COW TIMES

Welcome to the burrow! Rabbit launches as a new agency

2010-01-05T10:26:00.002Z

A new agency launches today (5 January) combining the skills of a digital creative and an online PR agency. The former digital division of Cow PR, Cow Digital has become completely new and independent agency, Rabbit.

Rabbit starts with a number of clients including MBT Trainers, Mathmos Lava Lamps and the Microloan Foundation.

Heading up Rabbit is Dirk Singer, formerly a director of Cow PR, who has 15+ years experience of working in technology and Internet PR including for three of the world’s biggest online brands – Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

“The idea behind Rabbit is that we both create and engage”, says Dirk Singer.

“We can do everything from build mobile applications to design websites. But we’re also communications professionals with a grounding in both non traditional and traditional marketing. We know what to do with whatever we create, and we also have the ability and knowledge to manage and protect reputations online.”

Joining Rabbit from Cow Digital is Louise Doherty, whose previous job before Cow involved being PR Manager for a network of 100+ websites at Fubra.com. Louise has six years experience of working in the online arena.

Rabbit is also drawing on seven additional members of staff both in London and South Africa and will expand as additional clients come in.

ENDS

For further information, Dirk Singer 0208 123 9541, dirk@therabbitagency.com

Rabbit is at www.therabbitagency.com (website), @therabbitagency (twitter)

Danger - Accident bright spots!

2009-12-22T10:49:00.003Z

Christmas light displays – bold, brash and responsible for nearly half a million road accidents

They might make your road look like a seasonal version of the Las Vegas Strip, but the increasing trend for neighbours and opposing streets to ‘out do’ one another with spectacular Christmas light displays is becoming a major motoring hazard – as CLIPs (Christmas Light Illumination Prangs) become more commonplace.

With over 13 million British drivers planning ‘extra trips’ this Christmas to visit family and friends, new research released today from MORE TH>N motor insurance reveals the ten most dangerous CLIP locations in the UK.

Worryingly, it also reports how a colossal 73% of drivers admit to taking their eyes off the road for a dangerous amount of time to take in dazzling suburban illuminations.

The consequences of British drivers taking their eyes off the road are clearly illustrated too – nearly two million confess to having had a near miss or CLIP whilst driving past a particularly heavily lit house or street, and just short of half a million drivers (440,000) have actually crashed
their vehicles as a direct result.

To help British drivers avoid CLIPS over the festive period this year, MORE TH>N has published a list of the top ‘accident bright-spots’. Furthermore, the company has trialed an innovative, and possibly prang-reducing ‘accident bright-spot’ road sign on renowned CLIP road – Lower Morden Lane, Morden, Surrey – for the duration of December.

The full list of accident bright-spots (including both individual roads and
estates) is as follows:

1/. Lower Morden Lane, Morden, Surrey

2/. Churchmoor Lane, Arnold, Nottingham

3/. Croxteth Park Estate, Craven Lea, Liverpool

4/. Squirrel Close, Huntington, Cannock

5/. Crindledyke Estate, Kingstown, Cumbria

6/. Firwood Lane, Tongue Moor, Bolton

7/. Savoy Road, Brislington, Bristol

8/. Trinity Close, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset

9/. Longford Road, Melksham, Wiltshire

10/. Skelton Road, Diss, Norfolk

Commenting on the research, MORE TH>N spokesperson Pete Markey, said, “Outlandish Christmas light displays are becoming more and more prevalent in the UK, but as our research shows, motorists need to be extremely careful when looking at them whilst driving. Our advice to people is that if you want to take in the festive light shows this year then pull over, stop the
car, and observe by foot!’.

- Ends -

Notes to editors:
Consumer research carried out by Opinium for MORE TH>N in December 2009.
1,443 British motorists were surveyed.

About MORE TH>N:
MORE TH>N is the direct financial services arm of RSA. It offers motor, home, pet, life and travel insurance by phone and via the internet. It also offers van, shop, office, business car, hotels, property, club and contractor insurance direct to small businesses.

About CAR CLAIM:
Earlier this month MORE TH>N became the first UK insurance company to launch an iPhone application. Named CAR CLAIM, the free application is designed to help drivers after an accident by providing a step-by-step guide to ensure they gather all the key information required to process a claim.

The application was developed by MORE TH>N in response to research showing that 38%* of motorists don’t have sufficient details when ringing to register an insurance claim after a motor accident. CAR CLAIM is not exclusive to MORE TH>N customers alone and is adaptable and free to all UK based insurance consumers. The application is available now from the Apple App store.

* Statistic taken from MORE TH>N claims data

WORLD'S FIRST TEA LIGHT POWERED LAVA LAMP

2009-12-03T14:54:00.001Z

In time for Christmas, Mathmos has launched the world's first non electrical lava lamps. Powered with only a tea light, the Fireflow range was created in-house by the Mathmos Design Studio - which created the original lava lamp 46 years ago.

The two lamps - Fireflow O1 and R1 - are in fact the first new lava lamp designs launched by Mathmos, since the 'Fluidium' was designed by Ross Lovegrove ten years ago. They were also designed with the 40th anniversary of the moon landings in mind as the space race of the 1960s was one of the inspirations behind Mathmos inventing the lava lamp.

Mathmos Fireflow R1
Fireflow R1 is a small retro metal rocket, inspired by the 40th anniversary of the moon landings this year. Place a single tea light inside the rocket and within minutes Mathmos' iconic lava formula comes alive.

Made of cast zinc alloy in a choice of chrome or black nickel finish, Fireflow R1 is priced at £29.00.

Mathmos Fireflow O1
Fireflow O1 is a completely new type of lava lamp. The lava bottle is suspended within a mouth blown glass shade, which in turn sits on a simple cast metal base containing the candle.

The design makes visible the magic physics that enables the heat from a tea light to create the mesmerising movement of the lava liquids. Mathmos Fireflow O1 is priced at £35, and both lamps are available via www.mathmos.com

Contact Dirk Singer or Louise Doherty, hello@cowdigital.co.uk, 0844 967 0630 for further information, product samples, or images

Beanz meanz… Fondues?

2009-11-30T13:43:00.002Z

Beans may have been confined to just toast and jackets in the past, but now almost a third (28%)* of Brits are taking the hearty, convenient and economical ingredient to new culinary heights – adding them to fondues, pizzas and sandwiches, to name just a few uses.

With the nation still feeling the pinch this year and three-quarters (78%)* of us making food go further, the ‘King of Beans’, Heinz, is compiling a selection of the nation’s most adventurous ways of serving Heinz Beanz and is making a collection of 57 recipes available for everyone.

Development Chef for Heinz Beanz, Adam Wilcock and independent chef, Steve Scuffell1 have compiled the list of ‘57 Wayz to Eat Heinz Beanz’, along with help from the British public,2 which includes recipes such as Heinz Beanz Fondue, Heinz Beanz Jam and even Heinz Beanz Soufflé!

The 57 recipes are available for Heinz Beanz fans to view on the online community site: www.goodtoknow.co.uk/heinz, with plans to incorporate them into a new Heinz recipe book next year.

New consumer research* showed that alongside the traditional uses of beans on jacket potatoes (79%) and English breakfasts (77%), the nation is now using beans:

1 - As additions to meat dishes such as Bolognese (42%)
2 - In sandwiches (28%)
3 - As a pizza topping (10%)
4 - On canapés or even attempted to add them to cakes or fibre packed shakes (3%)

Adam Wilcock, Heinz Beanz Development Chef says: “Whilst Heinz Beanz have been a staple of dishes such as English breakfasts and a topping for jacket potatoes, it’s great to see that people are getting creative and extending their use to a whole variety of dishes. The ’57 Wayz to Eat Heinz Beanz’ list will provide inspiration to add a highly nutritious, convenient and economical food staple to a whole variety of new dishes”.

John Alderman, Marketing Manager for Heinz Beanz comments: “There are times in life when ‘It Has To Be Heinz’. The research and our creation of these recipes means consumers can now enjoy nutritional Heinz Beanz at a variety of different meal occasions, whether it be a dinner party, during the Sunday roast or even at the office Christmas party.”

ENDS

For more information and images or recipes of the 57 dishes please contact the Heinz press office: Heinz@cowpr.com or tel. 0207 684 6969

Additional research findings of interest:

Regional uses of beans:
10% of people from the North East adventurously add beans to pizza, narrowly pipped to the post by people in the East (12%).

The Welsh (40%) and Mancunians (35%) are the most likely add beans to sandwiches.
Notes to editor:
* Fly research of over 1,000 people across the UK conducted on 9th October 2008
1) Stephen Scuffell is the Vice President of the Craft Guild of Chefs
2) 1,000 consumers were asked to suggest recipes as part of the Fly research.

Please note, to cater for all tastes and needs we have compiled several of the recipes using Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beans.

