Lateral Born PR by Sunshine

July 29, 2009

sunshine

What are the ingredients for a killer press release? We’ve previously noted that good spelling and grammar is a sine qua non, for the illiterate press release is destined only for discovery by Benji the Binman (and he’s retired). We hesitate to state the obvious – that a press release needs to be attention-grabbing, and yet not in an exclamatory, in-your-face fashion – and instead suggest that a little bit of lateral born PR goes a long way.

Take the press release below, which has just wended its way to Swordplay. It’s issued on behalf of  www.sunshine.co.uk – ‘the UK’s largest independent online travel agent’ – and despite one or two linguistic howlers, we think it’s rather clever, blending  the world’s strangest laws with travel advice. Decidedly left-field, creative and notable. Whoever thought of the combination deserves a pat on the back – or, perhaps, a trip to one of Sunshine’s destinations. Here’s the release in full (with thanks to Flickr user Kris Kros for the sunny image):

A BRITISH GUIDE TO NOT GETTING ARRESTED ON HOLIDAY

Going out without any pants on, not having their swim suit inspected by the police, carrying an ice cream cone in their back pocket on a Sunday, singing whilst wearing a cossie, peeing in the sea and flushing the loo after 10pm; laws from around the world that all British holiday-goers should be made aware of.

With recent cases of Brits getting arrested abroad, such as the mother who got arrested in Phuket for stealing a beer coaster and a couple being arrested in Malaysia for holding hands, it’s no wonder that sunshine.co.uk, the UK’s fastest growing independent online travel agent has seen an influx of enquires from worried holiday-goers about the rules and regulations of their chosen holiday destination.

www.sunshine.co.uk noticed that aside from the more serious rules, such as showing affection to a non-marital partner in public or walking around in swimwear in Dubai, there are many outdated rules around the world that people should be aware of.

Every Brits worst nightmare; stepping off the plane to rain. But be warned; in Milan, it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits, there are no exceptions made for depressed Brits armed with only their flip flops and straw hats.

If people choose to take a taxi ride from the airport to their hotel, they will be pleased to hear that in Massachusetts, taxi drivers are prohibited from making love in the front seat of the car during their shifts. Or, if a hire car is the preferential means of travel be warned; when using a hire car in Denmark, people are legally obliged to honk the horn and check for small children underneath the car.

When people have settled into their hotel room, unpacked their belongings and are ready for some holiday fun, they must be cautious of the following laws:

Before getting carried away with the excitement of the sun, sand and sea be aware; In Thailand, it is illegal for anyone to leave a building without wearing their pants and in Michigan, anyone planning on bathing in public must have their swim suit inspected by a police officer.

With pants firmly on and swim suit inspection over, it’s time for some activities but in Florida, any unmarried woman who parachutes on a Sunday could be jailed and singing while wearing a cossie is strictly prohibited.

With the scorching sun and endless cocktails on the beach, an innocent swim can easily lead to an illegal offence in Portugal as it is unlawful to urinate in the sea; how they keep tabs on this is another matter altogether.

When the sun sets and the party frocks come out, Brits are quite well known around the world for their partying antics. However, if caught getting down and dirty with a married man in Hong Kong, the betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill the mistress in any manner desired; the cheating husband on the other hand gets off lightly, and may only be killed by the angry wives bare hands.

Fortunately however, according to an old Kentucky rule, anyone who has been drinking is sober until s/he cannot hold the ground but in Switzerland a strong bladder is required, as flushing the loo after 10pm is, of course, illegal.

If people should fail to abide by the above list of rules then they can only hope to be treated with the same compassion as in Canada, whereby if you are arrested and then released from prison, it is a legal requirement that the felon is given a handgun with bullets and a horse, so they can ride safely out of the town.

Chris Brown managing director of sunshine.co.uk said;

“We aren’t sure how serious these countries are when it comes to prosecuting on the above but it’s quite mind boggling trying to figure out why there was ever a need to have a law against carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket on a Sunday or looking at a moose from an airplane!

“All jokes aside, we are very committed to reassuring our customers about the rules and regulations of their chosen destinations and we welcome the enquiries from Brits predominantly visiting locations like Dubai, Turkey and Egypt. Our customer service team is happy to assist with any concerns, but if you find yourself getting arrested in Thailand for not wearing your pants, don’t come running to us!”

 

2 Responses to “Lateral Born PR by Sunshine”

Posted by:
dan on July 30, 2009 at 1:38 pm

i love this press release. (& most of the stuff that 10yetis do)

slightly ironic that you’d bring up the grammar thing; there’s a couple of dodgy semi-colons up there!

Posted by:
admin on July 31, 2009 at 8:43 am

Thanks for the comment, Dan. Blade takes the view that semi-colons are a point of style – as in your comment, perhaps…

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The Sea: A Holy Hush?

July 25, 2010

For a certain poet, an unspoiled stretch of seaside was like “the holy hush there is in the land on Christmas morning. The roads fairly empty, the sky almost free of aeroplanes and you begin to hear and see and smell once more”.

But who uttered these lines?

(It’s a Monday, and this is your starter for 10 – and yes, we’re fresh to the metropolis, from a coastal sojourn.)

Alastair Brett: Certainly Not Certifiably Insane

July 23, 2010

The following words appeared in a Times article in 2003, about the paper’s recently departed Head of Legal, Alastair Brett. They’ve been doing the rounds in the wake of Brett’s sudden exit last week, though without attribution. Who, we wonder, wrote them? Two suspects present themselves – our own occasional scribe, Alex Wade, and Dominic Carman, son of the late, great George (an old mucker of Brett’s). Or was someone else the author? Whatever: the fact remains that Brett was a fearless, tenacious and excellent newspaper lawyer, a man whose commitment to press freedom coursed through every vein in his body. We don’t know the precise reasons for his departure, but he will be missed.

“[He] is known for his impassioned commitment to press freedom – so impassioned that he has been described as “certifiably insane”. Capable of an intimidatory snarl or two, and prepared to be stubborn, Brett is far from mad. He is erudite, charming (so the ladies say), and not known for sitting on the fence. If his sanity has, tongue firmly in cheek, been questioned, one thing not open to doubt is that Brett epitomises the old school Fleet Street lawyer”.

Pictured: Fleet Street -  not the same as it used to be.

Black in the black if he wants to sue for libel

July 23, 2010

A curious observation leaps at us from Roy Greenslade’s piece about whether Conrad Black, shortly to roam the high-class hotels of the world again as a free man, will return to the UK and carry out his threat to sue his biographer, Tom Bower, for libel:

I somehow doubt that he would have the appetite, or the funds, to pursue a libel action, but Black marches to the sound of his own drummer, so he might just do that. Even if he did, my money would still be on Bower winning.

Hang on, Roy – what about suing via a no win, no fee deal? Funds or no funds, a CFA would see Conrad through – though maybe he’ll remember what happened to the last press baron who sued Bower. Anyone for Richard Desmond’s curious dalliance with libel?

Pictured: the kind of place in which Conrad Black may be spotted (if not at the Royal Courts of Justice).