It’s little surprise, then, to see that this is a story created and published by a parenting website keen to remind parents that strangers can be an excellent source of parenting information:
One in five of those polled by parenting site ChannelMum.com have also red-carded any reference to sports teams and two thirds won’t use monikers which are already popular in their local area.
Car news now, with the revelation that British people splash their cash on a new motor without first making sure it’s not an old banger:
MILLIONS OF FIRST-TIME CAR BUYERS PURCHASE VEHICLE WITHOUT ADEQUATE CHECKS, STUDY SUGGESTS
Millions of first-time car buyers are purchasing a vehicle without checking it over, a study suggests
Cars are traditionally one of the most expensive purchases to make, with motorists typically spending around £3,000 on their first choice.
Choosing the wrong vehicle can be costly as well as dangerous – but 63 per cent of new drivers failed to research their purchase properly or carry out relevant checks.
Millions of us spend up to £3,000 on a car – without even getting it checked
Millions of first-time car buyers are purchasing a vehicle without checking it over, a study has found.
Cars are traditionally one of the most expensive purchases to make, with motorists typically spending around £3,000 on their first set of wheels.
Choosing the wrong vehicle can be costly as well as dangerous – but 63 per cent of new drivers failed to research their purchase properly or carry out relevant checks.
Which company is so keen to remind us how little we know about cars?
Keith Adams, editor of Parkers.co.uk , the UK’s largest consumer advice and car review website, said: “Buying your first car can be very much a head vs heart decision, with drivers often excited and overwhelmed by the experience.
“Our study has revealed a lot of people are jumping straight in and buying a car without doing the necessary research or carrying out the relevant checks and this can create problems down the line.
“We recommend new drivers buying their first car do their research by reading buying guides, learning car jargon and speaking to friends and family to ensure they get the right car for their needs.”
It’s obviously no surprise to see that 72 Point were behind this story, but I have to admit to being surprised that their PR manager Adrian Hearn was given not one but TWO by-lines by two different national newspapers for this marketing copy.
Who might be inclined, commercially and financially speaking, to draw attention to the high cost of petrol?
Commissioned by EDF Energy, the research of 2,000 motorists found 40 per cent of drivers are currently considering making the switch to an electric vehicle – a move which some experts believe could save them £41,000 over their lifetime.
Food news now, with the revelation that British people regularly eat cuisine from outside of the rich and varied culinary tapestry that is exclusively British food:
Brits eating eight meals from around the world each week – here are our favourites
Brits tuck into eight meals a week from around the world, research has found.
A study of 2,000 adults found the average Brit is on a journey of culinary discovery, eating around one meal every day with roots originated across the globe.
And over the course of the average week, Brits will sample dishes from three different countries, with Chinese, Italian and Indian the most popular.
Who would have thought that food from outside of a specific 100 square miles of the earth’s surface would prove popular? And more to the point, who would have thought that pointing out so banal a fact would prove newsworthy?
Christina Honigfort, head of marketing at New York Bakery Co., which commissioned the study, said: “Authenticity is at the heart of creating dishes that taste as good at home as they do in the country the recipes and cooking or baking methods originated in.
“The research shows that Brits are passionate about this authenticity.
“It’s easier than ever to keep your kitchen stocked with authentic products and ingredients that match the tastes of the cities that inspired them, from bagels in the delis of New York to spices from markets in New Delhi.”
Parenting news now, with the revelation that having a teenager during the summer holidays is ruinously expensive:
Parents spend more than £1,200 keeping their teens amused over summer holidays
Parents face a bill of more than £1,260 keeping their teens amused during the summer holidays, a study has found.
Researchers discovered taking children on day trips, buying video games and magazines, and the extra cost of childcare will set mum and dad back £502 over the six-week break.
And they’ll shell out more than £335 per child just on food and drinks, including meals out, lunches during trips, as well as snacks and treats.
With the now certain knowledge that keeping a teen busy in a productive and stimulating manner over summer is a terribly expensive affair, it’s worth understanding which organisation is behind this particular headline:
Chris Brown, director of sales programme recruitment at National Citizen Service (NCS) – a three to four week summer programme which helps 16-17-year-olds gain confidence, build life skills and become more active citizens in their communities, said: “Our research has highlighted an issue for many parents across the country who are unsurprisingly worried about the cost of the summer holidays.
“With the long break fast approaching, parents want to ensure that their teens are spending their time productively, without breaking the bank.”
Wait a second, I’m getting an idea here: what if – and hear me out on this one – what if you were to enroll your teenager in the NCS scheme this summer? That might be cheaper then entertaining them yourself, AND it could be good for their development!
Oh, what a fortunate and entirely coincidental thing it is that the news story that made you worry about how to amuse your teen this summer also sold you a solution to the same problem!
Average Brit spends six weeks of their lives applying moisturiser
The average Brit will spend the equivalent of six weeks of their lives – applying moisturiser, according to a study.
Researchers found adults typically spend around three minutes a day using moisturising products in a bid to alleviate dry and cracked skin – and to keep wrinkles at bay.
But it doesn’t end there – during the course of their lifetime they will also spend seven weeks washing their faces and four weeks exfoliating.
It might seem odd, then, that the source of this non-news is a skincare product manufacturer:
Commissioned by O’Keeffe’s skin care, the research of 2,000 adults found they typically use three skin products a day.
Although 19 per cent use 10 or more every day.
