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Written by rosalind renshaw

Could the Douglas & Gordon soap opera which has had us hooked this week get any more brilliant than this?

Here’s the denouement,  and we absolutely love it.

The masterstroke?  Well, we had already thought that ‘Charlotte’ must be an actress.

But ‘James’? Well, the company website had him down as a negotiator in the Hammersmith office, complete with picture. In reality, Charlotte was played by the brilliant Beatrice Curnew and James, the horribly almost-believable negotiator, by Alex Bartram, both professional actors.

This just has to be the talking point of the year.  The video has so far been seen in 64 countries and, as of yesterday, had 54,000 views. It was also picked up by the press, some of whom seemed to think it was for real. So, could it really be heading for Hollywood? The Times seems to think so
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/property/article3179525.ece

As for Douglas & Gordon themselves, managing director Ivor Dickinson said this morning that the film had been both a hideous parody - and a risky strategy. He said: "It would have been impossible to do if we hadn't been confident in the quality of our staff and our business."

But what do you think of the campaign? Has it worked? Misfired? And would YOU have dared try it?

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

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    True, EA's might love this spoof but, I do wonder what the great unwashed make of it.

    PeeBee, you got too much time on your hands dude.

    • 01 October 2011 21:41 PM
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    Looks good but I cant image how much it cost them to produce. As far as exposure goes I think it has got great exposure but only for estate agents because this site seems to be in love with it.

    • 01 October 2011 14:53 PM
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    It suggests to me that by making this final film D@G indeed think it may have backfired on them and now have to explain themselves.

    The intention was I assume to show that D@G are far superior all the other 'spiv' agents.

    Would I do it - I have been in EA for 29 years - pomposity is one of the worst traits a business, particularly an estate agent, can have.

    • 01 October 2011 11:28 AM
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    @James

    Bad lanquage is jus that - bad. It should not be tolerated on a site such as this. End of.

    • 30 September 2011 17:42 PM
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    james: I am so, truly, ashamedly sorry for boring you - maybe however it is simply that your attention span is akin to that of a goldfish with alzheimers?

    Suggest you climb down from the soapbox. I am superior to no-one. I don't profess to be. I just can spot a wrong 'un when I see one.

    I didn't rush to the company website like other ickle budding detectives. I simply watched and knew

    IT WAS A SPOOF.

    Surely you don't think I am alone in that realisation? It was hardly divine intervention; certainly not inspiration - that led me to the conclusion - just clocked some awkward acting and script which had its funny moments but certainly won't win any BAFTAs.

    Again, I make my apology. I am sorry.

    Sorry that, on a perfectly level playing field - one where we are all equals amongst equals, you missed that little semi-important factoid I refer to above.

    There - bore over. You can wake up now.

    Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

    • 30 September 2011 17:17 PM
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    brilliant and clearly worked as freinds of mine (not from agency) have been forwarding me the links to the you tube vids all week.
    I have to say I never assumed James was a real neg no more than David Brent was the man to go to for my paper....come on dave@cw really?

    • 30 September 2011 16:15 PM
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    PeeBee, you're getting boring.

    So you cracked within seven seconds of seeing video one that James wasn't a real negotiator? Even though his name and pic was on the company website which is where most of us looked for clues. Tell me, what's it like to be effortlessly superior to everyone else?

    As for the bad language – was anyone really offended? Just seemed laugh out loud to me. Thanks to D & G for some priceless entertainment and bring on the TV show asap

    • 30 September 2011 15:51 PM
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    Dave@cw: "is there a point to your rantings?" Rantings? I hardly think so. Read your own post if you need a hand with the definition... A point? Yes. EAT initially above said that 'James' was a real neg. He isn't - never was. I simply pointed that out and you lot get all anal about it.

    You have an issue with the truth? Or with reality?

    Look - if YOU believed that 'James' was a real Estate Agent, then that is YOUR problem, no-one elses. I had him cracked in seven seconds.

    Funny? Yes. Apart from the bad language, which might well be 'real' - but isn't exactly professional to use within an advert, is it?

    Sheer brilliance? Maybe it is - or may just as easily join the Gerald Ratner Club of Marketing Muff-ups...

    Funny, this - just because I don't wet my pampers with gusto about this marketing stunt I get more flak than the UberFuhrer and all his underlings of HPC!

    And to think I'm on your side...

    • 30 September 2011 14:30 PM
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    PeeBee - is there a point to your rantings?

    We all thought that having watched the first 2 videos, James was real. It was only in video 3 we realised it was a set up.

    Really - does it matter? The concept was sheer brilliance

    • 30 September 2011 13:50 PM
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    becca: "I am sure EAT did watch all the videos"

    You wouldn't think that if you had read the story BEFORE it was amended to include "In reality, Charlotte was played by the brilliant Beatrice Curnew and James, the horribly almost-believable negotiator, by Alex Bartram, both professional actors."

    • 30 September 2011 13:23 PM
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    D&G are very highly regarded competitors - so clearly we hate them ;)

    That said, I tip my cap to this series of videos. Utterly brilliant - well done. Not only great entertainment, and great PR - but a few pompous people have been left with egg on faces.

    Thanks to D&G for giving us something to laugh at!

    • 30 September 2011 13:15 PM
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    Well done to D and G great for publicity and we have all come across elements of Charlotte and James in the world of Estate Agency.
    Being one step ahead with PR is a great place to be. Hats off to them!

    • 30 September 2011 10:39 AM
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    Big well done to D & G. Some priceless moments. Worth taking a look at the out-takes too.

    PeeBee – I am sure EAT did watch all the videos, sounds like they were hooked. We were too in our office (not London, but we still got the joke). The two first videos didn't spill the beans re either 'James' or 'Charlotte'.

    More, please! Got to be a TV show in here.

    • 30 September 2011 09:55 AM
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    Second one is up now, gotto love the "£2mil dump" :D

    • 30 September 2011 09:53 AM
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    "Well, we had already thought that ‘Charlotte’ must be an actress.

    But ‘James’? Well, the company website had him down as a negotiator in the Hammersmith office, complete with picture."

    Erm... if you skip to 1:49 in the video, you will see that 'James' is an actor by the name of Alex Bartram.

    So - the writer of this story hasn't watched the video, then!

    Did I think it was funny - yes, in parts. Okay - I will (and DO...) laugh at pretty much anything - but there was some pearls of truth to be had.

    Is it fit for purpose - as a training video, sort of. As a company 'advert'... not for me, I'm afraid.

    And, for the record, in my humble opinion it lost its credibility when they didn't bleep out the language - which actually would have added to the humour, I would argue...

    But I'd rather watch it again anytime than the "Agents at the Waterhole" disaster that Rightmove trundled out...

    • 30 September 2011 09:45 AM
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    great advert campagin well done to Douglas Gorson .......superb

    • 30 September 2011 07:32 AM
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