The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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Double Robotics Vibrator Gossip

Vibrator: Get the inside track on Podge shenanigans, Weve burlesque, and an unexpected alliance

By Claire Snare |

July 25, 2014 | 6 min read

Resident gossip girl Claire Snare has been a busy bee this past fortnight. With an ear to the ground in all matters of marketing, this fortnight's column even features the beloved Harry Styles.

Goldfinger Podge lunch

Folk co-founder Paul Sheedy, sporting blond wig and bikini, paid homage to Ursula Andress’ iconic appearance as Bond girl Honey Rider at this summer’s ‘20 Years of Podge’ party. The event, which brought all Sports, Design, Digital and Stodge Podges together, took place at Stoke Park golf course in the blazing sunshine and had the theme of Goldfinger (yes we know Honey Rider was in Dr No, but who cares). Pictured below with Podge host Phil Jones, Sheedy was spotted fending off his fellow Bond kitted-out admirers to take a giant swing of his golf club. Some of the more shy guests confessed to me they were relieved not to be in his group, and subjected to watching him bending over a putt. Prudes!

Highlights also included Jonathan Sands CEO of Elmwood as Auric Goldfinger (a bit too convincing as a baddie set on global domination) and Syd Nadim from Clock dressed in full diving gear on the hottest day of the year!

How lo-go can you go-go?

Another week, another party. This time, yours truly, along with what seemed like half the media industry, was at Cafe de Paris celebrating an exciting year for Weve, bidding farewell to CEO David Sear and welcoming his successor Tim Hipperson – and what better way to kick off the night than with a titillating burlesque performance? While the scantily clad dancers had many in the crowd positively blushing, I couldn’t help but notice a primely positioned monsieur Sear enthusiastically cheering and clapping like a delighted schoolboy. After several glasses of champagne, this party girl was ready to take herself home – and just in time, it would seem as one chap (who looked suspiciously similar to Weve’s commercial director) decided to demonstrate his love for the brand by straddling the eight-foot high Weve logo, before taking his place in the jaegerbomb line-up at the bar.

Heart flutters

Famous person spotted outside London office... And yes, the sun rose that day, people had to stand in the tube and a bank cheated some customers. Hardly news? True, but when that office happens to be occupied by a PR company, anything can happen.

So fair play to Frank PR, who managed to create a social media storm out of the simple fact that One Direction’s Harry Styles was spotted outside its premises.

As far as I can discern he did go into the office. But more importantly there is no evidence he even knew Frank PR was there.

Undeterred, a Storify page was rapidly set up which aggregated tweets like “Harry Styles was spotted outside Frank PR’s office”.

Momentum gathered as punters speculated whether another #fakerelationship was in the offing. He was outed last year as having one of those with Kendall Jenner. The things these poor boy band types have to do to generate a bit of publicity.

Over the course of the few hours, the Storify page had 1,782 views as momentum built and speculation about his use of PR became more outlandish.

But if Frank PR was getting carried away with the publicity, it was soon brought back to earth with a bump.

“What’s Frank PR?” several fans wanted to know. One @Dominique1D_ tweeted: “I swear if he has to date a bitch again I’m going to cut off the balls from the Frank PR Offices.” Easy ladies!

Seeing double

Oo-er, that’s a bit naughty. Some attendees of The Drum Live were treated to a double dose of the Double Robot as they got a surprise when visiting the gents’ towards the end of the drinks reception. Thanks to some cheeky PRs, who shall remain nameless, the day’s resident Tweetboxer nearly had his boxers papped by the pervy iPad on wheels after it followed him to the loo.

Hanky panky

Now here’s a head scratcher. Picture the scene... I was casually enjoying glass of rosé in Covent Garden last week, when who should happen to briskly walk by but IAB UK chief executive Guy Phillipson. Suddenly he stopped dead, grabbed a crisp napkin (or two) from the table, and dashed off. Mopping the effects of this London heatwave from his brow? Remembered he had a few extra dinner party guests that evening? Who knows. Answers on a postcard…

David Luiz on World Cup defeat

This week we also got a first-hand account of Brazillian player David Luiz's response when after his team was savagely defeated at the World Cup by Germany, courtesy of Edelman. He'll know better next time!

And finally, spotted at the Oscars of the publishing world, the PPA Awards, was The Drum’s flatcap-clad editor Gordon Young, champers in hand and deep in mysterious conversation in a murky corner with none other than Lord Michael Heseltine, co-founder of Haymarket. Would it be remiss to suggest that The Drum could be going over to the dark side and buying its biggest rival Campaign? An intriguing alliance if ever there was one. You heard it here first.

Heard any juicy marketing industry stories you want me to know about? Email me at claire.snare@thedrum.com or vibrator@thedrum.com. All tip offs will be handled in confidence. I promise. And I can sniff out the true gossip from a mile away, so don't bother with any fakes.

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