Roger Mellie's Ad Break

by Viz Magazine

Roger's commercial breaks have become a regular feature of his Viz strip, with the hapless television presenter's attempts to supplement his income usually going awry. Now as well as Roger's hilarious commercials we have his selection of the best of Viz ads - from the Rear View Arse Mirror ('at last it's possible to drive and ogle girl's arses in safety') to John Smith's Breast Bitter Ltd ('this Christmas give your husband exactly what he wants... an enormous tit full of beer ). There is also a selection of the best 'Franklin Mint' ads like the Ted West teddy bear (part of the Bears of Murder limited edition collectors series) and the Little Hitler Doll ('The Mitford and Mosely Mint are proud to present a charming study of nascent evil').

Outrageously funny, Roger Mellie's Break will appeal to the many devoted fans of Viz - and anyone with a scatalogical sense of humour

Genres: Humor

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Viz is a British adult comic magazine founded in 1979 by Chris Donald. It parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with extensive profanity, toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and generally sexual or violent storylines. It also sends up tabloid newspapers, with mockeries of articles and letters pages.

Reviews

[Ray Smillie]

Some of the finest moments in Viz have been the spoof adverts. I am still saving up to buy 32 glorious teeth, a fine tribute to the late Queen Mum (Gawd bless 'er) and her particularly rancid teeth.

Bought a replacement all in one piece, as my old copy was coming apart at the seams so had to read it again.

[Jackie Wilson]

There's a fine line between advertising and bollocks. That's what makes this book genius. Take a human problem.. solve it.. make a human problem solve it. And who hasn't suffered from a claggy arse? I ugly face laughed at these probably 30 years ago.. and I'm pleased to say, at 46 I am no more mature and never do I want to be. Thanks Pez.

[Piers]

I read this in the pub and felt that it is a really rather clever spoof of the advertising industry, the recruitment market and the Sunday supplement souvenir adverts we will all have seen.
On the face of it, the ads are so far beyond the norm and "tongue-in-cheek" as to take the p**s; but the products, examples, advice posters and creations highlight so much of what makes advertising work through the exaggeration of the claims and features, the deliberate naïveté and juxtaposition of product ideas that are clearly rubbish with the over-hyped and expectant marketing that touts their benefits - even where there are none.
You could compare any given product ad or job vacancy with a genuine equivalent in the real press and see immediately the parallels. The only different being people do advertise for product managers, they don't tend to advertise for monks.
I laughed; I cried; and then I bought the "Elvis Presley Dambuster's clock plate of TutanKhamun".