Full recipe list:

1.Avocado & Heinz Beanz Sushi with Wasabi Mayo
2.Heinz Beanz Fondue
3.Heinz Beanz Smoothie
4.The Classic Heinz Beanz Sandwich
5.Feta & Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz Salad
6.Char Sui Pork & Heinz Beanz Wontons
7.Crostini of Pan Fried Chicken, Heinz Beanz & Sage Lemon Salsa
8.Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz Hummus with Pita Fingers
9.Heinz Beanz & Chicken Liver Pate
10.Re-fried Heinz Beanz, Guacamole & Tortilla Chips
11. Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz Benedict
12.Mini Yorkshire Puddings Stuffed with Heinz Beanz & Chorizo
13.Heinz Beanz & Low Fat Mozzarella Calzone
14. Heinz Beanz Breakfast Frittata
15.Vegetable & Heinz Beanz Crumble
16.Baked Cheesy Courgettes
17.Stuffed Beef Tomatoes
18.Aubergine Ratatouille with Heinz Beanz
19.Hash Browns, Poached Egg & Heinz Beanz
20.Shepherd’s Pie with Heinz Beanz
21.Heinz Beanz Chilli Con carne
22.Spaghetti Bolognese with Heinz Beanz
23.Heinz Beanz Treat on Toast
24.Heinz Beanz Burger
25.Cheesy Heinz Beanz Dip
26.Baked Sweet Potato and Heinz Beanz
27.Heinz Beanz, Chilli & Winter Vegetable Stew
28.Potato & Heinz Beanz Aloo
29.Heinz Beanz & Vegetable Nut Roast with Apricots & Goats Cheese
30.Baked Risotto Cakes with Mozzarella & Heinz Beanz
31.Baked Egg, Heinz Beanz, Tomato Relish & Crispy Bacon
32.Mushrooms Stuffed with Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz
33.Lentil Butter Bean & Heinz Beanz Casserole
34.Waffling about Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz
35.Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz on crumpets
36.New York Style Bagels with Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz
37.Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz & Cheddar Cheese Soufflé
38.Corned Beef Hash with a Soft Heinz Beanz Centre
39.Heinz Beanz, Ricotta & Spinach Pie
40.Goats Cheese & Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz on Country Toast
41.Italian Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz Dip with Tuna Pizza Fingers
42.Spicy Chicken & Heinz Beanz Vol-au-vent
43.Char Grilled Tuna with Lime, Ginger & Heinz Beanz Salsa
44.Sweet Chilli Salmon, Prawn & Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz Fish Cakes
45.Thai Chicken & Heinz Beanz Meat Balls
46.Heinz Beanz Falafel
47.Eazy Heinz Beanzy Potato Skins
48.Heinz Beanz on Brioche
49.Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz Toasty
50.Heinz Beanz Jam
51.Peppers stuffed with Heinz Beanz
52.Fisherman’s Pie with Seafood, Heinz Beanz & a Potato Crust
53.Beany pasta
54.Boston Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz
55.Breakfast Omlette
56.Cassoulet of Cumberland Sausages, Heinz Reduced Sugar and Salt Beanz and Chorizo
57.Chicken Breast Stuffed with Heinz Beanz, Risotto & Spinach

About Heinz Beanz
Heinz Beanz has over 100 years of expertise in creating Britain’s favourite Baked Bean. Heinz Beanz contains an array of nutritional benefits and contributes to a healthy balanced diet. These nutritional benefits range from; virtually fat free, low in sugar, packed with fibre, low GI and one of your five-a-day as well as no artificial colourings or preservatives or flavours.

About Good to Know
The women's community site www.goodtoknow.co.uk offers busy mums practical and inspirational ideas, as well as tips and advice on the pleasures and pressures of family life.

The Cow Digital Digest

2009-11-17T14:17:00.006Z

We've started A weekly round-up of online stats and developments for brands, from Cow Digital.

Sign up for the Cow Digital digest here

The Cow Digital digest 18/11/09

Welcome to the digest from Cow Digital. This is where we summarise a few key digital trends and stats of relevance to brands in a weekly email.

If there's anyone you know who'd like to receive a copy there's a forward to a friend button at the bottom, or email Louise and Dirk at Cow Digital - hello@cowdigital.co.uk

What's in this issue?

1 - 8/10 European marketers to up online spend, yet UK click throughs worst in Europe

2 - IAB Engage. Stephen Fry says expect 1000 hits a second if he tweets you

3 - Who owns your social media content? The answer might be your boss

4 - Research confirms Twitter's anglophone and US bias

5 - Offsite engagement on the increase

6 - Here's one they prepared earlier - Choose a different ending

1) 8/10 European marketers to up online spend...yet UK click throughs only 0.08%

The European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) has published its Internet Barometer Report, which shows that 83% of European marketers plan to up their online ad spend in 2010.

One in three (33%) organisations are now including mobile in their strategies confirming the increasing importance of the mobile Internet.

But at the same time,one of the key drivers for marketers, in addition to changing consumer habits, is the perception that you get more bang for your buck online.

We'd add a very important health warning to that - click through rates for online advertising are traditionally very bad.

In fact, in the Summer Double Click published research about engagement with Internet advertising and found that the UK performed worst with a 0.08% click through rate compared to the US (0.1%), France (0.12%) and Germany (0.13%) .

However there is proof that when combined with a social engagement / online PR programme, people are more than twice as likely to search for brands online.

Want to know more?

Demand for ROI fuels online growth in Europe (Marketing Charts)
Click-through rates on UK banner advertising the worst in Europe (Indolent)
Social media chatter drives brand searches (Lies, damned lies and statistics)

2) Stephen Fry says expect 1000 tweets a second if he talks about you

Digital Cow, L ouise, attended the annual Internet Advertising Bureau (of which Cow is a member) Engage conference last week, which among other things featured a keynote speech by 'Twitter posterboy' Stephen Fry.

In addition to mentioning that he stopped reading newspapers twelve years ago and now only consumes online news, Fry raised the fact that brands now try and cash in on his Twitter celebrity status with him receiving 12 books a day to review.

Fry does occasionally point his 1+ million followers (more people than buy most national newspapers) to a site but only if he is sure they can withstand 1000 clicks a second for two hours!

An example of a brand that tried - unsuccessfully - to solicit Fry's attention was Marmite with its pop-up shop.

It mentioned him several times in its Twitter feed in the hope of getting a reply and even gave people a discount if they mentioned 'Stephen Fry.' Had it worked, it would have driven a lot of traffic their way. But if public shout outs like this don't, as happened here, it risks looking like desperation.

Want to know more?

Fry captivates IAB Engage audience (IAB)

3) Your boss might own your social media content

Who owns any tweets you send at work, or any YouTube videos and Facebook photos you upload? The answer could well be your employer according to an article by analyst Jeremiah Owyang, who points out that most employment contracts include clauses saying that intellectual property created at work belongs to the company.

Though in practice it could be impractical, not to mention undesirable, to force someone to hand over their personal Twitter account upon going to another job this does raise an important point.

Namely, just like companies introduced email policies ten years ago to give staff guidelines on fair email usage, they should now introduce social media guidelines showing what is or isn't permissible.

Want to know more?

Your company may own your tweets, pokes and YouTube videos (Jeremiah Owyang)
Who owns your tweets? The answer might actually be your boss (Lies, damned lies and statistics)
A look at company social media guidelines (Lies, damned lies and statistics)

4) Research confirms Twitter's anglophone and US bias

Research company Royal Pingdom carried out a study that looked at several weeks worth of tweets over Oct and Nov. Among other things, the results confirm that Twitter is used by and large at work with traffic dipping at weekends.

It also again highlights Twitter's US bias, something worth bearing in mind for any brand wanting to use Twitter outside the US and UK.

The chart above demonstrates a clear drop in tweets in the morning Central European Time, so when Europeans are starting work but when most Americans are still asleep. Things pick up again around 10am New York time, so the near the start of the US working day.

In fact in the Summer, Sysomos carried out a study that showed that 62% of tweeple were in the US.

The second biggest market was the UK with an 8% global share. Canada had 5% and Australia 3% - in other words the main English speaking countries account for more than 3/4 of Twitter users.

Want to know more?

Study confirms US dominance of Twitter (Lies, damned lies and statistics)

5) Offsite engagement on the increase - people talk about what they've seen outside your website

The Blog Herald has published a comment article on a piece of research done by analytics firm Postrank. Postrank - which we use internally at Cow for measurement - doesn't look at raw numbers of people visiting a blog, it looks at 'engagement'.

Did they tweet about it, did they tag it, did they comment?

The crux of Postrank's research is that 'offsite engagement' is becoming more popular than 'onsite engagement.' In other words, no longer do people leave comments at the bottom of an article, they are far more likely to click on one of the many 'share this' buttons that appear on sites to spread content virally via Twitter, Facebook, Digg et al.

According to Postrank, between 2007-2009 onsite engagement dropped by 50% while 'offsite engagement skyrocketed.'

Want to know more?

