Coca-Cola deliberately distanced itself and refused to advertise it, but it now sells in 350 clubs and bars.The ultimate viral advertising techniques have been pioneered in the United States. One involves using undercover sales staff, described coyly as “ambassadors”, to pose as ordinary people who ask loudly for the latest drink in trendy bars.The major toy firm Hasbro has used “alpha pups”, 8- to 13-year-old boys selected from Chicago playgrounds for their ultimate coolness, to launch a new multi-player game called Pox. Hasbro is launching Pox in Britain next year, and is considering using the same technique.But Alex Batchelor, managing director of the branding consultancy Interbrand, dismisses predictions that this new advertising will replace the traditional 30-second TV ads as misguided. Advertisers have to be careful about becoming too clever by trying to hide products.
Eventually, they risk a consumer backlash.”It flatters us to think that we’re becoming more sophisticated,” he said “But companies have to be careful about not being honest People expect honesty.”. President Bush, we hear, has spent half of his White House tenure so far on holiday. President Bush, we hear, has spent half of his White House tenure so far on holiday. “You have to wonder when this guy does any work,” says a Democratic Party official We do not admire George W Bush’s stance on the environment. We do not admire his gung-ho approach to nuclear missile defence But will we slam him for taking a four-week break? No. The more time he spends doing nothing, the better we like him.. On a useful technicality, the Northern Ireland Assembly has been reinstated after one day’s suspension.
On a useful technicality, the Northern Ireland Assembly has been reinstated after one day’s suspension. According to the arcane rulebook of the peace process, this move buys both sides six weeks in which to reflect on their best course of action after the latest stalemate.
It was, in the circumstances, the best that could be done to soften the impact of David Trimble’s resignation as First Minister in protest at the IRA’s failure to decommission its weapons.Last week, however, the IRA hinted that it will agree a scheme with the international decommissioning body that would see its armoury placed “completely and verifiably” beyond use. This may not have been the breakthrough that Sinn Fein claimed. But it was enough to save the peace process from complete breakdown.True, the technical one-day suspension of the power-sharing executive and the assembly was far from ideal. But most of the parties seem to regard the period ahead as an opportunity for a much-needed break from the febrile atmosphere of Belfast.
