Ode to Nanny Norma

Hey friends, hope you’re all well and healthy and smiling. As a lot of you may know, I live with my Nan because of SCA. She’s always lived in Brixton and lives alone so the second she heard I got into the school it was a done deal. Bed was made. Keys were cut. Roti was cooked. But because of le virus I’ve chosen to move out of my Nan’s house and move back to my parents. She’s considered high risk for a variety of reasons, not least her age. Don’t get it twisted, my nanna could out-run you to Brixton market if you dared her. But it’s still been difficult to leave, apparently no brainer decisions can still be difficult. I know a lot of people are going through the same thing. 

Anywho in celebration of my Nan this blog post is about her most loved and most hated adverts. One of my favourite things about living with her was watching her give a live commentary on all the adverts we’d see on TV. I don’t think I’ve met a person so detached from the advertising industry so invested in it. So here we go

Hated advert: Tic Tac “old ladies” https://vimeo.com/264045206

This one came out a couple years ago but we saw it a few weeks ago. She can’t stand it. Thinks it’s totally stupid. Now on earth could that happen. How dare they. Et cetera, et cetera.

Loved advert: Sterling Bank “Off The Ground”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR5uCR6WK1U

I’ve sat down with my Nan and seen this advert come on about three times in the space of one TV show. Each time she gets so excited watching the woman take off in her shed. “Go on girl!”, “reach for it girl”, “you got it!”. I don’t think she particularly cares about what it’s for but regardless this makes top of the list.

Hated advert: Beagle Street https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvKsACMQh7w

Apathy can hurt more than criticism. And this one gets apathy. In case you haven’t noticed, my Nan is not a quiet lady. People often say that when they’re about to make a decision in their life they can hear a person of huge importance in their head, telling them what they should do. With my Nan, you can just hear her. From 20 miles off. No innervoice needed. She just loud. Silence, from her, is the biggest insult a thing can get.

Loved advert: Natwest ThisIsHowWeDoIt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWBp4m_WS-Q

Oh when that little girl has to give the coin back, her face! Nanny loves this one, and with 25 grandchildren under her belt I think she connects with this moment. She also likes the fun of it, that the little girl does a cute dance.

And that’s it! What I think I’ve learned here is that my Nan likes story. As do most people. ‘Til next time!