From blog comments to social engagements (The Blog Herald)
Measuring engagement of social web (Postrank)

6) Here's one they prepared earlier - Choose a different ending

One of the speeches at the IAB Engage conference was given by Mark Lund of the COI, the UK's biggest advertiser. The COI is a major player when it comes to online engagement and one example of a Government project to target youth knife crime is the 'Choose a Different Ending' YouTube video.

Actually a series of videos, it follows a youth through a sequence of events revolving around a street fight.

At every stage you the viewer can choose what happens next and depending on what you select a different video comes up on screen. With the main video having had almost half a million views, the message is that you have choices in life, and those choices - even small ones - can have major consequences.

Want to know more?

Choose a different ending (YouTube)
Drop the weapons (Campaign website)

About Cow Digital

We combine the best elements of a digital and a PR agency. We can produce online creatives through our Cape Town office. But as communications professionals with many years experience, we also know how to implement and engage.

This newsletter contains stats and trends that are generally applicable, but if you'd like us to drill down in a bit more detail with info relevant to your industry and target market, we'd be more than happy to do so - just contact Dirk or Louise (hello@cowdigital.co.uk) and we'll make it happen!

Gloom to bloom: towns set to be showered with flowers

2009-11-05T13:43:00.006Z

GREY-T BRITAIN

– Gloom to bloom - towns set to be showered with flowers –

In the last twelve months over half of adults (51%) in the UK have considered moving away from their home town or city for a fresh start elsewhere in the UK or abroad, with the highest number being from London (56%).

According to the new research by the Flower Council of Holland, the desire to have more colourful or interesting surroundings (64%) was an even bigger factor than the weather (54%) and being close to nature and the countryside (33%).

Three quarters (75%) of Britons across the UK also told researchers that in the last year they believed their mood has been negatively affected by a dull or drab backdrop in their home town – rising highest in Newcastle (81%).

In addition to a grey environment, however, the research revealed it is the small things that get us down on an everyday basis. Missing the bus by a split second (53%); being caught in downpours unprepared (52%); receiving parking fines (41%) and late payment notices (38%) rated highest in a list of items most likely to bring us down.

To combat Brits’ increasing blues, the Flower Council of Holland is on a mission to bring a burst of colour to towns and cities across the UK as winter sets in. This course of action came as the poll revealed that over 50% of the UK had not been given flowers in recent memory and a further 68% had never bought flowers for themselves.

Psychologist, Dr. Glenn Wilson, explains how seemingly unimportant day-to-day happenings can have a significant effect on a person’s state of mind, “In the last twelve months many Britons have seen a few closures on their high-streets or received an unexpectedly large bill – it’s amazing how your state of mind can be changed for the worst in a split second. However, by equal measure, the smallest things in life can have a profoundly uplifting effect.”

In a recent, 10-month long study*, which measured changes in subjects’ behaviour and moods when they were around flowers, scientists found that they boosted feelings of wellbeing, calmness and overall happiness.

Dr Wilson comments, “The researchers discovered that flowers had this effect on people because of their natural simplicity, the surprise and enjoyment in the moment and their ability to connect people. People were more open and sociable, smiled more and felt their anxieties eradicated. In fact, people with flowers at home were even more productive and enthusiastic at work.”

Jonathon Read, of the Flower Council of Holland explained, “It’s about time we gave ourselves something to smile about. We Britons need flowers more than ever right now - and we’re bringing those flowers to towns and cities across the country. We are literally going to shower towns across the UK with the power of flowers in November – look out for our Flower Power Shower bus heading your way.”

The Flower Power Shower bus will be setting off on a road trip across the UK from the 9th to the 13th of November. Passers by will get their hands on free blooms and discover the opportunity to nominate friends and loved ones to win one of 1,000 bouquets at www.funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk.

-Ends-

For more information, please call the Flower Council of Holland’s press office at Cow on:
020 7234 9150 or email: flowers@cowpr.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

2,000 Britons across the UK were surveyed
The Flower Council of Holland is the worldwide organisation that promotes the enjoyment and sale of fresh flowers and houseplants.
*Research was carried out at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

BOW-WOW! WORLD’S LARGEST DOG BISCUIT UNVEILED

2009-10-11T15:19:00.007+01:00

Flickr Set

- Record-breaking Scooby snack weighs in at 16.5 stone -

You couldn’t call it half-baked. The world’s largest dog biscuit has been created to celebrate the release of Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins on DVD and the new Scooby-Doo playset.

Prepared by the Canine Cookie Company for Warner Bros, the record-breaking, monster snack measures a staggering 11ft by 4ft making this treat 2,332 times the size of an average dog biscuit.

Manoeuvring the giant treat is no small feat either: weighing in at a whopping 105kg (16.5 stone), it needs several burly men to carry and beats the previous record-holder by 33kg.

Made following a standard dog biscuit recipe, the quantities for the giant Scooby snack are suitably huge. The world’s largest Scooby Snack recipe consists of:

• 59.5kg of plain flour
• 21kg of vegetable oil
• 21kg agave nectar
• 140 eggs

However, home bakers beware if you’re considering taking on the record! It took the team of two bakers, one baking assistant and two chefs over an hour to mix, four hours to bake, three hours to cool, and one hour to ice.

The giant doggy treat is on display exclusively in Harrods Pet Kingdom on Sunday 11th October. Following its debut, it is being donated to The Dogs Trust, where it will keep pooches’ rumbling tummies at bay for long while!

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said; “We’re always keen to shout about our new DVD releases, but this launch really takes the biscuit.”

Stephanie Mehanna, Director of The Canine Cookie Company added; “When I first heard about this project I thought they must be barking mad! It’s safe to say this is the biggest project we’ve undertaken and I’m over the moon about our achievement – it’s a ‘dog’s dinner’ to be proud of!”

-ENDS-

For more information or images please contact the Warner Home Video press office at Cow PR on 0207 234 9150 or cartoon@cowpr.com.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the World’s largest Scooby Snack

• The World’s largest Scooby snack has been officially awarded the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest dog biscuit granted on Thursday 8th October 2009
• It beats the previous world record held by Microsoft in conjunction with the Mud Bay Company in Redmond, Washington, USA set in October 2006. This dog biscuit weighed in at just 71.2 kilos
• The giant Scooby Snack took a team of 5 people to make: 2 bakers, one assistant and two chefs & 7 people to lift and transport it
• Ingredients included: 51kg plain flour, 21kg vegetable oil, 21kg agave and 140 eggs. The baking process took a day and included 1hr to prepare – grease and lay silicone paper in a baking tray, mix all the ingredients. The mix was poured into the mould and rolled out using standard rolling pins. It was then put into the oven and baked for 4 hours at 160 degrees centigrade. The biscuit was left to cool and then iced.

About Warner Home Video

With operations in 89 international territories, Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment Company, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

About Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins:
Spec: One disc amaray, one feature film
DVD running length: 80 minutes

Scooby-Doo Live Action Movie triple pack:

Spec: Three disc amaray including:
Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins,
Scooby-Doo & Scooby-Doo 2
DVD running length: 251 minutes

About Harrods Pet Kingdom

Harrods Pet Kingdom is situated on the 4th floor with over 11,000 sq feet catering to London and the UK's most fashionable dog owners. Pet Kingdom is also home to the Canine Cookie Company, which houses a wonderful selection of animal friendly cupcakes, cookies and Barkday cakes. Whatever your pet requests or concerns the Pet Kingdom is on hand to ensure all expectations are met by an attentive team of fellow animal lovers known as the pet concierge team.

About the Canine Cookie Company

Canine Cookie Company is the UK’s premier bakery for dogs. Our hand-made, gourmet pet treats and celebration cakes are made with organic, human-grade ingredients. Our products are free from additives and preservatives, added salt and sugars, and all products are tested on humans. Whether you’re looking for a gourmet meal for your pet, a birthday cake or pet party planning, the Canine Cookie Company has everything you need for fine doggy dining. www.caninecookie.com

PARACHUTING POTS MARK LAUNCH OF GOLDEN WONDER'S THE NATION'S NOODLE

2009-09-28T09:07:00.008+01:00

(Additional photos)

Southsea Common in Portsmouth was the scene of a stunning aerial bombardment on Sunday as hundreds of parachuting noodle pots descended from the skies to an excitable crowd below.

The ambitious stunt was carried out to celebrate the launch of Golden Wonder: The Nation’s Noodle – a brand new range of instant noodle and pasta snacks from the iconic and much-loved British brand.

Dropped from a vertigo-inducing 150 ft, the daredevil pots appeared to be coming in to land on British soil for the first time having crossed the English channel – a fitting image as Golden Wonder has been in the hot snacking wilderness for the best part of the last 15 years.

When the pots hit the ground just after 11:00am, the scramble that ensued to get hold of them wasn’t just born out of warm, nostalgic feelings for an old British favourite.

The 300 Portsmouth folk that charted their downward course had beaten off competition from thousands of others to win places at the event, and were striving to get hold of the one parachuting pot that contained £1,000.

Tuan Anh Nguyen, 24 years old from Southsea in Portsmouth, was the lucky testosterone filled male to walk away with the money.

