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December
A Poisonous Marketing Campaign 22nd December 2006
How Itsu raised the bar for bad taste advertising
Just back from a last frantic dash round the shops (surprisingly uncrowded this year, didn’t you think?), a chore which was hugely enlivened by walking along Piccadilly and seeing what they’ve done to the celebrated Russian-spy-radiation-poisoning branch of Itsu.

I have a healthy respect for the worst outrages performed by advertisers... I was neither surprised nor disgusted when ‘Opium’ perfume upped the sexual ante on their rivals by covering London in huge billboards depicting a woman mid-coitus. When a new bar in Brixton chose to send a press release saying ‘Come to Brixton for a double shot’ the day after two people were gunned down outside The Fridge Nightclub, I made it my personal mission to plug them everywhere I could as a reward for their daring tastelessness (‘The Bar With No Name’ on Railton Road, if you’re interested. Excellent Martinis, and a pleasingly weird music policy). But Itsu has topped the lot. Their response to the poisoning of an insignificant former KGB pen-pusher made me want to burst into spontaneous applause.

(By the way, stop reading now if you’re likely to go along Piccadilly in the next few weeks. I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you).

They’ve decided to rebrand as a murdered-spy theme bar. The entire front window of the restaurant has been covered with that big swirly gunsight thing from the opening credits of James Bond. And at the centre there’s a sign that says ‘An international espionage incident has transformed this Itsu into a world famous meeting place’. It’s as if Mayor Ken had decided to treat July 7th as an opportunity to woo extreme tourism fans and appeared on television in a flak jacket shouting “Come to the new front line in the war of terror! Bombs! Explosions! Extra-judicial killings! We got it all! It’s like Rambo II out here!”

Itsu will be reopening after Christmas with what their website refers to as "a brand new look". What’s the betting that this will involve close-up photos of radioactive isotopes, staff with their heads shaved bald and an enormous photo of Vladimir Putin looming over the dining room? I certainly hope it does, anyway. “Come to Itsu, you’ll be positively glowing after our special sashimi”.
Seaside Drama
Blackpool - the UK's biggest seaside resort - could be the new home of the National Theatre Museum. Currently located in Covent Garden the V & A-owned museum is set to close its London doors in January 2007. The move north would see the collection expanded to include regional archive material from the Pleasure Beach, the Tower Circus and the Grand Theatre.
East End Amsterdam Gets Green Light
Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat has been approached to help transform London’s Lower Lea Valley into an East End Amsterdam as part of the London Thames Gateway’s Water City scheme. The area, covering 1,450 hectares, boasts five and a half miles of rivers and canals which will be transformed into a “green artery” running through the heart of the Thames Gateway.
Surfing on the Square
Leicester Square now boasts free, round-the-clock, Wi-Fi internet access. The 8mb line covering most of the capital’s rendezvous hotspot will allow tourists and locals alike to hook up without having to pay for the privilege to do so.
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A River Runs Through It
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August 2009
26th August
When Saturday comes
22nd August
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27th July
Against the Clock
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May 2009
April 2009
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January 2009
27th January
Setting the Standard
21st January
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Merry Christmas
November 2008
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All The World's A Stage
20th November
Surviving the Crunch
October 2008
24th October
Boris v Jingjing
17th October
Soaps in Pole Position
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
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23rd April
By George
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Losing Face
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
23rd March
So, Another Magazine
16th March
Avoiding iContact
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
26th May
Curvaceous Border
12th May
Vegging Out
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
20th January
February Sales
20th January
Moby Sick
13th January
Glass Half Full
3rd January
Three Cheers for the Tube Station Workers
December 2005
22nd December
January Bites
16th December
A Remarkable Year
November 2005
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29th July
Moving On From 7/7
22nd July
Get loaded in the park
15th July
Victoire!!
June 2005
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December 2004
30th December
Party Pooper
23rd December
The Second Battle of Trafalgar
16th December
Sadie's Year
November 2004
28th November
Ripper-Watch
21st November
Kinky Boots
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Smoked out
October 2004
22nd October
Yuppie Meal
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Fines of Fury
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No Twist in the Turner
September 2004
17th September
Battleships, bloodsports and Batman
10th September
Clique Week
3rd September
Return of the Bard
August 2004
July 2004
 
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