Talking of cars, I was pleased to see the Renault ZE launch that I went to featured in an 'advertorial' in last Saturday's Guardian Weekend. I must admit that I never usually read advertorials, but I made an exception for this one. And, oh, what a surprise - there's me quoted in the text:
Now excuse me for splitting hairs, but the thing is I never spoke to anyone from The Guardian. And I certainly never told anyone that my next car will definitely be an EV. For it definitely won't be. Not because I don't think that this - or something very like this - is going to be the future of motoring, nor because I'm wedded to the notion of being a confirmed petrol head. But because I can't rely on a car that only has a range of 100 miles on a full charge, with no assurance that I could find a charging point within a 25-mile radius. My driving needs simply don't fit into a pattern that electric power can currently cater for. When that changes - as it undoubtedly will - I'll be in the queue.
That's a bit naughty of The Guardian, though, don't you think? Or am I biting the hand that feeds? - after all, I was there at their invitation.
So they invite you to test the car, then, regardless of what you might've said, they use a fictitious quote to increase sales?
Posted by: David Airey | 18 July 2011 at 08:54 PM
Still no need to put (the wrong) words in your mouth. Fortunately, PR fluff is pretty easy to spot.
Posted by: Matt Laws | 18 July 2011 at 10:41 PM
I'm not surprised; we were interviewed by the Observer a while ago; it must have been a bit flat because they spiced things up by adding comments about french politics, that we never made during the interview; totally random and unrelated to the subject of the article. It was just to match the news at the time I guess. BAD.
Posted by: Amandine | 19 July 2011 at 12:23 AM