Marketing failure No 1: Everyone must have heard the official flu instructions: that if you are feeling unwell then you should stay home. Apparently Coldrex hasn't.
Peter writes:
"The TV ad shows three unwell bus passengers boasting about how Coldrex gave them enough relief from the symptoms that they could ride the bus. That gives them the opportunity to infect another 40 people. The ad clearly states that the pills relieve symptoms, and by omission it is clear that they don't cure infection. A cynic might conclude that this will be the intention of the ad - let the sick people ride the bus and boost sales next week. The thing is that most people don't know what bug they have got, so those three smug people might have last year's version of a cold, or possibly H1N1, and be sharing it with everyone."
* * *
Marketing failure No 2: A bitingly cold wind whipped straight through the huddled parents and shivering players at the under-6s rugby at Waitakere Trusts Stadium on Saturday. Like an oasis, parked at the edge of the field, was a Milo van, with its distinctive green offering free delicious winter-warming Milo. Great idea, except for the fact it was served summer-style, stone cold.
* * *
Readers familiar with the Gillies Ave motorway onramp have no sympathy for Wal or his selective photography. One of many readers who wrote in sums it up nicely:
"I was thrilled to read that Wal received a ticket for turning left on the no-left-turn sign. What his photograph conveniently fails to show is the left-turn lane on to the onramp, situated immediately before the 'Turn left with care' sign. The majority of rush-hour drivers sit patiently in the queue in that lane to turn left on to the motorway. It's really frustrating to watch drivers like Wal use the other (straight through) lane to zip past the queue and then turn left at the no-left-turn-sign entrance to the onramp, bypassing the queued traffic. Does Wal really intend to fight the ticket on the basis of his 'trick' photography?"
* * *
Australian couples are ditching the phrase "till death do us part" in their wedding vows. One celebrant told the Sydney Daily Telegraph she had a couple recently who said:
"I will love you today, I will love you tomorrow and if our love shall falter or fail, I will respect you for the period of time that you were in my life." Another couple made a "three- to five-year agreement, plus options", instead of committing for life.
* * *
View today's Herald cartoon
* * *
Today's Webpick: Add this to the list of ridiculous products. The Kush sleeping aid for the breasts. Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.