A weekly roundup of talking points, sans effort
Thought for the week
“We also believe that there is a real need for the creation of an international news platform that is truly independent from any political, religious or cultural group in particular – a platform that can speak for all.” Rory O’Grady, founder of The World Weekly, a brand new free to pick up magazine launched in London this week.
Weekly high
Music PR is tough. Inundated with artists, the press and public don’t know what to listen to next. Hurts, a band, decided to get some attention by anonymously posting a tape recorder to a magazine office with a note. A week later a letter followed, supposedly from Russia, asking staff to collect a jacket from a nearby dry cleaners. Inside the pocket was a tape, and one of the journalists played it. Already a winner in contrast to so many unheard album samplers, the likes of PRexamples.com have heralded it a micro-triumph- enough to make you forget its obvious inefficiency.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X7VDiUapIVw
Weekly low
Though we were tempted by Dominos, after its pizza sponsorship ad for ITV’s Splash! was followed by a government health clip explaining the perils of too many 12″ meat feasts, news from our supermarkets had yet to hit home. So-called horsemeat burgers, as we know by now, were sold in Tesco, Iceland, Lidl, and Aldi stores, along with several other major chains. Apparently the real blame could fall on foreign firms responsible for a high-protein powder used in the process, but still it’s not great for brand image, and proves all businesses need to check their partners out properly.
Things that might happen next week…
The mystery of who put equine DNA in what should have been bovine meat to serve in a bun could be solved, the author of America’s 1994 Assault Weapons Ban (Senator Dianne Feinstein), which expired in 2004, will introduce new legislation on assault weapons at a U.S. press conference, and (Boeing hopes) the new 787 Dreamliner might be airborne again after ongoing problems and an emergency landing grounded those already in service.
Dates for your diary
Thursday 24th January; The Drum 100 Closing Date, Countrywide- Submissions to the respected media website’s review of the finest UK design agencies in the UK must be in by today. It’s worth noting.
Saturday 26th January, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield; Curated By Narratives; Needless to say, with our own focus on storytelling we could well be making the trans-Pennine trip to South Yorkshire for this conference on being creative by telling tales.
If there is a success story, blunder, or news event you’d like to see included email helloATsmokinggun.co.uk or tweet using #blaggersblog. Happy Friday!
