On paper, YouTuber and podcaster Sandro Ford is a brand marketer’s dream. He’s the originator of a hit social media video format that sees him name, consume and sing the praises of various products; he has a pocketful of viral catchphrases; and he boasts a huge following.
But there’s probably good reason why the brands he extols avoid any official collaborations: they seem to be doing him serious harm.
Ford’s best-known format is ‘What I drink in a day’, which documents his punishing itinerary of alcohol consumption in various locations. A recent series from Nerja in Spain sees him send 73 drinks “straight down the hatch” over the course of three days. As Ford puts it after each one: “Lovely”.
At first, it all seems like harmless, banter-filled boozy fun. Welshman Ford is a humorous narrator and there’s frequent but affectionate ribbing of sidekicks Richard ‘Raggs’ Hughes and Moonhead.
But there is a clear toll. Most days start with “the holy trinity of tablets” – namely [acid reflux treatment] Omeprazole, a gout tablet and Imodium – often washed down with a “quick breakfast beer”. Nights often end dribbling or retching. A vision of health, Ford and his compadres are anything but.
Live and let live, of course. They are doing no harm to anyone but themselves. But many viewers, one suspects, are driven by the morbid curiosity of watching someone drink themselves to destruction. Might a brand dare intervene to convince Ford and his pals away from the pints to tip top health? That really would be “lovely”.
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