There's a lot to love about the new TV advert for the UK's electrical/electronic retailers of last resort PC World and Curry's.



The pastiche of Star Wars is rather well done. The landing craft is believable and there's some nice acting like the almost-entirely-suppressed wince when the manager's car is crushed. Darth Vader is pretty good too.

However, have they really thought through the picture this ad puts across? Here are the key messages I pick up:
Our shops are run by an evil empire - buy things here and you are funding evilOur training involves fear and perilOur attitude to customer service takes its lead from Darth Vader, a (fictional) mass murderer and war criminalOur staff are massed mindless automata of a controlling stateWe are the bad guys All in all, is this really the image that they want? Back to the drawing board, I think.

The version shown is the 'Director's Cut' which is slightly longer than the advert as broadcast