How-Do weekly Wrap - Friday 5 December 2008 - Fergus McCallum - North West Media News

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How-Do weekly Wrap - Friday 5 December 2008 - Fergus McCallum

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Friday, 05 December 2008

Welcome to the weekly Wrap from How-Do - media news for the North West.

The Wrap's guest editor this week is Fergus McCallum.

Last week we had the pleasure of inducing some wide-eyed graduates from our sister agency in London.

Unfortunately someone who had clearly never ventured further north than Islington booked them train tickets to Warrington and they duly arrived late and slightly embarrassed.

Now, it seems the BBC is following in their footsteps by holding its Sports Personality of the Year shindig at the Echo Arena in Liverpool - and this in the same week that How-Do reports that the BBC is looking for a Director of Sport to be based at Media City.

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems a huge opportunity missed - surely it would have been a great signal to host the Awards somewhere with a Manchester postcode and help cement the BBC’s presence in the area. Or could it be that the North is just a bit too confusing if you sit in London?

In fact it seems the North and particularly Merseyside is very confusing if you believe Liverpool’s Deputy Mayor. He wants to scrap Merseyside and call it all Liverpool. Now I know quite a few Mancunians who would delight in Merseyside being scrapped but I was shocked to hear this from a Liverpudlian and I’m also pretty sure the Wirral is the wrong side of the Mersey to be in Liverpool. Is this marketing gone mad? Well perhaps not - he achieved a great deal of coverage for his idea so he’s at least succeeded in getting it on the public agenda. Still think it’s a bit daft though.

Finally, and with an admittedly tenuous public agenda link, congratulations to CBJWT for winning The FSA and HM Treasury pitch against WCRS and VCCP. Another win for the North is always good to see. I'll raise a proper pint to that.

Fergus McCallum is chief operating officer at TBWA\Manchester

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Comments (9)

1 By rob, on 05-12-2008 11:08
inducing? were they pregnant?

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2 By in the know, on 05-12-2008 11:14
...BBC Sports personality is at the echo arena Liverpool as part of the 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations. This was agreed ages ago as a fitting finale and to move it oop north to the UK's premier sporting city.

The BBC won't be in Salford (not Manchester) for another 3 years, but if Lord Coe gets his way that will be 2013 at the earliest...move up north just before the biggest UK sporting event in history? I think not.

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3 By mancunian, on 05-12-2008 11:20
There are quite a few bureaucrats and politicians in Manchester town hall's rating office and the tourism office who realise that the image of Coronation Street does not play well down south and would like to snatch a large slice of picturesque Macclesfield and Bollington under the Greater Manchester banner.

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4 By Mr Sock, on 05-12-2008 12:16
"By mancunian, on 05-12-2008 10:20
There are quite a few bureaucrats and politicians in Manchester town hall's rating office and the tourism office who realise that the image of Coronation Street does not play well down south and would like to snatch a large slice of picturesque Macclesfield and Bollington under the Greater Manchester banner."

I disagree, Eastender's Albert Square is hardly picturesque is it? After all they can't afford washing machines and go to a launderette.

As for the bureaucrats and politicians, Marketing Manchester has to be the biggest criminal for this. They are the biggest champagne socialists and quango queens

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5 By Pedro, on 05-12-2008 12:21
What a silly, immature post from someone in such a senior poisition.

As previously mentioned the BBC chose Liverpool to celebrate the city's history of sporting achievement, its year as Capital of Culture and an impressive new arena, designed by one of UK's most resprected architectural practices.

If you seriously believe Merseyside is a stronger brand than Liverpool, then I pity your clients if that's the kind of insight they're paying for.

Merseyside was dreamt up by a civil servant in the 1970's. It's outdated and meaningless. A bit like your post.

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6 By Chris Roxburgh, on 05-12-2008 12:49
Sir,

Your guest editor Fergus McCallum accuses southerners of being clueless north of Islington whilst displaying similar ignorance to a City west of Manchester. That City is Liverpool, the 2008 Capital of Culture, and surely even the most biased Mancunian can work out why Sports Personality of the Year is being held at Liverpool's new Echo Arena? This show in common with others such as The Royal Variety Performance have broken with tradition and moved away from London to celebrate the history and rejuvenation of a fine city. As a fellow north westerner why can't he enjoy the facilities half an hour's drive away rather than be envious of them?

I think it's a pity that How do's north west edition has been used as a vehicle for one great northern city to be 'knocked' by someone from the other great northern city with an agenda to promote. It's playground stuff and unnecessary - if Fergus would like to find his way to Liverpool I would be happy to arrange for someone to show him what has been going on in 2008.

Regards

Chris

Chris Roxburgh
Managing Director
LinkDirect Ltd

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7 By Mr Sock, on 05-12-2008 14:46
Calm down! Calm down!

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8 By Loggedoff, on 05-12-2008 15:05
A North West equivalent of the Angel of the North. Instead of wings we could use a big chip across the shoulders.

Paranoid whinging about southern oppression and infighting between citys will get us nowhere. Grab another beer mat and try again Fergus.

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9 By Bring back BDH, JWT, Royds etc, on 06-12-2008 15:37
I'd make a fair guess he's never left Didsbury

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