Hey everyone! Here's my review of Week 9 of The Apprentice!
At the beginning of this episode, the next challenge was for the candidates to head to John Lewis Beauty Hall in Stratford, London. Victoria said that this is the challenge was Rochelle, and Rochelle told Bradley that this challenge was a bit of her, and she knows the aesthetics market as well as design. The task was to highlight the importance of male grooming products, and both teams had to create a new men's skincare product, with Lord Sugar saying that it needed to be original, and capture the imagination of the buyers. For Team Infinity (Bradley, Avi, Rochelle and Marnie), Bradley explained that he already had a design idea ready and that's why he was going to be the project manager. Rochelle stepped in to explain that she had experience in this industry and people need to vote for who they want to be the project manager, you can't just nominate yourself. Marnie said that just based on his introduction pitch, she was going to vote for Bradley, and he became the leader for this task. On the other team, Dani naturally took the lead, and explained that they needed to aim a skincare product at 50+, with Megan saying it would be the men who play golf or the silver foxes and Simba explaining that they ould re-energise their life. Tim said that there are depressing tablets that he could use rather than a moisturiser. Bradley explained to his team that he wanted to aim their product at men between 30 and 40, with a snake inspired item called venom. Rochelle said that it sounded like a poison and Avi said it sounded like you were putting venom on your face. Bradley also asked for the product to be a bright green or yellow, with Marnie suggesting that bright colours are usually for young people.
Avi and Rochelle were on the manufacturing team, and Simba was the sub team leader for manufacturing on his team. Dani was on the branding team, and both Victoria and Megan also wanted to put themselves forward for the branding team. but it was Victoria that was chosen to join the branding team, with Megan assisting Simba on creating the product. Megan said to Simba that she wasn't happy about not being on the branding team, and Bradley told Marnie that this was his third time as project manager and that his team were going to smash the task. Rochelle said to Avi that she's in the beauty industry, but not specifically on the male market, so having Avi there could be really helpful. Victoria and Dani were discussing about having a star design for their product, with Dani suggesting that they add a shape and then they can edit it afterwards. She also explained that maybe the item would be good on a bedside table and would work in a gold or brown colour. Bradley explained to Marnie that he wanted to have a snake's head with ot's body wrapped around the bottle, with Bradley wanting a bigger head, and Marnie saying that maybe a smaller head would work, as the product looks a bit young. Marnie also said that having bright colours could make it tacky, and after trying Marnie's suggested colour, he decided to go for an ultra fuse green adding that it was like nothing else on the shelf.
Avi and Rochelle went off to a Boots store in Nottingham where they had to create their product, with Rochelle saying that they needed to get a consistent gel base to begin with, adding that she wanted to do one thing at a time. Avi asked if he could help with the colour, but she told them to just concentrate on one thing at a time. Avi said to the camera that Rochelle didn't know what she was doing, adding that he had ideas but she wasn't listening to him. Simba said to Megan that they needed to focus on the look of the product, how it feels on the skin and also the smell of the item, making it a nice cream white colour. megan explained that the item was generic, and Simba said that he didn't want the smell to be over powering. They added a black pepper which worked well for the over 50's, and Megan said that her Dad would like it. Tim said that it looked like they just created a white moisturiser. Avi said to Rochelle that they could add a bit of mint in the product, with Rochelle asking him to listen to her, saying that what he was about to make was too dark. He also asked Rochelle why they were filling out another sheet with ingredients, and she said that it was the final one to hand in, with Avi saying that they hadn't tested the final batch. Victoria suggested that for their design they could have the brand name RISE and MIND with the Greek symbol included, and Dani said that she wanted to go with Start Skin Co, with Dani saying that if they've got a story, they can pitch the product well. Bradley told his team they were branding the item as anti venom, where you shed the dead skin, and unleash the man within. Rochelle called Bradley to tell him that the green tint has stained Avi's arm, and Bradley asked if they could reformulate the product. Rochelle said that the final attempt shouldn't be as strong.
