We’re all about strong female role models these days. Malala Yousafzai, Hillary Clinton, the new Ghostbusters: you don’t have to look hard to be inspired. Even Virgin, despite a name that sounds like a playground insult, is on board. In its latest ad for superfast, sorry “ultrafast” broadband service Vivid, a girl is sitting on the sofa with her tablet watching highlights of England footballer Steph Houghton. Her mum sits down and calls up clips of other great female high-achievers over the years: Nadia Comaneci, Emmeline Pankhurst, Paloma Faith, Billie Holiday…
Whoa Nelly! Paloma Faith? The singer’s most recent contribution to public life was mangling the Rugby World Cup theme tune (was Russell Watson unavailable?), while she is still about as well known for oblique fashion sense and appearances at Hootenanny (Hootenanny!) as her political campaigning. Has she forced through a change in the law on suffrage? Has she reached the pinnacle of a male-dominated sport? Has she coined the most famous song about racism? Has she even scored a perfect 10?
No, no and thrice no. (Having a No 1 record doesn’t count, when a mere 30,000 sales will get you to the top nowadays) What is it in Faith that Virgin thinks girls will be inspired by: availability to star in an advert and wink at the camera? The ad’s pallid payoff line - “When you have a better internet connection you get more out of it” – can’t disguise an attempt to smuggle itself aboard a moral bandwagon that’s about as subtle and successful as a Liza Minnelli photobomb. Come to think of it, why didn’t Virgin ask Liza?
