Connie - the annoying public face of AOL UK that has graced the company's ads since 1998 - has had a makeover.

Instead of that stupid pudding-bowl haircut she now "sports a modern hairstyle by the top stylist at Trevor Sorbie" - whatever that means.

Oh, and that digital frock of hers has been bagged up and sent to Oxfam. In its place is a "stylish new dress featuring highlights of the AOL service".

Apparently, the new-look Connie - AOL's "Internet Genie" - is to front a new six-week ad campaign starting today.

According to the press release: "It shows the new-look Connie wearing a dressing gown and choosing her new outfit from a lengthy clothes rail with the help of a sales assistant. Connie then emerges from a changing room wearing her new asymmetric virtual dress and asking 'So what do you think?' As she clicks her fingers, the dress comes alive with images of the AOL service. The camera dives into her dress and zooms in on a family, with a young boy at a PC."

Heaven help us.

No doubt this makeover has nothing do with the fact that AOL UK's ads were voted the most annoying of last year. Said the judges: "A prissy know-all is a strange choice to symbolise the exciting new media revolution."

Spot on. ®

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