Rupert Goodwins' Diary
Cheap, sleazy publicity stunts always meet with a warm welcome here, and Evesham Technology -- Evesham Micros, as was -- is clearly up to the stiff challenge. Its new Student division is flogging pooters to the studes with a small bundle of extras: vouchers for coffee shops, a free phone SIM and, best of all, a packet of condoms. Are they just pulling the wool over our eyes, so to speak?
Of course not, says Evesham. You can't tell our over-active youth enough about safe sex and the importance of thoroughly bagging the old chap before indulging in non-virtual interaction. No word as to whether they've solved the problem that all people below the age of 21 invariably blow up the condoms and send them farting around the room like flatulent Zeppelins, but it's worth a pop.
Curiously, Evesham itself seems to lie on some sort of ley line for prophylactic-powered publicity. Local firm Stretch Marketing -- see what I mean? -- has a history of setting up contraception schemes for places like the Philippines and Malawi, and even more worryingly also manages a local band called The Panic Hats. An interesting euphemism for rubber johnnies: if only their debut single wasn't called Leak...