Sorry isn't always the hardest word
Media Guardian
:"The London Evening Standard today launches one of the most daring of publicity campaigns by apologising to Londoners for its previous behaviour.
Buses and tubes will carry a series of messages throughout the week that begin with the word "sorry." The first says "Sorry for losing touch". Subsequent slogans say sorry for being negative, for taking you for granted, for being complacent and for being predictable.
The ad posters, some of which will also appear on hoardings, do not mention the Standard by name but carry its Eros logo instead.
It's the first stage in a three-week publicity blitz that will also see the Standard relaunched on May 11, though details of what that will involve are not yet clear."
This is a brave strategy, and TB isn't really sure what they have to apologise for. Some snivvling lefties moan that The Standard helped to oust Ken and was clearly in support of Boris, but then so were the majority of Londoners. Hardly out of touch. Surely the impact of the London free papers are having more of an impact then any editorial stance or decision the paper has made in the last few years?
Either way it's always good to see people put their hand ups and admit to getting something wrong, if that is how they feel.
Over to you Gordon.. perhaps a few posters apologising for losing touch might buy you a few more hours.
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4 comments:
The Standard really lost its way for a few years, and if this a REAL attempt at becoming a decent paper again, then that's great news. However, in light of dwindling sales, I'm going to guess it's just a, very clever, marketing ploy.
The Standard during the mayoral race was obscene, and became less a source of information than a pamphlet of hatred - te political equivalent of vicious school girls. Without the Standard spouting some outrageous nonsense, I am unconvinced that Boris would have won. I can abide by papers taking a stance but (although this isn't the Standard's fault) there is no other REAL paper in London. LondonLite and Londonpaper are so shabby in their content (they do not report, they reprint updated press releases and stories from the Beeb). There is no merit to reading them as you do not learn anything (except a running commentary on Arsenal's probable line up come Sunday).
The Standard owns London in terms of printed press. For business and politics, they can be pretty influential as I know from my previous job. However, on a wider scale, and with a sense of responsibility that they may just be showing here, it could be a powerhouse both in influence, but also in quality.
"Sorry for expecting you to fish for change to buy our paper when you're already clasping 2 free newspapers anyway"
If you're not clear on what you're apologising for then your apology is pretty much worthless.
Bizarre -- seems to me they're fighting a losing battle against the internet and free newspapers.