PAST ADVERTISEMENTS: COINCIDENCE OR COPY PASTE?

25th July, Friday morning, I hear a presenter in one of Kenya's many FM stations engage listeners on the topic of memorable advertisements from years gone by. Days later, I watch a TV news story, taking viewers back to past advertisements. Coincidence or copy paste?

Admittedly, the TV story has been given so much depth and is enjoyable to watch. The analysis of what makes some commercials to remain etched in the mind, was also quite illuminating.

But...I couldn't help but notice that the 'YouTube' clips being played of past commercials, are almost identical to the audio inserts I heard in that FM station's morning show.

I will hazard a not so thoroughly informed conclusion that here, the TV copied the radio.

So, was it so hard for the TV news story to make a direct reference to the radio 'source'?

The answer is probably yes, because both stories, apparently, lifted the idea from the Internet, in a collection of 'Vintage Kenya TV Ads' posted online.

I'm not so sure the website, originally came up with the idea of compiling memorable adverts, but you get my point, don't you?

There's nothing wrong with borrowing ideas. What is harrowing is failing to attribute, and unfairly taking all the credit.