>more calendars

Now this wouldn’t matter either, if Lagardère were a little family-owned business. But, sadly, it is not. It is a media, aerospace and defense GIANT which includes such baubles as Airbus, Eurocopter, and Astrium as as well as Lagardère Publishing, the world’s second-largest publisher.

Sharesholders are not thrilled. Especially since young Arnaud is supposed to become EADS’ chairman.

Under the amusing title “Bad Heir Day”,  The Economist dryly notes that: ”Executives at EADS are dismayed to see their future boss behave like a nincompoop.”

>more

>more

Now, supposedly, the critics doing the yearly French food-guides may rely on stringers to do the initial cut but they go to the biggies or winners of awards. But as an ex-reviewer for the Michelin Red Guide revealed, some places are visited only once every 5 or 6 years.

Another difference is how soon after places open they are visited; in France, time after time, I hear stories about a restaurant’s first meal being packed entirely with critics, whereas Yankees sometimes wait until a place has “mellowed or matured”; one colleague of mine waits up to nine months.

Finally there’s the sheer number of folks reviewing in Paris versus New York. I figure that with the big daily national papers, weekly magazines, radio stations as well as A Nous Paris and Le Fooding and the bloggers, at least two dozen critics are hitting places, whereas in New York it’s far far fewer. And while the big boys at Figaro/Figaroscope certainly weigh in strongly, the New York Times reviewer has a uniquely powerful voice.
>more

Byrrh was new to us. Finding out about it was the start of a voyage of discovery. At the postcard market, I had stumbled upon a French classic, a card designed to advertise a wine-based aperitif trademarked in 1873. Founded by the brothers Pallade and Simon Violet, the company is still producing Byrrh in Thuir near Perpignan in the Pyrenées-Orientales.

The late 1890s were the heyday of alcohol-based health products, patent medicines, restoratives, and tonics of all sorts. Byrrh started as a health drink sold at pharmacies, but came into its own as a red-wine-and-quinine-based aperitif. The name Byrrh is now associated with an astounding legacy of compelling advertising art.

Byrrh was so successful that when the company needed its own railway depot, Messrs. Violet Frères called on none other than Gustave Eiffel’s engineering firm for the design. The stunning depot still stands, but is no longer used for trains. Nonetheless the company, now part of Pernod Ricard S.A., thrives and hosts approximately 60,000 visitors per year.

>more

Without wanting to give this rather banal message artistic qualities it doesn’t merit, it had clearly succeeded in one respect – it had drawn the attention of a child and made him smile. The message of the ad itself is exactly what we would find in any media or on any support, but it is the technique adopted here which interests me.

Looked at from the side, it is possible to see how this campaign has been created. The ad is in cardboard, and although attached to an existing billboard, it also completely covers and hides it.

Seen from the front again, it is clear that the desired effect is to make it look like a casually pasted creation on a blank wall. Looked at quickly, it could be just another wheatpasted poster on the city walls, but the second glance draws your eye towards the message.

>more