Commenting on the drop a Golden Wonder spokesperson said, “Golden Wonder is as big a British institution as red telephone boxes, Only Fools & Horses, cups of tea and the Queen herself – so naturally we wanted do something attention grabbing to mark its return to the big time. While Portsmouth is the home of the British Navy local residents will no doubt have seen various army aircraft flying overhead in their time – what they won’t have seen before is anything like the noodle invasion witnessed today!”

- Ends -

For further information and images of the drop please contact Martin Ayres or Bridey Lipscombe in the Golden Wonder Press Office at Cow PR on:

Tel: 07973 311223

goldenwonder@cowpr.com

- Notes to Editors -

Golden Wonder: The Nation’s Noodle and The Nation’s Pasta is a brand new range of hot instant noodle and pasta snacks packed with full-on flavour.

The Nation’s Noodle line up includes: Chicken & Mushroom, Beef & Tomato, Sweet & Sour and Chip Shop Curry

The Nation’s Pasta range includes: Spaghetti Bolognese, Spicy Tomato and Macaroni Cheese

The entire range is available now from all good supermarkets nationwide with an RRP of 85p.

For further product information visit www.thenationsbest.co.uk

LEEDS LEADS THE FASHION PACK

2009-09-20T21:09:00.002+01:00

- Research reveals that the real heart of fashion is on Leeds’ streets –

London, watch out! When it comes to individuality, the streets of Leeds are proving to be as hip as any catwalk at London Fashion Week. New research* from Vauxhall Motors shows the city’s trendsetters have even beaten Londoners’ in the style stakes.

Of the 2,000 Britons surveyed, nearly half (40%) found Leeds’ street fashion is the most inspiring in the UK, pipping London’s street cred (32%) to the post.

With Leeds hot on the stacked heels of London’s fashion credentials, Vauxhall, whose Vauxhall Fashion Scout initiative is the biggest off-schedule venue at London Fashion Week, has brought Car’Walk to Leeds.

Car’Walk is an exclusive taste of London Fashion Week, broadcasting catwalk shows and backstage commentary from the boot of an Agila at the city’s historic high-end shopping haven, the Victoria Quarter.

Simon Ewart, from Vauxhall Motors commented, “We’ve known for a long time that Leeds has a great reputation in the fashion world, so we thought we’d drive the best bits up.

“The Car’Walk is a first and it is our way of raising awareness about Fashion Week outside of London and also giving people in Leeds a front row taste of what they are so passionate about.”

The research also revealed that Leeds locals are most adventurous with their dress sense.

Well over a third (38%) claimed they don’t follow rules, preferring to accessorise, customise and individualise so they stand out from the crowd. By contrast, just 28% of Londoners were willing to take a chance on expressing themselves through clothes with over a quarter (26%) preferring to take their lead from celebrity magazines and high street retailers’ windows.

Martyn Roberts, director of Vauxhall Fashion Scout, says: “It’s well known that Leeds is a hot fashion hub. In fact some of the designers we work with, such as Leeds-born Andrew Bannister of studio_805 get their inspiration from its streets.

“People in Leeds ‘get’ fashion. It is a young, energetic city and fashion is very important to its people. Walking around Leeds you see a kind of style-conscious competitiveness in the way people dress and that is inspiring and exciting for trend-spotters.”

The Car’Walk event (so named because the London catwalk shows are broadcast to Leeds from the boot of an Agila) will feature collections from some of the hottest tipped talent in the UK today – Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Ones to Watch**.

The survey identified the top five trendsetting cities dominated by the north, highlighting a fashion divide. The link is made stronger thanks to celebrities such as style icons Agyness Deyn and Cheryl Cole.

1. Leeds (40%)
2. London (32%)
3. Glasgow (15%)
4. Manchester (7%)
5. Newcastle (6%)

- Ends –

For more press information about Vauxhall Fashion Scout and Car’Walk, please contact the Vauxhall team at Cow on 020 7234 9150 or email Vauxhall@cowpr.com

NOTES TO EDITORS:
* 2,000 people between the ages of 18-35 from across the UK were polled

** Designers topping this season’s Ones to Watch list include Gareth Pugh’s protégé, Ada Zanditon; Central St Martin’s Womenswear Designer of the Year Award 2009 winner, Dean Quinn; the rising star who has worked for design houses of both McQueen and Galliano, Hermione de Paula; and Belgrade Fashion Week 2008’s Best Young Designer award winner, Mark Mitanovski.
For more information on Vauxhall Fashion Scout please visit: www.vauxhallfashionscout.co.uk
For more information about Andrew Bannister, please visit: www.studio805.co.uk

BURGER KING® IS KING OF THE CASTLES!

2009-08-30T09:56:00.001+01:00

- Burger King launches its first ever, restaurant made of sand –

This August Bank Holiday weekend, BURGER KING® fans visiting Weston-Super-Mare are being treated to a restaurant like no other, as the UK’s favourite high street fast-food chain takes to the beach – quite literally!

Burger King on Weston-Super-Mare beach is the first ever, operational restaurant in the world to be made entirely out of sand sourced from North Somerset’s favourite seaside town!

The eye-catching new-look restaurant, which is located in the middle of Weston-Super-Mare beach is dedicated to serving BK® Fusions Mint Choc Swirl ice-creams to visitors during the Bank Holiday heatwave.

Designed and constructed by globally renowned sand sculptor, Mark Anderson, the stunning sand castle restaurant took three days to build, contains approx, 100 tonnes of sand and boasts 15 seats and will be looking to serve-up around 1000 ice-creams, weather permitting

Mark Anderson, owner of Sculptures in Sand comments: “I was extremely excited when BURGER KING® initially approached me with the original concept for the restaurant as I am a huge fan of its Fusions ice-creams.

"The idea of a dedicated ice-cream parlour on the beach made out of sand is fantastic; I’m sure that it will prove extremely popular with the general public over the course of the weekend.”

Sarah Power, Marketing Director UK and Ireland for BURGER KING® adds: “Our
Fusions ice-creams have always proved extremely popular with consumers ever since they launched in 2007.

"We are always looking into new marketing avenues and site locations that will enable us to bring our ice-creams to more consumers throughout the year. Opening a sand restaurant during the Bank Holiday weekend seemed the perfect answer and what better place than Weston-Super-Mare, one of the most popular beachside towns in the UK.”

To mark the launch of the new sand restaurant, BURGER KING® is selling Fusions ice-creams to customers at a reduced price of £1 on Sunday 30th August with all proceeds going to Weston Hospice care.

--ENDS--

For more information please contact the BURGER KING® Press Office at Cow PR
on 020 7234 9150 or email burgerking@cowpr.com

About BURGER KING®:

The BURGER KING® system operates more than 11,400 restaurants in all 50 states and in 70 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING® restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. To learn more about Burger King Corp. please visit the company’s Web site at www.burgerking.co.uk

About Weston Hospicecare:

· Weston Hospicecare supports people in North Somerset and neighbouring parts of Somerset with life limiting illnesses

· The annual running cost for Weston Hospicecare is about £2.7 million with about 80 per cent of which comes from voluntary donations.

· WHC will be helping nearly 1000 patients this year from within Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding area

· A Community nurse specialists cost about £35,000 a year each, and care for 120 patients each in the community

· In 2008 the community team cared for 750 patients, made 5,600 face to face visits and 2,865 telephone calls to patients.

· Money raised from fundraising events will help to continue to deliver the critical work to patients who are suffering a life limiting illness.

· Weston Hospicecare Ltd. Registered Charity No. 900328. Registered in England No. 2414541

SCRAPPED FOR CASH!

2009-08-21T09:54:00.004+01:00

- Vauxhall celebrates success of scrappage scheme with £2,000 giveaway -

Del Boy and David Dickinson will be praising British bargain hunters today, as research from Vauxhall reveals that over 150,000 old bangers have been scrapped for a cash bonus towards a younger model.

According to the research, London is driving the cars for cash scheme with almost one in ten owners upgrading their wheels, compared to Cornwall and East Anglia where only 1% of drivers have scrapped their cars. To mark London taking the title of the Banger Capital of Britain, Vauxhall has created the first ever Cash Car – an Astra encrusted with £2,000 worth of loose change.

The car, which is covered from boot to bonnet in bona-fide British mint was mobbed today by hundreds of commuters at Liverpool Street station, eager to pocket some free cash.

A spokesperson from Vauxhall Motors added, “We fully support the scrappage scheme and feel that the first ever Cash Car is a great way to bring to life the benefits of trading in your old car for a newer, safer and more environmentally friendly model. Hopefully, we gave commuters more than they bargained for on their journey to work this morning!”

The activity coincides with Vauxhall's nationwide direct mail campaign driving 100,000 car owners to take part in the Government's scrappage scheme.

Ends

For more information please contact the Vauxhall Press Office on 0207 234 9150 | Vauxhall@cowpr.com

Notes to editors
Research from the scrappage scheme figures on the BIS website – it applies to cars and light commercial vans (max. 3.5 tonnes)

Man’s Best Friend – part dog, part cat, part horse….