Marnie questioned why Rochelle and Avi decided not to go with the green dye, suggesting that Rocelle was trying to cover her tracks and that they could put the blame on Bradley. Dani explained her idea to Megan and Simba, but Megan said that the tag line didn't sound catchy, and that after listening to the design of the product, asking Simba what 50+ yer old bloke cares about the design, adding that she would have done it a different way. Marnie mentioned to Bradley that having a dark green is more of a mature colour, with Bradley saying that they had missed the mark, adding that maybe it was the font that was the problem. Marnie said that they have to find positives in it. Dani said that the white text doesn't work for the logo, and doesn't make the title pop, and Victoria asked Dani if she actually liked the colour navy. Dani explained that it's a masculine colour and he;ps the white text stand out, adding that it doesn't look terrible, does it? Bradley said that the more he looks at their design, the more he likes it and Rochelle said that green was a colour that was aimed for the younger demographic. Avi also noticed that the snake colour isn't the same colour all the way round, and Bradley said that he was still pleased with it overall. For Simba's team, he said he loves the packaging but couldn't remember the slogan, and Megan said that having a simpler pot would have been more appropriate. Dani said to the team that it can be an ornament that you can put little things in, adding that it as versatile. Megan added that she felt the item was going to get a lot of criticism.
Bradley asked his team whether they were happy with the new batch and hoping it doesn't mark the skin, with Marnie saying it looked like slime, and Bradley saying that his skin was already going green. Rochelle said that he wanted a green product, with Marnia saying that they could have removed the green bit. Rochelle added that there would be then been complaints that the brief had not been followed and that the item wasn't great. Bradley said that his team needed to try and work out a storyline to sell their product. Dani said to her team that the design doesn't look anything different to what's already been done, adding that the story could be the saving grace behind the item, and that the branding would hopefully sell it. On the way to the pitch, Bradley told Marnie that his heads were still green, and Megan told Simba that using the item as a paper clip holder wouldnt wash with the clients. Simba and Megan went off to do their market research as a fire engine base, and they said that the smell was quite masculine, the tagline was too long, not rolling off the tongue, and the item itself was a bit excessive and looks like a scented candle. For Avi's market research, he and Rochelle went to collect feedback from some of the Magic Mike performers who said that they hadn't hit their target market, the item looks like a toy or a shower gel, adding that they would walk right past. One of them said that it looks toxic and was that the product was already staining his skin, with Avi saying thank you boys, noted! Bradley said to Marnie that they are going to pitch the item as a concentrate, with Marnie adding that you mix dilute with water, which can be the venom, and that makes the final skincare product.
At the pitches in front of brands such as Boots, Superdrug and John Lewis, Dani, Victoria, Megan and Simba were up first to explain their idea, with Victoria saying that they know there are over one million beauty products, but this one could be used as an ornament in the bathroom, and Marnie said that for their item, they had created an anti venom product with venom shots that can be diluted with water to create their own exfoliant. There was a lot of confused faces in the audience, but Marnie asked Bradley if he had a figure for how many he wanted to sell, and he said 10,000. With their first client, they said that it looked like a watered down showergel or a toilet cleaner, and Bradley asked if they were still interested in a deal to help reinvent the brand, and they said that they weren't interested in the product. Marnie also said to Bradley that the product dying the skin was not an option. Simba and Megan were off to sell their design to a client, with initial feedback that the item was big. Simba explained that the item can also be used as an ornament in the bathroom, with the client saying that the brand name looked like STAR. Megan said that Simba's sales skills didn't come through on that pitch. Avi and Rochelle were told that their product looked like a novelty bubble bath with Avi asking the client if they would still give the item a chance. They said that with concerns around the brand, packaging and product itself, they were not going to make any orders, with Rochelle realising that Avi wasn't taking no for an answer. Megan managed to sell 500 units, and Victoria tried to sell the product as something that could start your day, before Dani jumped into the pitch, suggesting that one of the clients should try it out and stock the item in their stores. Victoria said that she had been with Dani during the entire process and Dani wouldn't let her speak. Simba and Megan managed to get one buyer to purchase 100 units as a trial, and Rochelle tried her luck at asking for 10,000 units. Avi said to one of the buyers that if they didn't manage to sell the products, that they would take them back.
