Vibrator: Jock straps akimbo and keeping your enemies close
Come one, come all to the hive of marketing industry gossip that is The Drum’s Vibrator. Every two weeks, our girl about town Claire Snare shares the news from the media and marketing scene that doesn’t make the headlines.
Jock straps akimbo
Football is not this columnist’s favourite ball sport, but the lure of 30 young men in shorts was enough to persuade me to stop by The Drum and Propeller’s England v Scotland charity football match last week for a bit of al fresco action. I saw a little more than I bargained for, however, when I availed myself to the ladies’ bathroom to powder my nose before kick-off only to find the Scotland team had already commandeered the facility as a makeshift changing room. Let’s just say, jock straps akimbo.
There was more sweaty action on the pitch when Scotland defender Andrew McCormick, newly installed at Essence, was given a telling off from the referee for ‘slamming’ one of the England players into the touchside hoardings in the opening minutes. Let’s just say the players weren’t the only ones getting hot and bothered. Of course, I was too busy catching up on gossip on my rosé-stained white iPhone to know what the score was, but those keeping track tell me England started the better before a valiant second half Scotland comeback saw the match end 12-12. I’m also reliably informed that the players donated all their match fees to charity, raising £138 for Amnesty International. Result!
You’ve got balls
Speaking of balls, retailer Morrisons’ Christmas ad unveiling to the press took a strange turn last week, when group trading director Casper Meijer, in front of the retailer’s entire board, whipped out a couple. Yes, to prove just how fresh the supermarket’s vegetables will be this year, Meijer cupped a couple of brussels and vigorously rubbed them together until the stunned room could hear a faint squeak from the palm of his hand. Seemingly unfazed by the stricken expressions on the faces of all the journalists present, he then paraded a tray of sprouts around the room to entice the press to “give it a try” themselves. I can now happily attest to the freshness of Mr Meijer’s sprouts.
Booty call
Like any girl about town worth her salt, I’m a fan of champagne – but I have to say I’ve never seen anyone able to balance a glass of the stuff quite like Kim Kardashian did in THOSE shots for Paper Magazine. Clearly it was also an act of inspiration for PR firm 10 Yetis’ account exec Scott Salter, who rushed to share his own booty balancing on Twitter. Excellent party trick Scott.
Keep your enemies close
It’s not often you come across a juicy anecdote about an agency boss playing a prank on a counterpart at a rival agency, but that’s just what one mischievous chief exec recently confessed to yours truly. Turns out he once, overcome by a burning curiosity to nose around said rival’s offices, dodged security to take his own personal tour around the place incognito. In true mischief-maker style he then penned a post-it note to his rival counterpart, proclaiming he ‘woz ere’. Of course, now the rivals are to be owned by the same holding group, I wonder what the two will concoct next to peer under each other’s skirts.
Heard any juicy 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.