2009-08-12T14:05:00.000+01:00

Research by More Th>n reveals the ‘Equicanigattus’ – the ultimate designer pet

Meet Max, officially Britain's perfect pet. He’s an Equicanigattus - a crossbreed like nothing ever seen before.

The result of extensive research by MORE TH>N pet insurance, Max has the ears of a rabbit, face of a cat, body of a golden retriever and tail of a horse, and is what the nation’s animal lovers would most like to have as their furry, four-legged companion.

Based on comprehensive interviews with 2,000 British pet lovers and interpreted by MORE TH>N’s team of pet experts, the study was undertaken to create a composite image of the nation’s perfect animal – the result of which was a cuddly cocktail of 49% dog, 35% cat, 9% horse and 7% rabbit!

Research also included analysis of various canine and feline personality traits, allowing MORE TH>N to create the psychological profile of the nation’s perfect pet; Max has high energy levels, loves daily walks and sleeps for an average of 9 hours, 27 minutes a day.

He’s the proud owner of a loud, husky St. Bernard-style bark - ideal for warning-off unwelcome visitors - and true to the notion of ‘man’s best friend’, Max is loyal to his family, choosing only to show affection towards household members.

MORE TH>N’s Pete Markey comments: “This experiment has provided great insight into exactly what it is about their animals people love, both in terms of looks and personality, and it goes to show what a pet-obsessed nation we are.

"However, as much as Max looks cute and cuddly – and we’ve had great fun creating him – there’s a serious message to get across and it’s one of responsible pet ownership. Making sure you’ve got adequate insurance for your animal is a good place to start”.

For more information on pet insurance, or for a quote, call 0800 107 1905 or visit
www.morethan.com

- Ends -

Media enquiries:
Ella, Russell or Dan at Cow, 0844 967 0630

Notes to Editors:
Research conducted among 2,011 people by Opinium Research (July - August 2009)
For the chance to share their thoughts on the ‘perfect pet’ and upload pictures of their own pets, readers can visit http//:living.morethan.com

About MORE TH>N:
MORE TH>N is the direct financial services arm of RSA. It offers motor, home, pet, life and travel insurance by phone and via the internet. It also offers van, shop, office, business car, hotels, property, club and contractor insurance direct to small businesses.

In December 2006 MORE TH>N, together with its parent company RSA, became the first insurer in the UK to be carbon neutral. The company has cut its carbon footprint by over half since 2000 and has offset the remainder by purchasing vol

The Butlins Ocean Hotel

2009-08-12T12:11:00.000+01:00

Butlins has unveiled its new flagship hotel the fantastic Ocean Hotel, Bognor Regis, UK. Attractions at the £20m hotel include disco lifts, singing showers and even a snow cave.

THE GRID LAUNCHES LOCATION-BASED APPLICATIONS FOR IPHONE AND ANDROID SMARTPHONES

2009-07-31T09:54:00.001+01:00

Vodacom’s The Grid, South Africa’s first location-based mobile social network, today launched iPhone and Android applications, allowing these users to see their friends on local street maps, chat to them via instant messaging and upload or view geo-tagged content.

This new Grid iPhone application combines the iPhone’s GPS functionality and Vodacom’s location based (LBS) technology to display a user’s approximate position on a map.

Maps on the Grid are populated by user-generated content (text, images and videos) that are geo-tagged to a specific location. In addition users are notified when their friends log onto the Grid and are shown their position on a map to make it easy and simple to meet up.

The Grid iPhone application is available for free download on the Apple iPhone App store.

Android application
In addition a Grid application for Android, a mobile software platform initially developed by Google using the Linux operating system, has also been made available. Aside from having access to Grid functionality such as instant messaging, map browsing and media sharing, the Android application allows users to share photos and videos straight from their cellphone’s camera.

The Grid Android application is available for free download on OpenMarket, Android’s online application store as well as on The Grid website, http://www.thegrid.co.za.

Integration with other social networks
The latest Grid application releases, follow Grid integration with other social networks Twitter and Facebook. Grid users can now automatically update their Twitter and Facebook statuses from the Grid’s mobile application or website, with the added benefit of their location being tagged e.g. “Mark is in the mood for a coffee (near Bryanston)”.

Says Shameel Joosub, Managing Director, Vodacom South Africa: “The opportunities offered by location-based technology is starting to have a lasting impact on people’s lives. We’re making it easy to make use of the Grid on new handsets and also by integrating existing social networks, adding a whole new dimension to the way people communicate.”

For further information visit www.thegrid.co.za

Ends
---
Issued on behalf of:
Vodacom Group
Nicolene Visser
Executive Head: Corporate Communications
Tel: +27 11 653 5741
E-mail: nicolene.visser@vodacom.co.za

Issued by:
Cow
Charles Miller
Tel: +27 21 422 5430
E-mail: charles@cowafrica.com

--------

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Grid is a location-based social network that uses your cellphone to connect you with people, places and events around you. From your cellphone you can see which friends are in your area, chat to people across South Africa and share photos and videos - wherever you are.

The Grid is overlayed on street maps, meaning you’re able to tag content to specific addresses, recommend venues (e.g. restaurants) and even find directions to venues recommended by others.

For your cellphone, the Grid is available as a downloadable Java application or, to those without Java capabilities, a mobi site at http://wap.thegrid.co.za. There is also a full-feature website as well as a handy desktop application for when you’re stuck behind your computer at http://www.thegrid.co.za.

What's your website good for?

2009-07-04T07:18:00.001+01:00

What's your website good for?

View more documents from Dirk Singer.

A presentation looking at the new crop of social engagement sites, original post here.

Britain’s Got Flame -BURGER KING® enlists celebrity fire starter to front new FLAME™ fragrance campaign-

2009-06-15T09:45:00.003+01:00

Britain's got Flame from Cow on Vimeo.

A celebrity perfume like no other wafts into UK retailers today in the form of FLAMETM - Britain’s first celebrity fragrance with a hint of flame grilled beef, fronted by infamous fire starter Piers Morgan and priced at a credit crunch busting £4.99.

Like the Beckhams, Coleen and Kylie before him, Piers will be, quite literally, the face of FLAME™ in a tongue-in-cheek fragrance advert to help ‘beef up’ the men of Britain.

However, unlike celebrity fragrances offering ‘delicate’, ‘playful’ or ‘captivating’ floral or fruity overtones, FLAME™ bucks the trend with a hint of flame-grilled beef. What’s more, beyond helping Burger King®’s signature burgers to sizzle, the hint of flame-grilled beef is reputedly also a surprising scent of seduction!

Shot in a seductive setting and showing a totally different side to the hotshot presenter, the FLAME™ advert will be unveiled in Selfridges &Co, in London on 15th June, where the product will be available to buy, marking the nationwide launch of the fragrance in gadget and gift shop, RED5.

It’s been a case of celebrity splits-ville over the last couple of months so BURGER KING® is stepping in and offering the heart-broken blokes of Britain some light at the end of the tunnel. The likes of Guy Ritchie and Peter André to name just a few, have been sent a dose of Flame™ to help them reignite their mojos!

Hot on the heels of the hugely successful launch in the US last year, FLAME™ became the ultimate Christmas stocking filler, selling out in just four days. As the cheapest celebrity scent on the market, the UK version of FLAME™ is sure to appeal to the pockets of hard up Brits.

Commenting on the launch of the new BURGER KING® FLAME™ fragrance, Sarah Power, Marketing Director, UK & Ireland said: ““Customers love the taste of our world-famous flame-grilled beef, so we’ve bottled a hint of it to help people enjoy its unique power as a scent of seduction. In the current doom and gloom, Piers’ endorsement of FLAME™will help the nation feel totally irresistible, bringing back a bit of feel good factor again!

-ENDS-

See also News from the Herd

For more information, images of Piers Morgan or an interview please contact the BURGER KING® press office at Cow PR on 020 7234 9165 or email burgerking@cowpr.com

BEN 10 ACHIEVES INTERGALATIC APPEAL WITH SPECTACULAR DVD LAUNCH IN SPACE!

2009-04-09T14:37:00.002+01:00

Space may be the final frontier but this week it played host to the most dramatic DVD launch of all time the unveiling of the globally successful animated action-adventure series, Ben 10!

Launched 35km into the earth¹s stratosphere by the Cambridge University Spaceflight team, the adventures of the hugely popular 10-year-old Ben Tennyson were screened on a laptop as an exclusive premiere to extraterrestrials and alien lifeform.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first manned moon landings this year, the Ben 10 DVD and laptop payload was propelled high into the outer universe where it lasted an impressive three hours before landing back on earth, in Cottingham, just south of Cambridge.

Complete with an in-built camera, GPS and radio downlink, the Cambridge scientists successfully used this unique mission to demonstrate how Ben 10 was able to reach a completely
new audience in space.

