Following up from Nick’s previous post, cabbies aren’t the only ones being geared up to deliver word-of-mouth marketing. The owners of Fabulous Salon and Fantastic Fingers in South Caroline, USA are – according to a story in the Guardian – on the Obama campaign trail.

Recognising the salons’ customers offer a captive audience (apparently the black female customers at Fabulous Salon can spend up to three hours having their weaves re-done) for the prospective Democratic candidates. Targeting potential supporters in this way is not new the article goes on to say – apparently Martin Luther-King drew upon a similar tactic in recruiting black women to his cause in the sixties. Well done to Obama on picking up the mantle from King – maybe Clinton will have to rely on more than a few tears to ensure she remains the frontrunner.

On a separate point, Borkowski makes an excellent comment on this week’s ‘story-celebre’ – the strength or otherwise of Mr Paxman’s knicker elastic. In my book a classic PR tactic by M+S though the ethics of revealing private correspondence for corporate gain invite discussion – particularly when many (including this venerable publication) have commended the retailers’ apparent commitment to operating on an ethical platform.