Week two of The Apprentice gave candidates the chance to get their creative juices flowing as they were tasked with creating an AR comic book for 8-12-year-olds. The task used a new technology that allowed the teams to not only build their characters but also bring them to life.
The Express wrote, "The task balanced creative flair with productive pitching and the team that neglected either faced a graphics showdown in the boardroom." In a landslide win, the girls' team came out on top beating the boys' team with over 14,500 orders compared to the boys 950.
What is AR?
AR stands for augmented reality, which in its dictionary definition means "A technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view."
This dynamic technology allowed the candidates to become their characters in both speeches and in movements, something that unemployed Actor Kurran Pooni found rather difficult. After being selected to become the voice of the boy's superhero character Benji, Kurran informed his team that "I can't talk and move my head at the same time."
Although his claims amused many viewers, Lord Sugar was disappointed as he watched Benji stand motionless on the front of the boys' comic book. A vastly different approach to the girls, who created a character that danced and rapped on the front of their comic.
Comic book catastrophe
Although the girls ultimately won the task by more than 13,000 orders, the decisions they made in producing their comic book were questionable. Led by Khadija Kalifa, who took on the role of Project Manager as she herself has children that the comics were marketed at.
Choosing to take the educational route, the girls sent their character M.C Gogo to Paris but soon realised that none of them was fluent in French.
At their pitches, the girls came under fire for lack of French language in their comic, as well as poor spelling and grammar errors. But a strong pitch from sponsorship consultant Jackie Frost, at the large retailer, led to the big order that won them the task.
In a controversial decision, sub-team leader David Alden made a major mistake in his pitch to retailers.
The Evening Standard wrote, "Pretty much sealed his fate when he rattled off a list of negative market research points about their comic book, including a lack of gender and disability diversity."
Dramatic firing
Lord Sugar has never been shy about firing multiple candidates in the past having once fired all three candidates that sat across from him in the boardroom. Although multiple firings often happen later in the process, last night's intense boardroom had viewers guessing if this series' week two might call for a triple firing.
Ultimately it was Taxman David Alden who faced the finger and heard the dreaded "You're fired," from Lord Sugar. David's hobby of writing children's stories did not lead to a win in a task that seemed as if it was made for him. Before the firing Lord Sugar accused David as having "No business acumen." What do you think of Lord Sugar's decision?
