It’s basic human nature to copy your competitors and try to cash in on their success, and TV takes this idea to embarrassing lengths.
ITV did Pop Idol so the BBC followed with Fame Academy, the BBC aired Strictly Come Dancing so ITV decided to show Dancing On Ice. It’s a tiring cycle but one that constantly leads the ratings wars.
A Re-hash of The Apprentice Formula
On October 2, 2008, ITV 1 will broadcast the first episode of their new reality series, Natural Born Sellers, which pits eight sales “professionals” against each other in a variety of tasks until only one remains as the winner.
You’d be forgiven for thinking this all sounds a little familiar to BBC One’s hugely popular and successful The Apprentice because on face value that’s what it appears to be. It will no doubt feature the usual self-absorbed cookie-cutter business cretins all competing to see which one of them has the biggest ego.
Clash of Personalities and Two-faced Comments
Each week the contestants are placed in an existing workforce in real businesses across the UK – selling three piece suites, double glazing, luxury limousines and so on - and earn commission based on the sales they make.
Along the way there’s bound to be clashes of personalities, two-faced comments and heated arguments over petty details. Or at least there should be because at the end of the day the world of sales is dull and a show like this needs confrontation to survive.
The Natural Born Sellers
So who are these so-called business professionals? The early standout from the group is IT Saleswoman Thea, her tactics being based on her looks. In the preview material for the series she says: “Sex sells. When you’re pretty it helps when you’re a customer, it’s easier to be sold something by someone who’s easy on the eye.” No surprises to learn she’s unanimously the other constants’ least popular competitor.
There’s also “bubbly” entrepreneur Anne-Marie, who carries a cushion with her horse’s face on it, Essex born car salesman Danny, who looks more like an East End cabbie, and wannabe actor and Doctor Who fan Leighton whose approach to selling is “know the customer is never right and I am”.
No Sir Alan Sugar Character
The show has a simple premise – the harder each salesperson works, the more they earn each week. Unlike the aforementioned BBC show, it’s the week’s highest grossing salesman who decides which of the lowest two performers to eject from the competition.
It’s a different twist the formula but one that could potentially harm the entertainment value. Sure, the thought of a bunch of self-described sales experts failing miserably and breaking down is a pleasing one but without a temperamental Sir Alan Sugar figure shouting obscenities and bringing the egos down a peg or two it’s missing a vital ingredient.
The closed thing Natural Born Sellers has to this role is mobile communications entrepreneur and Phones 4U boss John Caudwell, a referee of sorts to ensure no rules of sale have been broken.
Whether or not this unoriginal ITV prime time offering will make itself known waits to be seen but at the moment it’s nothing more than second rate filler until the real business reality show starts its new series next year.
A review/overview of The Apprentice series 4 final can be found here.
