Sitting down this morning to contemplate the design of a Pop Out Banner, I was struck by what a versatile thing it is – to be able to “pop out”. I mean, really, there are very few things in life that cannot be said to have this particular ability. I, myself, am considering the feat at lunch time, during which the sun will hopefully also oblige by popping out from behind the clouds. Animals do it from burrows, flowers do it every morning when the sun shines, my dog does it when the kids have fed him leftover chilli again – usually with undignified haste, my back does it when I go to the gym still thinking I’m the fit young athlete I see in those old photos on the mantelpiece, and so the list goes on. Take a moment and think just how often you can apply the expression to your own lives and you’ll see what I mean.
In fact, the official definitions are:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pop+out
And it’s not just a benign term to describe simple actions. It can also be the precursor to events that have a
significant impact on people’s lives. Many an ‘A’ list celebrity has suffered at the hands of the paparazzi when an unfortunate “popping out” has been caught on camera and the results splashed across tabloids around the globe. The reverse is also true, as many a ‘D’ list celebrity has had their careers revived for the very same reason. Who can forget (or forgive) the way “I’m a celebrity” led to the return to the airwaves of Tony Blackburn after he popped out of a helicopter and landed in the jungle a few years ago. (I did harbour the hope that he was there to be eaten by the other contestants in a cruel but hilarious bush-tucker trial, but I was unfortunately to be disappointed as the blue-rinse brigade of his surviving 1960’s fan club clearly started a viral block voting campaign).
So there you go, “ pop out “ isn’t just for banners, it’s for life, and while I sit here contemplating an advertising product popping out, I am comforted by the fact that throughout the rest of the day I will also be in the company of his counterparts – in, up, off, over and out.
Jim Cunliffe
Jim is a prolific networker, small business mentor and a supporter of anything 'community'. He is an ambassador for Young Enterprise on the South Coast and loves to spend his time encouraging entrepreneurial spirit in everyone he meets.