Archive
Year: 2008
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Bendy Bananas and Curly Cucumbers Back on the Shelves?
November 20, 2008
In Britain’s popular culture the marketing restrictions on bendy bananas and curly cucumbers have always been associated with the Bureaucrats of Brussels. Nothing so well underpinned a public perception of meddling officials in a foreign country imposing their will on a hapless populace by setting fruit and veg dimensions by millimetre and by degree. The story was always guaranteed to provoke a curious mixture of exasperation and delight. The Commission has now announced a relaxation...
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One victory against a poor German side and suddenly we are world beaters
November 20, 2008
Bathing in the afterglow of beating a particularly poor Germany with our reserve team at football last night, the FT's UK section continues the gloating with the headline "Internet Savvy Britons lead digital league". Apparently the UK regulator Ofcom has unveiled its latest piece of research into the UK communications landscape. Thankfully, it contrasts the UK not only with our poor German cousins but also with Italy and France as well as Canada, the US...
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Just give them the answer
November 20, 2008
The European Parliament is never afraid to take on the status quo and to challenge common knowledge. For example, for a poll to be a poll, does it actually have to show results? Not if you're a maverick like the European Parliament. On the bottom left of the EP's home page, something that looks suspiciously like a poll asks, "The role of MEP's in one of the Parliament's delegations is?" and provides four choices with...
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Can the net help companies plant roots in Brussels?
November 18, 2008
Image by loungerie via Flickr A post last week on the website Wired got me thinking about the use of grassroots in Brussels. The author highlights that GM has sought to use its own employees to lobby federal US policymakers for the money it needs to stay afloat as a company. It reminded me of a recent dinner conversation about whether grassroots - digital or otherwise - can work in Brussels when conducted by corporations...
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Beware all PR drones, the Berlaymonster Strikes Back
November 17, 2008
(Photo: gildemax - commons.wikimedia.org) One of the journalists at our table at the awards ceremony the other week asked why they didn't receive as many press releases from FH as they do from other Brussels PR agencies. In a subsequent breath it was then noted that much of what they do receive from agencies in town is not of much use to them and goes directly in the delete tray. One hopes that this means...
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Reading blogs in Congress
November 13, 2008
Check out the FH Global Public Affairs blog to read about the importance of having a voice online if one wants to influence the policy process in the US Congress. The blog is full of useful information, such as the fact that "53% of congressional staffers are active blog readers." Though focused on the US congress, the lessons apply equally to the EU...
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Italians disassociate themselves from their PM
November 11, 2008
Image via Wikipedia The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is famous for many things including being the richest man in Italy, owning AC Milan, and having a penchant for sun-beds. He is not however known for his tact. In fact, he usually hits the international headlines following one of his numerous gaffes, the most recent of which was to refer to US President elect Barack Obama as "giovane, bello e abronzzato" (young, handsome and tanned...
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Europe Prepares for Obama Presidency
November 10, 2008
After all the excitement of an amazing US presidential election, here we stand in the cold light of dawn, wondering what happens next. What can we Europeans expect of President Barack Obama? As others have pointed out, his first duty will be to serve the interests of those who elected him and not the political priorities of friends and neighbours, so we should not raise our hopes too high. Yet things do seem very different...
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And the winner is…
November 6, 2008
Image via Wikipedia It's awards season here in Brussels. Like the 94 tram on Avenue Louise, you wait forever for a glitzy award ceremony and then two come along at once. Last night saw the inaugural European Public Affairs Directory awards at the Vaudeville Theatre in central Brussels. Alas, Jonathan Ross was not on hand to compere, instead a comedian who looked like Billy Connolly's illegitimate younger brother pitched up. His jokes weren't bad. Wine...
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Posts from America (5) – The road ahead
November 6, 2008
Image via Wikipedia Vegas ate my money last night. I thought I'd worked out a 'guaranteed to win' strategy on the Black Jack tables. Guess what, I hadn't. But to be honest I didn't really mind. I still feel I won. The US made an historic choice yesterday and I played a small part in my part of Nevada in making it happen. I've been involved in several political campaigns in the UK and for me...