BBC Radio Scotland FM

Small Ads

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

03/01/2012

BBC Radio Scotland - Small Ads

Every ad tells a story. Ricky Ross uncovers some of the most intriguing.

Ernest Hemingway claimed the best short story he ever wrote was 'For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.' Every ad tells a story and Ricky Ross reveals one of the most intriguing.

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Ernest Hemingway claimed the best short story he ever wrote was: "For sale: baby shoes. Never worn." Every ad tells a story, Ricky Ross runcovers some of the most intriguing.

Having spent 20-years on the road with his band Deacon Blue, Ricky has developed a fascination with small ads. They're a constant across societal and geographical boundaries. You'll see them pinned to notice boards in supermarkets, schools and libraries, and stuck up on windows in newsagents and coffee shops. For the computer-literate, Gumtree and Craigslist offer a more universal way to reach out, but they're little more advanced in terms of appearance and function. 

At their heart, small ads are a tried and tested way of connecting with people and offer an insight into the lives of strangers. Ricky keeps track of his favourites. One recent example in Giffnock asked budding classical actors to "come and read Shakespeare, any Shakespeare, but ideally Titus Andronicus."

Boasting a natural inquisitiveness and easy manner, Ricky investigates the stories behind the small ads, finding humour, pathos and intrigue along the way.

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