It's the corporates' way of tapping into the public's subconscious and offering a dreamy picture of those brands, when in reality people just want something that is simple and works. I think people are wise to it, but to be honest, does it matter? Those ads offer escapism, which in a world full of hard hitting marketing messages can be quite refreshing.