So now it's Auntie that's been caught out faking it. A galaxy of stars find their shows have fallen victim to the 'editorial lapse', Liz Kershaw 17 times no less (but not the same night, I hope). I'm beginning to wonder if this affliction of the media is not actually some addiction, so long has it been running as a recurring theme. ............................................................................................................................................................................. From the safety of the moral high ground of the 'professional' SP industry, it's been easy to view these so-obviously 'illegal' promotions as irrelevant. "They're not pukka SP... the newspapers and scratchcard boys have been getting away with them for years... they don't count as proper marketing." 'Nake no Totice,' as Thingumy and Bob would say. The trouble is, people do. ............................................................................................................................................................................. These campaigns - whether it's scratchcards, press promotions, ITV and GMTV phone-ins... and now the Beeb - ARE 'proper' marketing. They take place on such a scale and with such audience reach and frequency that they're the primary marketing activities with which most Brits interact. And I say that ahead even of broadcast advertising. And never mind that few purists would classify them even as marketing... it's what Joe Public thinks of as marketing that counts. ............................................................................................................................................................................. The corollary is twofold: firstly an easier path for those who would restrict marketing activities (the 'German' argument that they represent unfair competition, unrelated to product or service, as opposed to the free market case that total liberty to promote enhances competition and benefits the consumer), and secondly less response from the consumer - a pincer attack that will continue to diminish the standing, credibilty and effectiveness of marketing in general and SP in particular. Great 'honest' promoters like Coke, Kellogg and Walkers will find themselves tarred with the tacky brush of fakism. ............................................................................................................................................................................. Auntie has been landed with a £400k fine, modest compared to ITV's whacking £5.5m penalty. Apparently this is because it's public money and the BBC never ripped anyone off - neither of which stand up to much scrutiny: so what if it's public money (surely the fine stays in the public arena?), and how does paying for a phone call to enter a competition you can't win count as not being conned? But the trouble is, I don't believe fines will make any difference to public perception (they merely help to publicise the mass deception). What's needed, as I've said before, is a transparent and highly visible approach to the selection of winners of prize promotions. Not rocket science, just a small degree of effort... maybe a phone call to the ISP?