The law of unintended consequences came into play via our most-downloaded NamNews item yesterday. Sales in the last four weeks of pain relief gels, rubs and ointments at Tesco pharmacies across the UK have apparently soared by 20% compared to the three weeks before the World Cup started. Moreover, demand for insect bite-relief sprays jumped by 50% since the tournament started while after sun sales are up 20%, as armchair fans 'replayed' key moves in parks throughout the country.
The Tesco-effect can be seen as a positive, unexpected benefit, and might have been anticipated by marketers of global brands in pain relief via pitch-side advertising in the case of gels, rubs and ointments and possible new launch endorsement in the case of Suarez bite-prevention...
However, proactive NAMs could extend this pain-relief opportunity idea to target audiences for spectator sports everywhere....
For instance, when I was working in Budapest 25 years ago, it happened that Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard were giving a concert at the local football stadium, a great novelty for newly liberated but mature fans at the time, so the stadium was packed to capacity. As I looked around, I concluded that the fans ages would cause them to sit quietly and result in the music being audible to all.
However, at the opening riff of Johnny Be Good, most of the audience ran down, jumped over the 1 meter perimeter fence and invaded the pitch, as they might have done in their youth... However, this unplanned stretching caused most of them to pull a ligament, or worse, with their pain very evident as they limped towards the stage.
Another heaven-sent opportunity for those pain-relief vendors that managed to anticipate this unexpected demand and charge what they liked, in the post-communist scarcity of newly liberated Hungary...
The Tesco-effect can be seen as a positive, unexpected benefit, and might have been anticipated by marketers of global brands in pain relief via pitch-side advertising in the case of gels, rubs and ointments and possible new launch endorsement in the case of Suarez bite-prevention...
However, proactive NAMs could extend this pain-relief opportunity idea to target audiences for spectator sports everywhere....
For instance, when I was working in Budapest 25 years ago, it happened that Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard were giving a concert at the local football stadium, a great novelty for newly liberated but mature fans at the time, so the stadium was packed to capacity. As I looked around, I concluded that the fans ages would cause them to sit quietly and result in the music being audible to all.
However, at the opening riff of Johnny Be Good, most of the audience ran down, jumped over the 1 meter perimeter fence and invaded the pitch, as they might have done in their youth... However, this unplanned stretching caused most of them to pull a ligament, or worse, with their pain very evident as they limped towards the stage.
Another heaven-sent opportunity for those pain-relief vendors that managed to anticipate this unexpected demand and charge what they liked, in the post-communist scarcity of newly liberated Hungary...
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