Saturday, 2 July 2011

A right royal faux-pas - but was it on purpose?

MADRID (Agencies) The Ashley Madison billboard that went up on Madrid's Gran Vía early Friday morning was taken down just as promptly after city officials said that the famous US matchmaking company didn't have permission from King Juan Carlos to use his image.The controversial sign showed the king's picture alongside Prince Charles and former US President Bill Clinton under big white letters: "What do these 'royals' have in common?" Under the pictures it answers: "They should have used Ashley Madison." The agency, which specializes in matching partners for extramarital affairs, was alluding to reported infidelities by the three figures. But in Spain, the king's private life is well guarded. "We were just referring to the rumours that exist [about the king]," said Christoph Kraemer, Ashley Madison's spokesman in Spain. But seasoned advertising and PR execs know how useful it is to have the media report a mistake. This particular one has been in every newspaper and news broadcast in the country - and a lot More people have seen the billboard than would have if it had stayed only on Gran Vía. (And yes, we're playing their game, too.) (Also, what's the world coming to with agencies specialising in extramarital affairs? Must investigate...)

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