Gossip

How to achieve good publicity ... not!

If Mobile Commerce World gets good press from its exhibition and conference in London's remote Excel show halls, it will be something of a miracle. The first rule of getting the Press on your side is: "Feed them, and give them a drink." The organisers broke that rule.

The Boss came back sulking. No other word could apply.

The show was, as you can readily imagine, hot on the money for what interests mobile providers this year: content. The atmosphere amongst the scribblers was appropriately, mirroring that: discontent.

The provision of a press office with WiFi access was good. But after that, it went downhill.

I had lunch in the Fox@Excel - a pub. Nice pub, not cheap, and some distance from the exhibition area. Why? Well, because the Conference Participants Refreshments Area was closed to journalists.

The pub was full of journalists. All the conference big-wigs were eating in the CPRA.

So, if there are reports pointing out with characteristic candour how this year's show was under-attended, you can, if you like, put this down to sour grapes. Alternatively, you can examine the photographs ...