Cartoon Network spokesperson, Dan Gilson, comments: "We've already seen how popular Ben 10 is for kids across the world, but this spectacular space launch for the new Season 1 Volume 3 DVD proves to us that he really does have inter-planetary appeal!"

"The Ben 10 DVD has been in intensive training for the past three months at the Airkix indoor gravity chamber in Milton Keynes but we can proudly say that it has successfully reached heady new heights with this foray into space."

Cambridge University Spaceflight's spokesperson, Rob Anderson, adds: "We jumped at the chance to get involved with this unique Ben 10 space mission and to showcase the new DVD to aliens out in space. The flight path took in some spectacular scenery, eventually coming to an end a few miles south of where it took off."

The new Ben 10 Season 1 Volume 3 DVD went on general release on Monday 6th April, and includes a whole host of thrilling escapades from the UK's most famous 10-year-old, Ben 10, in his bid to save the universe from evil.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For further information, photography/footage of the space mission, please
contact the Cartoon Network DVD team at Cow PR on:

Tel: 020 7234 9150, Email: cartoon@cowpr.com

ABOUT BEN 10

Ben 10 following the adventures of Ben Tennyson, a 10-year-old (and otherwise average kid) who discovers a strange alien watch in a crashed meteorite. Soon, Ben discovers that by using the watch he can transform into different alien beings, each with unique powers and abilities, all
while keeping his 10-year-old personality. A global phenomenon, Ben 10 is now being aired in more than 160 countries around the world.

ABOUT WARNER HOME VIDEO

With operations in 89 international territories, Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video¹s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment Company, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video
and New Line Home Entertainment.

PRESS INFORMATION

RRP: £9.99. Specs: One disc Amaray, Four episodes. DVD running length: 92
minutes

Holding out for a hero

2009-02-18T10:44:00.001Z

HALF OF UK WOMEN DISAPPOINTED IN THE BRITISH MALE

It’s bad news for British men today as 50%* of the nation’s women believe that the British male physique and masculinity has deteriorated since our father’s days and 89% are searching for more charisma and strength in their choice of mate.

A nationwide study by MBT revealed that whilst, unsurprisingly, the British beer belly was belied as the biggest turn off by the majority (79%), it was signs of lack of confidence that were turning off one in three. With the recession looming, boys should walk tall into the storm as the girls find slumped shoulders and poor posture (33%) as the second most off-putting feature after being out of shape.

Whilst a quarter of women see the ideal national hero as the black tie gentleman-come action-man James Bond*, over 98% of ladies are turned off by the idea of Russell Brand’s skinny profile and eyeliner and 94% Noel Gallagher’s Indie-style slumped physique.

Experts from the MBT Academy suggest that whilst rising obesity and longer working hours are all taking their toll on the physical attractiveness of British men, simply improving posture can give men the all important extra inches in both height and confidence!

Chartered Physiotherapist, Joshua Wies, the Director of the MBT Academy has the following top posture-related tips to help British men stand up and out from the crowd again:

1. Keep your weight even between both feet
2. Soften your knees – don’t ‘lock’ them back
3. Pull in that belly – imagine your walking on the beach
4. Lift your chest upwards
5. Draw back your shoulders and turn your palms slightly forward
6. Lengthen the spine from the back of your head to your tailbone (imagine a string pulling you up from the back of your head)
7. Now, you should be in an ideal alignment and this may feel strange – relax about 25% out of this position
8. Give yourself a reminder – put sticky notes around your office and home to ‘stand up straight’ and repeat this as often as you can throughout the day so that good posture becomes second nature and your body is programmed to stand tall.

Joshua additionally comments: “It’s not all bad news for men as despite women believing British men don’t measure up physically to their standards, a massive improvement in how they are perceived can simply be achieved by the line and position of their body.

This can be done through following simple tips to improve posture or through wearing posture-correcting MBT shoes. The technology in the MBT sole will help you correct alignment by up to ten degrees to give you the added edge in a competitive world.”

The unique, patented sole of the MBT helps to improve posture and muscle activity of the legs and core muscles, makes you stand up taller and straighter and therefore helps to take strain off the back.

- Ends -

For more information, please contact Tallulah or Ella at Cow PR
Tel: 0844 234 9150, email: mbt@cowpr.com

Notes to editors
* Fly Research conducted research with over 1,000 people in February 2009.
** Sheffield Hallam University/ Southampton University 2007

The average body size has gone down over the last 80,000 years, which is believed to be due to tools having replaced muscle power and so humans not needing to have large bodies to survive and do more work - Christopher Ruff, Are we growing taller or smaller?

Boys rated by their peers, who were seen to be tougher or more dominant were seen to have better posture – A study by Glen E. Weisfield & Jodyn Beresford, Department of Pychology, Wayne State University, 1982

BAKUGAN MINIATURE FITNESS CLASS

2009-02-18T10:31:00.001Z

British Military Fitness and Cartoon Network launch the first ever kids class to celebrate the release of Bakugan Season One Volume One DVD

What: The first ever British Military Fitness class for kids!
When: Saturday 21 February
Where: Clapham Common (south side, next to The Windmill pub)
Time: 12:30pm to 1:15pm

One of the hippest new cartoons to hit Cartoon Network in recent years, Bakugan is now set to explode onto DVD on Monday 9 February. To celebrate – and get young aspiring Bakugan ‘Battle Brawlers’ fighting fit for the launch – Cartoon Network has teamed up with British Military Fitness, the UK’s leading outdoor fitness provider, to run the first BMF class for kids.

The ‘Bakugan Miniature Fitness’ class will be run by a number of BMF’s leading instructors and attendees will be shown a host of cool moves – not unlike those seen in the Baku-scraps featured on the show. If your kids are fans of Dan and co. then this is one special class they’re really going to want to take part in.

What’s more, each kid will be given a Bakugan T-shirt to wear for the class as well as a goody bag – filled full of Bakugan goodies – to take away with them.

Places on the class are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. To reserve a place for your little Battle Brawlers, please email the address below with the following details:

• The name of your child / children
• Their age
• A contact telephone number (preferably a mobile number)

Email: Bakugan@cowpr.com

Please note:

*Places are limited to two children per family. If you are successful in securing a place, one of the Bakugan team will notify you within 5 working days

*A photographer will be taking pictures of the class that will subsequently be sent out to media. You will be required to sign a disclaimer saying you are happy for pictures featuring your child to be sent out to press

Rise of the recession romeos

2009-02-11T11:01:00.001Z

London, UK, 10th February, 2009.
Hard up British blokes are ditching pricey treats in favour of credit-crunch proof ways of romancing loved ones this Valentine’s Day. 1.6 million even admit they are following in the footsteps of Byron, Keats, and Shakespeare by penning their own love poems this February 14th.

This is according to research from voice-to-text company SpinVox which reveals two thirds of men (65%) are planning to make significant cuts in spending this Valentines day.

Women hoping for expensive, grand romantic gestures this year are likely to be left bitterly disappointed – the report also shows that almost three-quarters (72%) of British men are going to be leaving their romantic planning until the very last minute this year – too late to book romantic meals or trips to the movies. One in ten men are even planning to present their loved one with a home-made card as a romantic gift as the recession bites.

In order to help love-stricken ‘Recession Romeos’, SpinVox has teamed up with Christopher Mulvey, emeritus professor of English at the University of Winchester to provide a helpful five step guide for wannabe Wordsworths who don’t know where to start.

To give the budding poets an extra helping hand, SpinVox has also created an interactive web page www.moblog.net/RecessionRomeos/
– lovestruck men can call a dedicated phone line - 0161 369 6432 - and their love poems will instantly be published.

Professor Mulvey said, “It’s hard to put a price on romance, but these are hard times, and the credit crunch is making it difficult to express your feelings through physical gifts. Nonetheless, lovers can give the object of your affection the richest present in the world in the form of a hand-crafted, heart-felt poem.”

Professor Mulvey’s Guide to Poetry for Recession Romeos
There are five simple routes to creating a memorable poem for Valentine’s day, some of them harder than others.

1. Compute it – Basically, cheating. Type ‘poetry engine’ into Google, and you’ll find simple software that can help you to soften any heart. Type in some key words and let the computer do the rest.

2. Shape it - Shape your poem out of lines from the great old love poems-the ones that break your heart just to read them. Run a quick web search, and you'll find them by the dozen. Take a selection of best lines and weave them together. And why not customise things a little as you go along?-'O, my Sarah’s like a red, red rose,' etc. Be sure to only use old poems; anything written after 1900 might belong to someone - Wikipedia will tell you the dates.

3. Write it – The serious option. Read a few classic love poems to limber up. Think of a special moment. Keep it simple and write from the heart. Don’t try and be clever, cheap or sloppy.

4. Dream it – The hardest way. The best love poems are dreams, visions or fantasties. It might be best not to try and write one at all, and just let it come. As Bob Dylan said ‘I think a poet is anyone who wouldn’t call himself a poet.’

