A weekly roundup of media news and talking points, sans effort

 

Thought for the Week 

“Everyone should be able to enjoy Halloween but I urge all retailers to behave more responsibly – don’t demonise mental illness.” Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat care and support minister, commenting on retailers stocking ‘psycho’, ‘schizo’, and ‘freak’ costumes a year after Tesco and ASDA were slammed for selling similar outfits. 

Weekly High

Fittingly, considering it’s Halloween and all that, Pepsi Max decided to instal high-tech kit in the toilet mirror of an Odeon cinema in London with the intention of giving people a fun fright. Take a look below at this year’s best trick or treat themed PR stunt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GG2wKZw3wg v
 

Weekly Low

Just when you think bad marketing ideas can’t get any worse a bar in Birmingham, Risa, decided to try and get more customers buying drinks by holding an ebola party on Halloween week, meanwhile in Africa aid workers are continuing to fight the deadly disease as the death toll continue to rise.

 

Stories to keep an eye on

Alcohol brands are being urged to start labelling drinks with calorie content in a bid to make people aware of their intake through wine, beer and spirits.
According to a leading thinktank, not even half the austerity measures outlined by the coalition government will have been implemented by 2015.
Ahead of the U.S. midterm elections experts predict that the Republican Party will win both houses of congress, the first time this has happened since halfway through the presidency of George W. Bush. 

Just in case you missed it

The latest edition of our newsletter is now out, John Watson’s Case Notes, which looks at anonymity in social media, the scariest experiential marketing campaigns, Nokia’s impending death and mobile charity app SnapDonate. Take a look here.