Sideswipe: Stupid ad campaigns

Stupid ad campaigns. (After public outcry the Pretzel maker has pulled the ads.)

Vote for mystery candidate

Super City mayoral candidate Colin Craig has an excellent website and is pounding Facebook and Twitter to gather votes, says a reader from Sandringham, but it seems to be at the cost of the marketing basics. "Nowhere on the front page of his full-colour A4 flyer is his name mentioned. 'Rates to rise 25 per cent?' it said. 'I'm the one prepared to admit it, I'm the one prepared to deal with it,' it continued. Yes, but who are you? It's not until you get to the third page of the damn thing that you see ... ah, Vote Colin Craig. Too little, too late I reckon; most people would've chucked it by then."

Sorted - what was the problem?

Melody rang IRD to inquire about what identification she would need to get her 1-year-old an IRD number:

Helpdesk - Okay, does he have an overseas passport?

Melody - No. He's NZ-born.

Helpdesk - Okay. Does he have a New Zealand citizenship cert?

Melody - Um no, he's NZ-born.

Helpdesk - Okay. Is your son under the age of 16?

Melody - He's 1, like I said.

Helpdesk - Okay, can I put you on hold?

(5mins later)

Helpdesk - Hi there. Does he have a refugee document?

Melody - NO.

Helpdesk - Can I put you on hold please?

(Another 5mins)

Helpdesk - Hi, you still there?

Melody - Yes. I don't know why, though.

Helpdesk - Okay. You need to bring in the child's passport along with your two forms of ID and we'll be able to sort it for you. Is there anything else I can help with?

Click. Melody hangs up.

Expiration explanation

"How about this one for expired dates," enthuses Ross. "Yesterday I spotted Baconnaise - a bacon-flavoured spread - in Rotorua New World. I noted that it was made in America, then the use-by date of 5/28/10. The Yanks put their dates around the opposite way to us, so it was May 28, 2010. I pointed this out to the staff and someone was sent to remove them - all good. This morning I noticed more stock on the shelf and took another look. The use-by date on these reads 5/11/10. Now, if this is still 'in American', it expired on May 11, 2010. How are we to know what the correct date is?"

Expensive business

"If growly Dan wants to continue paying inflated prices here to bolster the economy then that's very noble of him," says Andrew. "But when I can buy a current music CD for $12 from the UK and clothes from the US at a third of New Zealand prices, I'd be a fool not to."

Today's Webpick: I'm Dating Myself is a new blog of Photoshopped couples with the same face - it's a little odd but mostly funny. Go here. Plus, check out All My Friends Are Dead, a wonderful black humour 'children's book for adults'. Go here.



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