5. Deliver it – This can help turn a lovely poem into something really memorable, but needs to be chosen carefully! Would turning up in your beloveds place of work to read the poem really go down well? SpinVox can help you do something subtle, yet meaningful.

Christina Domecq a, co-founder and CEO at Spinvox said, “Those looking to woo successfully needn’t spend the earth to do so. It’s no secret that everyone is looking to save a little bit of cash this year and romantics everywhere are starting to consider less traditional ways of expressing their emotions.”

SpinVox is a voice to text service designed to make life simpler and more convenient. You can use SpinVox to receive voicemail messages automatically converted into text and email or make notes to yourself on the go with the Memo service. You can also speak SMS texts, blog posts and social network updates, all by simply dialling a number on your mobile phone and leaving a message which will be automatically converted to text and posted on your chosen site. For users with several blogs and networks, a new ‘Ping through SpinVox’ service is available that simultaneously broadcasts spoken updates automatically converted to text to thirty of the most popular social networking sites.

SpinVox is free to anyone wishing to use the service to create memos, update their blog or social network. Visit www.spinvox.com for more information. You can also Ping through SpinVox by signing up at http://ping.fm/

– ends –

For more information, or to arrange interviews,please contact the SpinVox team at Cow PR on +(0) 44 207 234 9150

NOTES TO EDITORS

About SpinVox
SpinVox® is the world's largest privately-held speech technology company, providing the most successful voice to text messaging services which are used daily by millions of people. SpinVox services are available directly on www.spinvox.com and through leading carriers and service providers globally.

Through significant innovations in voice and network technologies, SpinVox has brought together the two most natural forms of communication - voice and text - to create the fastest-growing form of messaging: Voice-to-Content™.

Its award-winning service is not only upgrading voicemail - by converting voicemail to text for delivery as SMS or email messages – but is also empowering people to speak SMS messages or emails to anyone, from any phone. SpinVox also enables people to speak messages directly to their favorite web messaging services such as Facebook, Twitter and many other popular web networks.

As a carrier-class hosted service provider, any network, anywhere in the world can rapidly implement SpinVox and it is now live with Alltel, Cincinnati Bell, Sasktel, Rogers, Telus, Telstra, Vodacom South Africa, Vodafone Spain, Movistar Chile and Livejournal and has announced a deal with Skype.

At the heart of SpinVox is its ground-breaking Voice Message Conversion System™ (VMCS), which works by combining state-of-the-art speech technologies with a live-learning language process. VMCS now serves users across five continents in English, French, Spanish and German – with additional languages, Portuguese and Italian, under development.

10 seconds of fame - Cow's first TV ad

2009-02-04T10:11:00.003Z

Cow Africa has produced Cow's very first TV ad.

Aired on M-Net during the premiere of season five of South African Idols, the ten second spot was for Gridstar. This is mobile phone network Vodacom's new online talent show where people can film themselves putting their talents to good use and upload it via their phones.

The spot was conceptualised, shot and produced in 24 hours.

SpinVoxing at the South Pole

2009-01-07T22:26:00.001Z

SpinVoxing At The South Pole from Spin Vox on Vimeo.

How SpinVox allows you to blog live from the South Pole.

What the Capital Wants in 2009: Sex, love, money and the weather - SpinVox Wishing Well reveals Londoners’ hopes and dreams for the New Year.

2008-12-28T21:13:00.002Z

London, UK, December 29 2008

Sex, love, money and the perennial British favourite, better weather, are top of Londoners’ wish-lists for 2009.

This is according to voice-to-text company SpinVox which, since the start of the festive period has been capturing seasonal and New Year wishes at its Wishing Well, a 7.2 metre-tall triangular audiovisial installation in Covent Garden’s East Piazza.

To date, over 2,000 wishes have been made at the well by calling a designated phone number - 0207 818 0880 - and leaving a voice message. In minutes each message is automatically converted to text and projected across its walls in a beautiful and inspiring flow of wishes and simultaneously displayed at the www.spinvoxwishingwell.com website . These messages have been a mixture of the touching, the poignant, the funny and the plain bizarre!

Since its launch on December 12th, the Wishing Well has seen countless wishes of a sexual nature, two marriage proposals, 75 declarations of love, countless recession/money-related wishes as well as an array of hopes for better weather in 2009!

There have been over 30 requests for animals as Christmas presents. Girls Aloud are the most wished-about celebs with Rachel Stevens and X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke also scoring highly.

To mark the New Year, SpinVox has unveiled its top ten favourite wishes cast in the Wishing Well over the festive period:

The SpinVox wishing well top ten

1. I wish everyone would smile once a day in 2009.
2. I want more kisses than ever before in 2009.
3. I wish George Bush had been hit by that shoe.
4. I wish I can be in love forever.
5. I wish I could travel to work by jetpack.
6. I wish that mini cab drivers would not use SatNav all the time and believe it always works.
7. I wish I'd stopped on my 8th pint.
8. I wish people would stop moaning about the credit crunch.
9. We wish that the Queen would come and stay for a night.
10 I wish people would stop wishing, wishes only come to people who don't wish.

James Scroggs, VP of Consumer Business, SpinVox says, “We’ve seen people from London and all over the world casting their wishes at the Wishing Well as well as people popping inside, relaxing and taking in all of the hopes and dreams that have already been made.”

“As expected, there have been a lot of personal wishes, but I’ve been really surprised that people seem more interested in wishing for the ‘general good’, rather than just thinking about themselves. Perhaps tougher times in 2009 will see us all being a lot less selfish.”

SpinVox is a voice to text service designed to make life simpler and more convenient. With SpinVox You can receive voicemail messages converted to text and sent to you as SMS texts and email or make notes to yourself on the go with the Memo service. You can also speak blog posts and social network updates, all by simply dialling a number on your mobile phone and leaving a message which will be automatically converted to text and posted on your chosen site. For users with several blogs and networks, a new ‘Ping through SpinVox’ service is available that simultaneously broadcasts spoken updates to over 30 social network sites.

SpinVox is free to anyone wishing to use the service to update their blog or social network. Visit www.spinvox.com for more. You can Ping through SpinVox by signing up at http://ping.fm/

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The SpinVox Wishing Well remains at Covent Garden’s East Piazza until January 5th. To leave a wish, visitors call 0207 818 0880.

For more information, or to enquire about interviews, please contact Ema Linaker, Global Consumer PR Director on +44 7771 770317 or ema.linaker@spinvox.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

About SpinVox

SpinVox® is the world's largest privately-held speech technology company, providing the most successful voice to text messaging services which are used daily by millions of people. SpinVox services are available directly on www.spinvox.com and through leading carriers and service providers globally.

Through significant innovations in voice and network technologies, SpinVox has brought together the two most natural forms of communication - voice and text - to create the fastest-growing form of messaging: Voice-to-Content™.

Its award-winning service is not only upgrading voicemail - by converting voicemail to text for delivery as SMS or email messages – but is also empowering people to speak SMS messages or emails to anyone, from any phone. SpinVox also enables people to speak messages directly to their favorite web messaging services such as Facebook, Twitter and many other popular web networks.

As a carrier-class hosted service provider, any network, anywhere in the world can rapidly implement SpinVox and it is now live with Alltel, Cincinnati Bell, Sasktel, Rogers, Telus, Telstra, Vodacom South Africa, Vodafone Spain, Movistar Chile and Livejournal and has announced a deal with Skype.

At the heart of SpinVox is its ground-breaking Voice Message Conversion System™ (VMCS), which works by combining state-of-the-art speech technologies with a live-learning language process. VMCS now serves users across five continents in English, French, Spanish,German, Portuguese and Italian..

The following active services make use of SpinVox:

Emap Radio – inc. Magic and Kiss FM – Listener Feedback
Times Online with BMW – Reader Feedback
Centrica (British Gas) – Business Call Centre
WNYC Radio – Listener Feedback
EMI Records – AlphaBeat and Girls Aloud Blogging on Tour
Polydor Records – Elbow Blogging on Tour
MTV Television – Stand By What You Say Initiative against HIV/AIDS
IE Business School – Institutional Blogs
Guido Fawkes Blog - Voice to Text Capability of the Wicked Whispers line
Late4work.com – Feedback from train travellers in the UK

CHRISTMAS IS COMING – AND THE DOG IS GETTING FAT…

2008-12-23T01:52:00.001Z

Misguided kindness from dog owners could see British dogs could put on nearly half a stone in weight (6 pounds) this festive season, putting them at risk of developing a number of serious illnesses including arthritis, diabetes and liver disease according to pet insurer MORE TH>N.

The 6 pounds in dog weight (nearly 10% of the average dog’s bodyweight) is equivalent to the average UK male putting on up to a stone over the Christmas period .

As a result, MORE TH>N is issuing a canine health warning outlining the dangers of Brits treating their dogs to chocolates, leftovers from the Christmas turkey and uneaten mince pies, which can lead to more problems for dogs than a little extra around the belly. In fact, some Christmas nosh can cause serious health implications too.

