Grant has more questions for Jenkins

“Jenkins!”

Grant was leafing through some magazine advertising samples when he came across an ad to be posted in a Queen’s River magazine.

“Yes sir?” Jenkins stuck his head in through the door.

“Come in here and tell me about this ad.”

Jenkins had since graduated and had come to work for Grant full time, functioning as one of his main advertising idea men. Jenkins closed the door behind him as he walked over to Grants desk to take a look.

“Ah, the ad campaign for the new Malvein Hein fragrance.”

“Right, all of these are top notch Jenkins, good stuff. Definitely a bonus in your future.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“There’s just this one. Remind me, why are these only for a couple of towns?”

“They’re Oedipal Zones sir, you remember we—”

Grant cut him off. “Radical Zones? What’s so radical about them?”

“Sir no it’s… after he turns 18 or 19, the oldest son becomes the head of the household.”

“Right right, I know this. And then the father retires.”

“Err, sometimes sir, yes, in a way.”

“Always some workaholics huh?” Grant laughed. “Sit down kid, you’re making me nervous. That is pretty radical. Mind you, I think there are plenty of sons that would benefit greatly from that. Take my own son, total mommy’s boy, always chasing her around. Some responsibility, that’s what he needs!”

“Right sir…”

“Anyway, this ad, tell me about it.”

“Well sir, as you know this fragrance is marketed towards younger women.”

“Exactly, that’s the demographic that spends Jenkins, write that down. Young people. They have less money, but everything that comes in gets spent. Especially young men. Buying stuff for themselves, their girlfriends”

“Yes sir.”

“So Jenkins, why is the model for the Queen’s River campaign about 20 years older than the models for the other ads?”

“Well sir, err, research shows that in Queen’s River, it’s the more uhm, mature women, who are seen as the ideal beauty.”

“Makes sense to me. Take my wife, never prettier and that’s after three kids mind you! Heh, just ask my boy, always complimenting her. I tell you what, you won’t find a son more affectionate than mine. That’s one thing we did right, teaching him respect for his parents. Just like one of them Radical Zone sons huh?”

“Err…”

“But it’s not really conventional Jenkins. Older men like younger women, older women like younger women and younger men date younger women. For the most part”

“I know sir, it’s very much out of the ordinary. But I spent some time there this summer on holiday and I can tell you, it’s true.”

“You did huh? Now that’s what I call initiative! You saw that our ads for these zones were different and you went to check it out.”

“Right, yes sir, that’s uhm, that’s the reason.”

“Excellent. That’s the kind of go-getting I want to see! Did you go alone?”

“No sir uhm, I took my mother.”

“No girlfriend Jenkins?

“No sir, not really have any time. It’s a demanding job. And my mother is single and could use a break as well.”

“Take care of your parents Jenkins, they took care of you! Write that down. I used to take holidays with my mother as well, god rest her soul. Fun times, absolutely brilliant woman.”

“Yes, sir. Anyway, it did wonders for my mothers self-esteem. The residents had a definite preference for uhm… mature women.”

“Well well, I’ll be. So all right, that’s why the model is somewhat older. And er… I don’t want you to think of me as a prude Jenkins.”

“Oh no sir, I wouldn’t think that.”

“But she’s uhm… naked?”

“No visible nipples sir!”

“Yes uhm, the topless young man standing behind her is cupping her rather heavy seeming breasts.”

“FCC approved, sir. Because of the handbra, she’s not strictly speaking naked.”

“And the young man he uhm, bears a striking resemblance...?”

“Her son, sir. Research shows that having an Alpha present increases conversion rate by a factor of 3!”

“3… that’s impressive. But, see the thing is Jenkins…”

“Ah, yes sir, I think I understand what you mean.”

“I’m glad that you do Jenkins. We run a classy agency.”

“Of course, sir. I’ll have the photographer take the shot again. Make sure her pregnant belly obscures her uhm, lady bits.”

“...Yes… that’s what I was going for. Very radical”

“Yes sir, very radical.”