CorpComms Magazine

The Times described the recent G20 meeting in London as the 'Spin Olympics'. Most apt I thought, as this meeting of key heads of state and their WAHs (girlfriends/boyfriends were not welcome) provided the New Labour apparatchiks with plenty of scope for politically correct 'messaging'.

In the true spirit of inclusiveness, the members of Her Majesty's press corps were given all and every opportunity to ply their particular trade and write about G20 from their perspective. There were endless profiles of the leaders and their respective partners. Society columnists revelled in the details of the programme and the various sideshows (oops, it's probably treason to call an audience with the Queen a sideshow... sorry Ma'am). Security correspondents freaked out on President Obama's hi-tech protection gadgetry and there was even a rather Clarksonesque piece, complete with Eagle comic-style cutaway illustration, of the armour plated Cadillac that would protect the President, complete with on-board blood bank (now there's a boast for down the pub on a Friday night). And, of course, all the fashion editors had a field day pitting the sartorial performance of partners against each other. Obviously, this was no contest, with Michelle Obama (literally) head and shoulders above the rest.

TRIVIAL PURSUITS

All this is interesting in a 'human interest' sort of way but one can't help thinking the flow of trivia gushing from this summit might just have been designed to distract rather than inform. Indeed, when the day of the Summit actually arrived, specialist economics hacks, there to pick over the bones of the actual meeting, were scrupulously segregated from the main players and reduced to discussing the quality of the watercress soup at London's Excel Centre.

The sideshow that particularly caught my eye concerned the dinner at Number 10, organised and hosted by Sarah Brown. Political correctness abounded with that saviour of school dinners, Jamie Oliver, chosen as chef. Supported by his youth training venture, Fifteen London, Oliver served tap water and local and seasonal produce, including the wine. We wouldn't want any carbon footprints on Number 10's tablecloth, would we?

At one point in the proceedings, my mind wandered and I had an image of Alistair Darling selling the G20 rights to Hello!, thereby making the whole multi-million pound event wash its own face. But this was mere fantasy inspired by certain aspects of the jamboree that began to take on the appearance of a footballer's wedding.

My Golden Globe goes to Asda's PR department, where the guys and gals churn out 'stuff' at a prolific rate. The sheer volume harks back to the old days when a good press officer was judged on column inches rather than 'a deep appreciation of the company's core values' or some other such corporate gobbledegook!

CHEAP COPY

Asda reproduced the Number 10 menu as a 'meal deal' from its stores at a mere £3.63 per head! Sainsbury's, with their special relationship with St Jamie, must have been seething. Marks & Spencer certainly was. Chief executive Sir Stuart Rose bemoaned to any journalist with a space to fill that he had invented the 'meal deal'; the others were mere copycats. Bless.

So, there you have it. The Asda G20 Summit, in association with media partner Hello! Every little helps. 

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