"A New Breed Of Male": LiS Corporate Edition

A reader sent this email a colleague of his received - I applaud them both for it. I have seen some utter and complete rubbish in my time, but this is startling in its awfulness. What Weber Shandwick - and Microsoft - seem to have forgotten here is that MEN DON'T BEHAVE LIKE WOMEN. They don't want to be "permanently connected to their mates". In fact, the very idea is so unappealing to men have almost thought that not one single person involved in the whole "Mimbo" farrago had considered that mouth-breathing dorks in the pub had - and will never have - any interest whatsoever in behaving like a new and crushingly awful cast-member of Sex & The City. "We see him as a modern male, laid-back, lots of friends, successful, lives life effortlessly". Oh really? You don't see him as a complete tool then? Only, this makes him sound like one.

-----forwarded message
FROM: Fisher, Kate (LDN-WSW)
To:
Subject: Mimbo

Hello ***,

We are currently working with Microsoft on a campaign for Windows Mobile – specifically exploring the habits of young professional males and their new social habits as a result of technologic communication.

In the campaign we refer to a new male typo called the “mIMbo”. In essence the ‘mIMbo’ is a new typographic of male, the Mobile IM Boy. We see him as a modern male, laid-back, lots of friends, successful, lives life effortlessly and all thanks to being permanently connected to mates via mobile IM.

We are funding research into this typology but I thought BLAH especially might be interested in becoming involved in profiling this new type of male THERE'S NO SUCH THING! To give you a better idea of how we see the Mimbo, here are some further points:

Compared to women staying in touch with their friends the Mimbo is more streamlined. Women talk endlessly on the phone, whereas Mimbos IM each other occasionally. Women take days to arrange where and when they are going to meet – Mimbos ‘approximeet’ (i.e. let’s meet up in town tonight, assumption being they’ll find out exactly where and when via mobile IM when they get close).

Mimbos are practical, save hours of time a week and have a better quality of life. (Or are they just deeply shallow and dysfunctional?)

THE LATTER, THANKS


Cheers

Kate Fisher
Senior Account Executive
Weber Shandwick