So what is the marketing angle here? Well, it’s two-fold:
O’Keeffe’s want to sell you on an all-in-one time-saving skincare product, which is why they commissioned the obviously false finding that one in five people – and therefore 14 million people in the UK – apply 10 skincare products EVERY SINGLE DAY
They want you to remember that using a moisturiser is really important, so you should probably buy their time-saving moisturiser.
If you don’t want to take my word for it, here’s the O’Keeffe’s spokesperson to make the marketing angle explicit in their statement:
A spokeswoman for O’Keeffe’s skin care said: “Our results found we’re a nation that loves to primp and preen themselves.
“Squeezing, waxing, shaving and slathering on lotions, Brits are happy to go to extreme lengths to keep themselves looking their best.
“But a comprehensive skincare regime needn’t take you hours and hours – and of course, diet also plays a big part.”
Shed news now, with the revelation that the small buildings at the foot of our gardens might actually have things in them:
Average Brit homeowner has £1,200 uninsured goods in gardens and sheds
The average homeowner has potentially more than £1,200 of uninsured goods in sheds and garden spaces, according to research.
Standard buildings and contents insurance policies usually include a certain amount of cover for items kept in the garden or shed.
However, two-thirds of Brits have never listed a key ‘outside’ item of value on their home insurance policy – leaving them with a potentially costly bill if thieves make off with the goods.
Who might be interested in encouraging the public to weigh up the value of the contents of their garden sheds?
MoneySuperMarket is advising people to minimise the risk of theft by fitting locks to garden gates and installing lighting to put off any would-be-thieves.
Helen Chambers, head of home insurance at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Particularly in the summer months, there’s the temptation to leave items of value outside overnight or keep your shed unlocked, but that could leave you open to a risk of burglary and in turn, possibly void your home cover if you need to make a claim.
“Most standard contents insurance policies include a small amount of cover for garden items, but specifics can vary wildly – so it’s worth checking to ensure that your valuable items are fully covered.
“The home insurance market is very competitive, so it’s also worth checking if you could get a cheaper premium elsewhere.
“If you haven’t switched for a while, that’s probably going to be the case.
“It takes minutes to switch to a competitive policy and you could save up to 43 per cent on your bills.”
Some classic making-the-marketing-message-explicit work from the MoneySuperMarket spokesperson, there.
Naturally, this is another 72 Point Bad PR special, with their very own Adrian Hearn given the by-line in the Mirror, as if he were a journalist and not a PR exec.
Rip-off news now, with the revelation that we dislike paying too much for things:
Popcorn cinema and hospital parking top list of British rip-offs
Do you ever find yourself getting wound up at the price of healthy food, or the cost of anything at the airport?
Well you might be in good company, as a new study has revealed the top British rip-offs in modern life. Over 2000 adults were asked what they resent paying for, from eating, communicating and travelling.
The results show that more than half believed they get overcharged for things on a daily basis, with nearly 25 per cent even considering a move to another country to get away from ‘rip off Britain’.
Brits’ biggest rip offs revealed from TV licences to cinema food and parking
Hospital car parking, food at the cinema and two-year phone contracts are among life’s biggest rip-offs, according to a study.
The study of 2,000 adults found eight in 10 believe there are ‘too many rip-offs in modern life’ in every area from eating, communicating and travelling.
Further overpriced products were found to be TV licenses, ‘anything’ at the airport and estate agent fees.
RIP-OFF BRITAIN: Hospital car parks, cinema snacks and mobile contracts found to be life’s ‘biggest rip-offs’
HOSPITAL car parking, food at the cinema and two-year phone contracts are among life’s biggest rip-offs.
A study of 2,000 adults found eight in ten believe there are “too many rip-offs in modern life” in every area from eating, communicating and travelling.
Who wants you to consider how miffed you get about paying more than you ought to for something?
The research was commissioned by SMARTY, tying in with the introduction of Auto-Switch on July 1st.
Under new regulations, all mobile providers will introduce Auto-Switch as a simplified way for consumers to switch between providers, this will ensure customers only have to contact their current provider once in order to move away from them.
SMARTY’s spokeswoman Jasmine Birtles said: “The results prove just how common rip-offs and hidden charges are and how frustrated Brits are at getting caught out by them.
Hat’s off to Bad PR regulars 72 Point, whose total infiltration of the Mirror’s online platform has once again paid dividends, with their full press release being printed without a jot of editing or fact checking, and by-lined to a 72 Point employee to boot.
Who brings you this Very Important News Story about the role of mobile phones in our lives and our loves?
The study was commissioned by Sky Mobile to mark the arrival of text-to-switch in the UK, which means Brits will now be able to ‘break up’ with their phone provider by text.
This story is nothing but an excuse to talk about Sky Mobile’s new SMS-based switching process, which is apparently so easy it’s like breaking up with your existing mobile phone provider over text. Everything else – the angle, the stats, the PR hook – is just the delivery mechanism for that marketing message, eagerly provided by Bad PR regulars 72 Point.
Which company is keen to emphasise the importance of sunglasses for children?
A spokesperson for monkey monkey sunglasses, which commissioned the study, said: “Parents are consistently telling us that their children are more likely to wear sunglasses on holiday or to leisure activities than at school.
“We just want parents to be aware that the midday and afternoon sun can be equally strong in the school playground, on the school sports field, or on the walk home from school, as it is on the beach.
While nobody, least of all anyone here at Bad PR, has any desire to see children’s eyes harmed by UV rays, it ought to be pretty apparent to any casual observer of the news that there is a problem with the media machine when a sunglasses company can create a headline in a national newspaper by paying 72 Point to create a non-story suggesting that people should buy their products.
What does this say for the independence and objectivity of the press?