In the boardroom, Dani said that she wanted to targed the over 50's market and after Lord Sugar asked if it could make him look like Harry Styles, Simba said that it was just a moisturiser and couldn't do miracles. Dani said that the item was different, and it would probably be something hovering around her Grandad's house. Megan said that she couldn't remember the tagline and Simba explained that the item had aloe vera and black pepper which gave it a masculine smell. He also said that Megan sold very well, and that he sells in his day to day job but wasn't able to make any sales with the product during the task. For Bradley's team, he explained his idea to Lord Sugar, and he replied by saying that it looked like someone had cr*pped out a mint aero. Bradley said that he wanted to add more text to make it look mature, and Marnie said that she and Bradley had different design ideas, with Baroness Brady warning Lord Sugar to be careful because the product would stain him. Avi said that his skin turned green and that he was lab rat for the day, and Rochelle said that she notified the team straightaway, with Bradley saying that the item was not suitable to be used on skin. He went on to say that they came up with a quick solution that the product could be diluted in water, in order to save the skin, and he said that he felt like he was covering up for the team's mistake. Avi replied and said that it was Bradley's mistake, as he told the team to make the potion green. We found out that Team Apex had 11,350 orders with Team Infinity receiving 0 orders as the branding and packaging was not good. Lord Sugar's response was that it was unbelievable, but the winning team were treated to a hands on special effects masterclass. Lord Sugar addressed Bradley and said that he had been project manager three times and he didn't perform, so he was fired from the process in that moment.
He said that the other three were not off the hook, and at least another candidate was going to be fired from the process. In the winning team, Megan said that she feels like she gets bruised everytime she comes out of the boardroom, adding that they should use green or yellow, with Victoria saying that Team Infinity have used all of that up. Victoria also said that Dani used to be her biggest competition so it was nice that they were able to work on the same time, but maybe there are some flaws that could get Dani fired soon. Rochelle said that she liked that the idea was different, but didnt like the logo, the brand or the design. Marnie explained that soemone had already been fired for the design, so somebody needs to be fired for the design itself. Avi said that they lost the task because of the rubbish branding. Marnie explained that the branding team had already been accountable as Bradley had been fired, and it was now fair for the product team to be accountable as the product was unusable. Avi said that they were just doing what they were told, with Baroness Brady stepping in and saying that they weren't using their own brain or their own common sense. Avi said that they would have had time, but their first batch took too long to create, and Rochelle said that although the product was green, everything else that they did was great. Marnie said that the issue was with the consistency of the product, adding that they could have edited the recipe and not using dye, and then dealing with the consequences later. Lord Sugar sent the three candidates outside, saying that Rochelle didn't want to be seen as a scapegoat, Marnie went along with the project manager and it backfired on her and Avi was beginning some of the major retailers for a deal, showing that he was out of his depth.
Rochelle explained that she was hard working, she;'s been in a leadership position four times, and there is no stopping for her and no giving up. Avi explained that he had won twie as the project manager and once as sub team leader, with Marnie saying that she felt like she carried Avi in the two challenges where he was project manager. Rochelle said that Avi has been lucky to win, and Avi said that the weakest link out of the three of them was Rochelle. Rochelle said that Avi doesn't have a business, and she's been running her own business for last 11 years, adding that the product was a disaster. Lord Sugar questioned whether Marnie was as culpable as the project manager, but in the end it was Avi who was fired. Lord Sugar told him to keep his enthusiam up and he was impressed with Avi's progression over the show, with Baroness Brady wishing him good luck. The final six were Megan, Simba, Victoria, Dani, Marnie and Rochelle! Avi explained that he's only 24 and that his potential is sky high. Simba said that either Avi or Marnie would be fired, and Megan said thrat either Marnie or Rochelle would be fired. After Marnie and Rochelle both walked in, Marnie said that Avi got the good luck and keep in touch speech, with Simba explaining that he was the final boy left. Marnia said that Simba's already got a target on his head. The next challenge was for the candidates to create dog food!
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