Ricky is keen to take charge of Stirling. Tom doesn't mind, probably recognising that with only two in the team losing would make him very vulnerable. The two of them quickly hit on the idea of a range of male grooming products. Can't for the life of me think where that came from.
At Phoenix, the team is struggling for ideas. One of Nick's businesses is coffee, and he hits on the idea of hot chocolate. Adam steers the idea towards chocolates, possibly not understanding the difference. He decides that he and Nick should handle branding and packaging as this is the most important part of the task and Jade should make chocolates because she's a girl.
Tom visits a barbers where he discovers that demoing the product is a good marketing tool. He also takes the opportunity to brush up on figures. Meanwhile, Nick and Adam are in a sweet shop where they learn that chocolates are nice and so are jellies. Karen Brady shakes her head in disapproval, something that will rapidly develop into a theme.
Adam is now desperately keen to include jellies in their line up of chocolates. Whilst you have to give him credit for enthusiastically throwing himself into new things, he is a bit like a small child distracted by the latest shiny thing. Nick emphasises that he thinks jellies are a bad idea and that the decision is entirely down to Adam. Apprentice speak for gathering information to be used in the event of defeat. Jade is also not keen, but finds a way to make the jellies work by adding alcohol, a strategy that works for the vast majority of products. Week 2's splash screen would have been a massive hit if it had a mini-bar built in.
Num, num, num.
The team still need a name for their range. Adam tries about fifty different variations on the word "choc", kind of misunderstanding the idea of a luxury product. Jade hits on Sweet Things, which sort of works, and decides that she is pretty much doing everything herself which, while largely true, might not be a positive if they lose.
At team Stirling, Ricky is in his white overalls again using his chemistry skills. Tom has come up with a packaging design that is essentially grey on grey and the name "Modern gentlemen" which sounds faintly like an escort service. Their shop front is similarly grey, but they have managed to get in a barbers chair for some live demos.
Eye Catching
Phoenix have a powder blue shop front and, to her credit, Jade has provided a good looking collection of products. They have also added a cocktail bar, which is an obvious draw but is slightly removed from the core idea. Adam and Nick aren't sure of the price. Adam says £2.99, Nick says £4.99. Karen Brady asks straight out "is it £2.99 or £4.99?" and Nick says "Exactly." Karen practically spits on his shoes.
The invited audience are let loose on the shop fronts. Tom and Ricky are well rehearsed but lack personality. But Tom persuades one unlucky punter to try a wet shave. With Tom handling a cut throat razor I'm not sure who is braver. Probably the punter. Just be thankful it isn't Adam, or even worse Stephen, or this would have rapidly become the great Apprentice barbershop blood bath of 2012. Things seem to be going well for Phoenix, the chocolates are popular and the cocktails are proving a draw.
No its time for the presentations. Ricky and Tom are thoroughly prepared. Ricky is slick as always and Tom is, if not quite so polished, clearly on top of his material. Tricky questions are batted aside and even requests for figures barely raise and eyebrow. At Phoenix things go less well. Adam is not so much out of his element as entirely off the periodic table. Put way through he just tails off and starts listing special occasions: "Christmas, birthdays, Easter, Whitsun, Ascension Sunday." The slightly odd, "too cheap for a retail chain", "too expensive for a supermarket" is off putting as well.
Back in the boardroom Lord Siralan sums up. Stirling was dull and uninspiring, but Tom and Ricky gave a good presentation and researched their market thoroughly. Phoenix had an eye-catching product but didn't know what they were talking about. Lord Siralan goes with worthy and dull and Ricky and Tom are given the dubious treat of going back to the house without being fired. Looks like Phoenix blew all the treat money last week on tea.
Meanwhile, with Phoenix, Jade gives a good account of herself, having come up with the product and the name. Karen Brady is particularly keen to stick the boot into Nick and Adam, boldly stating that Jade's name ideas were all better than theirs and that they did no research in the sweet shop. Did Adam done something specific to offend her, or has she just snapped after eleven weeks of putting up with him? Adam also gets the blame for the dodgy price point, though Nick doesn't exactly cover himself in glory.
Adam is looking very vulnerable right now with Jade targeting him. But what's this, all of a sudden Nick turns on Jade. What is he thinking? Is he trying to eliminate a stronger competitor or assuming that Adam is gold-plated? Either way its a daft move. Having contributed little to the task himself, Nick resorts to attacking her past record. This is all a bit nuanced for the boardroom and it looks like Nick might have talked himself out of the door.
But no, even Lord Siralan can only put up with so much of Adam and he is dispatched to make a prat of himself on You're Fired. He doesn't seem too bothered, even he seems to think he lasted too long.
NEXT TIME The final interview in which we are made to sympathise with the survivors by having them savaged by three people even more obnoxious than they and also Margaret Mountford.
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