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Have you been hearing about Sarah Palin and tea parties recently? Wondering what the devils going on with it all? The Tea Party movement is a populist, conservative/libertarian political movement in the United States that emerged in 2009 through a series of locally and nationally coordinated protests. The protests were partially in response to several Federal laws: the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and a series of healthcare reform bills. The name “Tea Party” echoes the Boston Tea Party, a 1773 incident when colonists...

Working within the promotions industry, we know the importance of the internet and how it’s vital for business. New research shows the internet is worth £100bn a year to the UK economy, a study has concluded.   The research, which was commissioned by Google, found that the internet accounts for 7.2% of the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP). If the internet was an economic sector it would be the UK’s fifth largest, said the report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). This would make the sector larger than the construction, transport and utilities industries. Some 60% of the £100bn a year...

In the tricky world of corporate branding, a row has broken out between Wikipedia and the FBI over the use of its seal. In a letter sent to Wikipedia’s San Francisco office, the FBI said that “unauthorised reproduction of the FBI Seal was prohibited by US law”. “Whoever possesses any insignia…or any colourable imitation there of..shall be fined…or imprisoned… or both,” the FBI wrote.   Not being easily phased, Wikipedia denied that it had done anything wrong and said that FBI lawyers had “misquoted the law”. The issue centred on the...

Have you been one of the people buying promotional banners, branded flags and other printed noise making equipment? If yes, maybe you were one of the many evicted peace protesters who have been camping in Parliament Square since May.   Last week the Court of Appeal rejected an application by demonstrators at the camp, dubbed the Democracy Village, who wanted to be allowed to remain. Bailiffs and police moved in at about 0100 BST, although a handful of activists tied themselves to scaffolding and trees. They have now been removed and a fence has been put up around the square.   London mayor Boris...

Since Cheryl Cole is starting divorce proceedings, she’s decided that getting rid of her ‘Mrs C’ tattoo on her neck isn’t a bad idea either.   She has asked her management to clear a few more days to have the inking on the back of her back removed. If I were her, I’d get that tattoo of her hand and thigh removed too, but what do I know?   Cheryl wants it to be done in secret – unlike when Jordan had her “Pete” wrist tattoo inked over with a big black cross, which was all caught on camera for her reality TV series. If you just do the exact opposite of whatever Jordan does you...

London 2012’s new mascots have been unveiled, and I’m wondering if I’m the only person who actually thought they were a joke. I mean, ‘Wenlock’ and ‘Mandeville,’ really?   This was the product of eighteen months of research and forty focus groups. From the top of my head I think a torch called ‘Flamey’ would have been a better idea. At least it would have been recognizable, had a catchy name and cost absolutely nothing to think of.   To be fair their unusual names do have meaning behind them as Wenlock in Shropshire is considered by many the birthplace of the modern Olympics....

We’re all up for some self promotion here, one way another, you can get your message across. It doesn’t necessarily mean it will be well received though, as the Senegalese people will tell you.   Senegal has inaugurated a new monument, higher than the Statue of Liberty, costing a bargain £18m. The 49m (160ft) Monument of African Renaissance has been unveiled in Dakar as the highlight of the nation’s 50th anniversary of independence, but has drawn huge criticism over its cost and symbolism.   The Soviet-style bronze statue, built by North Korean workers, is the idea of President Abdoulaye...

How about this for a good piece of branding? A Hollywood-style sign spelling out the name of an Essex town has been erected along the A127. Basildon District Council hopes the giant letters will promote the town as a place to do business.   The £400,000 project is being funded from a grant from Thames Gateway. The glitzy sign, modeled on the famous Hollywood sign, is part of a package of measures to signpost the district better and make it easier for visitors to find their way. People in the Essex area can now, presuming they actually want to go Basildon, can just look up and follow their...

If your business is struggling, promoting it in a cost effective way is your best plan of action. Spreading your corporate identity and marketing your business in a tasteful way, will hopefully get your business back on its feet.   Rather than invest in promotional items, a business women decided to diversify, which looking back on it, probably wasn’t the best course of action. Sheri Uppal was an antique dealer whose business rapidly declined during the recession, so naturally she decided to turn her business into a brothel, which she ran from her family home in Torquay.   Police raided it after...