To help keep British dogs healthy this Christmas, MORE TH>N Vetfone’s pet expert, Louise O’Dwyer, has identified the most damaging tit-bits that should be avoided. They are:

• Chocolate – Human chocolate is actually poisonous to dogs. The darker it is the more harmful it can be. If you want to treat Rover to chocolates this Christmas stick to those specially produced for dogs
• Christmas Pud and Mince pies – Raisins (and grapes) are also poisonous to dogs so take care to keep these traditional Christmas treats well out of reach
• Garlic and Onions – Both can be toxic to canines so no sage and onion should ever be put in the dog bowl
• Alcohol – Many pet owners think it’s ok to allow pets a drop of Christmas spirit but even a small amount of alcohol is not wise
• Turkey leftovers – Any food with bones in is dangerous for dogs as they can cause intestinal obstructions
• Milk and Dairy – Unfamiliar foodstuffs can cause all sorts of dietary upsets in dogs – if you feed yours strong cheeses or rich desserts chances are you’ll discover a few extra, unwanted gifts under the Christmas tree…

If however, you are determined your pet should enjoy a special Christmas dinner come 25 December, Louise O’Dwyer makes the following recommendations:

“It might not seem that adventurous, but white meat, either turkey or chicken, with boiled or steamed vegetables won’t do dogs any harm at all and the smart money says they’ll wolf this meal down. Dog owners really do need to take care of their animals during the festive season though, misguided kindness when it comes to treats could cause serious health issues for the nation’s dogs in the New Year.”

Jane Foster, Head of Pet insurance at MORE TH>N comments, “What dog owners need to remember is that their beloved pooches’ recommended daily calorie intake is just 40 percent of their own. In other words, each Christmas treat that is given to Rover is the equivalent of a human eating two and a half times as much. Therefore, while one mince pie with a dollop of cream is naughty for a human, its easy to see that it could prove extremely problematic for a pooch .”

-Ends-

Media enquiries:

Nick Dear
MORE TH>N External Communications
T: 020 7337 5602
E: nick.dear@uk.rsagroup.com

Lana Clements
MORE TH>N External Communications
T: 020 7337 5797
E: lana.clements@uk.rsagroup.com

Notes to Editors
Health problems common in obese pets include:

• Arthritis, cruciate ligament injuries, spinal disc problems and hip dysplasia – all can be caused by or aggravated by obesity, putting extra stress on the skeletal structure
• Heart failure - can be the result of fat cells accumulating in the arteries and impairing blood and oxygen flow
• Diabetes - can be the result of elevated blood glucose levels due to obesity, and can lead to kidney failure and blindness
• Liver disease - occurs when fat cells block the liver so that it can not efficiently remove toxins from the blood
• Pancreatitis - a life threatening illness, it is associated with obesity and high fat diets
• Some cancers are linked to obesity
• Respiratory difficulties – can be caused by excess fat gathering around the muscles of the heart, robbing the body of adequate oxygen

1. Based on the average Labrador weighing four and a half stone (30kg). 6 pound (2.5kg) weight increase figure provided by Vetfone

2. Based on the average adult male weighing 12 stone (MORE TH>N estimation). Christmas period defined as the seven days from Christmas Day to New Years Eve

3. The recommended daily calorie intake for an adult human is 2,300, or 238% more than the recommended calories for a dog (970). Therefore: calories in any given human food x 2.38 = equivalent ‘relative dog calories’

About MORE TH>N:
MORE TH>N is the direct financial services arm of RSA. It offers motor, home, pet, life and travel insurance by phone and via the internet. It also offers van, shop, office, business car, hotels, property, club and contractor insurance direct to small businesses.

In December 2006 MORE TH>N, together with its parent company Royal & SunAlliance, became the first insurer in the UK to be carbon neutral. The company has cut its carbon footprint by over half since 2000 and has offset the remainder by purchasing voluntary carbon reductions.

About Vetfone:
Vetfone is the trading name of Vetsdirect Ltd. With it 24/7 team of registered vet nurses Vetfone is the UK’s leading provider of veterinary advice over the telephone. It provides veterinary services to many of the UK’s leading pet charities.

In 2006 Vetsdirect Ltd became the first veterinary service in the UK to be carbon neutral.

SpinVox brings seasonal wishes to life

2008-12-12T13:28:00.003Z

Londoners invited to speak freely at dramatic audiovisual installation in Covent Garden’s Piazza

London, UK, Friday 12th December, 2008.
Festive shoppers in Covent Garden will this year be able to bring their seasonal wishes to life, thanks to a new interactive audiovisual art installation.

The Wishing Well, created by British voice to text company SpinVox, allows visitors to speak their wishes into their mobile phone and automatically converts them to text. The wishes will be projected across the inner walls of the well in real time – creating a visually stunning, beautiful and inspiring flow of wishes. The arrival of each wish will be announced with an array of sounds and voices which will fill Covent Garden’s East Piazza with a dramatic soundscape. To leave a wish, visitors simply call 0207 818 0880 (calls charged at local rate).

Visitors are encouraged to be creative in their choice of wishes and use this opportunity to speak freely. SpinVox expects to convert a range of wishes – from the personal and the political to the barmy and bizarre.

The SpinVox Wishing Well is a distinctive 7.2 metre-high triangular structure and will be open to the public from 10am until 11pm daily from December 12th until January 5th. It has been created by design and communications agency FreeState and forms part of Covent Garden’s Christmas Delight, a unique programme of music and events. The public’s wishes can also be viewed online at www.spinvoxwishingwell.com.

James Scroggs, VP of Consumer Business, SpinVox says, “The Wishing Well is a magical place. Everyone is invited to step inside into an oasis of calm, relax and speak their wishes for the coming year freely.

“People’s thoughts often turn to reassessment, hopes and wishes at this time of year and particularly in the current economic and political climate. We are encouraging people to take time out and spend a few minutes of quiet contemplation in a fun, interactive installation.”

Adam Scott, Creative Director, Freestate says, “It is a unique multi-sensory
experience designed to complement Covent Garden’s Christmas Delight programme, but provide a different, emotionally evocative moment in the city.”

SpinVox is a voice to text service designed to make life simpler and more convenient. You can receive voicemail messages by text and email or make notes to yourself on the go with the Memo service.

You can also speak blog posts and social network updates, all by simply dialling a number on your mobile phone and leaving a message which will be automatically converted to text and posted on your chosen site. For users with several blogs and networks, a new ‘Ping through SpinVox’ service is available that simultaneously broadcasts spoken updates automatically converted to text to thirty of the most popular social networking sites.

SpinVox is free to anyone wishing to use the service to update their blog or social network. Visit www.spinvox.com for more. You can also Ping through SpinVox by signing up at http://ping.fm/

– ends –

For more information, or to arrange interviews,please contact the SpinVox team at Cow PR on 0207 234 9150

For further information regarding Covent Garden please contact Paul McEntree on 0203 047 4078 /Paul_Mcentee@jcpr.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

About SpinVox
SpinVox® is the world's largest privately-held speech technology company, providing the most successful voice to text messaging services which are used daily by millions of people. SpinVox services are available directly on www.spinvox.com and through leading carriers and service providers globally.

Through significant innovations in voice and network technologies, SpinVox has brought together the two most natural forms of communication - voice and text - to create the fastest-growing form of messaging: Voice-to-Content™.

Its award-winning service is not only upgrading voicemail - by converting voicemail to text for delivery as SMS or email messages – but is also empowering people to speak SMS messages or emails to anyone, from any phone. SpinVox also enables people to speak messages directly to their favorite web messaging services such as Facebook, Twitter and many other popular web networks.

As a carrier-class hosted service provider, any network, anywhere in the world can rapidly implement SpinVox and it is now live with Alltel, Cincinnati Bell, Sasktel, Rogers, Telus, Telstra, Vodacom South Africa, Vodafone Spain, Movistar Chile and Livejournal and has announced a deal with Skype.

At the heart of SpinVox is its ground-breaking Voice Message Conversion System™ (VMCS), which works by combining state-of-the-art speech technologies with a live-learning language process. VMCS now serves users across five continents in English, French, Spanish and German – with additional languages, Portuguese and Italian, under development.

About Covent Garden Christmas Delight:

Covent Garden has built on the huge success of last year’s Christmas Deluxe program with this year’s Christmas Delight iniative, further cementing Covent Garden’s reputation as one of London’s most innovative Christmas experiences

Christmas Delight sees Covent Garden’s iconic Market Building transformed into futuristic winter wonderlands with breathtaking modular light displays by creative collective UVA. In addition, Covent Garden has become a stage for a rolling schedule of live music each week, including Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra and The Modified Toy Orchestra.
Londoners and vistors to Covent Garden can visit the Shop Of Delight, an electic pop up store that will offer a variety of stylish ways to have a spend thrift Christmas

This exciting and eclectic program that spans culture, retail and entertainment means that there is something for everyone at Covent Garden this Christmas; families, kids, couples and culture vultures